Classic Hifi Care

Is this a mini Imperial? it says on the turntable....located in detroit area.... https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/it ... 4cc5921ce2

No sir, it's not. It's better than an Imperial. It is a Symphony, model 1ST656. Dark walnut with factory MPX. Probably a 1961 model. "Imperial" is Collaro nomenclature for their S-600 changers with the fancy trim. This instrument has the 93 series amp, the very best of Magnavox.

Good looking Symphony and it's a six knobber!

Bill

Not a bad price either. It says it has to go by tomorrow so I bet a $50 offer would be accepted quick.

So if the Turntable says imperial, that has nothing to do with the model then? I know nothing about the different models and what the differences are... I was told the one I have is a imperial... but nowhere does the paperwork claim any such thing... how can you tell just by looking at them?... Bill has seen it in person and confirmed it is a Imperial ... but you could not prove it by me either way...

Some where along the line, and, Greg will be able to tell us, the Collaro changer got named The Imperial Micromatic. That makes it very confusing as you would think with the name Imperial the model would be Imperial...Not so! The only way to tell what the Magnavox model is, is by model number. Size of cabinets is also a tell tail sign if you know the different lengths. Anyone else with Maggie knowledge please help fill in the blanks.

Bill

The only difference I'm aware of between the regular Micromatic changers and the Imperial Micromatic changers is the trim. I believe them to be identical mechanically. Perhaps the Imperial Micromatics used a different cartridge? The way we know a little Imperial is actually one is by the model number. 1ST660, 661, 662 and 665 are little Imperials. And they are also on my bucket list. I'll find one someday. I'm not picky about which one. The little Imperial is basically a Symphony on steroids. It would have the 93 series amp, MPX adapter, with 15" speakers and horns. The Symphony has the same amp, MPX optional (except the 656 models) with 15" speakers and six cone speakers in place of the horns. The little Imperial's cabinet is two inches longer than Symphony. The little Imperial and the big Imperial have little in common besides their name. The big Imperial is more akin to the Concert Grand. The 400 series Stereo Theater is basically a little Imperial with a TV set in the middle of the cabinet.

My 1ST659 has 93 series amp, horns with 12" LF drivers, same imperial changer with EV150 cartridge.
It has an MPX adapter BUT uses a series 100 tuner, much more plain looking and has no eye tube or meter.

I also have a 1ST622, same as 1ST659 but record changer does not read "Imperial". I found both at thrift stores, getting pretty stoked to actually restore an hear both, then sell one.

Either way, this one in the OP is a tremendous steal at $50!!!

Too bad we couldn't link all those Magnavox sales brochures from the old site, they were very hard to find.

This is the basic series 100 tuner in both mine.

I for one would love to see those brochures.

I have a few of the brochures from the old site. I will send them when you are ready to upload, Greg.

Thanks, Charles. I wonder if they could be emailed to the members who want copies?

Don't see why not. I'll go thru and see what I have and post in a new thread.

Sams photofacts are hard to link to Magnavox, model numbers are ONLY helpful when looking up a piece in a catalog. Everything goes by chassis numbers i.e. 93-04-20 for the amp in a 1ST659, tuner is a 79-09-10 and 3-tube multiplex chassis is a 7001-20.

The chassis number would be looked up in a Sams index, the only way to link a set/folder with a chassis. And while I prefer to restore using factory-issued schematics, finding Magnavox literature is like sourcing hen's teeth!

I have recently seen three small '61 Magnavox consoles that have essentially the same single-ended 6BQ5 stereo amp and series 100 tuner chassis. As always, only chassis numbers linked to a Sams set, and specific folder listed was for smaller TV-stereo theatre models, that include a BW television.

These ebay sellers get a sams set with 10-20 different TVs radios-players, etc covered in each, then separate them out and list individually for sale. If its for your unit and chassis number matches, its a deal just saving you trouble of looking at the folder for every TV combo over a 2 year span.

I have 1959 to '63 along with maybe a couple earlier ones. I didn't download any for the Astro-Sonic instruments except 1963. The 1959 literature is fairly complete, the 1960 only is two pages, the 1961 is complete, the 1962 not very complete, the 1963 is pretty complete. Magnavox literature, as Dave pointed out, is more scarce than hen's teeth. There is a guy in Missouri who used to be THE Magnavox guru for many years. He is the one who has the solid state Concert Grand. I haven't heard from him in a couple years. Last time I talked to him, he was having health issues. He is not a young man. He has or had all kinds of Magnavox factory literature.

Any chance of finding out from that guy in Missouri if he has any of the sales brochures for early 70s Magnavox consoles that he would post, share, or sell? As you say it's incredibly hard to track down.