Want to identify mid-century Zenith console stereo from pic

[Ray Walker]

Hello, my first time here. I'm attempting to identify a Zenith console stereophonic system my family owned around 1962. I'm not sure when they purchased it, but I have identified the cabinet from a photo on e-Bay. Unfortunately, the item on e-Bay does not list its model number or other specifics, and the guts of the console (i.e. turntable) have clearly been swapped out (but radio looks original). The original record changer/turntable was a Collaro Conquest. There's a picture of that turntable included here.

Here are photos from that e-Bay posting. Any idea how I can identify which model this was exactly? I appreciate any help. Thank you.

UPDATE: After some research, I read that Collaro was acquired by Magnavox. I guess it could have been a Magnavox and not Zenith (that Collaro Conquest record changer is certainly the one I remember), but that blonde wood cabinet was what I remember. However, I cannot find a blonde wood Magnavox with a cabinet like that.

 

[Dswankey]

@Ray Walker

Welcome to AK!!!

It's definitely a Zenith as to what model I can not tell.

A couple of things the unit you're looking at looks to have the original TT swapped out as their should be a Zenith Cobramatic not that janky stand alone Garrard that's in their currently.

Nostalgia is great thing but the price the seller is listing it for is way too much as it's not complete, seller doesn't specialize in audio equipment thus you don't know what the current condition of the unit is.

It's more likely a tube unit which if all original will need a thorough going over and recommended refurbishment of the original 55-60 yr old cap's, resistors and possibly any tubes that are failed.

In the hands of a competent DIY'er it wouldn't cost that much to restore if not and it has to go to a reputable technician one would be looking at a couple of hundred dollars in cost & hourly time.



Collaro TT's are indeed associated with Magnavox and Zenith were known for their Cobramatic TT's

This is about as close as I can find, from a 1962 Zenith catalog see link below. Slight difference in the cabinet styling though and obviously different wood coloration which were usually optional

Maybe it's a 1963 model

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1849685841...MIo4j80LGq9AIV1OqzCh3geQRCEAQYASABEgLesvD_BwE

 

[Dswankey]

You could message the seller and ask to check the back of the unit for the model # it would look something like this

 

[Ray Walker]

@Ray Walker

Welcome to AK!!!

It's definitely a Zenith as to what model I can not tell.

A couple of things the unit you're looking at looks to have the original TT swapped out as their should be a Zenith Cobramatic not that janky stand alone Garrard that's in their currently.

Nostalgia is great thing but the price the seller is listing it for is way too much as it's not complete, seller doesn't specialize in audio equipment thus you don't know what the current condition of the unit is.

It's more likely a tube unit which if all original will need a thorough going over and recommended refurbishment of the original 55-60 yr old cap's, resistors and possibly any tubes that are failed.

In the hands of a competent DIY'er it wouldn't cost that much to restore if not and it has to go to a reputable technician one would be looking at a couple of hundred dollars in cost & hourly time.

View attachment 2401096

Collaro TT's are indeed associated with Magnavox and Zenith were known for their Cobramatic TT's

This is about as close as I can find, from a 1962 Zenith catalog see link below. Slight difference in the cabinet styling though and obviously different wood coloration which were usually optional

Maybe it's a 1963 model

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1849685841...MIo4j80LGq9AIV1OqzCh3geQRCEAQYASABEgLesvD_BwE



View attachment 2401093

Thank you for the response. That was helpful. You could be right that it was a '63. It is strange we had *that* Zenith cabinet (the blonde wood one in my photos) with what I know for sure now was the Collaro Conquest TT (the '63 model without the automated "knife" is definitely it). Could we have had a one off production? I read Magnavox had a shipping problem with Collaro for a bit and ended up substituting it. Could that have happened with Zenith? Probably not. Strange.

I'm just trying to solve the riddle of how we wound up with such an oddball console system back then. I started this quest to figure out what it was exactly. Discovering the TT was Collaro Conquest was a big find. Thanks again for information.

 

[Dswankey]

... I know for sure now was the Collaro Conquest TT (the '63 model without the automated "knife" is definitely it). Could we have had a one off production?

Possibly, but my understanding and I could be wrong is that Magnavox bought Collaro (1960) and used it exclusively in their consoles while the Cobramatic was proprietary to Zenith going back to 1950

Start on page 23

https://www.radiomuseum.org/dsp_multipage_pdf.cfm?pdf=zenith_story_radiomuseum_org.pdf

https://collaroaudio.co.uk/blog/history-of-collaro/

Maybe at some point a repair was done and and a Collaro was substituted for the Cobramatic?

 

[Ray Walker]

Possibly, but my understanding and I could be wrong is that Magnavox bought Collaro (1960) and used it exclusively in their consoles while the Cobramatic was proprietary to Zenith going back to 1950

Start on page 23

https://www.radiomuseum.org/dsp_multipage_pdf.cfm?pdf=zenith_story_radiomuseum_org.pdf

https://collaroaudio.co.uk/blog/history-of-collaro/

Maybe at some point a repair was done and and a Collaro was substituted for the Cobramatic?

Thank you. That's information I didn't have, and I'm sure you're right. I guess it had to be a Maganvox, but it sure did look like that blonde cabinet. Magnavox must of had a similar style.

 

[Dswankey]

Interestingly enough, having had many a magnavox come through my hands and the many I've viewed in various threads online I don't seem to recall ever seeing a Blond one so don't be too sure that it wasn't a Zenith.

I just went through an original Magnavox sales brochure from 1962 and from what I can tell none were offered in that blond color

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Hello, my first time here. I'm attempting to identify a Zenith console stereophonic system my family owned around 1962. I'm not sure when they purchased it, but I have identified the cabinet from a photo on e-Bay. Unfortunately, the item on e-Bay does not list its model number or other specifics, and the guts of the console (i.e. turntable) have clearly been swapped out (but radio looks original). The original record changer/turntable was a Collaro Conquest. There's a picture of that turntable included here.

Here are photos from that e-Bay posting. Any idea how I can identify which model this was exactly? I appreciate any help. Thank you.

UPDATE: After some research, I read that Collaro was acquired by Magnavox. I guess it could have been a Magnavox and not Zenith (that Collaro Conquest record changer is certainly the one I remember), but that blonde wood cabinet was what I remember. However, I cannot find a blonde wood Magnavox with a cabinet like that.

Looks Zenith, but Zenith didn't use Collaro record changers, they used V-M or Zenith's own record changers.

 

[Ray Walker]

Interestingly enough, having had many a magnavox come through my hands and the many I've viewed in various threads online I don't seem to recall ever seeing a Blond one so don't be too sure that it wasn't a Zenith.

I just went through an original Magnavox console from 1962 and from what I can tell none were offered in that blond color

Where did you check for this? I'd like to check it for other years. Thanks!

 

[Ray Walker]

Could it be that someone mounted a Collaro Conquest, which I know now is model TC-340, first introduced in 1957, into a Zenith cabinet? Would that cabinet have been cut such the CC TC-340 would have fit?

Where I found it's a TC-340: https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/I...X/IDX/50s/High-Fidelity-1957-Sep-IDX-0045.pdf

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Could it be that someone mounted a Collaro Conquest, which I know now is model TC-340, first introduced in 1957, into a Zenith cabinet? Would that cabinet have been cut such the CC TC-340 would have fit?

Where I found it's a TC-340: https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/I...X/IDX/50s/High-Fidelity-1957-Sep-IDX-0045.pdf

Yes, that is possible, but service technician or owner did that and installed that changer.

 

[Dswankey]

Where did you check for this? I'd like to check it for other years. Thanks!

It's an OEM catalog/brochure that I own, however I posted copies here

https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/i...s-late-50s-early-60s-warning-lg-files.192601/