Emerson Consoles - Yes, No, Maybe?

ScooterMcTav

I know less than I think
Hi All,

A Console recently came available locally, and the seller states it is tube. I don't see the words solid-state anywhere, so will make the assumption he has it right.

Looking at the item, it's not especially visually appealing, and the TT doesn't appear branded, so I'm not sure that it's appeal to me is as a console. However, I wondered if the amp(s) inside are any good and worth saving?

Here's a couple of pics:

console_zps3mxys1nl.jpg


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It's general appearance doesn't scream "quality" to me, but then again I don't know consoles from Shinola, other than the ones mentioned in this section of the forum.
 
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Changer has a solid state feel to me. Looks like V-M, but its possible its not original.
 
That is what I would be challenged to offer twenty dollars for, at the most, and only if I was bored with no projects on the bench. Better yet would be to haul it away for free. Guessing a pair of small output transformers and probably single ended. Depends on how rare it is that consoles come available in your neck of the woods as to how desperate you are to get a console in this condition. This one looks rough, does it work ?

You could ask for a pic of the backside, might have a tube chart on it. On the other hand, all tube consoles do offer parts for salvage.
 
I agree that it screams LOW END! The TT does appear to be a V-M model used by Admiral, (Emerson bought Admiral in 1958-60 IIRC, and bought DuMont in 1959-60) during the early-mid 60's. The tuner faceplate looks like a low end Pilot Solid State receiver from the late 60's. It's possible that it's tube, but the chances of that are about 30-70 IMO. I agree with Rog50. I'd be hard pressed to pay over $20. for this even if it was working. You can do better.
 
Thanks guys, appreciate the feedback, and I will give it a pass.

FYI, asking price was $75, and it is (reportedly) in working condition.

And no, I'm in no rush to go add a console to my collection - but if I do run into a decent one with a nice Garrard changer in it, I may be tempted.

I grew up with a console so am always tempted to consider picking one up. Either I'd like to find a beautiful old piece of furniture I could use to hot-rod a "modern" console (I even have a pair of Mission M72s that would be PERFECT for the application), or find just a nice console to refurb to listen to music and use as a conversation piece.

Will continue to keep my eyes open.
 
The record changer looks like a BSR unit.....then solid state AM/FM radios were installed with the face up in a vertical position. Tube radios are always installed in a horizontal position.

Looks like early solid state to me and of poor quality....
 
And not that I'm in a rush, but another one came up locally. A Philips console described as producing "only static", it comes with some nice classical records, and a bust of the great Ludwig Von.

philips2_zpsrrmpey5a.jpg


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Can say this is not the case, being in possession of two tubed consoles with the tuners and amps mounted like the Emerson above.

You have tubes that are in a horizontal position as in not standing upright....

Really ??? I've never....ever heard of such a thing and I had an uncle that repaired all kinds electrical equipment during the early sixties and had me involved doing so also. Never came across anything like that. I would have to guess that the pins from the tubes might create a sagging problem....
 
The record changer looks like a BSR unit.....then solid state AM/FM radios were installed with the face up in a vertical position. Tube radios are always installed in a horizontal position.

Looks like early solid state to me and of poor quality....[/QUOT
The record changer looks like a BSR unit.....then solid state AM/FM radios were installed with the face up in a vertical position. Tube radios are always installed in a horizontal position.

Looks like early solid state to me and of poor quality....
 
You have tubes that are in a horizontal position as in not standing upright....
Yes. Two of them. One is my Hoffman, which is a two-piece jobber, so one tuner and two amps. The other is a low end Zenith with a tuner and an amp. All tubes horizontal.

They do fine as long as the sockets aren't shot. I think the Zenith used retainer bails on it's output tubes, don't believe the Hoffman has any but I might be wrong on that. Some tubes do have to be mounted in specific directions though.
 
Fisher had tube consoles with the tuners top mounted and the tubes all horizontal. Look up from about 1958 thru 1965 Ambassadors and down. 90% or better were Horizontally (top-loader) mounted. No bails, no retainers, nothin but NET! So did a lot of other manufacturers. Pilot, Curtis Mathes, Zenith, Magnavox, Motorola, RCA, GE, and the list goes on. Comparatively very few front loaders were produced from the advent of the lowboy designs. Highboy's were almost always Front Loaders. The Front loaders in FISHER's Lowboy Inventory were generally their highest priced units.
 
My Viking, Phillips and Electrohome consoles were all horizontal tubes with no retainers, my Grundig has vertical tubes and retainers go figure.
 
Both of those consoles look SS to me but then again I saw an RCA that looked SS to me and was actually tubes.
 
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