Vintage Console Desecration

[artsybob]

I've heard horror stories of misguided people hacking up perfectly good vintage stereo consoles but I never thought I'd see one in person but behold: https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/ele/d/alexa-play-great-music-on-my/6562441202.html

The part that angers me the most is the "outdated electronics replaced by great 20th and 21st century products". I understand that the tube amps in these old mid-fi consoles aren't MacIntosh, but paired with their original efficient speakers they are very enjoyable in their own right. And here this joker thoughtlessly threw what was probably a perfectly good tube amp and its tubes in the garbage while replacing the guts with some crud no-name-o Bluetooth junk and thinks he's some kind of genius . "Oh this stuff is old and old automatically means useless. I improved it!" It also probably had a decent well-built V-M changer in it but in its place is now a rinky-dink plastic plattered Wal-Mart special Ion USB turntable. And this guy expects to get $500 for it! But hey it's all about achieving that "Mad Men" Instagram-ready look for your living room.

Makes me glad I discovered my '61 Westinghouse console before someone like that guy got his hands on it.

 

[mibag6]

Oh, I don't know, I've gutted a few old consoles and I'm always happy that someone cares to make use of the cabinets I haven't had the room for. Some have gone to the dump and some have been re-purposed. I'm all for reuse.

 

[maxhifi]

I bet that woofer has some great interactions with that phono cartridge... acoustic feedback anyone?

I recently rescued an electrohome console from the 60s, mainly for the Garrard type A changer. It has a single ended 6BQ5 tube amp, and three way Jensen speakers with a 10" woofer. Also has a tube stereo FM tuner. And it sounds like absolute garbage.. the bass goes boom boom boom, the mids are muffled. I like the cool 1960s teak cabinet, but jeez does it ever sound terrible.. you're not kidding it's no McIntosh, it's not even a Realistic.

 

[Dswankey]

I've heard horror stories of misguided people hacking up perfectly good vintage stereo consoles

this joker thoughtlessly threw what was probably a perfectly good tube amp and its tubes in the garbage while replacing the guts with some crud no-name-o Bluetooth junk and thinks he's some kind of genius . "Oh this stuff is old and old automatically means useless. I improved it!" It also probably had a decent well-built V-M changer in it but in its place is now a rinky-dink plastic plattered Wal-Mart special Ion USB turntable. And this guy expects to get $500 for it! But hey it's all about achieving that "Mad Men" Instagram-ready look for your living room.

I hear what your saying and can appreciate your passion for the old gear. I'm not trying to be a jerk however it's pretty assumptive that you think he "thoughtlessly threw what was probably a perfectly good tube amp and its tubes in the garbage" maybe he restored the amp? maybe he acquired it sans the original equipment? as for the "horror stories of misguided people hacking up perfectly good vintage stereo consoles" I've seen hacked up, smashed, destroyed etc; It looks to me that the console is in really good shape.

What's nice about these old consoles is that a good bit of them were furniture grade pieces with good craftsmanship and in some cases pleasing to the eye such as this one there were also a lot that were butt ugly too.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

I've heard horror stories of misguided people hacking up perfectly good vintage stereo consoles but I never thought I'd see one in person but behold: https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/ele/d/alexa-play-great-music-on-my/6562441202.html

The part that angers me the most is the "outdated electronics replaced by great 20th and 21st century products". I understand that the tube amps in these old mid-fi consoles aren't MacIntosh, but paired with their original efficient speakers they are very enjoyable in their own right. And here this joker thoughtlessly threw what was probably a perfectly good tube amp and its tubes in the garbage while replacing the guts with some crud no-name-o Bluetooth junk and thinks he's some kind of genius . "Oh this stuff is old and old automatically means useless. I improved it!" It also probably had a decent well-built V-M changer in it but in its place is now a rinky-dink plastic plattered Wal-Mart special Ion USB turntable. And this guy expects to get $500 for it! But hey it's all about achieving that "Mad Men" Instagram-ready look for your living room.

Makes me glad I discovered my '61 Westinghouse console before someone like that guy got his hands on it.

Not to mention the tube amp rapers from consoles, audiophile and guitarist alike are guilty. OK if the cabinet is way beyond restoration. Not OK if intact and in good condition and complete (restore those). I rescued my 1961 JC Penney Penncrest console for $60. I am also going to begin early next month on getting the old VM 1200 series changer rebuilt and get it fully functional. Sounds very nice too. And beautiful to listen to.

 

[doctor fuse]

I bet that woofer has some great interactions with that phono cartridge... acoustic feedback anyone?

I recently rescued an electrohome console from the 60s, mainly for the Garrard type A changer. It has a single ended 6BQ5 tube amp, and three way Jensen speakers with a 10" woofer. Also has a tube stereo FM tuner. And it sounds like absolute garbage.. the bass goes boom boom boom, the mids are muffled. I like the cool 1960s teak cabinet, but jeez does it ever sound terrible.. you're not kidding it's no McIntosh, it's not even a Realistic.

Cut those speaker wires, and use the satellite speaker jacks to hook up a pair of good, efficient, separate speakers, and you will be amazed at that Electrohome SE amp!

I use my Electrohome SE amp to power the ribbon tweeters in my planar/ribbon speakers. Frequency response of those amps is 10Hz-50kHz!

 

[Skid Vicious]

Hmmm. I've actively been looking for a console project but I never really thought about gutting a tube amped version. Is it less of a desecration if its say a mid to late 70's Magnavox for $25 I've had my eye on? I honestly was going to ash can the the TV and all of the electronics and use a decent LED TV and receiver. To me the TV and electronics are crap and not worth resurrecting, but the wood looks absolutely beautiful. Obviously would never be a main rig.

I don't really agree with execution of the DC craigslist ad though, like maxhifi said that turntable would feedback like crazy at even low levels.

 

[doctor fuse]

Skid Vicious slid viciously into desecration territory.

 

[willyrover]

Or maybe the seller repurposed an empty cabinet that would otherwise have been thrown in the trash.

Assume the positive and you'll be angry less. Life's too short.

 

[artsybob]

I hear what your saying and can appreciate your passion for the old gear. I'm not trying to be a jerk however it's pretty assumptive that you think he "thoughtlessly threw what was probably a perfectly good tube amp and its tubes in the garbage" maybe he restored the amp? maybe he acquired it sans the original equipment? as for the "horror stories of misguided people hacking up perfectly good vintage stereo consoles" I've seen hacked up, smashed, destroyed etc; It looks to me that the console is in really good shape.

What's nice about these old consoles is that a good bit of them were furniture grade pieces with good craftsmanship and in some cases pleasing to the eye such as this one there were also a lot that were butt ugly too.

Oh, I understand when someone comes across an old console and the gear inside is beyond salvageable. And I don't mind when someone replaces upgrades the gear inside with better quality components. My issue with it is when someone yanks perfectly good old gear out of it just because "it's old" without even giving it a chance and replaces it with crap quality electronics and tries to pass it off as like it's hi-fi

 

[gadget73]

Or maybe the seller repurposed an empty cabinet that would otherwise have been thrown in the trash.

lets go with this. Lets be honest here, how many people have we seen pull the amps out of nice consoles, keep the amp and ditch the box? The one complete console I own is the only one that has come to me. The amps in it are better than the console allows them to be, but its too nice for me to gut. I have occasionally mentioned that I wish it was in bad condition so I could pull those nice mono integrated amps out without feeling guilty.

 

[Dadbar]

The back of the cabinet didn't have any vent holes. It was probably filled with some crappy solid state transistorized garbage in its original form. I wouldn't feel too bad about the re-schmecorating. At least someone might actually find it useful. The Average Joe will never use that turntable anyway.

 

[Skid Vicious]

Here's one I've got my eye on and will go take a look at this weekend:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/582781605420340

Now to me, the electronics, TV, turntable, all of that is going to be junk and not really worth saving. But from what I can tell from the pics, that is some gorgeous wood on that unit even its veneer and it would be fun to repurpose it with a decent but modest receiver w/networking, finding a TV that will fit reasonably well (I'm sure I'll have to make some kind of facia), upgrade the speaker drivers, crossovers and enclosures, and yeah, maybe a Smart speaker to control it.

Can't really see the harm in that.

 

[maxhifi]

Here's one I've got my eye on and will go take a look at this weekend:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/582781605420340

Now to me, the electronics, TV, turntable, all of that is going to be junk and not really worth saving. But from what I can tell from the pics, that is some gorgeous wood on that unit even its veneer and it would be fun to repurpose it with a decent but modest receiver w/networking, finding a TV that will fit reasonably well (I'm sure I'll have to make some kind of facia), upgrade the speaker drivers, crossovers and enclosures, and yeah, maybe a Smart speaker to control it.

Can't really see the harm in that.

That one may sound half decent as is, give it a try you could be surprised.

 

[Skid Vicious]

That one may sound half decent as is, give it a try you could be surprised.

If I come home with it, you bet I'll plug it in to see what I have. I don't know much about those old consoles, although I had fun cleaning up and getting going a Zenith Allegro system with the M400 speakers that my 9 year old is just fascinated with, and it doesn't sound awful.

"If" being a crucial modifier, it's on the other side of town and I would have to line up a truck to get that beast home. Can't hurt to look though, seems like it will power on and be able to hear some sound from it before I decide.

 

[maxhifi]

If I come home with it, you bet I'll plug it in to see what I have. I don't know much about those old consoles, although I had fun cleaning up and getting going a Zenith Allegro system with the M400 speakers that my 9 year old is just fascinated with, and it doesn't sound awful.

"If" being a crucial modifier, it's on the other side of town and I would have to line up a truck to get that beast home. Can't hurt to look though, seems like it will power on and be able to hear some sound from it before I decide.

Yeah that one will be super heavy. Some people do collect old TVs (for example, me!), but something this recent has little it any collector value. TV collectors refer to this type of console as an aircraft carrier! Better get some help to move it

 

[Skid Vicious]

Yeah that one will be super heavy. Some people do collect old TVs (for example, me!), but something this recent has little it any collector value. TV collectors refer to this type of console as an aircraft carrier! Better get some help to move it

It looks like a tank to me. Fortunately I'm a big strong beefy dude but I'm running through my checklist of friends who could help and I think I'll need at least two of 'em...lol. I'll check it out although for what I have planned for it (replace a side table in the dining room) maybe a stereo only console would be a better choice.

 

[Patrice B]

I bet that woofer has some great interactions with that phono cartridge... acoustic feedback anyone?

I recently rescued an electrohome console from the 60s, mainly for the Garrard type A changer. It has a single ended 6BQ5 tube amp, and three way Jensen speakers with a 10" woofer. Also has a tube stereo FM tuner. And it sounds like absolute garbage.. the bass goes boom boom boom, the mids are muffled. I like the cool 1960s teak cabinet, but jeez does it ever sound terrible.. you're not kidding it's no McIntosh, it's not even a Realistic.

Surprised that it didn't sound good. I have a Conway with Jensen drivers completely rebuilt and it sounds really good. The tuner isn't amazing but playing some tunes through AUX inputs with treble and bass to my taste and it's far to be like yours...

Two others Electrohome console pulls rebuilt (SE 6BQ5) and no boominess or mudiness neither.

 

[maxhifi]

Surprised that it didn't sound good. I have a Conway with Jensen drivers completely rebuilt and it sounds really good. The tuner isn't amazing but playing some tunes through AUX inputs with treble and bass to my taste and it's far to be like yours...

Two others Electrohome console pulls rebuilt (SE 6BQ5) and no boominess or mudiness neither.

I think the crossover caps have high ESR, and likely the phono cartridge could also be better. I haven't messed with it a lot yet.

I did try and hook it up to some minimus 7s via the external speaker jacks, and it made a big improvement, but still overall it sounds kind of bad. A magnetic phono cartridge would likely help a lot too. I'm not sure if there's some kind of bass boost contour built into the onboard amp, but I suspect it based on how it sounds.