View Single Post
  #4  
Old 08-10-2005, 07:47 AM
Chad Hauris's Avatar
Chad Hauris Chad Hauris is offline
VideoKarma Member
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: West Texas
Posts: 2,085
All of the Zenith tube type radios (and the early solid state ones) have hand wired chassis and seem to have the best performance out of any tube type table radio made during this time.
The Zeniths use 3 FM IF stages, using a limiter and discriminator system rather than the 2 IF stages and ratio detector of, say General Electric. The FM sensitivity seems to be a lot better than most others of the time period. The later model Zeniths also use a silicon diode rectifier, good quality electrolytic capacitors, and no paper caps, and are often still working well today.
The Zenith Tone control actually has fairly flat tone in the center, accentuating bass when turned to one end and and treble at the other, rather than just decreasing treble. The radios often have electrostatic tweeters too.
The only tube type FM table radio that I have seen superior in performance to the Zenith is a Grundig.
__________________
Chad Hauris
http://www.youtube.com/user/retrochad
Reply With Quote