New addition to the family, 60 CG

[electra225]

Hydro, if I can get the picture to load, I found a picture of the new, improved back I built for my CG so it would ventilate better. It works well and also lets me watch all those tubes glowing. YOu will see the MPX mounted above the tuner power supply chassis. The bottom of the MPX is facing out. I still have the pattern if anybody is interested. All the materials came from Home Depot. The wood is stained and shellacked Lauan, and the metal mesh came from HD and was spray bombed flat black.

[electra225]

Here is another thing I found. The changer wiring in a Concert Grand with remote control. I hope this helps Hydro figure out his changer.

Edit...Guys, I may have messed up. This picture was in my collection, marked as a Concert Grand. I'm beginning to believe this may not be correct. It may be the diagram for a more rare Imperial with wired remote control. The 12AX7's in the tuner would be typical of a CG. An Imperial would have 6EU7's. Look over at the amp chassis. A CG chassis would not have Channel 1 and Channel 2 controls for the treble amps. And the singular 6V6 shown in the edge of that diagram is typical of the single 6V6 in the treble amp on the 81 series amp on an Imperial. No matter as far as how the changer is wired to the remote. I just wanted to clarify lest there be mis-information bandied about.....

[Hydrolastic]

Greg, The back on yours is a super good idea!

[TC Chris]

Greg, The back on yours is a super good idea!

Second the motion. I remember that project from the old list. Heat is the enemy of electronics, especially tube-variety heat. The manufacturers didn't always worry enough about it, since these devices were not intended to last forever. If we can improve the ventilation we're also improving longevity and durability.

Chris Campbell

[Firedome]

Good idea to add a back that will allow more circulation. Lot of heat generating tubes & trannies there! These had to be expensive things to build. I wonder if a couple of "muffin" fans would be a good idea to add with so much heat in a small space.

I've thought about mounting a fan behind the Scott tube amp in my smallish home-brew console; the space it's in is so small (pic) that it doesn't have room for the matching tuner and the amp needs to breathe, so the tuner will have to go on a shelf I'll eventually add where the dvds are now. There's no back on this cabinet and won't add one. There's a small Klipsch KSB behind the grille sitting on a foam pad for isolation, the other is remote for separation and placement flexibility. The TT is in the lift-lid compartment.

[electra225]

Okay, guys, here's the deal. If a parts Concert Grand is worth $2100, the pattern of my new improved back should be worth what.......$500? I could get rich.....

Seriously, making the pattern is 90% of the work. The pattern is in storage, in good shape the last I saw it. Anybody who would want a copy and can give me some time to make it, can have one. I believe it can be folded and put in an envelope for shipping. You could then unfold it, weight it for a couple days, then use it. You won't believe how much heat you'll get out of a CG if it can breathe a bit. I made my pattern out of the cardboard from a refrigerator box, but the next one will be from construction cardboard in more than one piece. I also have patterns for new backs for a big Imperial and a 400-series Stereo Theater.

[Firedome]

Sounds like a good idea for those with the appropriate Maggie consoles!
Or put them in your coldest room and use it as a space heater! the huge old Tek tube 400/500 series scopes are good for that too!

[electra225]

I have a Tek 532 scope that has 77 tubes, plus those in the plug-ins. It has a fan to cool it. I use it for show.

I want to make new backs for all my Magnavox stereos. The Symphony is the only one with close to adequate cabinet ventilation. With one of my backs, not only will the cabinet ventilate better, but I can see the tubes sparkle.

[TC Chris]

My 1956 Provincial Serenade and Magnasonic have ample ventilation--no backs at all! The amps just sit there underneath, open at the rear for free air flow.

Chris Campbell

[Hydrolastic]

Hello Guy's, It could be a project for when i get the rest of the consoles running. None of the consoles currently have the backs on them. On that note the 60 had this paper on it. Hydro

[electra225]

That will show you what you need to know about how to connect the changer. IF you want a pattern of the back I made, let me know.

[chazglenn3]

My Concert Grand is also without its back. Ample ventilation and it's facing the wall. No one knows but me.

[electra225]

I have cats that like to "tinker" so I have to have a back on things. Having no back as far as ventilation itself is concerned is the best way.

[Firedome]

I have the back off my DuMont as well, it just seems to make for better cooling and the perforated Masonite behind the open speaker compartments didn't do anything acoustically beneficial anyhow. Luckily the cat hasn't discovered it yet.

[TC Chris]

If the back is hidden and looks don't matter back there, some hardware cloth would be a great cat excluder, or even some window screen.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

Concert Grand and certain models of Imperial had a faux wood grain back that really sets the cabinet off. My personal taste is that the cabinet is "missing something" if the back is gone, but that is just me. I used lauan in the effort to have the correct thickness as the original back, plus the wood graining. I used wire mesh from HD because it was convenient. And it keeps the cats honest. I had a cat that lost the fur off the tip of his tail for life by waving it too closely to the high voltage section of a TV I was tinkering with.

[Hydrolastic]

Hello all, Merry Christmas. I have been playing the 60 CG almost everyday. Couple of things I have noticed. First its in tape position on the selector switch .( bluetooth adapter in on the tape jacks) But sometimes the eye tube comes on but other times it is off. No other difference or change from the previous use. I will monitor it better maybe there is a reason for it but right now it seems random. The other thing is it seems like it takes a full two to three minutes to warm up as it just doesn't sound good until it does and I have to say a good 10 minutes later is when it actually sounds its best. I know its tube and they warm up but is this normal? Hydro