Zenith 1961 MJ1035 Stereo Radio
 

Can anyone give me an opinion on how these early MJ1035(-1) tube stereo radios sound? I already have a 1963-4 H845 radio, which has a two-way speaker design (~5" and 2").

I'd be interested in it as a collectors item, but only if the sound would be clearly be better sounding the than end-of-line single speaker Zenith FM radio (the 845s).

For example, does its 35Watts have any 'power' like a stereo reciever, and is there reasonable highs? A desirable tube sound, and benefit from stereo?

Thanks,

-sf

IMO the MJ1035 sounds very good and has excellent stereo separation and reception
to boot. However, it does not have 35 watts of audio power, where did you get
that figure from?

35 watts-That's prolly the power CONSUMPTION as opposed to power OUTPUT. That's one reason battery-powered sets hung on so long-the older sets were "hogs" & people, especially out here in the country, didn't want big electrical bills. If they were lucky enuff to have "lights" in the 1st place. I don't think this county was TOTALLY "electrified" til like 1952. -Sandy G.

Thanks guys. Yeah, I mean it says 30-something watts on the back.

To get back to the sound, O., how would you compare that to the prior line of 8-tube Zenith table radios? Do I already have most of what is available with the subsequent H845 radio? Is it at all comparable to a mid60s tube stereo tuner? High notes absent maybe?

Any thoughts appreciated,

-sf

Some of those 60's Zeniths use an electrostatic tweeter which helps out with the highs...Zeniths are usually the best FM table radios from that time period.
Audio power output from the 35C5 tube in these sets is probably 1 watt-1.5 watts, which although low sounds fine to me if played at usual volume levels.

The electrostatic tweeter is in the K-731 if I remember correctly. This H845 may have been the last model or the general kind in 63-64. Actually it has pretty good highs.

In retrospect here, I think the main problem with the MJ1035-1 would be the comittment to sub-par speakers that are built in. Even the least tube tuner like an Allied 333 might be better choice then.

Are the tubes used in these last-of-line radios at all like those in tube receivers? The chassis look a little similar to some of those 50s mon amps.....

Thanks,

-sf

The last Zenith tube radio's line up was I believe:
12DT8 FM convertor and RF amp
12BA6 AM convertor
12BA6 IF amp
12BA6 IF amp #2
12AU6 Limiter
14GT8 FM discriminator, AM detector, 1st stage audio
35C5 audio output
Silicon power rectifier

Some of the earlier models used 2 seperate tubes in the FM RF section (6BJ6 RF amp and 12AT7 mixer and oscillator perhaps?) and used a 19T8 for the discriminator, AM detector and 1st audio.

It seems like it is the limiter-discriminator system rather than the ratio detector used in most other tube FM table radios of the 50's and 60's that gives the Zenith the performance edge.