Can anyone ID this RCA(?) '40's radio/phono console?

[radiotvnut]

I have the opportunity to buy this locally for $50. The cabinet looks in fair shape and it's obvious that someone replaced the original 78 rpm changer with a '50's VM 3-speed model. Looking at the dial, it looks like an RCA and I suspect the chassis is the same as what would be found in a 5 tube table model. It does look interesting, even though it's probably a low end model.

[Celt]

They could have at least stained the new changer's plinth.

[Jeffhs]

My best guess is that the changer was replaced with a modern one (for the time) when 33.3 RPM LP records took over from 78's, unless the original changer was already worn out and the owner would have replaced it anyway.

[Electronic M]

Something about the cabinet feels too old for the rest of it.

[radiotvnut]

I ended up getting it and paying her price; which, I know was stupid (I tried to get her down; but, she wouldn't budge). She said she'd gotten too many calls on it from people who either wanted to gut it and/or paint it some hideous color; but, she was giving me first shot at it since I was the first caller. I can't stand people who gut and/or paint vintage items; so, I solved that problem.

After I got it home, I discovered that this is a frankenset. The badge on the cabinet says "Automatic", the radio chassis is an RCA AA5 from the late '30's-early '40's, and the changer is an early '50's VM.

I'll save the rest of it for the video that I hope to have posted later today.

[Jon A.]

Bare wood under the turntable to adapt to a newer unit; I did that sort of thing once, ages ago, but I used some rather thin Masonite screwed in over what was left of the original panel after using as jigsaw to cut some of it out. Anything thicker and the spindle wouldn't have cleared the lid.

[radiotvnut]

Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X09SY7eHeFc

[wa2ise]

The way the radio chassis was mounted in that cabinet, the antenna loop would have been horizontal, not vertical. Which would make the radio insensitive. You could make a piece of bent metal or a piece of wood to remount that antenna so it is vertical when the chassis is in the cabinet. Be sure that there's at least a half inch spacing between the metal bracket and the wire windings. It won't matter if the loop is orientated with the longer dimension is vertical or horizontal, or diagonal.

[DavGoodlin]

Something that would make it sound better overall is to improve audio response by peaking the IF alignment, 455 kc on this 1942 model 25X.

The only thing off is, your radio appears to have three knobs, but the 1938-42 RCA book shows two knobs on the 25X and similar models.

Making it a better radio is NOT a waste of time as it seems there are at least two AM stations that actually play music in your area.

[Nuke]

Yeah - I am fortunate enough to have one station that plays music in my are and that really exercises my sets.

[radiotvnut]

I've determined that the chassis came out of a 55X from 1942 and I've also determined that the center radio/phono switch was added later. The only problem was that when the set was switched to phono, some radio reception still "leaked" thru. So, I used the other side of the switch to kill the B+ voltage going to the converter tube when the switch is set to phono. I also aligned the set and it is more sensitive now; but, there are oscillations, motorboating, and other strange noises when tuning across the dead areas and weaker stations across the band. It's not so bad on strong local stations; but, I want to try and figure out what's causing this problem.

Whoever wired in the phono cable had the negative side of the cable connected straight to the hot chassis. This makes the record changer chassis hot, since the negative side of the cable connects to the record changer chassis. To help solve this problem, I connected a .047 uf cap between the negative side of the phono cable and the hot radio chassis.

I also rewired the AC input so that the neutral side of the polarized power cord goes to chassis and the power switch is now in the hot side of the line. Of course, this will do no good if someone were to plug this set in a miswired AC outlet.

[Reece]

Emerson used those knobs on some 1937 models, like this one.

http://www.tuberadioland.com/emersonAC-149_main.html

[radiotvnut]

I found a sticker on the back of the cabinet indicating "Automatic" and model 386. I can't find that number on nostalgiaair, techpreservation, or the sams website. Anyone have any information on this model? I'm curious to know what was originally in this cabinet.

[Electronic M]

Maybe it used to be a phono only unit.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Electronic M

Something about the cabinet feels too old for the rest of it.

When I saw the cabinet, I thought it was a repurposed Victrola cabinet.