Magnavox Consoles/Late 50s-Early 60s (Warning: Lg. Files)

1957 Maggie 294H

Everyone: love your Maggies and the info. I'd like to share mine(from Craigslist) and ask if anyone has this, can verify if it is a 1957 or 1958, as I can't read the stamped ink on the inside cabinet divider. Here's some info and photos.

Model 294H (no indications of being stereo, so mono)
AMP-142CC
Tuner CR745BB
Looks like solid cherry
Record player works, but erratic(needs cleaning and lube)
No radio (did work intermittently on one or two AM stations only, but now just a hum and eventually a highpitch whine, very quiet after warmup).
Tuning eye looks frozen in one position - doesn't function, but just lights up

Does anyone have any brochure info to verify a date and any other info? I understand that I will need to replace caps, resistors, and check tubes(?). It's a beauty, 15" and 12" speakers, and two smaller 5 " (?) ..haven't measured them. I see a plug with no tube on far left of amp -says it's a Phono Motor - any idea if that should/shouldn't be empty? Also-I see places on the back of the receiver where something could be plugged in (left and right side) and a plug that looks like a house plug..surely not...but any idea what its function was designed to do and isn't used in this model?

Thanks for any feedback and again, love all your Maggies.
 

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I see a plug with no tube on far left of amp -says it's a Phono Motor - any idea if that should/shouldn't be empty? Also-I see places on the back of the receiver where something could be plugged in (left and right side) and a plug that looks like a house plug..surely not...but any idea what its function was designed to do and isn't used in this model?

Thanks for any feedback and again, love all your Maggies.

That amp looks like a mono power amp using banks of paralleled 6V6 in push-pull. According to the brochures from the early part of the thread, there was a "stereo channel" available which presumably contained the other channel's power amp and speakers in a separate matching cabinet without the control panel & tuner (slave to this one as its master). There's a "Tape" position on the selector, just like on my 1ST208F. Presumably, those chassis were also available in cabinets large enough to fit a R/R Tape deck, and the AC outlet and Tape in/out jacks were for use with the (possibly Collaro with a Magnavox badge like the phono) tape deck. I fitted mine with the reversible mod of a 1/8"-stereo to dual-RCA cable with a built-in strain-relief exiting via an existing vent hole in the back cover. Switching the selector to "Tape" allows use with an external CD or mp3 player in addition to its built-in radio / phono.

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Recently, I scored the correct original Magnavox FM-MPX sub-chassis for my console. The tuner / preamp chassis on most of these units have a pair of "MPX-Out" jacks, (identified as "Main" and "Sub") and a pair of "MPX-In" jachs ("Ch-1" & "Ch-2") in addition to the "Tape In" and "Rec Out" connections. Those MPX units were intended to be installed in single-cabinet stereo models like mine or two-piece systems with both channels present. Early MPX units were three-tube, later versions were two-tube, and their power comes from the power supply / power amp chassis by connecting the unit's multi-conductor cable to the socket where the tuner / preamp had been connected and plugging the tuner / preamp into a duplicate connector on the MPX unit. Essentially, the MPX unit connects "inline" between the power / amp and tuner / preamp chassis like an "extension" of the original cabling. As was common during that era, there are no provisions for operating a "Stereo-indicator" lamp. I seem to recall RCA, Sherwood, and Heathkit being the first to place a neon tube in the plate-load circuit of the 38-kHz doubler stage which would illuminate when the voltage drop across its plate load became sufficient to ionize the neon in the indicator lamp, which occurred only when the doubler was producing the resultant 38-kHz output in response to the presence of a 19-kHz pilot tone at its input from reception of a stereo-encoded broadcast.
 
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My father was the Personnel Director in the 50's and 60's. I wish he would have bought more gear - but hey - with 5 kids we were lucky to have just one Magnavox.
 
M.Yu - thank you; actually everything works,but cleaning, lubrication, and other usuals will get it back in order.

Jshorva65 - After a Google search, I found some other relevant ak.org threads that included a lot of discussion on the (in my case 142-CC)built in features that would enable external speakers. Some YouTube videos were helpful,too.

So, my model 294H/142CC amp has(I discovered later)a stamp on the inside divider cabinet of Oct.23, 1957. The speakers have 58XXXXX stamped along with 232XX which I've learned(if right) are CTS(and I'm not a guru to know who that is, good or bad).
I do have the push-pull with four 6V6 configured and in the back there is a panel, inaccessible unless the back is pulled off, that has the FM - AM - G - Ch1 - Ch 2 (see attached pics).

I don't undersand why Magnavox would offer a switch to Phono/Tape when there is no tape, but it makes sense if they enabled a output plug to use, for one. Understand what you said about space for a tape player, but why label TAPE if there's no jack outlet or port(?). But I do see how the left and right RCA plug ports would be used for an external speaker, along with that outlet plug for the external speaker.

Since my unit has no indication of stereo, do I understand correctly that the external speaker would have volume, bass, treble, balance controls or some kind of controls, too? I'd like to see one.

The other real mystery is the empty tube socket, etched with the identification:
"Phono Motor". I wonder how this would be utilized, if some other feature was purchased(?). Facing front of unit, it's on the very top, right corner of the phono-amp. chassis.

You have a different unit that enables stereo (FM-MPX). I don't see the options for any stereo output, unless I am looking in the wrong place. Glad you were able to get the right chassis for FM-Mpx, though.

I'm no where as knowledgeable as you and many others, but have some pretty basic skills. I've got a friend who worked years in the tube/ss area and was thinking of approaching him for help or the work - do not want to mess up a vintage piece, even though I easily built a Heathkit at age 13...(1963).

Thanks for your reply, which helped me "see" a little more into what is possible. I love the MP3 idea - or tape,etc. I hope to do the same.
 

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24Hacker - Understand your feelings! I have a friend who had five kids-it is sobering, financially...not easy.
But ...on the other side...did he leave behind some nice brochures of some of the cool stereos we here are drooling over? (If so, get those babies scanned).
 
Magnavox Console Model and Year?

I thought I'd ask a couple of quick questions here. I just picked up what I think is a 1959 Magnavox Imperial Console at a local auction...for a whole $22.50. Cosmetically, its in great shape. Turntable needs some TLC....the radio works...
I connected a CD player into the Tape Play input on the preamp just to test it and found that there is only a mono tape input ....the jack next to it says Record. Is this a mono console? The amp is a 182 BA the preamp is a 54 03 10. Also, I have not been able to find anything specifically about the model number of the console (which is 1 ST217H ). I have been able to find a 2 ST217H and they look identical. Does the 1 possibly mean mono?
 
1961 magnavox info

parted a console pair for the amp back in 1999 when I first got into tubes,wish I could of kept this one but trying to identify the Magnavoxso here it goes. it was a matching 2 piece, amp185 with 15",8",and 2@4" speakers, and a passive vol,bass,treble. it looks looked like the little concerto set but larger ,it had the modern styling with peg legsjust like the little concerto. gold turntable with 45 adaptor hole(last of the gold ones). my guess is 1960,61, Its been long ago and have not ever seen anything seen like it. hope has seen or knows what Im talking about, I have a 1959 belvedere now that's seems very close except the base and the legs.
 
parted a console pair for the amp back in 1999 when I first got into tubes,wish I could of kept this one but trying to identify the Magnavoxso here it goes. it was a matching 2 piece, amp185 with 15",8",and 2@4" speakers, and a passive vol,bass,treble. it looks looked like the little concerto set but larger ,it had the modern styling with peg legsjust like the little concerto. gold turntable with 45 adaptor hole(last of the gold ones). my guess is 1960,61, Its been long ago and have not ever seen anything seen like it. hope has seen or knows what Im talking about, I have a 1959 belvedere now that's seems very close except the base and the legs.

OK I've found nfo. Here it is...1960 magnavox modern concerto pair! I have a 1958 concert grand for sale trade if anyone has other info on this like model number. It should have a amp 185.
 
I have a "Modern Concerto", in fact it's playing in the background right now. 175-67 amp, 55-02 tuner/preamp.

The tape input is indeed mono.

The record changer was toast so here's what I did (after recapping everything). Cut the three wires going to the turntable motor. On the wires coming from the preamp, splice the black and white together. This keeps power on the unit when the Phono switch is selected. Now on the preamp; using the 57 schematic on the Yahoo group, snip one leg off C36 and one leg off C47. Snip one leg off R30 and R40. This eliminates the cartridge EQ and lets you plug a stereo CD player (or any other stereo line level input) into the Phono inputs with a flat response EQ. The volume (Loudness), Bass, and Treble controls will still function normally, as will the FM and AM.
 
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My newest Maggie additions here (1) 1949 Windsor Imperial with 14" TV. All recapped and plays and sounds like a million bucks





My 1961 Concert Grand with 40 tubes, 2 15" woofers and 2 horns and 2 bi-amps with 16-6V6 outputs (100 watts output) and 5-5U4 rectifiers. needs a recap etc but does play weakly. Rescued from an estate sale near St Louis. Danish Modern cabinet in walnut. I need an original Remote control if anyone has a lead for one.







 
I would let several Maggie's go for one like this Concert Grand.

They are out there,but I came to the realization that unless you live in the Indiana/Illinois area,the only way you're to get a Concert Grand is to buy one on ebay AND pay freight on it.I just don't have the money for that now.
 
I bought a blonde Belvedere with its companion speaker back a couple of years ago. It was so clean and complete, but didn't have any paperwork if I recall. I need to get it into a private room, away from the kitten.

Actually it's pretty easy to train a kitten not to use your consoles for a scratching post.Scratching boxes with catnip help too.
 
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