Magnavox Concert Grand?

[Dave A]

Anyone know anything about this console from the late 50's? It may still be available near me and do I want it? Lottsa chassis' in it. Seller says it works and has a remote. No other info right now.

Dave A

[jpdylon]

looks like a dual monoblock amp setup. That alone is worth grabbing it.

[blue_lateral]

I saw that unit. I've been looking for one for years, off and on, but it's just too far. It would cost more than it's worth to drive a truck out there and back. AK'er Randy Bassham has one. They are bi-amped, so it's not exactly monoblocks.

John

[Randy Bassham]

That's the cabinet style of mine, I've got the receipt where it was bought in 1961 for $1500.00. It does have the remote, the chassis in between the amps and below the tuner is the remote receiver. I'm still looking for the hand unit. The sound of these sets is amazing. The cabinet is one reason for the sound, the speaker system is sealed up and there is a tunnel between the two sides, it's right behind the remote receiver. These sets are a prime example of what happens if the bean counters don't watch the engineer's closely. I drove over 1000 miles on a weekend to pick mine up from the original owner, he gave me the owners manual, original receipt, and the demonstration record that came with it, I just wish he hadn't lost the remote. That's a nice looking unit, grab it if you can, you won't be dissapointed. BTW all I've done to mine since I bought it almost 2 years ago was replace a 5U4 on each of the amplifiers and several dial lamps. It's absolutely hum free and all the filter cans are running cool.

I used to own one in the 80s. They are nothing short of shear powerhouses, We pushed ours one time to see how much it would deliver, and to say, you couldnt yell over it and the neighbors heard it two blocks over. They can shame a transistorized unit any day. I am looking for one. I wasnt able to take mine when I moved, a major loss. I never knew they were this sought after till I statred checking on them. I never knew they came with a remote! We owned it for a long time too.

[sealforvr]

Hey Dave, get it and PLEASE keep it intact! The value on one of those in one piece is going up all the time.

regards

Brock, Your friendly Yahoo Magnavox Group owner.

[gadget73]

ooooohhh the granddaddy of Magnavox consoles. That should be a bi-amp with all 6L6 tubes. Its an awesome piece, and definitely deserves to be kept whole.


**edit** holy responding to old posts Batman

[jrannison]

If I recall correctly, They were Bi-amp'd but used a LOT of 6V6 pentodes in push-pull parallel. I use to work in a large business that sold a lot of Magnavox "Large Consoles"
They are great sounding units.

[Brian]

That is one serious looking unit. Magnavox had the ability, resorces and was a major player in the tube audio period and their top end stuff easily could match Fisher and Scott. I think you've gotten your answer -GO GRAB IT! And do not break it up!!

[SoCal Tim]

Hi Randy,

Did you ever find a remote for your Concert Grand? If not, you are welcome to borrow mine on a more or less permanent basis.

[JCFitz]

I kno this is an old post which I just saw for the 1st time but did the op or anyone here get it? I am so jealous and it would have been well within driving distance for me. Oh well it was 4 years ago...sigh.

My 1960 Magnavox is no slouch but can't compare to a Concert Grand.

Mine is the regular push pull 6V6 amp and 15" woofers w/ high frequency horns. Probably the next step or 2 down.

[coffee123]

1 step down from the CG was the imperial, I gots one, same speaker setup, 15's and horns, but a stereo bi amp with push pull 6v6 for the low and se 6v6 for the high. id trady my imperial for a CG tho, lots of info over at audiokarma on em

[tubetwister]

These are probably already familar to a lot of you here but I thought I would post about it for the new members . The concert Grand was made
1958-1961 it had 40 tubes in it! It had two separate 2 channel amplifiers for bi amping the two 15" woofers and two 1,000 cycle exponental horns
Each amplifier chassis had 2 5U4 rectifier tubes. The separate tuner chassis had one 5U4 of it's own as well. The amplifiers in total had Sixteen 6V6 output tubes eight per chassis .6 driving each woofer in parallel push pull and 2 in push pull for each horn
The concert grand had an English made Collaro record changer as did many other Magnavox products through the years
This was TOTL then It took about 16 months to get one.Most were special ordered . Quite a statement piece for them and priced accordingly .
Antique Radio and Audio kharma forums have a lot of info about these.
{Quote taken from AK forum posting }

"Nov. 16, 1959

Magnavox Debs Concert Grand Stereo Console

Fort Wayne, Ind. -- Magnavox joins the limited edition class of the console phonograph field next week, with first delivery of its Concert Grand stereo instruments. The Concert Grand, listing at a price ranging from $1,000 to $1,100, depending upon what selection is made of six different wood finishes in three models, traditional, provincial and Danish modern, offers a new peak, too, in Magnavox electronic instrument price and also offers an industry high of 200 watts peak power in a packaged stereo unit.

Two firsts in the Magnavox Concert Grand are an automatic signal-seeking FM-AM radio, such as was introduced initially in the Cadillac car radios and a remote wireless control of the four-speed phonograph that enables the listener to turn the record player on or off, raise or lower the volume, reject or change records, from anywhere in the room with a finger-tip control instrument very similar in appearance to those utilized in some TV sets. The remote control also changes AM-FM stations, automatically selecting every usable station.

All three different styles of cabinetry offer heavy glass panels on top of the console to protect the natural grain wood finishes from stain or burn. The record changer is reached thru a center gliding panel, while Magnavox sound equalizer controls are hidden behind a center gliding panel in the front of the instrument.

The Concert Grand's sound system is powered by a separate 10-watt treble amp and a 40-watt bass amp in each stereo channel, while each channel has its own 15-inch bass speaker, each having 42-ounce magnets, and its own 1,000 cycle exp