RCA Roundie Home Entertainment for $30

[David Roper]

Wouldn't it be simpler (and more civil) to just say tl;dr?

[Einar72]

IKEA may choose to assemble their new whiz-bang console in Vietnam, where they get some of their big flowerpot/planters from. Cheaper labor than Red China!

As for the old long combos, most people are too young to have ever had one, are too bigoted against American cars, etc, to want one in the first place, or are old and dying off. My parents' generation, who purchased the lion's share of these, are in their 80's now, and are dropping like flies. With the advent of eBay, CL, etc., these become more visible. I just don't have the room for one!

[DavGoodlin]

Originally Posted by Einar72

....
As for the old long combos, most people are too young to have ever had one, are too bigoted against American cars, etc, to want one in the first place, .....

I am guessing that these were popular in their early-mid 60's heyday for the following reasons;
1. More room was taken by a separate HiFi AND a 21"-25" TV.
2. There was no second room in the house for just the TV alone.
3. Console HiFi was popular right after TV, but before separate components were preferred.
4.combo was a "new hifi and TV upgrade" without extra cost of separates.
5. Even better TV sound

I have had only two combos (10L60 Philco and Mag T933 color) amongst over 100 other sets. Sheer size and difficulty moving them made me regret having them. I would make room for the right one, such as a CTC15 RCA (a beauty in French Provincial red mahogany) I repaired one many moons ago for a neighbor. I went to her funeral, tactfully asking the daughter if it was still around.of course not.

BTW; GISLAN - roughly translated from sanskrit: failure to understand operation of vacuum tubes (CAN BE CURED)
HUTYARB - much worse, is a failure to understand electricity because you cannot see it (see flat-earth society)

[Robert Grant]

I think consoles (which also included radio/phonograph consoles without any TV, as well as with a TV and those with only a TV) were popular before 1970 because people really expected only wood or textiles to be seen in the living room of den of a home. An all-metal or plastic apparatus would have looked as out-of-place in the living room as a printing press or an x-ray machine.

About 1970, people started to see (or perceive) component audio equipment as superior (or at least a better value) to audio equipment in wooden furniture, so it became acceptable to have a chrome panel on a plain box in the bookcase.

About 1980, they started selling TV sets in black plastic and chrome, and any home entertainment electronics in wood suddenly looked out-of-date.