Braun stereo radio

[EVBoy]

TS find. Braun TS-3-81 table radio. Non export model and everything is in German. Not sure how it works. Powers up but don't recognize any of the bands.
Does anyone know anything about it?

[jeffsod]

Very nice high quality table set. I had a TS-1 which was a lower model. They used highly regarded speakers. I think Isophons. Can't recall the markings on the operation but usually UKW for FM.

[perchdog]

it looks really cool and in really nice shape, thats what i know...

[Captain Scary]

That is a beauty!

[Jeffhs]

You can tell the bands apart simply by their frequency ranges. For example, 88-100, 88-104, etc. would be FM broadcast (the FM BC band in Europe only goes from 88 to either 100 or 104 MHz, as opposed to 88-108 here in the US), 520-1600 would be AM broadcast, 3.5-8.0 (for example) would be shortwave, and so on. Note that on these German radios (and most European sets with SW), a comma rather than a period is used as a decimal point on the tuning dials; why, I don't know.

Your radio was not meant for export to the US if the markings on the tuning dial, control panel, etc. are in German; another tipoff would be the truncated (by US standards) FM band. The tubes are probably mostly or all European types such as ECH81, EL84, and so on. Another dead giveaway that your set was not intended to be exported would be if the power transformer is permanently wired for 220 volts 50 Hz input voltage; however, some of these radios had a switch on the rear of the chassis that altered taps on the transformer, so that the set could be used on either 110 or 220 volts. Be sure this switch is set to the proper voltage range before you plug in the radio; it may not work well (or at all) if the switch is set for 220 volts and the radio is being powered by 117-volt US line voltage. Be absolutely certain this switch is set properly if you intend to use the radio on 220; if you plug a radio designed for 110 volts into a 220 line, the set will be ruined, even before you turn it on.

[nasadowsk]

The set will typically indicate a line voltage and any selections on the back, along with where the selector is. They also typically show the B+ voltage. Germans love specs...

The use of a period is a European thing - they use a period as a thousands seperator and we use a comma. Thus, what they'd list as 12.000 is 12,000 to us.

[zenithfan1]

Sweet! I thought they only made shavers, I guess like a lot of others, they dabbled in many things. Cool stuff and a great looking radio!

[Tom Bavis]

Radiomuseum.org lists this as a '60-61 model. I can download a schematic if you need it, since I'm a member. PM your email address.

[EVBoy]

PM sent.

[Telecolor 3007]

U.K.W. is F.M. (U.S.W.)
K.W. is S.W.
TB is the entrance for reel to reel tape recorder
TA is the entrance for record player (turn-table) - ceramic cartidge

Didn't know that "Brown" made radio as big as this. Can you install a stereo decoder on the radio or it'l work stereo only on amplification?