Vintage Hi-Fi Consoles

[Canuck57]

I love the look of some of these 1960s Hi-fi consoles, anyone else like them; specifically aesthetics not sound quality of course. Anyone have one back in the day?

 

[RayDunzl]

Nope,

Dad had separates.

Eico kit Tuner and Integrated Amp, Garrard TT, Pilot speakers.

 

[Canuck57]

Nope,

Dad had separates.

Eico kit Tuner and Integrated Amp, Garrard TT, Pilot speakers.

My Dad had separates as well, preamp, tuner, amplifier (all Pioneer I think), Garrard TT and speakers he built.

 

[Canuck57]

Complete with bar!

 

[Blumlein 88]

Yeah an aunt and grand father had them. One was a Magnavox. Forget the other. Saw an interesting one at a yard sale this year. It had a TT and tuner and an early wire based recording device.

It was a Sears Silverstone. The wire recorder worked even. They had several spools of wire.

 

[restorer-john]

They are just gorgeous looking for sure. There's one downstairs at my Dad's place in the hallway he bought for fun for $3 or $4 and neither of us have the heart to throw it out. It almost got put out for the kerbside cleanup, but I intervened and said it was too nice. Of course it sounds putrid, but the cabinet work and particularly the radio (tuner) is phenomenal. I'll take a few pics next time I go to his place. Certainly not as nice as the ones pictured above, but attractive nonetheless.

 

[frogmeat69]

My dad had one, not sure of the model, but my uncle had what I think was a Zenith, a main piece with the amp, tuner and TT, and separate slave unit for stereo, might have had an amp as well. My cousin still has it last time I asked.

 

[FrantzM]

We had a few at home. I would be willing to buy one or two to furnish my listening room.

 

[Canuck57]

They are just gorgeous looking for sure. There's one downstairs at my Dad's place in the hallway he bought for fun for $3 or $4 and neither of us have the heart to throw it out. It almost got put out for the kerbside cleanup, but I intervened and said it was too nice. Of course it sounds putrid, but the cabinet work and particularly the radio (tuner) is phenomenal. I'll take a few pics next time I go to his place. Certainly not as nice as the ones pictured above, but attractive nonetheless.

Looking fwd., to the pics!

It would be neat to repurpose one of these cabinets for some other use or swap out the components & conceal updated speakers inside for an auxiliary general listing system.

 

[restorer-john]

It would be neat to repurpose one of these cabinets for some other use or swap out the components & conceal updated speakers inside for an auxiliary general listing system.

I had considered that in the past for units I had seen, but the cabinetry, although looking good, was not up to the standard required for modern speakers and high powered amplification. You need to essentially build speaker boxes inside the unit or I reckon modern woofers would tear the cabinets apart.

 

[Guermantes]

We had a radiogram with a TV on the right and record player/radio on the left. The brand escapes me at the moment.

I remember coming home from school everyday and sitting down to listen to Tubular Bells on the thing. Must have driven my mother crazy!

 

[restorer-john]

I remember coming home from school everyday and sitting down to listen to Tubular Bells on the thing.

I could never get into Tubular Bells. For me and atmospheric electronica, it was Jean Michelle Jarre- Oxygene, Equinoxe, Magnetic Fields etc all on vinyl of course. So a few years later for me.

My Dad actually bought me my first CD which I still have (of course)-Oxygene, as it was THE disc all the manufacturers were using to showcase Compact Disc in 1983 at the big audio shows we went to.

 

[paddycrow]

My father made his own. Had a Knight kit amp and tuner in it with a Garrard turntable (I believe it was a model 210). I don't recall what type speakers they were.

 

[JeffS7444]

No but my aunt had one, though the television and other electronics were removed years ago, and she was simply using it as a piece of furniture. Nothing really special as I recall; no Fisher or McIntosh electronics or Garrard 301 turntable.

Brionvega still offers a handsome console, but I think it'd look better without the built-in turntable:
https://www.brionvega.it/en/products/radiofonografo/radiofonografo-rr226-fo-st.html

 

[Guermantes]

I could never get into Tubular Bells. For me and atmospheric electronica, it was Jean Michelle Jarre- Oxygene, Equinoxe, Magnetic Fields etc all on vinyl of course. So a few years later for me.

My Dad actually bought me my first CD which I still have (of course)-Oxygene, as it was THE disc all the manufacturers were using to showcase Compact Disc in 1983 at the big audio shows we went to.

Well, Oxygene was actually the next LP that I tortured my mum with

Usually, though, the albums of choice for the radiogram were A Walk in the Black Forest, Swingin' Safari or something by Nana Mouskouri.

 

[Canuck57]

We had a radiogram with a TV on the right and record player/radio on the left. The brand escapes me at the moment.

I remember coming home from school everyday and sitting down to listen to Tubular Bells on the thing. Must have driven my mother crazy!

I had to google radiogram - never heard it before - sounds like a medical procedure!

 

[Canuck57]

 

[Wes]

I inherited the first one but with the phono on the other side.

VibraSonic !!

 

[Canuck57]

I inherited the first one but with the phono on the other side.

VibraSonic !!

Very cool does it still work?

 

[Wes]

No I took it apart as a kid. It is now an empty shell with components on top and an amp underneath. Some CDs are stored in one top area.

I'd like to change the grills into pull out drawers for storage.

A modern phono player could go in the are where the old one was... I keep thinking about that...