which chassis was the best ?

[Jon A.]

Originally Posted by rca2000

If we REALLY want to get honest with ourselves....then the flat-chassis SS Zenith sets we love--ALL of them...including the BW sets with plug-in boards--are actually a "hybrid" between hand-wiring and point-to point wiring, as more than half the circuitry, most of the low-level stuff--is on those boards and the power devices all plug in.

True, just no burnout-prone tubes to deal with. Also, the dura-modules are too small to flex from heat. The transition time was then, and Zenith did it best.

[rca2000]

Originally Posted by Jon A.

True, just no burnout-prone tubes to deal with. Also, the dura-modules are too small to flex from heat. The transition time was then, and Zenith did it best.

IOW_--the BEST OF BOTH WORLDS !!

It is no WONDER we all admire them as much as we do...and of course a nearly indestructible tube helps too!! Kinda like the "3800V6" of tv sets !!

And though not color--the "tin can Zeniths" as they are called here--find a special place in my desires too. I have several of them, including I think 3 SC sets and a couple "bug eye" models. Altogether--I think I have 10 or so of them.

Face it...until the mid-1970's..Zenith was in class by ITSELF-- as far as tv's-and for that matter console stereo chassis_ were concerned. Their regular radios are NOT that special though, compared to tv's and stereo chassis...

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by Jon A.

True, just no burnout-prone tubes to deal with. Also, the dura-modules are too small to flex from heat. The transition time was then, and Zenith did it best.

Prone might be a bit harsh. My daily driver sets usually only need tubes replaced every couple of years or more, and usually it's the horizontal output or some other high power tube. Signal tubes seem to be rather long lived.

[rca2000]

Originally Posted by Electronic M

Prone might be a bit harsh. My daily driver sets usually only need tubes replaced every couple of years or more, and usually it's the horizontal output or some other high power tube. Signal tubes seem to be rather long lived.

I cannot TELL you how many old sets I have seen with most of the power tubes (horiz, vert, video HV rect and audio outs) ALL original, particularly BW "tin can Zenith sets". LV rect tubes--(5u4, 3dg4, etc) NOT as often..