Magnavox 1963 Imperial ?

[Motorola minion]

I just picked this up from the next county over, toward Philadelphia area's western Ex-urbs. It came from a family that does clean-outs. It was on CL for $10, I gave them a twenty and thanked them for not junking it. There was only a picture of the tuner, so I knew it was not solid state otherwise its labeled Astro sonic or Magna sonic, I also suspected it was a series 200 tuner with an MPX adapter like the two '62 Mags I already own that have a series 100 preamp tuner, Imperial-badged Micromatic and 9300 amplifier; 1ST659 and 1ST223.

[Motorola minion]

6EU7 to 12AX7 conversions will be a priority when I recap it.

[William]

Good guess on your part, Dave, and a nice-looking unit.

Bill

[TC Chris]

It was on CL for $10, I gave them a twenty and thanked them for not junking it.

Good for you. Rewarding good behavior tends to elicit more. And being fair with people is always good policy. Now, don't mind scamming a scammer, but when dealing with honest folk, respond in kind.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

Looks like a 2ST661. It has FM AFC so it is a mid-1961 up. Pending seeing some date codes, I would guess it's older than 1963. Magnavox was getting really sketchy with their models after 1961, so codes will tell us for sure. It will give me nightmares knowing somebody was actually going to put that beautiful instrument to the curb. Good for you, Dave.

[Firedome]

Nice find Dave!! We need to look further into those 6N2P tubes we were discussing... 3-5$ each really keeps the costs down!!

[Firedome]

Can you find a place to stash it undetected LOL? You'll be adding more soon!

[hermitcrab]

Nice Save... needlessly filling up dumps with perfectly good electronics is a sin to me...she looks like a imperial

[Motorola minion]

Thank god folks who do estate cleanouts are beginning to get smart and list these.

I assume that "got junk" operations may eventually be flipping them but the independent people are just happy someone can use it again.

This area W+N of Phl was LOADED with old money in the madmen era

[Motorola minion]

Can you find a place to stash it undetected LOL? You'll be adding more soon!

As you see, its over at the Pontiac's garage for intake cleaning. The garage at the house has 4 consoles (!) in for repairs from a regular customer.

Once I get two back to him, I can take one of the Fisher Warwick's to sell. Then I have two more of his Motorola models SK28 and SK80 which I will post

This 61 1/2 Magnavox with 15" woofs is a better keeper than two other Magnavox I have with this amp and 12" woofs/horns, so those two will be for sale.

[TC Chris]

This 61 1/2 Magnavox with 15" woofs is a better keeper than two other Magnavox I have with this amp and 12" woofs/horns, so those two will be for sale.

Bigger is not necessarily better. Listen first!! Sometimes big -= flabby. Some time back I posted a link on those E-V Patricians with 30" speakers. Reviews do mention poorly controlled bass.

My LR system uses Genesis (one of 3 cos. to use that name) speakers with 8" woofers passive radiator. Last night I ran the Stereophile test CD and I heard solid response down to 25 Hz, audible response to 20. Size ain't everything.
.
By the way, my Genesis variety was from "Genesis Physics" or some such techy name, in NY. I've had 'em forever (maybe 1983??). The foam surrounds on speakers and radiators all failed at once, which was exactly when I had surgery on my dominant hand after an unfortunate iceboatng incident. I paid somebody to re-surround, with butyl rubber. I know, non-original materials may affect parameters, blah blah blah, but I noticed no change in sound and the butyl promises to last longer. The real change was from recapping the crossovers--clean highs!

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

That setup with the 93 series amp is the best of Magnavox, maybe the best of the best, period. I have the 93 series with both 12" woofers and horns and with 15" woofers and cone tweeters. I don't hear a nickel's worth of difference between them.

[Motorola minion]

That setup with the 93 series amp is the best of Magnavox, maybe the best of the best, period. I have the 93 series with both 12" woofers and horns and with 15" woofers and cone tweeters. I don't hear a nickel's worth of difference between them.

Thanks, that is encouraging. My 1960 Symphony 1ST208 has 15" with cone mids-tweets. It seems very well matched to a PP 6V6 amp (AMP175).
This 2ST661 one is in a nicer/heavier cabinet than the 2ST659 and 1ST622. I want to compare these before letting one or both go.

[Motorola minion]

That setup with the 93 series amp is the best of Magnavox, maybe the best of the best, period. I have the 93 series with both 12" woofers and horns and with 15" woofers and cone tweeters. I don't hear a nickel's worth of difference between them.

Thanks, that is encouraging. My 1960 Symphony 1ST208 has 15" with cone mids-tweets. It seems very well matched to a PP 6V6 amp (AMP175).
This 2ST661 one is in a nicer/heavier cabinet than the 2ST659 and 1ST622. I want to compare these before letting one or both go.

[Firedome]

Dave you'll have fun with that comparison.. a nice bunch to choose from!

"93 series amp is... maybe best of the best, period"... ummmm. No comment, I don't want to get in trouble

[electra225]

Apples and oranges, Roger. But watt for watt it would be hard to beat the Magnavox 93 series. They got a lot of performance out of 15 WPC. I probably should have put a caveat on my comments. The best of the best in console stereos, especially Magnavox console stereos. I wish I was closer to Dave. I'd make sure he hated that 661. A little Imperial is on the top of my bucket list.......

[Firedome]

watt for watt... OK debatable. But the best in console stereos period? in my humble opinion (and it's just an opinion!) was the SA300b pictured above that was the standard amp in the 1962 FIsher President console I had, along with the 400CX preamp and FM202 tuner, and why a President was a $2600 instrument and why that amp can bring $2000 today. The preamp also easily $2000.

http://www.fisherconsoles.com/president%20VII.html

To be Devil's advocate, for PP 6BQ5 watt stereo amps found in consoles, I'd guess the Pilot SA-232 and Fisher SA-100 6BQ5 amps, both found mostly in a number of their consoles, with their much bigger transformers, could hold their own if not challenge any other 6BQ5 console amp, I've owned both of them, both are superb with correctly matched speakers and worth a listen before judgement. And both also bring big bucks due to outstanding quality. Now to be fair the Fisher is 7189 based, but about the same thing really. The Pilot calls for 6BQ5. Some even say it's the best vintage 6BQ5 amp ever made, period. Been 20 years since I had it, but it was very nice with my Klipsch KSBs.

Fisher on eBay Right now:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/185600058765?h ... BMit7y5bhh

[Firedome]

Re speaker 12" vs 15", my experience in the same as Chris'... a lot depends on the surrounds, magnet, "motor" structure, damping factors, and more. The only reliable way to know for sure is direct comparison, as stated.