Motorola SK100m Console?

02County

02County

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Been lurking around craigslist looking for a way to get into tube audio. Was wondering if anyone knew anything about Motorola SK100m consoles? The guy said he'd take $100 for it, which might be a bit out of my range at the moment. But Ive read online that these things can contain solid amps and speakers.

http://littlerock.craigslist.org/atq/4724754935.html
 
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Looks like it might be an early 3-Channel unit which if it is, that was Motorola's TOTL Offering back in the late 1950s and early 1960s and they actually sound very good, and as a proud owner of a Motorola SP-29 3-Channel "portable" record player from 1962 I can say from personal experience that they have some of the best sound I've ever heard from a tube powered stereophonic unit. It said he would take any resonable offers in the ad so if I were you and had the space for it I would go down and make an offer. :yes: :D :music:
 
Well it will have a top of the line turntable/changer from Motorola which is actually a rebadged Voice of Music turntable which are extremely easy to service and you can still get NOS parts for them from Gary Stork over at the Voice of Music Website he runs. The amplifier is a nice single ended/push pull u it that will depending on the tube lineup put out as much as 35 Watts per channel. And the tuner will be a nice super sensitive Am/FM stereo tuner. Should be a nice unit once it's restored. :yes::thmbsp::music:
 
Let's take this to Dollars and Sense.......

Very small amplifier in this one, series string filaments and 35C5 power tubes. About 1.2 watts output. I personally would not mess with it but I sold one like it, happily, for $35.
 
So the amp in this wouldn't be very strong? Would the components be at least worth something? I'd hate to pay too much for a very large paperweight...
 
RWood said:
Let's take this to Dollars and Sense.......

Very small amplifier in this one, series string filaments and 35C5 power tubes. About 1.2 watts output. I personally would not mess with it but I sold one like it, happily, for $35.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure where you got your info from sir But I do believe that this unit looks similar to some of the early 3 Channel Motorolas from the late 1950s and early 1960s of which those stereos weren't anything to sneeze at, especially considering that I personally own a 1962 SP-29 3-Channel record Player from Motorola and its definitely not a lightweight when it comes to audio power! In fact none of those 3-Channel units that Motorola made were light weights, from what I read ALL of their 3 Channel units (consoles or portables) usually put out at least 10 Watts per channel at minimun and at most 50 Watts per channel, and were the top of the line offerings from Motorola at the time. :yes: :music:

I think you might want to double check your sources my dear Woodson!
 
jdbleed01 said:
So the amp in this wouldn't be very strong? Would the components be at least worth something? I'd hate to pay too much for a very large paperweight...
Click to expand...

Don't listen to Mr. Wood I think he's blowing hot air, because It seeems like he's just trying to pull a fast one on you. :yes:

I would at least go to the guy's house and check the tube layout diagram on the back of the console and see what kinds of tubes it has in the amplifier section, and if it seems like it might have some mediocre tubes in it like say 50C5s or something like that in there then it probably isn't worth fussing with, but if it has say some 6V6s or EL84/6BQ5s or even some 6BM8s in it then its more than likely a unit worth your time and is probably what I had suspected it to be.
 
Okay - just emailed the seller to ask him if he knew what type of tubes were on the thing. I suspect he knows...
 
My info came from here and here. Might or might not be the unit you're considering.

Feel free to get it, JD, as there is a lot to be learned from even a smallish tube amp. Heck, see my thread on the Trutest Stereo/8.

I was just giving you my opinion. Btw, I have bought a few dozen tube consoles, some with nice push-pull amps, and have never paid more than $50 for any of them. They are out there. But you can't get to your second one until you've tried your first.

Me, blow smoke? Almost never. :smoke:
 
Gotcha. I see... That thread was very informative. Not particularly interested in zapping myself but it could be an interesting project. However, the seller is currently saying something about $85 firm and that might be a tad high. I'll prolly keep looking. Thanks for all the help on this -
 
The Magnavox stereo might have the push/pull stereo 6V6 amplifier AMP185.

The Philharmonic looks to be all tube and looks to use those two rare tubes for the outputs. I want to say ECLL80 or something like that.

Larry Derouin might chirp in and give a little more info. He's like the Fisher guy around here.
 
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The top of the line motorolas used 3 channels of push pull 6v6. i have a SK-77 with this set up. not sure about the SK100 though. but with the 3 channel set up, the bass channel has a big OPT to handle bass, and the side channels have tiny iron that isnt good to handle bass. Sounds great with the right speaker set up, but not easy to adapt to 2 channel full range stereo. In my experience tube amps with tiny OPT iron have the most glorious midrange.
 
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This is is not one of Motorola's finer offerings; it ranks up there with dangerous cheap stuff.

It uses a pair of 35C5 driving three output transformers. Each channel is basically single ended; the bass channel uses a push-pull transformer and each side connects to it. It's not a very good circuit. If you bought an isolation transformer, it'd be safe to run at least; but I don't think it would be worth messing with. But it has no power transformer at all; just rectifies line voltage directly.

It's a shame though because Motorola did make some exceptionally fine sounding stuff. I have a pair of the HS-619 PP 6V6 chassis amps that sound fantastic. I did take out the 6AU6 AF stage so I could drive them with a dedicated pre..but they have some really nice iron and a safe, normal, power supply.

techpreservation.com has a schematic for it in their schematic bank; under model "SK100-4".
 
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If you are looking for a tube console with a separate amp, that Philharmonic is at least 1 rung down the FISHER ladder too low. It's an all in one chassis (think receiver), but it's no slouch either. Either EL-84's or later models used ELL-80's.

If you are looking for a separate amp, start with the FISHER Custom Electra's from 1961 thru 64. and work your way up the ladder to the PRESIDENT.

See www.fisherconsoles.com

Larry
 
I'd make the drive for that Magnavox outfit. Sure hate to see it stripped of components and used for firewood though.
 
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