Videokarma.org

Go Back   Videokarma.org TV - Video - Vintage Television & Radio Forums > Transistor Radio

We appreciate your help

in keeping this site going.
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 04-28-2004, 12:55 PM
JimiJohnB
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Info on Zenith TransOceanic R-7000

Many years ago I was given a Zenith TransOceanic R-7000 by my grandfather which he had sat on a shelf in his bedroom for some time. I had a lot of fun playing around with it as a kid - it's neat as heck.

I'm curious as to how much these things sold for when new, and how much they're worth now (though I won't be selling mine)? Mine is in mint condition and also has the booklet that stays in the unit, although I don't have the box for it. I'll try to get a picture of it on here soon.

-jb
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 04-28-2004, 02:11 PM
Charlie's Avatar
Charlie Charlie is offline
On Land
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Warren, TX
Posts: 2,578
JB,

Here's a site dedicated to the zenith TO radios. Looks like this guy is selling them, but wouldn't say that his prices are market value. It does show photos and years, and looks like yours is from 1979.

http://www.grandcanyontuberadio.com/...nsoceanic1.htm

There's lots of info on the web concerning these sets. I'm sure you'll get a good idea of the value by cruising the Google or Yahoo search engines. Looking them up on eBay might give you an idea of what it's worth. Regardless of where you search, you'll probably find a wide variety of price ranges.
__________________
Charlie Trahan


He who dies with the most toys still dies.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 04-28-2004, 02:24 PM
JimiJohnB
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Hmm....well turns out mine is the R-7000-2 which is slightly newer than the R-7000. A little searching on eBay shows that units in similar condition have been selling for $300!!!! I'm shocked!!! I thought maybe 50-75 bucks, but 300? I tell you, while the radio is neat as heck, for 300 bucks I'd have it on eBay this evening if it weren't for its sentimental value.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 04-28-2004, 02:34 PM
JimiJohnB
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Found some more info on this particular model. There seems to be a lot of interest in the Zenith line of TransOceanics.

Info taken from this website: http://www.radioera.com/t-o_museum.htm

"The R-7000-2 was the last production model made by Zenith and this model was last manufactured in 1981. The R-7000-2 was a much improved version of the 2 year older model Royal 7000 and R-7000-1. The R-7000-2 was a departure from earlier design in that it provide continuous tuning of the short wave bands from 1.7 to 30 MHz. All earlier Trans-Oceanic models had restricted bands for reception of the international short-wave bands. We feel very fortunate to have the last example of the R-7000-2 model in our collection. It is brand new, we first tried it out, it was mint and new out of its original box with original paperwork, packing materials, etc. We tried it out and after 18 years it worked absolutely perfectly. The log book and instruction manual are mint, the box is mint, this is a very rare find indeed. The R-7000-2 corrected the first mistakes with the earlier Royal 7000 models and provided a very highly desirable, very sensitive, all band receiver for AC or DC use by Zenith lovers worldwide. It has the last chassis that corrected the earlier faults. Also this model incorporated integrated circuits into the design which was a first for Zenith radios. At some future time, we will add some audio clips at this page of some of the worldwide broadcasts received by this marvelous radio. This radio also offered very good single sideband reception, a squelch control, RF gain, a VLF band, and 2-VHF bands including the public service band for weather broadcasts. It was quite a departure and improvement from previous designs. We hope you will enjoy viewing the mint condition of this radio."
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 04-28-2004, 02:44 PM
Charlie's Avatar
Charlie Charlie is offline
On Land
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Warren, TX
Posts: 2,578
Zenith TO's were supposed to be high quality sets, and it seems the price value they have held proves that. It's always nice to find out that something you have is worth more than you would have expected.
__________________
Charlie Trahan


He who dies with the most toys still dies.
Reply With Quote
Audiokarma
  #6  
Old 04-29-2004, 07:30 AM
Chad Hauris's Avatar
Chad Hauris Chad Hauris is offline
VideoKarma Member
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: West Texas
Posts: 2,085
I just recently bought one that is the early 60's AM/FM model (3000?) at an antique shop for $58.00 including external power supply...it really performs well on shortwave, helping to minimize the fading of stations that happens with some other radios.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 04-18-2005, 01:12 PM
Jeffhs's Avatar
Jeffhs Jeffhs is offline
<----Zenith C845
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fairport Harbor, Ohio (near Lake Erie)
Posts: 4,035
Quote:
Originally Posted by JimiJohnB
Hmm....well turns out mine is the R-7000-2 which is slightly newer than the R-7000. A little searching on eBay shows that units in similar condition have been selling for $300!!!! I'm shocked!!! I thought maybe 50-75 bucks, but 300? I tell you, while the radio is neat as heck, for 300 bucks I'd have it on eBay this evening if it weren't for its sentimental value.

I bid over $200 (!) last night on a Zenith TO Royal 1000-1, in good shape; still waiting for the end of the auction (which should be around nine or so tonight Eastern time). So far, it looks like I'm winning. Didn't mean to bid that much, but someone outbid me by $1 at first and I kept raising my maximum, as until I got to $200 (my sixth try) someone was always outbidding me. I think what may have happened is that I was bidding against myself, but the system saw that as another bidder going against me. In over a year of trading on ebay, I have never been outbid so many times! Well, hopefully I'll win this time around. I just checked my status (got a daily status email from ebay this morning) and I am still the high bidder. Perhaps my $200 bid is scaring folks away? In any case, I hope to win this TO as it was one of the first solid-state versions made by Zenith. I only wish, however, someone had warned me ahead of time that the TO 1000 was AM/SW only, without FM. I didn't realize Zenith made the solid state TOs without the latter until I saw the one I am presently bidding on. By the time the 1000 was introduced in the late '50s, the standard 88-108 MHz FM band was being used by stations (and had been since 1947 or so, replacing the old 40-Mc band), so I naturally expected that the solid-state TOs would have FM in addition to their seven SW bands and, of course, the standard broadcast band. These sets could not have been cheap when new and, of course, they were not built of cheap plastic and circuit boards as much of today's consumer electronics are. With all the fine workmanship and all (hand wired chassis, plug-in transistors, etc.) which was Zenith's hallmark from the company's inception in 1918 until it was sold to a Korean electronics firm (which will remain nameless here) in the '80s, why on earth would Zenith exclude FM coverage in the 1000, yet have it in all other subsequent models? If the 1000 went for anything over $100, even in the '50s, I would expect it to have FM.

I don't mean to speak ill of the dead (Zenith was and still is my favorite brand of home-entertainment gear; I have several radios made by them that work great), but IMO, Zenith made a huge mistake by failing to put FM in the Royal 1000. As I said, for the price this radio likely sold for when it was new, I would expect not only FM but tone compensation circuitry and possibly a larger speaker (or at least an external speaker jack in addition to the earphone jack on the front panel).

Oh well, at least they did put a phonograph input on the R1000, which raises another question in my mind. I have a Zenith K-731 hi-fi tube radio that sounds out of this world with an electrostatic tweeter, 5x7 oval main speaker, and a 35C5 output (and looks just as good in its walnut cabinet), but it does not have a phono input. Zenith's C-845, however, which had virtually the identical audio system to the '731 (with the exception of using two cone-type speakers rather than a large oval and an electrostatic tweeter), had such a jack. Go figure.
__________________
Jeff, WB8NHV

Collecting, restoring and enjoying vintage Zenith radios since 2002

Zenith. Gone, but not forgotten.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 04-18-2005, 02:59 PM
Fisherdude's Avatar
Fisherdude Fisherdude is offline
The Golden Age of Hi-Fi
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Lewiston, ID
Posts: 324
TO's were the Cadillacs of portable radios, very expensive when new. The more desirable models are fetching some pretty surprising prices these days.

I've got a leather-covered R-600 that's cosmetically very nice, but not currently working. It's buried in my "later" pile!

Clay
__________________
I may be growing older, but I refuse to grow up.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 05-05-2005, 01:47 AM
Jeffhs's Avatar
Jeffhs Jeffhs is offline
<----Zenith C845
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fairport Harbor, Ohio (near Lake Erie)
Posts: 4,035
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie
JB,

Here's a site dedicated to the zenith TO radios. Looks like this guy is selling them, but wouldn't say that his prices are market value.

http://www.grandcanyontuberadio.com/...nsoceanic1.htm
I just looked at his web site. The prices he has on those old TOs are incredible! I purchased an H500 TO, in working condition, at a hamfest 20 years ago for $25. Can't imagine this receiver going for anywhere near $250 these days. Worse yet, I saw a TO Royal 1000-1 on the same site, priced at, IIRC, $337...well over $200 in any case. I know the Royal 1000, 1000-1 (with the AC adapter modification) and 1000-D (with the 150-400 kHz LW band) were the first TransOceanics to use transistorized circuitry, but honestly...nearly $340 for a set made nearly fifty years ago? Not to mention the tube-type versions of these sets, which are also going for well over $100 on grandcanyontuberadio.com. Heck, I see these on ebay (and at hamfests) for a lot less, and many of them work as well as the sets the guy at gctr.com has. In any case, I wouldn't pay $340-$350 for a tube-operated AC/battery radio that was manufactured only a few years after I was born (1956).

I don't know what the guy at gctr.com is doing or trying to do, but, IMHO, he is pricing these old TOs far too high. If I were in the market for another TO (tube or solid state), I'd look on ebay again as I did for my first...er, second one. A person could go broke in no time flat buying radios from this fellow. One can buy a decent bookshelf stereo system (or a Bose Wave radio or radio/CD) for what he's asking for most of those tube-powered TOs on his site (I bought an Aiwa bookshelf system five years ago for just about the same price as this guy is asking for a 1955 Zenith TO, chassis 5H40). However, I guess with antique radio collectors, the price of the set doesn't matter--if he/she wants it badly enough, he/she will find a way to get it. Where there's a will there's a way, you know. But I personally would not plunge myself into debt up to my eyebrows just to get a 50-year-old radio, on ebay or elsewhere, which may or may not work, even if it was a Zenith (my favorite brand of antique radio--I have five such sets here).

One could also go broke trying to get one of these old sets repaired, if one can find a repair shop that will work on them (many if not most of today's TV technicians [not those who post here on AK, however], schooled in solid-state technology, wouldn't know what a vacuum tube is, or how to troubleshoot tube-powered circuitry). For example, the TV repair shop in the next town south of me would not even look at my 1951 Zenith H511 when I called them a couple years ago and asked for at least an estimate as to how much it would cost to get it working again. (It still works today, and well, without anything having been done to it except to replace the pilot light, but I digress.) The receptionist told me they would not so much as look at the radio, even if I brought it to them personally. However, that is beside the point. The point I am trying to make is, again, that the person who operates Grand Canyon Tube Radio in Arizona is, IMHO, pricing his 50+-year-old Zenith Trans-Oceanics far, far too high. What is it about these old sets, which often don't work well on higher frequencies and which can and all too often are blown clear out of the water by today's solid-state shortwave rigs (my Icom IC-725 ham rig has a receiver that is probably many times more sensitive than my 1958 Zenith Royal 1000-1 TO), that causes antique radio dealers such as gctr.com, et al. to price them many tens or in some cases hundreds of dollars more than they are probably worth, even fully restored? Good grief!
__________________
Jeff, WB8NHV

Collecting, restoring and enjoying vintage Zenith radios since 2002

Zenith. Gone, but not forgotten.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 05-05-2005, 08:59 AM
Fisherdude's Avatar
Fisherdude Fisherdude is offline
The Golden Age of Hi-Fi
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Lewiston, ID
Posts: 324
He might be a bit high, the pictures are too poor to really determine the cosmetic condition, but he's not totally out of line with current FMV prices.

Take a look at this search result:

http://search-completed.ebay.com/tra...anicQQsbrsrtZl

As always, what something is worth has nothing whatsoever to do with what it's worth, it has everything to do with how many there are and how many people want them.

Lots of people want T/O's.
__________________
I may be growing older, but I refuse to grow up.
Reply With Quote
Audiokarma
  #11  
Old 05-08-2005, 02:12 PM
colortrakker colortrakker is offline
Thinking in color...
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: the REAL Central PA
Posts: 294
I'm not signed into eBay so I can't see it. Is this what you're talking about?

I sold my D7000Y (model previous to this one) for $200 in late '03. Not a bad return on someting I only paid $43 for! And a hell and a half of a radio, too.
__________________
Good headphones make good neighbors.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 05-08-2005, 10:48 PM
Jeffhs's Avatar
Jeffhs Jeffhs is offline
<----Zenith C845
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fairport Harbor, Ohio (near Lake Erie)
Posts: 4,035
Quote:
Originally Posted by colortrakker
I'm not signed into eBay so I can't see it. Is this what you're talking about?

I sold my D7000Y (model previous to this one) for $200 in late '03. Not a bad return on someting I only paid $43 for! And a hell and a half of a radio, too.
Yes, I know what you mean. I have a Zenith T-O Royal 1000-1 (Royal 1000 with the AC adapter modification) which was an ebay score a couple weeks ago. It works just great for the type of radio it is (BC/SW only, no FM) circa 1958-1963 or so; however, this was the first transistorized TransOceanic Zenith made, so its design was modified many times as time went on. I don't know whether the D7000Y was made by Zenith in this country or if the company had moved its radio plant to Korea or some other offshore location by the time the '7000Y was introduced, but it wouldn't surprise me if the set was an offshore product. I have a Zenith H480W AM/FM stereo clock radio, circa 1980, which was made in Taiwan, and my Zenith R-70 AM/FM transistor portable was made in Korea the same year as well (it was manufactured to Zenith's standards, however).

As for the Royal series of T-O's, I think the older sets (tube-powered and transistorized) were probably the best of the bunch, but then again, I'd expect them to be such since the original Zenith Radio Corporation of Chicago didn't mess around or cut corners. (My Royal 1000-1 is built like a tank and works every bit as well as the receiver section of my Icom IC-725 ham radio transceiver.) The original solid-state T-Os were made with metal chassis and plug-in transistors, whereas by the time the 7000 series was introduced I believe the sets were being made offshore, which meant circuit boards and wired-in transistors. (My R-70 falls into the latter category, as does my H480 clock radio.)

This was, IMO, the beginning of the end for Zenith as far as its radio/audio division was concerned; it was only a matter of time before the television plant followed suit, although I think one could see the writing on the wall when Zenith began to use circuit modules in its late-1970s color TVs. This was a radical shift from the company's longstanding practice of handwiring their TVs and radio/audio gear, but the times were changing by the '70s, and as I said, the handwriting was on the wall. It would only be a matter of time before the original Zenith Radio Corporation would fade into oblivion; the company made its last radio in 1982 and changed its name to Zenith Electronics Corporation two years later.

Heathkit Electronics bought out Zenith in the mid-'80s or so; by the end of the decade Zenith had changed hands yet again, this time being absorbed by Goldstar which is where the company stands today. There is no Zenith Radio Corp. any longer, GS does not manufacture Zenith-branded radios, and I have a suspicion that they no longer use the Zenith lightning bolt on their TVs either. It is truly the end of an era for the last American radio and TV manufacturer. We will never again see the likes of those magnificent handwired Zenith TVs/radios/hi-fi gear, so if you have older Zenith equipment, by all means hold on to it--they don't make them like that anymore. Every time I see Zenith radios, TVs or hi-fi gear being offered at auction on ebay, I wonder. Don't the sellers realize they are selling pieces of history? Obviously they must not. I see well-made Zenith console stereos, TVs and the like on ebay all the time. I guess the sellers figure they need the room in their homes which was once occupied by these magnificent consoles, so perhaps selling the units is really their only alternative. One thing is certain, in my mind anyway--better they sell those consoles to someone who can repair them or put them to good use than to gut the cabinets and--gasp!-- turn them into fishtanks.
__________________
Jeff, WB8NHV

Collecting, restoring and enjoying vintage Zenith radios since 2002

Zenith. Gone, but not forgotten.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 09-10-2005, 04:21 PM
BrianM BrianM is offline
VideoKarma Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 4
Zenith T/Os, the best one?

I own all models of T/Os with the exception of the 7G005 series (first one). As far as over all sound quality goes, the tube type have the SS types beat! But I believe that has more to do with cabinet design than anything else for the most part. Another thing I see people mention is the 8G005 series with it's push/pull audio output. I cannot hear any difference? Maybe I'm tone deaf but a friend also cannot hear any difference on his or the two I own when compared to the later series tube types. I feel that has been used to show they are superior in sound quality to the others. I don't buy it! If it is it's far to little for me to pay extra on that.

As far as which model is more sensitive goes, the jury is out for the most part in my neck of the woods. I've completely replaced all caps and any resistors that are out of tolerance in my models. Then performed a complete alignment. I cannot tell any difference in sensitivity between any of the different tube type models. When compared to the "all transistor" models, the SS models seem to have a very slight edge in sensitivity on SW, especially in the higher frequencies of SW. But it's nothing to write home about. AM broadcast seems to be identical.

I had 4 different Royal 7000 series at one time(down to one now) and 3 different 3000 models. The only thing the 7000 series have over the 3000 models is selectivity but sensitivity is not one of them. They seem identical in that department. I own a couple 1000 and 1000D models and they also seem to be about the same. Mind you all these radios have been completely and properly aligned. This of course made a big difference in a few as far as sensitivity went.

I owned and sold an R7000-2 not long ago(I've owned 3 different versions over the years). I find that model to be no better in any way over the earlier 7000 series. BTW all Royal 7000 series were manufactured here. Over seas manufacturing didn't start until the R7000 came along.

The best T/O in my book is of course the Royal 7000 series. They "fixed" many of the problems that plagued the 1000/3000 series plus added a few needed items like BFO RF gain control, meter(hardly a usefully meter BTW), separate wave rod and stronger handle. Plus the front cover folds about half way into the radio allowing it to be carried while open. If you want just one SS T/O, this would be the series I would recommend every time. Anything else is a collection

Now the best looking SS T/Os IMHO is by far, the 1000/3000 series. Some prefer the 1000 over the 3000 or the other way around, but they're both very close. It's a shame they're hard to find without the blistering metal plating

If a tube type is what you prefer but you want just one, the 600 series (A, B, L, S, T) are the way to go. Easier to read dial and a dial light to boot. The best looking of the tube types IMHO are(drum role please) the G500! They're one sharp looking radio with the 8G005 running a close second.

Brian

Last edited by BrianM; 09-10-2005 at 04:23 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 01-24-2007, 05:07 PM
centaurus3200 centaurus3200 is offline
AK Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 8
i have a pretty clean Royal 7000 from 1968 (at least that's the copyright on the pull-out manual).

does anybody know where i can download the full user manual? or at least tell me about the following:

1. what does BFO do?
2. does it have vernier tuning (kind of a bitch to dial in some stations exactly).
3. best times to listen to certain shortwave stations from around the world. as well as your favorites. i live in oakland, ca for reference.

any other cool things i should know of?

i LOVE looking at this radio when i go to bed (pics from associated spread are where it sits on my night stand). without the radio, my wife and i would have never found KYOU 1550 AM. it's "open source" radio, meaning, i think, pod casts from around the world. wanna hear polish rap? south african punk, etc,? they got it!

see my thread here:

http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthr...=trans-oceanic

thanks,
Robby
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 01-24-2007, 05:21 PM
Sandy G's Avatar
Sandy G Sandy G is offline
Spiteful Old Cuss
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Rogersville, Tennessee
Posts: 9,571
BFO is Beat Frequency Oscillator. You can pick up hams on sideband-those funny, distorted "Donald Duck" sounding guys- & copy Morse code better w/it. I have 2 tube T/Os- one was NASTY w/nicotine when I got it, a couple sessions w/Windex took care of that, & then a couple coats of black shoe polish got it lookin' like it did back in the days of poodle skirts & wraparound windshields...
__________________
Benevolent Despot
Reply With Quote
Audiokarma
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:14 AM.



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
©Copyright 2012 VideoKarma.org, All rights reserved.