Anyone listen to music through tube radios?

[playloud]

I recently picked up an old Philips radio near me for a few bucks, reasoning that the Telefunken ECC83 inside (if good) was worth several times that.

As I don't like the idea of destroying things for parts, I also thought it would be fun to try restoring it. The power cord was missing, so I installed an earthed replacement with a local plug. It has a (mono) tape input, with banana plug connections, so I created an adapter from a 3.5mm stereo jack (summing L+R channels) to let me plug in a phone/computer.

After bringing it up on a variac slowly (despite the valve rectifier), spraying the pots with Deoxit, replacing the Telefunken (which works perfectly) with a current production 12AX7 I had lying around, and cleaning the tube sockets, I was somewhat amazed to discover that it functions perfectly well. Voltages matched the schematic and the sound is heavenly. I put it in my music room/office to listen to music when I get tired of headphones/studio monitors.

Now I'm curious. Did I just get lucky with this particular model, or are tube radios still an absolute steal for the sound they can deliver? Does anyone else here use them like this?



Model info/schematic can be found here: https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/philips_b5x95a.html

Interestingly - at least to a primitive guitarist like me - it has no output transformer. Instead, it has extra-high impedance drivers (800 ohm!) fed by an EL86. Aside from the Telefunken, the remaining valves all have Philips codes.

Here's a bonus pic of the insides for anyone who's curious. Note the green "proto-mustards". The resistors with burn marks (?) measured fine when tested.

 

[Matthews Guitars]

My stereo system uses an Audio Research LS-2 all tube preamplifier. I guess that counts.

 

[Wildeman]

Yep, 63 Harman Kardon stereo, 4x6V6 power.

 

[paul-e-mann]

I recently picked up an old Philips radio near me for a few bucks, reasoning that the Telefunken ECC83 inside (if good) was worth several times that.

As I don't like the idea of destroying things for parts, I also thought it would be fun to try restoring it. The power cord was missing, so I installed an earthed replacement with a local plug. It has a (mono) tape input, with banana plug connections, so I created an adapter from a 3.5mm stereo jack (summing L+R channels) to let me plug in a phone/computer.

After bringing it up on a variac slowly (despite the valve rectifier), spraying the pots with Deoxit, replacing the Telefunken (which works perfectly) with a current production 12AX7 I had lying around, and cleaning the tube sockets, I was somewhat amazed to discover that it functions perfectly well. Voltages matched the schematic and the sound is heavenly. I put it in my music room/office to listen to music when I get tired of headphones/studio monitors.

Now I'm curious. Did I just get lucky with this particular model, or are tube radios still an absolute steal for the sound they can deliver? Does anyone else here use them like this?



Model info/schematic can be found here: https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/philips_b5x95a.html

Interestingly - at least to a primitive guitarist like me - it has no output transformer. Instead, it has extra-high impedance drivers (800 ohm!) fed by an EL86. Aside from the Telefunken, the remaining valves all have Philips codes.

Here's a bonus pic of the insides for anyone who's curious. Note the green "proto-mustards". The resistors with burn marks (?) measured fine when tested.

Wow what a rats nest! I have a tube radio from the 50's it plays static I never bothered to figure out how to tune in a station, I guess I'll save it for a retirement....

 

[playloud]

Wow what a rats nest!

A Hiwatt it is not!

 

[Gunner64]

Tube everything here. Stereos, radios, communication equipment ect.. tubes imo add something to audio.

 

[StingRay85]

The green mustards indicate you have a radio made in 1959. Does it have FM? Those were surely the more expensive models

 

[Riffraff]

I like to use converted tube PAs for guitar. I have a couple I use pretty often and a couple in pieces in my garage waiting for their time to sing. I got little 10w '51 Stromberg Carlton lunchbox head for $100 in non-working condition from a local seller. It only took a couple of minutes to trouble shooting and replace the bad power swich.

The other is a 25w '47 Masco. I found this one for sale from a local antique radio guy for $50 which is a steal. It was in great, all original condition. I sent this one to one of the best in the business to overhaul and he did an amazing job with it. It's my favorite amp to plug straight into. It 's got gorgeous early tweed Fender tone. No pedals required with this beauty.

 

[Whatwhatringrang]

Yup but i am not like a religious tube /records
Hifi guy Lol. I guess I will take music anyway I can get it. My setup is more mid fi lol. I grew up listening to me music with decent stereos and speakers . However I will for ease of use listen like everyone to youtube Now also . I often feel bad for kids that now days never grew up in those times. The dark ages ,Pre internet iphone speaker thing. It is nice to not have fatigue and hear all the details with nice stereo tube or even solid state With speakers.

i refurbed a couple old fisher all tube 63 and 66 stereos. These crippled my hands working on them lol. A 500 c and 7189 console one I found for like 25 . That thing sounds amazing . Full of old Telefunken 12ax7s stock. keep in mind luckily the 500c was still in alignment with the original Mullard 12ax7 going strong. The rest has all old Telefunken 12ax7 even straight from the factory.

Maybe someday i want to get a couple old mono McIntosh mc30 or higher .

 

[reneAsologuitar]

Lovely!!!

 

[playloud]

The green mustards indicate you have a radio made in 1959. Does it have FM? Those were surely the more expensive models

No FM unfortunately.

I like to use converted tube PAs for guitar. I have a couple I use pretty often and a couple in pieces in my garage waiting for their time to sing. I got little 10w '51 Stromberg Carlton lunchbox head for $100 in non-working condition from a local seller. It only took a couple of minutes to trouble shooting and replace the bad power swich.

The other is a 25w '47 Masco. I found this one for sale from a local antique radio guy for $50 which is a steal. It was in great, all original condition. I sent this one to one of the best in the business to overhaul and he did an amazing job with it. It's my favorite amp to plug straight into. It 's got gorgeous early tweed Fender tone. No pedals required with this beauty.

That Masco sounds amazing!

 

[Riffraff]

No FM unfortunately.



That Masco sounds amazing!

I have several amps that I really love but this one is really special. The fact that you can plug pretty much any guitar straight in and get that kind of tone effortlessly is magic.

 

[junk notes]

no listening to music through a tube radio, but I have this same model 1932 Jackon-Bell #82 "Tulip Grille" Cathedral in lesser shape, that I could attempt to repair. '

 

[Gunner64]

Yup but i am not like a religious tube /records
Hifi guy Lol. I guess I will take music anyway I can get it. My setup is more mid fi lol. I grew up listening to me music with decent stereos and speakers . However I will for ease of use listen like everyone to youtube Now also . I often feel bad for kids that now days never grew up in those times. The dark ages ,Pre internet iphone speaker thing. It is nice to not have fatigue and hear all the details with nice stereo tube or even solid state With speakers.

i refurbed a couple old fisher all tube 63 and 66 stereos. These crippled my hands working on them lol. A 500 c and 7189 console one I found for like 25 . That thing sounds amazing . Full of old Telefunken 12ax7s stock. keep in mind luckily the 500c was still in alignment with the original Mullard 12ax7 going strong. The rest has all old Telefunken 12ax7 even straight from the factory.

Maybe someday i want to get a couple old mono McIntosh mc30 or higher .

I had some Mac mc30s and to be honest my old restored Fisher KX200 sounds just as good or better. Imo Great amps, but Not worth the Insane money they get for them. I seem to always go back to my Fisher, them things sound Glorious. Mr Fisher knew what he was doing.

 

[Whatwhatringrang]

I had some Mac mc30s and to be honest my old restored Fisher KX200 sounds just as good or better. Imo Great amps, but Not worth the Insane money they get for them. I seem to always go back to my Fisher, them things sound Glorious. Mr Fisher knew what he was doing.

Cool!

I agree 100% with you on this. He really did Know his stuff and used excellent components and really had a ear for it .

It has been a while for me but I think I know your model. I will check it out in a bit as it has been awhile since I looked at Stereo stuff.

Even the smaller 7189 powered console I have from 63 loaded with stock Telefunken about everything is my favorite sounding stereo I have had. Sure the turntable could be alot more audiophile but so what. CDs ,tape decks or anything else you can also put thru it . However the headphone are actually labeled backwards. Like if you put the headphones on you need to stick the on wrong lol. I guess there was no standard yet.

2 separate parts weights enough to kill a garbage truck lol. I prefer Electra 63 Electra VII to the 500c . I guess it depends the 500c is definitely more like a modern stereo with It’s sound .

That 7189 one from 63 Came with the original warranty and paper work and manual . I paid $25 for it at a thrift store but I had to restore it with electrolytics some coupling caps and the crossovers that actually crumbled when I touch it lol. All the tube still really strong and everything like new. I am guessing no one turned it on for years.

. Has old alnico Jensens 3 way stereo speakers in it . However Using modern somewhat decent headphones ,it is the best music has ever sounded for me . I can hear things I can not normally hear on other stereos and no ear fatigue even blasting for hours. Kinda of amazing with stuff like upright bass or similar to Instruments.The Fisher stuff sounds really beautiful . example I have Been listening the Hendrix for ever (like many)and never realized that fuzzy 8 string hangstrom part line in Spanish castle magic till hearing it on that.

It is a trip reading the manual as stereo was kinda just becoming popular for some at the time. It is interesting read.

 

[Deftone]

Not tube but my In Laws left this Pioneer SX-780....


We also found a couple of old tube Grundig radios in storage....

 

[Gunner64]

Not tube but my In Laws left this Pioneer SX-780....
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We also found a couple of old tube Grundig radios in storage....

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I love them old 70s Pioneers, I had the whole totl set up, sx1980, rt909, sg9800, rg2, sr303, ctf1250. PL630, Sold it all off..bought a Harley..lol.

Right now I Just have a SX1280. SG9500.

The sweetest little tube amp I have is a little single ended Magnavox el84 amp I pulled out of a console many years ago and rebuilt into a stand alone amplifier. 3 or less watts per channel. I have a tube preamp I built and Klipsch Hereseys. that combo sounds really good playing vinyl.