GE Model 7-4691 "Fidelity I" AM-FM Clock Radio Found today
 

Hello Everyone today after work I found on the floor a late 1970s vintage GE AM/FM Clock Radio called the "Fidelity I" which is actually a high fidelity clock radio complete with seperate bass and treble controls a 5x7 oval speaker a super sensitive AM/FM Tuner with built-in antenna and external 300-Ohm antenna terminals, a display dimmer switch, and AFC for the FM Band. This little radio has really good sound for what it is and sounds pretty comparable to a vintage Hi-Fi radio. In fact when I first saw it on the shelf I thought it was one of GE's Super Radios (which it may very well be) until I saw the VFD clock dial on the radio. It also has a backlit tuner dial that still works when you turn the radio on using the mode switch.

I have some pictures of the unit in question posted below.

Looks like a quality unit! Those GE radios from that era were good performers. I think that is a very early 80's model.

Yeah, I saw a couple of youtube videos of this unit online and they both said early '80s for this unit like between 1980 and 1982. Its amazing how good this thing sounds when the alarm on it went off this morning (it plays music first then sounds the buzzer) anyways I also had my Pioneer stereo receiver going and I could barely hear my Pioneer stereo over this thing it has such good sound quality! :yes: :thmbsp: I tend to agree, all of the GE clock radios I've ever owned from the '70s and '80s all have extremely good tuners on them and are able to pick up far away stations on the AM and FM bands just fine while other brands are mediocre at best when it comes to picking up far away stations.

I'll bet the radio uses the same multi-purpose IC chip, as the Superadio uses. It's almost the entire radio on one chip, less the front end. GE used it in all their AM-FM mono radios, from the lowest priced hand-held to the Superadios.
It's amazing, that the chip can put out that kind of power, The radios sound great! :thmbsp:

I think my folks had a similar radio when I was really young...I remember it having a blue digital display....IIRC it was digitally tuned, but I think that one was gone before I was 8 years old so memory is foggy.

Yeah, this radio is analog tuned with a backlit analog tuning dial, but the clock display is blue. and I wouldn't be surprised if this wasn't considered one of their superadios.

Close, but I believe that GE used the term only for the three portables:

http://earmark.net/gesr/

Your clock radio may have the same receiver chip as three portables, but likely does not have the added circuitry that made these radios truly "super". If it does not have the "Superadio" logo, it is not considered a superadio.

jr

OK, I wasn't sure, but it is definitely a very impressive performer though. :thmbsp:

There is also a Super Radio with cassette deck. I dont have one but
have the other 3 models. IMHO the SR1 is best.
I dont think this is a TRF set, the sales sticker would make a big deal
about that. Everyone claims good reception.....

73 Zeno:smoke:

Wooow. An alarm clock that actually protects the time set controls from being accidentially touched by a half-awake person at 6AM looking for the snooze button.

Is this the one you are thinking of?

http://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/...?f=15&t=221103

Congrats on having the three models! I agree the first was likely the best.

jr

This is cool! Love the VU meters.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...esupergood.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...nfreak/n_a.jpg

Interesting! The shelf stereo likely does not have the same chip as the three portables, but GE must have considered it good enough to label it "Superadio Series"... wonder how many models used the Superadio Series logo on?

jr

I have one of the first models that doesn't have the external antenna terminals. I have two, that have. They are alike, otherwise. Only one speaker, no tweeter. :scratch2:

I think I did find one of the GE Superadios today at Goodwill, one of the ones with the tape player and its a stereo Boombox from the early 1980s, it doesn't say "Superadio" on it anywhere but it does seem to have the chip inside for the tuner that the Superadios had and it has excellent reception, and it also has a few options like the Superadios have like an Oscillator switch and a Stereo Accent Switch. Its a Model 3-5253A.