Help Id'ing a Zenith T/O Royal 1000 - Page 2 - Videokarma.org TV - Video

barrynsue · #16 02-17-2008, 10:08 AM

Great info. It is amazing when you think about the fact that one could have purchased a great two McIntosh MC-30 amps for for a couple dollars more than the cost of one of the radios.

Sany, I believe you hit the nail on the head. Anyone spending this could of $$ on a battery operated portable radio was serious about it and took great care. I have the sticker inside that was posted by the original owner.

Wouldn't be nice if we could (and should have) delve into their thoughts at the time they purchased? I guess we need to follow up with our purchase by asking the history when known. After all, the collective information posted here will probably follow us long after we are gone and we are creating the history of audio for future generations!

Barry

Sandy G · #17 02-17-2008, 10:39 AM

Sadly, there really ISN'T a modern equivalent of a T/O anymore...Or one of those ubiqitous Sony 5-303W TVs, either...You know, PREMIUM quality products that made you want to buy them for what they were, not just for what they did. Part of the problem w/Ipods, as I see it, is they DON'T "stroke" you in any way- they just do what they do. A T/O, however, delighted you senses-they were handsomely designed, felt nice & substantial to the touch, had good sound, & showed to the world that you were a person of discrimination, style, & taste, by nature of your HAVING a T/O in the 1st place...An Ipod ? They're cheap & nasty pieces of plastic that you cram in yr pocket...no different from a Pez dispenser was in an earlier time. Or maybe I'm being to country-club, old school patrician...

mr_fixer · #18 02-17-2008, 07:00 PM

Hi Barry, The Royal 7000 is a more desirable radio "$$$" but as performance goes, I think the 1000 is a better radio. The 3k and 7K models use 2 IF transformers in series, one for AM and the other for FM, and I think there be a slight insertion loss with having a extra non functioning side in the IF circuit. But that is just my opinion. Most people like the extra features of a Royal 7000 like BFO, variable Gain, and a 2 level bandwidth switch, but I have never needed them. Logan

targeteye · #19 02-18-2008, 09:57 PM

Congrats on a really nice TO there! You are fortunate as the chrome and or aluminum on these radios are usually pitted and discolored. The one have looks really nice!

I think others may have confirmed this but yes the difference between a 1000 and a 1000-D was the addition of the long wave band on the 1000D. There may have been other differences but if yours does not have longwave it is NOT ad 1000D.

How is your handle? NEVER EVER EVER lift that radio up by its handle (collapsed antenna). If you are lucky enough to have one that survived it will not stay so if you lift it by the handle.

All TO's are fine shortwave recievers but the 1000 is considered one of the best as other have said. I've had several of them but the only one left is my 7G605 (the one that started it all).

Steve

mr_fixer · #20 02-18-2008, 10:52 PM

Uhh, I've been carrying my T-O's by the handle all of my life. I've never had a broken handle yet. and I have owned 4 royal 1000 and 2 royal 3000. You mean carrying it with antenna not locked in the clip right? Am i the only one who doesn't know about this?

targeteye · #21 02-18-2008, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr_fixer

Uhh, I've been carrying my T-O's by the handle all of my life. I've never had a broken handle yet. and I have owned 4 royal 1000 and 2 royal 3000. You mean carrying it with antenna not locked in the clip right? Am i the only one who doesn't know about this?

About 50% of them I see have busted handles. Perhaps it is because they where not closed correctly. However, they are plastic and plastic gets brittle with time and they will eventually crack if stressed.

Steve

barrynsue · #22 02-19-2008, 09:51 AM

Handle is perfect on mine but can understand who they could break if not locked in properly or constantly moved around. Some just don't respect what they have.

No pitting/scratches and a super radio. I also have a damaged leather T600 (I believe that's the model) that still works but the case was damaged. I saved it as I know someone will need the parts. It was a real shame as it was near perfect before FedEx did their number on it.

Barry

tgunner · #23 03-02-2008, 09:26 PM

I have a Royal 7000 I bought at a yard sale when I was 11 for $6. It is in excellent condition and has the manual, handle pamphlet, suction cup AM antenna, and original battery tubes. The only issue with the 7000 that I think many owners would agree with me on is the door sliding mechanism. Mine is damn hard to use, and as such has scraped the aluminum with the compass thing on it. This radio is what got me into shortwave. I would spend hours tuning across all the bands; partly to watch the roller move them.

It's such a satisfying click. I don't think I will ever sell it; nothing could replace the memories it has brought me.

mr_fixer · #24 03-03-2008, 02:35 AM

Hi tgunner, I have never seen a external AM antenna for a Royal 7000, could you take a picture of it for reference purposes, and post it on this board? I never knew they existed, i thought the Royal 1000 was the only solid state T/O to have them. Logan

mr_fixer · #25 03-03-2008, 02:42 AM

Also , if anyone has the BFO option for their Royal 1000 would you please take a picture of it for reference, Logan

tgunner · #26 03-03-2008, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr_fixer

Hi tgunner, I have never seen a external AM antenna for a Royal 7000, could you take a picture of it for reference purposes, and post it on this board? I never knew they existed, i thought the Royal 1000 was the only solid state T/O to have them. Logan

Although I cannot find my antenna (I have not seen it since we moved 3 years ago), it is identical to the one for the Royal 1000. The connection on the Royal 7000 is not easy in the least, but it will work. You remove the three screws at the bottom of the case, and unplug the built in AM bar antenna. At this point, the 1000's external antenna will fit the plug. I took a pic to show you all:

Jeffhs · #27 03-03-2008, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tgunner

I have a Royal 7000 I bought at a yard sale when I was 11 for $6. It is in excellent condition and has the manual, handle pamphlet, suction cup AM antenna, and original battery tubes. The only issue with the 7000 that I think many owners would agree with me on is the door sliding mechanism. Mine is damn hard to use, and as such has scraped the aluminum with the compass thing on it. This radio is what got me into shortwave. I would spend hours tuning across all the bands; partly to watch the roller move them.

It's such a satisfying click. I don't think I will ever sell it; nothing could replace the memories it has brought me.

I feel the same way about all seven of my Zenith radios, one of which is a Royal 1000. In its heyday Zenith was probably one of the best if not the best radio manufacturers on earth, which is why I began collecting their vintage sets almost six years ago.

The Royal 7000 must be built differently from the 1000, as far as the front door over the control panel goes. In my 1000 the door doesn't slide; it just drops straight down when released. From your description, it seems as if the door on the 7000 actually slides into a compartment at the very base of the radio.

The Zenith Royal series solid-state T/Os were excellent when it came to RF sensitivity. Mine will tune in WWV in Fort Collins, Colorado just about any time of the day or night on at least one band; many times I can also hear WWVH in Hawaii directly behind WWV on 10 or 15 MHz--using only the telescoping whip antenna in the handle. AM broadcast reception is great as well, but then again these older sets were built for distance reception. At a list price of $250 in 1958 (double that and then some to get the price in today's dollars), I would expect these sets to outperform just about any other small transistor portable; in fact, I would also expect the tube-powered T/Os to run rings around even small AA5s as were very popular in the 1950s and sixties. About 20 years ago, more or less, I had a 1951 Zenith T/O, chassis 5H40, that did in fact pull in stations like a magnet even with the built-in antennas; I got rid of it

when I realized how difficult it might be to get replacements for those 1- and three-volt battery radio tubes--that was years before I knew about AK and maybe 10-15 years before I was online on the Internet. Today I would not dream of giving up any of my Zenith radios; with a fine resource such as AK as close as my computer, I won't have to.

KentTeffeteller · #28 03-06-2008, 11:08 AM

Hi,

The first Royal 1000 and 1000D radios were leather clad. The only difference between them was the Longwave band on the 1000D. The later series -1 had an AC converter with them as an option. The Royal 3000 was the first with FM. Zenith didn't have FM portables until 1963 due to limited FM stations on the air. Important note: Don't pick up your Royal 1000 or Royal 3000 by the handle as the plastic they are made of deteriorates easily with age. The Royal 7000 had better design on the handle and better quality chrome as well as FM and a BFO.