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#1
05-22-2007, 12:11 AM
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Thinking of getting an old tube radio...
I've never purchased a old vintage radio before, but I'm getting very interested in the idea of listening to radio stations from all around the world on a aesthetically pleasing little-machine with great sound. I'm very interested in how these old tube radios would sound.
Hopefully you guys can help me find a good first radio. I would like it have have good reception that pulls lots of stations (shortwave?) easily and that is driven by tubes. I'm new to radio, but after looking at a few threads, the Zenith radios look pretty amazing. I'm also kind of wanting know if there are any good portable radios, or should I mostly be looking at transistor radios for that? Please forgive my lack of knowledge.  Any suggestions and know-how are much appreciated, as I'm kind of confused by the HUGE variety of radios out there.Thanks! Peter 
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#2
05-22-2007, 07:18 PM
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If you would like a shortwave set, a good one would be a Zenith Trans-oceanic or a Hallicrafters S-38. These were both sold in large quantities
and are easy to find. Dumont-First with the finest in television. 
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#3
05-22-2007, 07:53 PM
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What model of the "Transoceanic" series would you recommend? I would like it to have the ability to receive AM, FM, and Shortwave frequencies. (What exactly does "Broadcast" and "Longwave" mean? Are there more than one Shortwave bands?) Also, I want to make sure it sounds good. Should I go for one with an electrostatic(?) speaker? Should I go for a tube or transistor Transoceanic? I've heard tube radios are more sensitive to frequencies. Also, are they portable? If so, what will I need to do to run them?
Thanks!
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#4
05-23-2007, 07:06 AM
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If you are wanting the ability to receive FM, in a Transoceanic (TO) you will have to go with a transistor model. The 3000 was the first TO to have FM. The modern FM band (88-108Mc) was introduced after WWII so that limits the age of radio that you can get. You could get a radio that is earlier and also get one of the FM converters that were made by Pilot, Howard, or Meissner just to name a few. Longwave is the low frequency band below the AM broadcast band. There really isn't anything there anymore except some aircraft navigation non-directional beacons.
__________________
Sean - WØKPX
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#5
05-23-2007, 07:54 AM
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I agree. With all your criteria I would recommend a Zenith Transoceanic. You'll need the Royal 3000, Royal 7000, or R7000 models. The later is continuous in its coverage from (general coverage) where as the others have international broadcast bands.
The 3000 is probably the best value for general usage as both 7000 models can get pricey. These radios are high quality well performing radios that cost a small fortune when they were new. Steve
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| Audiokarma |
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#6
05-25-2007, 12:29 PM
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Dig out the wallet and track down a Hallicrafters SX-62. Designed as the ultimate radio for the non-ham, it features a strong RF section, AM, FM (mono, of course) and shortwave. Push-pull 6V6's deliver a fine, warm tube sound.
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#7
05-26-2007, 07:28 AM
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Another thing to consider is ease of repair, as almost all old radios will need it!...if you are just starting out in tube radio repair it may be best to start with something simple like a 1960's GE, Zenith, Westinghouse etc. AM table radio just to familiarize yourself with the circuitry.
The Zenith Transoceanic B600 is not too complex but will need new caps and a new silicon diode and resistor, and power line fuse to work reliably. It still uses the old bumblebee caps which are notorious for going bad...one of them is right across the powerline and can explode even when the power switch is off. We have just repaired a Transoceanic B600 and found it to be among the best of all types of radios we tried at bringing in far-away AM stations.
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#8
05-26-2007, 04:45 PM
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I was thinking of purchasing a B600 in exellent or refurbished condition on eBay. Would I need to worry about it exploding or catching fire in that case? I don't want it to be a danger to me, I just want to enjoy it.
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#9
05-26-2007, 11:08 PM
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The thing is, vintage radio is like any other hobby that involves old stuff. To *really* know, you must do it yourself or trust repairs/service to someone who's qualified to carry them out. Even then....
The good news is, you're exactly where you need to be if you are interested in tube radio! Two and one-half years ago I logged in here for the first time, and it's been a lifesaver. I now read books, surf the net, look up topics on AK and enjoy it. I get busy and can't always mess with them (like now...) but they'll be waiting when I have time again. In the meantime, take Chad's advice find yourself an old GE Superradio or Zenith TO (solid state) and work yourself into it. This is a great hobby...one that can be enjoyed for a lifetime. Have fun!
__________________
Bedroom: Marantz 2015 / Pioneer CS-88 Living Room: Zenith Y928 / MJ 1035 vintage stereos Office: Zenith H845 Home desk: Zenith X338 / H272W Circle of Sound Truck: Kraco Dust-O-Matic, circa 1977
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#10
05-28-2007, 11:40 PM
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Quote:
If that were really a problem there wouldn't be very many around now. It is advised to change out the capacitors in any vintage radio.
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| Audiokarma |
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#11
06-11-2007, 01:49 PM
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Look for a Zenith K-731. It is an AM\FM set and is easy to repair (if you don't mind only having 1.5 watts audio output). I would stay away from the German radios until you are good at radio repair as they tend to cram
a V12 in a Volkswagen Beetle Good luck on your radio repair whatever one you decide to buy. 
__________________
Main system Scott LK-72A amp & LT-110 tuner Garrard Zero 100C turntable AKAI GX 255 RTR iPod & computer DIY speakers (upgrading them soon)
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#12
08-14-2007, 03:12 PM
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First radio choice
Greetings!
If you're willing to skip the FM, or else listen to it on your stereo system instead, a whole world of great radios from the 1930's opens up to you! Many great and mellow sounding table model sets out there with elegant wood cabinets, glowing dials, green tuning indicators, and lots of AM and Shortwave bands to choose from. In addition, most are not too awfully complicated, and can be brought back to life by a relative beginner. (Lots of helpful folks on this Forum as well!) Good Luck in your hunt!
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