1958 RCA VCR-244 Superheterodyne Console

[Quick Cal]

Hi all. New guy here. I just grabbed this old RCA for $20. I got about 100 LP's too. I need some help identifying it. I couldn't find hardly anything online.

The dear old lady I got it from said she thought they bought it the year they got married. 1958. So can you guys confirm that. Any kind of info would be great.

Is this one that is worth saving. I got a different one on craigslist for free. But it's kinda cheesy,,,lol. Mid 60's Admiral solid state. Guess I'll throw it back on there.

This RCA needs a needle and a speaker fixed. And a good cleaning. Guess I'll start a separate thread in the proper sections.

Any tips what I should do with this thing. Thanks

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Likely the mono half of a two piece console, which had a Stereo speaker/amplifier in another cabinet. Decent sounding in nice order. Fairly nice listening. Why not restore it and see if you can find the companion speaker/amplifier.

 

[Quick Cal]

That's my plan.

Do we have a beginners guide how how to go through these things and clean them up and check everything?

 

[truep]

Be verycarefull with it, the tuner/pre is a series string!
The amp has a power transformer so it's ok.
It is a single ended l/r for the treble mids, and a single ended for bass. about 4-5 watts per chan.

 

[gadget73]

The codes on the speakers would help nail down a date. You could pull them from the transformers or can caps too, they should have a 6 digit string somewhere that will tell you the week and year of manufacture along with manufacturer.

http://www.triodeel.com/eiacode.htm

 

[larryderouin]

Bets are it's a 1962 model. See this thread from 2008. http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/rca-vcr-244-three-channel-console.161416/

 

[Quick Cal]

Bets are it's a 1962 model. See this thread from 2008. http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/rca-vcr-244-three-channel-console.161416/

It appears to be the same as that one. Again. The old gal was sure it was from 1958. But who knows.

I can't figure out how to date it. Can you guys tell me what year it might be from the pic of the speaker.

It is the same model as in the other thread. But what was the range of years for that model. Did they have a new model every year?

 

[Quick Cal]

Will it hurt anything to play it with the one speaker removed. The wires are broke.

I tried to search on how to fix it but found nothing. Is there a tutorial for that somewhere?

 

[gadget73]

274 is the EIA code for RCA
037 means week 37, 1960. The 0 is just the last year of the date, could be 1950 or 1970 but I think we can rule out either of those.

It would be better to fix the speaker. Some tube amps get unstable and funky with no load on them.

 

[Quick Cal]

274 is the EIA code for RCA
037 means week 37, 1960. The 0 is just the last year of the date, could be 1950 or 1970 but I think we can rule out either of those.

It would be better to fix the speaker. Some tube amps get unstable and funky with no load on them.

So does that mean it will permanently hurt anything. I do intend to get it fixed. But I'd like to listen to some records in the mean time,,,lol.

 

[gadget73]

I really wouldn't suggest running it with no speaker. Find any speaker and connect to it, but don't leave it connected to nothing. Its not impossible to burn up an output transformer if the amplifier oscillates into an open load.

 

[Tom Bavis]

Listed in a 1962 Sams Photofacts folder - I probably have it.

 

[Quick Cal]

So does that mean it will permanently hurt anything. I do intend to get it fixed. But I'd like to listen to some records in the mean time,,,lol.

I really wouldn't suggest running it with no speaker. Find any speaker and connect to it, but don't leave it connected to nothing. Its not impossible to burn up an output transformer if the amplifier oscillates into an open load.

So would a modern car speaker be ok?

 

[gadget73]

Better than a sharp stick in the eye or a fried output transformer

 

[larryderouin]

He DO have a WAY with Words, don't he!?!

Cal; Put a speaker, any speaker on it! Using the amp without a load (speaker or dummy load resistor) can fry the output transformer. A car speaker isn't the best choice, but it will help.

 

[Quick Cal]

He DO have a WAY with Words, don't he!?!

Cal; Put a speaker, any speaker on it! Using the amp without a load (speaker or dummy load resistor) can fry the output transformer. A car speaker isn't the best choice, but it will help.

Ya. That's the funniest thing I've heard all day. Glad it's still early.

I took a speaker out of the Admiral that I have.

Thanks guys.

 

[knockbill]

Sounds like you got the the right guys on this job!!! It looks like you have some speakers in the cabinet ( you don't necessarily need em all, just a load on teh OPT),,,, do any of them work? Can you read resistance on any of them? DCR will give you an idea of what you can swap in to match the output transformer, or just leave any original working speakers connected while you work on it...

 

[Quick Cal]

Listed in a 1962 Sams Photofacts folder - I probably have it.

Can you check please. I guess I could use it,,,lol.

 

[Quick Cal]

Can you guys tell me what ohm speakers these are. They're not marked.

My friend is telling me I might be able to just use some remote 3-way speakers from like the 80's and they would sound great.

Is that doable?

 

[gadget73]

Check them with an ohm meter. That won't give you the exact number but its probably somewhere to start. 4 ohm speakers usually measure around 3 ohms, 8 ohm speakers are usually around 6-7.

Bookshelfs might be good, depends on sensitivity. Tube gear is fairly low power, so it needs an efficient speaker to make any real level of sound. If you happen to be looking at a speaker spec sheet, it will be marked as db / 1w / 1 meter. BAsically its how loud it is, 1 meter away from the speaker with 1 watt of input. Higher numbers are louder. Most tube amps want at least 90 to make good sound in a decent size room and even that can be marginal if you listen loud or the amp is fairly low power.

I have two console pull amps here, one in front of me that I'm listening to now, and one next to me that I unhooked about 15 minutes ago. Its not at all uncommon to run these on other speakers. Honestly, the speakers in consoles are usually the weakest point in the chain. My own console I replaced all of the speakers and added a crossover to try and make it not so terrible. Its better, but the amplifiers sound better on my bench than they do in their cabinets.