Rare Magnificent Magnavox 289H?

[AutomatonWiz]

For reference, this is a 1956 Berkshire.View attachment 3204205View attachment 3204206

Thanks for sending this image. Interesting to see the differences in the amp and speaker system. Based on this, it can be seen that in the higher end of the line of the following year, the two (low and mid range) speakers gave way to the one 15", and the two smaller tweeters gave way to the two larger ones. It appears that the sliding reverse printed glass panels made their debut in '57 as well (?).
One must imagine that Magnavox' R&D was analyzing the output and found that the more powerful amplifier system would cover the same frequencies with just the one larger full range speaker. I would imagine that the speaker must have been more sophisticated as well, perhaps a cone that wasn't as stiff as that of the woofer in the Berkshire, closer voice coil gap for more efficient transfer of magnetic field reactive power, larger voice coil diameter, etc. I have not had that large speaker off, so I don't really know. The back cover of the speaker resembles some other high end speakers of the era.

 

[gadget73]

these things had different speakers by cabinet too. At one point I had the guts out of one, not sure the model but it was one of the two piece cabinets. The main cab had an AMP-150 using a pair of 12" and one horn between them. The paired aux cab had the same amp with one 15" and one larger horn. I still have the aux cab, the original amps were traded off long ago but I was given a tuner and AMP-150 that is now plugged into that aux cabinet. Tuner just sits on top and serves as a shop radio sometimes.

 

[Dswankey]

Here's one from 1955 & 1956,

DC CL - Magnavox Console

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/atq/1499440620.html I sure hope somebody from AK can find some room for this TOTL (or near TOTL) 1955 Magnavox Berkshire console. The seller somehow came up with 1949 as the year. Look at that amp! Anybody know the chassis number on this one? And the...

audiokarma.org

Also 1956 Maggy ad

 

[Aerobat]

Pretty sure that's mine, the poster sold it to me a while back. It came with the receipt, $535 in 1956 from a furniture store.

 

[orthophonic]

The Berkshire is the model Paul Newman plays in cat on a hot tin roof.

 

[bobabode]

For several years I've owned a ca. 1957 Magnavox model 289H, and am finally getting around to electronically restoring it. The model number appears on a small sticker about the size of a pair of small postage stamps, on an interior cabinet wall. It has the bi-amp with the eight 6V6s and predating Magnavox' stereo offerings, is monophonic. It looks almost identical to the Berkshire of similar vintage, the most notable differences being that in addition to the reverse painted glass top sliding panels there's no record compartment, just more speaker grille area with a diagonally mounted additional horn speaker. There's a clock with timer, and external speaker selector switch in the partitioned section where the glass panels overlap. I have been totally unable to locate ANY information on this model with a pretty deep on line search, and open AI also seems to have anything specific to say about this model. Anyone out there have another, or any information at all about this variant?

Congrats, beautiful console! You'll want to replace any electrolytics, (cans x3) and check all the resistors + replace out of spec ones. I'm playing music thru my pair of 1957 AMP150 biamps into a pair of JBL L80t3 floorstanders even though I could afford (so-called) better amplifiers.

I've replaced all the resistors and upgraded the 'lytics in capacity and temp.

Listen to Gadget73.

 

[Lman]

For reference, this is a 1956 Berkshire.View attachment 3204205View attachment 3204206

Beautiful cabinet.

 

[jeffhamman]

This is shown in fall of 1957 catalog-its called "the Aspen" cabinet is nearly identical to the Berkshire ..except it has the 40 watt amplifier.

 

[Aerobat]

This is shown in fall of 1957 catalog-its called "the Aspen" cabinet is nearly identical to the Berkshire ..except it has the 40 watt amplifier.

My '56 Berkshire is still rocking with a Technics LP-sized record player under the lid with an ART-DJ phono pre, and the tuner pulls in WIP sports effortlessly. We synch it with the TV broadcast and it has a booming presence.