Cheap Philharmonic console

[radiotvnut]

Here's some low end console stereo cheapness, a Philharmonic AM radio/stereo record player that uses the standard VM changer that everybody else used. The back cover is missing and someone removed the device that holds the lid up. As far as operation, I get faint radio reception with some squealing and the phonograph is very distorted; so, I suspect it needs capacitors. This thing may eventually get parted out (or, maybe not); but, I'm going to have fun with it first. Even though it's low end, I'm sure it's still better than a current Crosley. This is the first console stereo that I've seen that only had AM.

I just pulled the chassis and it uses a Siemens (made in Germany) selenium rectifier and a solid state AM detector diode. The tube line-up is: 12BE6, 12BA6, 12AX7, and 35EH5 x 2, with all the tubes being branded ITT or Philharmonic. The cathode bypass cap for the output tubes, a Callins 150uf, 16V cap was blown apart and the 33ohm, 2W cathode bias resistor is up to around 48 ohms. As far as other capacitors, it uses a mix of ceramic disc and ceramic-cased tubular capacitors.

Does anyone know anything about this brand? I'm guessing that it was a cheap store brand.

[dieseljeep]

[QUOTE=radiotvnut;3088930]Here's some low end console stereo cheapness, a Philharmonic AM radio/stereo record player that uses the standard VM changer that everybody else used. The back cover is missing and someone removed the device that holds the lid up. As far as operation, I get faint radio reception with some squealing and the phonograph is very distorted; so, I suspect it needs capacitors. This thing may eventually get parted out (or, maybe not); but, I'm going to have fun with it first. Even though it's low end, I'm sure it's still better than a current Crosley. This is the first console stereo that I've seen that only had AM.

I just pulled the chassis and it uses a Siemens (made in Germany) selenium rectifier and a solid state AM detector diode. The tube line-up is: 12BE6, 12BA6, 12AX7, and 35EH5 x 2, with all the tubes being branded ITT or Philharmonic. The cathode bypass cap for the output tubes, a Callins 150uf, 16V cap was blown apart and the 33ohm, 2W cathode bias resistor is up to around 48 ohms. As far as other capacitors, it uses a mix of ceramic disc and ceramic-cased tubular capacitors.

Does anyone know anything about this brand? I'm guessing that it was a cheap store brand.

It was probably made by Symphonic. They also built record players for Decca and a few others.
It's a little higher-end because of the VM changer and not a BSR.

[radiotvnut]

I was thinking the cabinet looked a lot like a Symphonic.

This thing had a lot of squealing and oscillation on the radio; which, was due to a defective filter capacitor that's on the B+ line that feeds the converter and IF stages. A scope check revealed junk on that line that should not have been there. After I replaced the filter cap, the squealing was gone and the junk went away.

All of the ceramic cased tubular capacitors were leaky and the AC line cap had the end blown out.

Now, I'm debating on rather or not to replace that Siemens selenium rectifier. I've got 120V coming out while under load; but, I seem to recall reading that these often give trouble in the German radios that use them.

Here is a picture of the underside of the chassis:

[mstaton]

A lot of Fisher tube receivers used those selenium rectifiers

[KentTeffeteller]

I think you have a Canadian market console, they often had AM only models a lot due to FM catching on slower than in the USA.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by KentTeffeteller

I think you have a Canadian market console, they often had AM only models a lot due to FM catching on slower than in the USA.

It looks like it's from the mid 60's. A lot of the lower priced makes, such as Olympic, made stereos that were only phonos or had AM only tuners.
Look at the cars of that era. Not very many of them had FM.

[radiotvnut]

It does look like a mid-to-late '60's unit; but, I found several '62 date codes inside. Also, I think the smaller brands stuck with tubes longer than the major brands. I think I remember seeing the photofact on an Olympic AM/phono consolette with tubes from around '67-'68.

Concerning AM in cars, I believe AM-only radios were available in some vehicles well into the '80's and maybe into the early '90's.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by radiotvnut

It does look like a mid-to-late '60's unit; but, I found several '62 date codes inside. Also, I think the smaller brands stuck with tubes longer than the major brands. I think I remember seeing the photofact on an Olympic AM/phono consolette with tubes from around '67-'68.

Concerning AM in cars, I believe AM-only radios were available in some vehicles well into the '80's and maybe into the early '90's.

Didn't the Government mandate that all radios, that retailed over $20.00, be equipped to receive FM broadcasts, sometime in the mid-to-later '80's?
IIRC, Chrysler quit building AM only radios in 1984. Ford, a little later.

[beat_truck]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

Didn't the Government mandate that all radios, that retailed over $20.00, be equipped to receive FM broadcasts, sometime in the mid-to-later '80's?
IIRC, Chrysler quit building AM only radios in 1984. Ford, a little later.

Believe it or not, an AM only radio was still available in my '92 Chevy pickup that I just bought recently. They show it in the owner's manual. I suspect that they were available through the end of '94 as they completely restyled the interior in '95.