Zenith stereo consoles using the 11J01 chassis; difference between 11/12 tube MJ1035?

[Jeffhs]

While nosing around on eBay recently, I came across a listing for a Zenith MJ1035 FM stereo radio with chassis 11J01. The seller mentioned that this chassis was also used in Zenith stereo consoles for 1965. I did not realize before now that this particular chassis was used in consoles as well as table sets, but now that I know, I must say I am downright proud to have my own MJ1035 in my collection of vintage Zenith radios.

I wonder, however, how Zenith designed the 11J01 chassis for mounting in a console. Somehow, I can't imagine that huge round tuning dial (as used in the table-model MJ1035s) in a console cabinet. Did they modify the dial for chassis installed in consoles, say by using a horizontal or vertical slide-rule tuning scale?

How many of the 11J01 chassis were used in consoles? (I've done extensive searches on Google for information on this chassis and its use in 1965 Zenith console stereos, but so far have come up with nothing. ) As good as the MJ1035 table model sounds with 50EH5s in the output stages and a 12AX7 preamp, I am not surprised that this chassis was used in Zenith's '65 line of stereo consoles as well as table models.

Finally, what is the difference between the 11-tube MJ1035 and the 12-tube version of the same radio? I've been wondering about this for some time, but cannot seem to come up with an answer. The only thing I can come up with at the moment is that the extra tube in the 12-tube version was a separate preamplifier stage for the phono inputs.

Thanks in advance for any info on the foregoing; as I said, I've wondered about those issues for quite a while (since I got my MJ1035 and did some research on it, actually) and don't like unanswered questions.

[KentTeffeteller]

Hi Jeff,

It is a preamplifier tube. The Stereo console had one for the phono. Nice sounding console!

73 de K4KT!