FYI,

The use of a V-M changer in a Magnavox was unusual. But as pointed out, some units were originally fitted with one. With stereo compacts, there wasn't a suitable Collaro mini changer model to fit in them, so usually they had Philips changers or had BSR factory fitted in them. I think with this one, there might have been a delay getting Collaros or similar reasoning.

There was one real POS full size Magnavox changer from the early '70's. I don't know who made it; but, they should have forgot about it. This changer was all plastic, had a very short record spindle, and had silver function selector buttons. I've never seen one of those that worked right and they'd make a '70's plastic BSR look high end. I once knew a Magnavox service technician and he told me that he called Magnavox to let them know how ashamed they should be over using such a junky record changer. Their reason was that they had to keep up with their competition.

Magnavox Mini changer from VM, Magnavox Automatics
 

Magnavox did not use VM changers because Collaro wasn't available, it was more for use in their less costly sets. Around 1966-67, they made their own budget changer for the cheapest mono portable to the tiny consoles and budget component sets. When they came out with the really small three piece stereo radio, they used a VM mini changer as an option for record playing, and later put that mini in some sets that were sold all together. The wretched pushbutton plastic atrocity with the tuning fork overarm seems to have been introduced on component sets, drum tables, and some of the cheaper armoire configurations. I believe they worked as fast as they could to retrofit customer sets with these failures, using the Magnavox Automatic, and then the next model year had the Automatics in place of these "Mark I" plasticrap bomb. Magnavox techs and experts, please correct me if I'm wrong, or add your take on this line of reasoning.

In my humble opinion, Magnavox never made anything really good. Yes, they were driven by competition, just as everyone else in the business was. Many tried to uphold a shred of dignity but by and large, it's a money driven society.

Now and then a small outfit would spring up that made really nice stuff but nearly all of them went belly up or lowered their standards.

Virtually all the big companies sold out to Asian or European outfits. It's not limited to electronics of course; I have a Mexican saxophone with an American brand name, for instance. RCA is European. Fisher is Japanese. The list goes on.

I had a similar model with a VM changer. The only difference was the knobs were on the front instead of on the top. The front of the unit pulled forward like a drawer to reveal the amp. Really a neat little machine. I sold it about a year ago..

The VM changers being used in less costly sets using full size changers is sensible and I think correct. Talked to a ex retiree Magnavox dealer, he told me the economy mono consolettes were fitted with a VM 1200 family changer, the Collaros were used in the model up from the economy model. The 1966 and later economy changers were spot on as far as magnasonic66 is concerned. The Mark 1 plasticrap bomb changer was a very badly made and engineered unreliable nightmare (Maestro built these failures under license or bought the tooling, this and the last RCA changer design tied for the worst USA built changers of the era). The Automatic 400 was a very decent changer for a economy changer.

Interesting....I never saw a Magnavox of that vintage with anything other than a Collaro changer. I wonder if the ones with the VM changer sold for a lower price, as the VM's certainly cost less.

As long as we are doing a bump, I MUST comment that Magnavox tried to make something for everyone's budget and did some things extremely well from the very beginning such as speakers and cabinets. A record machine with a low-power tube or SS amp in a cheap cabinet was in the back of their brochures for years. Yet even a mini-console still had a decent Collaro or Micromatic changer. You have to give them props for that!

But of course, Mag's flagship pieces like the Concert Grand, Imperial and Astrosonic 100 made the front pages of their 1947 thru 1971 catalogs and sales brochures.
Magnavox outlasted many manufacturers of record machines that built world-class consoles like Fisher, Motorola, Admiral, Sylvania and others who chose to exit by the 1970s.

If the declining quality of their offerings made Magnavox a mediocre brand, it only became SO later such as the decline of Zenith and RCA in the middle 70s when consoles became obsolete and cassette tapes bested records before CD's turned it all upside down:sigh:.

These same manufacturers migrated from better quality V-M, RCA and Collaro changers to BSR changers and another one I forget, which like them or not, was the token changer offered in component combos and consoles then. I also had to fix those too.