console score (lots o' Japanese parts)

[Kingfisher]

I guess you could call this thread a case against Curtis Mathes rather than anything against Japan. I've read threads from fellow AKers how CM built great consoles....I'm not convinced. This latest console showed me how much corner-cutting CM did by buying cheaper tubes, pots, caps, and other components imported from Japan. This particular console was built with laminated particle board instead of real wood as well. Virtually every capacitor in the receiver chassis was an oil-in-paper Matsushita with the exception of 1 solitary Sprague black beauty. Even the 6E5 magic eye was Japanese.

 

[ferninando]

sort of like the "muntz" of consols.?

 

[frankxbe]

My parents had a CM similar to that one thing was very unremarkable and unreliable .
The RCA,Zenith and Magnavox sets were a lot better IMO. It as repaced by a much better Magnavox .
One of my friends dad had a CM console stereo he ended up replacing the reciever with a Sherwood then installing Jensen speakers and
a Garrard changer this was probably in 67 so the origional set maybe lasted 5 yrs or so . Seems like most mainstream consoles in the 60's were not that well made
electrically compared to say a fisher 500c. IIRC the 500C cost as much or more as most consoles the Magnovox Imperials and Concert grands I thought were were pretty good. I worked part time after school at a Magnavox dealer then their stuff was decent then. late 60's .

 

[Sam Cogley]

Just like everyone else, C-M made consoles across a variety of price ranges.

 

[audiobiker]

I like the Grundig stuff :yes:

 

[Kingfisher]

Just like everyone else, C-M made consoles across a variety of price ranges.

Yeah, but Sam, this is probably not one of their cheaper models considering is had a TV built into it. CM did make just 'regular' consoles also. Wiki has some interesting info. on CM...apparently, they only got into electronics around 1957 or so. Before that, they made furniture, auto parts, etc. This console was probably made only 5 years after they entered the market. It doesn't reflect well on the quality of their components. (If you bought a brand new McIntosh, looked inside the chassis, and saw all the parts were made in China, wouldn't you feel the slightest bit miffed?)

Also, about HALF the tubes that came out of this unit tested BAD on my tester...most of those were the original CM-branded Japanese tubes, including 3 clear-top 12AX7s.:sigh:

 

[Sam Cogley]

A lot of Japanese tubes are pretty nice.

While this wasn't cheap with the TV in it, it looks as if the radio chassis is a lower-line model. I've seen some C-M stuff that was very stout, and some that wasn't.