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Calling All Motorola Consoles!!!

Hi. I have two. A sk 28. And a sk51. The 51 parts are just like yours. Different cabinet. Not as nice.
Have you done any work yet on it yet?
 
Congrats on finding a Motorola SK28. Style-wise that's about my favorite model. I have a a blonde model and have been looking for a mahogany one as well as a companion piece. Looks like the top has seen better days. Any ideas as to how you will refinish it?

Greg
 
Motorola Console SK163W

Motorola Console SK163W

Motorola Console Model #SK163W

Motorola Console Model #SK163W

Motorola Console Playing


I brought home the console from my parents as they are preparing to move and downsize. It is a Motorola SK163W. Cabinet is in fantastic shape. It sounds like a speaker is probably blown, but the turntable seems to work great. It is turntable only. This is all new to me, any guidance on what I have and if I will ruin it by replacing speakers would be greatly appreciated! At this point I am planning to pull the back off of it and poke around on it. My only audio equipment experience is car audio installations.
 
Its probably something else wrong with the stereo. Speakers being blown in consoles are really rare. It does happen, it's just rare.

When you get a chance, simply switch the left & right speaker wires just to rule out a bad speaker. Keep us updated. :thumbsup:
 
century tek said:
Its probably something else wrong with the stereo. Speakers being blown in consoles are really rare. It does happen, it's just rare.

When you get a chance, simply switch the left & right speaker wires just to rule out a bad speaker. Keep us updated. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advice! Does anyone have any specific information or advice for working on and playing with this particular model? I did see a couple of posts earlier in this thread for this same model number.
 
SK163 came with the HS-1239 amp chassis. Pretty good unit if that's what is in it. Pull the back off and post some snaps of the amp.
 
SiliconTi said:
View attachment 1043849 View attachment 1043850 View attachment 1043851 Exterior

Here are the exteriors. Not in too bad a shape. It is complete.



The Good:

Turntable works

Has optional Receiver

it is complete, all parts and trim are there.

The bad:

The receiver does not work, though it turns on

the turntable has a bad channel - wavers up and down in volume (not the preamp/amp)

The amps right channel is a bit weaker than the left

I'll recap it then get a new needle for the 'table and see how she does.
Click to expand...

Did you happen to find a needle for it?
 
Howdy, I've been trolling this forum for quite some time. I recently came accross a HS-766. Everything seemed to be working fine at first but now I'm not getting any input from the right phono input. Left channel seems fine. Both channel audio transformers appear to be working well. Is it possible its something within the control area? I'm also using this as a standalone amplifier.
 
Just picked this one up this week. It's a TOTL model SKR151w with 11 golden voice speakers, one of which is a massive 20" woofer. Has the Vibrasonic reverb.

I've owned many consoles but this is my first Motorola - I am shocked at how good this sounds. Way better than Zeniths or Magnavox of the era, and easily as good as my Fisher Electra MK-IV.
This one was babied and the modern style cabinet is in beautiful shape, and well built. Doesn't say Drexel anywhere, but I suspect this one is also?



Screen Shot 2019-06-11 At 3.54.25 PM

Screen Shot 2019-06-11 At 3.54.25 PM

 
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I can't see anywhere on that ad where it says the bass speaker is a 20 inch. I don't think they make a 20 inch speaker. Never seen one. :dunno:

18 inch is pretty huge but almost all of those Motorola's I have ever come across or owned have always had the 12 or 15 inch Golden Voice bass center channel speaker. Take your tape measure to it.
 
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Lazerbrains said:
Just picked this one up this week. It's a TOTL model SKR151w with 11 golden voice speakers, one of which is a massive 20" woofer. Has the Vibrasonic reverb.

I've owned many consoles but this is my first Motorola - I am shocked at how good this sounds. Way better than Zeniths or Magnavox of the era, and easily as good as my Fisher Electra MK-IV.
This one was babied and the modern style cabinet is in beautiful shape, and well built. Doesn't say Drexel anywhere, but I suspect this one is also?



Screen Shot 2019-06-11 At 3.54.25 PM

Screen Shot 2019-06-11 At 3.54.25 PM

Click to expand...
According to my shop manual, your SKR151w Should have the 15" woofer p/n 50D61095A07. 15" vs 20" still pretty large...
 
Yep, checked today it is 15". Looks so massive I was shocked. As you can imagine, it kicks out the bass. Just finishing the service on this one. All the original tubes were in great shape, as were the speakers. This has the speedometer style tuner - the clutch knobs on this was the most difficult part of servicing.

Still impressed with the sound, I had no idea the Motorolas were so good. Listened to "Dreamboat Annie" last night and was impressed at the clarity and stereo separation.

Resized_20190613_103610_7971.jpeg Resized_20190613_103509_2359.jpeg Resized_20190613_103455_9238.jpeg
 
Lazerbrains said:
Yep, checked today it is 15". Looks so massive I was shocked. As you can imagine, it kicks out the bass. Just finishing the service on this one. All the original tubes were in great shape, as were the speakers. This has the speedometer style tuner - the clutch knobs on this was the most difficult part of servicing.

Still impressed with the sound, I had no idea the Motorolas were so good. Listened to "Dreamboat Annie" last night and was impressed at the clarity and stereo separation.

View attachment 1535276 View attachment 1535277 View attachment 1535278
Click to expand...
You have a total of 11 drivers which is the most I have seen in a Motorola. Your clarity should benefit from a replacement of your electrolytic crossover capacitors (I would think they've dried out by now). My SKR155 had one each for the left and right channels as well as one for the woofer...
 
Lazerbrains said:
Yep, checked today it is 15". Looks so massive I was shocked. As you can imagine, it kicks out the bass. Just finishing the service on this one. All the original tubes were in great shape, as were the speakers. This has the speedometer style tuner - the clutch knobs on this was the most difficult part of servicing.

Still impressed with the sound, I had no idea the Motorolas were so good. Listened to "Dreamboat Annie" last night and was impressed at the clarity and stereo separation.

View attachment 1535276 View attachment 1535277 View attachment 1535278
Click to expand...
I don't think you have a Drexel cabinet. They usually come with a badge "Cabinet by Drexel". You still have a very attractive MCM cabinet - and all tubes too!
 
MotorolaNut said:
You have a total of 11 drivers which is the most I have seen in a Motorola. Your clarity should benefit from a replacement of your electrolytic crossover capacitors (I would think they've dried out by now). My SKR155 had one each for the left and right channels as well as one for the woofer...
Click to expand...

Yes, replaced the crossovers. It was the same as you describe - total of three. Suprisingly, they all checked good. Lots of tubes in this one - three separate push-pulls. The cabinet does not say Drexel, but is very heavily built and in excellent shape - this was a loved console for sure.
I don't think I've ever seen 11 drivers in any console. Really nice room filling sound and the louvers really give good stereo separation.
 
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