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Another Moto' Console Coming In

relaximus

relaximus

Consoles 'Я' Us
Should be picking up this Moto console this Saturday. I really don't know much about it other than it's coming from the original owner's son and wife. She characterizes the cabinet as "perfect" and thinks that it's from '59-'60. It's an AM/FM with TT. Judging by the grills on the front, I'm guessing it's a pretty early 3-channel. Better pics will come once it's in my hands.

Dave
 

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Nice!! Too bad you can't find the House for all the consoles! I've got 6 regular sized consoles + 1 end table set that works well as bed side tables. All in a 1000SQ.FT Ranch.



Larry
 
I just got home with this and it's a cutey! Model SK-103M, TT only. It's got a SE 6BQ5 integrated amp/preamp (HS-1055) with a split 6CA4 rectifier/PS (HS-1102) chassis. This thing is tiny as consoles go, but very pretty. I'll get some pics up as soon as I vacuum some of the history out of it.

Dave
 
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Well, this thing is indeed odd. As you can see, from the attached pics, there are 3 OPT's on the amp chassis. 1 each for left, right and the summed bass channel. However, there are only 2 6BQ5's! Just how the heck did they get 3 channels from only 2 output tubes?

sk103m01.jpg


sk103m02.jpg


sk103m03.jpg


sk103m04.jpg


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sk103m07.jpg


sk103m08.jpg


sk103m09.jpg


sk103m10.jpg


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Dave
 
Interesting amp - Motorola had their own way of doing things, didn't they? I really like the cabinet. That mahogany veneer is in great condition. When I saw the little CL picture I knew they were mistaken about the year since I have a pretty good handle on the 59-61 models and it definitely wasn't one of them. My first thought was that you had gotten real lucky and it was one of the later Drexel lines that I know nothing about like American Charter.

You can look that model up in Billboard's 1963 Phono Directory in the $151-200 price category. It's there along with the other models listed on the cover of that cool owner's manual. Do you know if that model had a name? Even with the album for scale I'm still having a tough time trying to get a handle on its size. It does look a little on the diminutive side. Just how long is it?
 
Carter:

It's 42"w x 17.5"d x 27"h when measuring the top lid. There is no mention of a model name anywhere, either on the unit itself nor in the manual. The manual refers to it as the Motorola Multi-Channel Stereophonic High Fidelity Phonograph. The woofer is 10" and each channel has a 6" mid and a 3.5" tweeter, all marked Golden Voice. The date codes indicate it being manufactured in May of '62 (at least the chassis).

Dave
 
For a better sense of scale, here's my oldest son Jack standing next to it. Now admittedly, Jack is 6'2"+, so he tends to make many things look a little small.

sk103m13.jpg


Dave
 
The TT is going to need a bit of work. The idler wheel is rock-hard and the auto functions don't. Brought it up on the dim-bulb variac and it passed the smoke test, but it sounds like poo. Gonna try and pull the amp/preamp this evening and see what caps I need. All original Moto branded (Amperex?) tubes (2x6BQ5, 1x12AX7 and a 6CA4 rectifier). Still researching as to how they managed 3 channels from 2 output tubes. Is it possible to wire a 6BQ5 as a SE split triode?

Dave
 
relaximus said:
Well, this thing is indeed odd. As you can see, from the attached pics, there are 3 OPT's on the amp chassis. 1 each for left, right and the summed bass channel. However, there are only 2 6BQ5's! Just how the heck did they get 3 channels from only 2 output tubes?



Dave
Click to expand...

Maybe like this?
columbia-c1457schem-output.jpg
 
relaximus said:
For a better sense of scale, here's my oldest son Jack standing next to it. Now admittedly, Jack is 6'2"+, so he tends to make many things look a little small.
Click to expand...
Jack and I are the same size so he makes an excellent yardstick. It's one of those mid-thigh consoles. Jack looks like he could tote that Moto by himself without much trouble.

Oneinchside, that schematic looks like it might be for one of CBS's "sum and difference" phono amps. Do you have the amp that that goes to? I didn't think they actually put those into production. Perhaps Motorola used a similar sort of "matrix" transformer to combine, filter and match the low frequency output of both channels to the bass speaker. Interesting thought.

SumDifferenceAmp.jpg
 
relaximus said:
The TT is going to need a bit of work. The idler wheel is rock-hard and the auto functions don't. Brought it up on the dim-bulb variac and it passed the smoke test, but it sounds like poo. Gonna try and pull the amp/preamp this evening and see what caps I need. All original Moto branded (Amperex?) tubes (2x6BQ5, 1x12AX7 and a 6CA4 rectifier). Still researching as to how they managed 3 channels from 2 output tubes. Is it possible to wire a 6BQ5 as a SE split triode?

Dave
Click to expand...

DUDE ! you are so hooked . . . :D

for the three channels on this they may be doing a 'mixed mono' arrangement . . . some early low-power class car audio systems would do this . . . left and right speakers wired normal, and the 'center' woofer is wired across the + & - of both channels . . .
 
TheRed1 said:
Jack and I are the same size so he makes an excellent yardstick. It's one of those mid-thigh consoles. Jack looks like he could tote that Moto by himself without much trouble.

Oneinchside, that schematic looks like it might be for one of CBS's "sum and difference" phono amps. Do you have the amp that that goes to? I didn't think they actually put those into production. Perhaps Motorola used a similar sort of "matrix" transformer to combine, filter and match the low frequency output of both channels to the bass speaker. Interesting thought.

SumDifferenceAmp.jpg
Click to expand...

It's from a columbia console that I'm getting ready to redo-- and that diagram is great. That schematic has made my head hurt.

except mine doesn't have the second transformer, Wait, maybe it does. There are 3 caps and a choke.

*ack* --correction--
the satellite speakers, caps and choke are MIA

I didn't really want to set up a 3 way speaker system with the amp anyhow, but dang I hate it when pieces are missing.

Now that I look at it more closely I have NO idea how this output section works. I think it is a sum and difference kind of thing, but a) I don't really understand that. b) My expectations that the 2 OT were matched seems to be.... wrong. Dang.

What the heck is going on in this thing?
 
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oneinchside said:
It's from a columbia console that I'm getting ready to redo-- and that diagram is great. That schematic has made my head hurt.
Click to expand...
It's really cool that you have one of these. Do you realize what you have? It was an alternative stereo LP technology developed by Peter Goldmark for CBS. I'm not sure but I don't think it is compatible with conventional (Westrex) 45-45 LPs. Your Columbia console should probably have its own thread, though, as it is only peripherally related to Relaximus' cool little 3-channel Moto.
 
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TheRed1 said:
... as it is only peripherally related to Relaximus' cool little 3-channel Moto.
Click to expand...
Carter:

It really is a cool little console. Recapping is going to present a real challenge as the amp/preamp chassis occupies the same real-estate (perhaps less) than the preamps alone take in my other two 3-channel moto's. In fact now looking at it, this chassis is about 2/3 the size of just the preamp chassis of the other 2. I've yet to pull the PS/Rectifier chassis to see what challenges it will present. It's a neat little console and I probably wouldn't bother if the cabinet weren't in such nice condition. Add to that the fact that the wife thinks it's cute and it is a keeper!

Dave
 
After looking at the schematics that Tinkerbelle posted, I'd be interested as to know how this type of stereo amp would be classified. Is it SE stereo with the addition of a L+R summed and filtered mono PP bass channel? Or what?

By the way, Tinkerbell, how does your Arvin sound?
 
TheRed1 said:
...By the way, Tinkerbell, how does your Arvin sound?
Click to expand...

It's not bad at all but I don't really use it in any main system, usually just the workshop on small bookshelf speakers.

There's pics here if you're interested.
 
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