Realistic MTA-15 AM/FM table radio
 

I picked up this '90's era Realistic (Radio Shack) MTA-15 AM/FM radio for $5 at the flea market. This radio was, unfortunately, made in China; but, it performs better than I expected. I did a little online research on the radio shack catalogs website and I found it in some of the mid '90's catalogs for $39.99. By the late '90's, there was an identical looking MTA-16; but, I don't know what the difference is between the two models. Given this day and age of the mass public who wants cheap products, I wonder how many people were willing to shell out $40 for a basic AM/FM table radio? Then again, you've got folks out there who shelled out several hundred $ for those overrated Bose radios. Personally, I'd rather pay $40 for a decent performing radio Vs. $10 for some junk model.

Here's a video I made of the radio:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epuaO2RC6mA

I looked this radio up on epay and there are several listed at insane prices between $20-$50. Of course, that does not mean they'll bring that much. Looking at completed listings, most of these sell in the $7-$12 range, with one that sold in excess of $40.

http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/f...ps753467b1.jpg

The Bose radios sold well not because of performance or appearance. Just perceived snob value, or the need to be hip. Yes, grossly overpriced.

There are plenty of older people who cling to the past and want stuff like this. In fact I know a guy who isn't so old who keeps trying to live his teen years again. He buys boat anchors and loves to play with them in spite of their poor performance. It wouldn't be so bad but that's his only interest; he shuns modern stuff. I call him a moldy fig, but maybe that's unkind.

I remember when my neighbor, the type guy whos stuff was automatically better than everyone else's, bought one of the bigger Bose models that had a top mounted cassette player and aux input jacks, along with the radio. I think he paid somewhere around $1200 for it. It sounded OK; but, it didn't sound any better than my little Realistic 16 WPC reciever from the late '70's and my Technics bookshelf speakers. When he bought his Bose, you could get it with either a CD player or cassette player. I wouldn't have paid $1200 for it had it included both a CD player and a cassette player!

Years ago I was in the stereo repair business and my ad said Free Advice. I got a call from a guy asking what was the best stereo. I said well that depends. What kind of music do you listen to? There was a pause and he said no, I don't care about music, I just want the best stereo. I don't recall what I said to him but I probably should have recommended a Radio Schlock table radio.

I did some more research and the MTA-15 was first shown in the '91 catalog and last shown in the '95 catalog. The identical looking MTA-16 showed up in '96 and was last seen in 2000. All models were $39.99 and the only difference I can find is that the 15 used a 5" speaker and the 16 used a 4" speaker. The '01 catalog shows only portables, clock radios, and novelty/replica radios.

Here's an MTA-12 they've been trying to sell for almost a year with no takers. Don't know if it's from the 70's tho.

http://wyoming.craigslist.org/ele/3434137538.html

I just saw one of them at a thrift priced at $10.00 . The person that does the pricing of electronics, always has his nose stuck into Ebay, looking at what this stuff is bring listed for.
I usually keep a few on hand for the older folks. Most of them only listen to the news, weather and the ball games.

That's the problem with a lot of things you used to be able to get for a little bit of nothing. Because of Ebay and American Pickers, everyone thinks they have something worth a LOT more than what it really is. Although, I still manage to get a good deal now and then.

You have to admit it can be a lot of fun to look at the crazy prices on the 'Bay.......Like the "antique" B&W televisions (from the 80s) for a couple hundred bucks.

That MTA-15 reminds me of the Sony table radios from the 70s and 80s. They rarely needed anything more than cleaning pots and switches to get back in good running order, and sounded quite good. I could be quite happy listening to one of those. I suspect the MTA-15 is similar. A decent sized wood box seems to add a pleasing quality to the sound as long as it has a half-decent speaker in it

It is from the 1970s. Look at the description; the seller definitely states the radio is from the seventies.

Note also that the AM tuning range of this radio ends at 1600 kHz. Radios built in the late '80s or nineties will tune to at least 1710 kHz, to include the expanded AM band that was opened to broadcasters around 1988-'89. I have a replica cathedral AM-FM radio, probably built in the late '80s, that tunes to 1710 kHz; my Aiwa bookshelf stereo also tunes to 1710 on AM, but that is because the system was built for the Japanese and North American markets. In Japan, the AM band has extended to 1710 for years, predating North America's expanded AM band by more than a decade.

Also, my bookshelf system has an option to allow tuning in 9-kHz steps as opposed to 10-kHz AM channel spacing in this country; again, this is because the Aiwa systems are built for use in the U. S. and in Japan. The FM band on my stereo extends down to 87.5 MHz for the same reasons; however, the extended coverage can come in handy in the US if you live in an area such as Chicago, Cleveland or New York (there may be others as well) that has an FM station on 87.7 MHz.

The MTA-12 was available from '87-'90. In '86, Radio Shack was still offering an AM-only table radio and there was still an AM-only pocket radio in the '01 catalog.

Yep! The seller is clearly wrong... This indicates that it was built '86-'89:

http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/radiosh...12_12_693.html

jr

Hmmm. :scratch2: I always thought the walnut-cased version of the MTA-12 was indeed '70s vintage, because of the 550-1600 kHz AM tuning range. The '90s-2000s (to date) edition of this radio was also housed in a different cabinet style than the original MTA-12.

According to wikipedia, US broadcasting on the expanded AM band started in 1993, so I would *not* expect 80s sets to have that coverage.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AM_expanded_band

jr

When did Radio Shack quit using the silly Realistic name. I have some newer radio's branded "Radio Shack" and Optimus. :scratch2: