Literature for 1960's era Zenith Table Radios

[cpacamper]

I have a Zenith X337, a late 1960's model similar in appearance (and performance too maybe?) to the C/H845 models. Some of the original Zenith tubes seem to have a 1968 date on them, maybe this was one of the last ever table top tube radios made? All it needed out of the box was electrolytic recapping and it does sound real good for a 40 year old radio.

I am hoping someone has some Zenith literature, owner's manuals, etc on this model or other related 1960's Zeniths?

Thanks!

[Tom Bavis]

Sams Photofact folder 910-9 covers it, 1967. So it could have still been in production in 1968. I do have a few drawers of Sams folders, but none this late.

[anden]

The X337 was the last of the mighty Zenith tube high fidelity sets. I don't recall if they switched to a 5 x 7 oval main speaker in the X337 ? The early versions of this radio, the C845 & H845 had a 8 inch round main speaker and a 3 inch tweeter.

The ancestory of these FM radios goes back to the 8H034 of 1946 and continued through the Y832, 835 models of 1955-57. I know the H845 of 1964 cost $130. new...that was a lot of money for a table radio back then. Zenith prided themselves on the fact that their chassis were hand wired in an age when most makers were using printed circuit boards. Most collectors agree that the postwar AM/FM Zeniths sound better then all other table radios.

In the fall of 1968 they introduced the big wooden transistorized sets and these are also really nice sounding...still made in the USA. In about 1971-72 it all fell apart - production was moved to Asia for much of the radio line, but not the Transoceanic which stayed a made in the States item until about 1981 ? I have a company report from 1955.....Zenith was an incredible operation, huge factories, research facilities, etc.

It's strange that the Zenith tube hifi radios still get overlooked at shows - I bought five various models at a recent swap....total investment $75. Great radios !

[cpacamper]

Anden, Thanks for the information, very very interesting. According to one website, $130 in 1968 is almost $800 today, a huge hunk of change for a table radio! I am going to have to find some of the other radios you list. It would be nice to find an MJ1035 as well. Photofacts lists a 7.5" round main speaker and 3.5" tweeter for the X337. Do you know a source for advertising material or owner's manuals for these 160's models? My online searches are fruitless.

[Seafarer12]

I have a H845. I recapped and dioded it a little while ago now I am just waiting on a few tubes for it. Zenith could go ahead and pride them selved on had wiring but I would take a circuit board any day to work on. Hand wired stuff is a mess.

[Jeffhs]

I agree with the comments that the C/H845 Zeniths were/are excellent radios. I have a C845 that sounds absolutely great for a table radio, as I would expect from Zenith radios of that vintage. (The radio in my avatar is a Z-845, which is for all practical purposes identical to the C/H845 series.) I have an MJ1035-1 as well, but it isn't working so well at this time (receives stations like crazy, as I can see the stereo indicator light up on almost every station [most FM stations here in northeastern Ohio are stereo], but I can barely hear them because the volume control is open). Also have an R70 high-performance portable and a K731.

I have read comments here to the effect that the speakers in the MJ1035 are not as good as they could have been, and that the speakers in the 800-series Zeniths, particularly the C/H845, are much better. I cannot for the life of me see why. The MJ-1035 used the same speakers--exactly--as the C/H845. Unless the latter has a much better audio stage than the former, there shouldn't be (IMHO) much of a difference in sound quality. Did the C/H845 series have better output transformers, more or better tone/volume compensation circuitry, etc. than the MJ1035? I would think, since the MJ1035 sold for a nickel under $200 when it was new in the early-mid 1960s, and the C/H845 series went for $80 less than that, the former should have better sound. Hmmm.

[anden]

Surprising to hear about the MJ-1035's less then great sound quality, seeing that it looks like they sold pretty well. $200. was a lot of money in 1962 and the higher the price, the more critical the consumer usually is. It's one of the few 1955-65 Zenith models I don't have. One of my best sounding set's is a rare AM/Shortwave export model that came in the Y832 cabinet - it's a transformer set, not AC/DC like all the other tabletop Zeniths - 8 inch main speaker & a pair of 3 inch cone tweeters - no electrostatics like all the other 7 and 8 tube models. The audio is great but unfortunately no FM, though it does pick up Polka dance music out of Eastern Europe ! !