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Fisher PHilharmonic Console - now what?

audiodon

audiodon

Addicted Member
Well,
Craigslist was a' calling my name.
Fisher Console $15.
Yeah, I got nowhere to put it and I don't need it. But, hey, it's a Fisher and I'm a Fisher kind of guy.
So, I bit. A few days later, I get an email back.
"Dear sir, it was my first post to Craigslist and I forgot a zero. That's $150. I just got back from a trip I took just after I posted the ad. You're the first on the list. I think it's fair because it was my mistake to drop the price to $75.

Oh what the hell, I thought. So I went.
I told her it wasn't worth $75 to me, but might be to somebody. It's a hybrid with solid state outputs.
She said, "will you take it outta here for $35?". Sold.

What is it?
It's a Fisher Philharmonic IV console, circa 1963. I haven't brought it up yet, but I took some nudies for your viewing pleasure.

The question I'd like to pose is: What should I do with this? It's probably mid-fi at best, and I can certainly use some of the parts and tubes, but it's not an A level console.

I'm open to suggestions. Tomorrow I'll take a picture of the front, which I forgot to do, and post that.
Turntable: Garrard Type AT6 mark II. Spare needle included. It's a flipover for 78 jobbie. The headshell unscrews.
Chassis: 290-1
Philharmonic IV model P-29.
Has the multiplex unit in it and two pairs of 3 way speakers.
Tube complement:
6 Tele Fisher 12AX7s
1 6AU6
1 6HS6
2 6BA6
1 6AQ8
2 6HU8
Solid state 20 watt output.
Came with a manual for the turntable as well as one for the console.

Bonus:
There was an original Verve recording of Getz/Gilberto with "The Girl from Ipanema" on the turntable. No jacket, but the record looks to be in pretty good shape and I cleaned it up and played it and it's in VG condition.
 

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I'd pay 35 bucks for a half dozen Telefunken 12AX7s, even if they did come in a really big box! :D
 
I see nothing solid but a few bottles of thin hot air, unless you have another chassis with a SS amp on it. Each 6HU8/ELL80 has two pentodes in it, so it is a push-pull output. I used to have a Diplomat-II console with almost identical components in it.
 
cademan said:
Looks like SE tubed output to me! Solid state usually does not have output transformers.
Click to expand...

Some early sand stuff still used OPTs. I have an early sand amp from an organ that has one, and my Sansui 3000A has one for each channel.

That said, this certainly appears to be an SE tube output setup.
 
Looking at the 1964 Fisher catalog quick reference chart: the Philharmonic IV (P-29) has 20 watts (IHF), a Garrard AT-6, 2-8" woofers, 2-4x6" mids, 2-3" tweeters, 14 tubes, 11 diodes and 3 rectifiers. No transistors. You'd have to move up to at least a Futura V to get the transistorized output stage in 1964. I'm afraid it's all tubes in the BOTL Philharmonic.
 
Pics of the front, top, tube complement diagram and literature.
That line on the top left is a doll's hair, not a scratch. I have to say that the cabinet is in great shape.

Why are there heat sinks if there are no transistors? Oh, are those diagrams of the OPTs?

I've put it on a variac and will let it bake for the day. Report tonight.

TheRed1, well, if it's all tube, I guess I might have to reconsider. Wish it wasn't bottom of the line. Speakers are not in an enclosed place, as I've seen in other consoles.
 

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Last edited:
I have a Philo. IV, that I got for free last summer, and I just passed on a III a few weeks ago for $100, because of lack of room. So I've done a bit of research.

These old girls look like they are SET but in fact are PP. It seems the circuit is derived from a European circuit.
There is some info about them in the Red1's console thread.
And member EL-37(?), and LarryDourin(?) are familiar with them and have posted in the various Fisher/Console threads.

Congrats on a great score! :thmbsp:
 
Saint Johnny said:
I have a Philo. IV, that I got for free last summer, and I just passed on a III a few weeks ago for $100, because of lack of room. So I've done a bit of research.

These old girls look like they are SET but in fact are PP. It seems the circuit is derived from a European circuit.
There is some info about them in the Red1's console thread.
And member EL-37(?), and LarryDourin(?) are familiar with them and have posted in the various Fisher/Console threads.

Congrats on a great score! :thmbsp:
Click to expand...

They use the rare, uncommon, and expensive 6HU8(?), IIRC. It seems its a PP in a single bottle.
http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=50076
http://www.radiomuseum.org/tubes/tube_6hu8.html
 
Hell the knobs alone, are worth way more than the $35, let alone all those fisher branded 12AX7's, and the $20-$30 each 6HU8's :D

Funny but my 'Provincial' cabinet IV model is set up totally different.

I like the 'Modern' cabinet much more, and the horizontal layout of the components in your is much nicer, than the two tiered vertical arrangement in my IV.
 
audiodon657 said:
TheRed1, well, if it's all tube, I guess I might have to reconsider. Wish it wasn't bottom of the line.
Click to expand...
When it comes to Fisher's 1964 models, most folks hanging around this forum would probably prefer the BOTL models (Philharmonic, Diplomat, Custom Electra) over the tube hybrid TOTL models. Plus you've got a great cabinet that you could experiment on with different speakers if you're not happy with the original equipment. I'd give it a listen with the stock speakers, though - Fisher did kind of know what they were doing when they built these things.
 
I put a variac on it at 8 this morning at 30 V. I turned it up to 45 at 10:30. 60 at 12.
80 at 1:30. 100 at 3. Wiggled all tubes until they were lit. No sound. No FM. No dial lights. No pilot light. No phono. Not even crackling when wiggling phase inverters or output tubes. Turned it up to 115 at 4:30. Still no output. Just came back from picking up the kids and it was off and I smelled a burnt resistor.
Oh well. I'll have to pull the chassis and check it out.
Don
 
I won't move quickly, one way or another. I want to let it sit and consider alternatives. I confess that the parts are looking attractive though.

I know for sure that Fisher knew what they were doing. I still want to be surprised. I may pull the outputs and phase inverters first and test them. I've got a Hickok 800A tube tester. I suspect the outputs may be bad.
 
I have a Philharmonic IV in Early American with a gold metal face plate. I currently have it hooked up to a pair of Heresy II's. Dual pentode output ITT ELL-80's. The sound is surprisingly good. I'm thinking of making a cabinet for the receiver as the console has a few nicks and scratches. You will be pleasantly surprised by the sound of it, very warm! Mine also has the Garrard AT-6 with removable headshell- nice feature for a 78 player. Great find!!!
 
audiodon657 said:
I put a variac on it at 8 this morning at 30 V. I turned it up to 45 at 10:30. 60 at 12.
80 at 1:30. 100 at 3. Wiggled all tubes until they were lit. No sound. No FM. No dial lights. No pilot light. No phono. Not even crackling when wiggling phase inverters or output tubes. Turned it up to 115 at 4:30. Still no output. Just came back from picking up the kids and it was off and I smelled a burnt resistor.
Oh well. I'll have to pull the chassis and check it out.
Don
Click to expand...

Did the tubes light? If you got no power at all, this may mean you have the very common fisher power/volume switch problem. You will need to pop it open and jump the power wires. Also check the power cord for breaks/cracks/dry rot.
 
Well,
I've decided that I'll make it available to any AKer free with one condition:
I want to keep the knobs.
I bought a 400 from fellow AK'er Urizen and it was dropped on it's front face, breaking most of the knobs.
I'll store this console, otherwise untouched, for a while, until a fellow AKer can pick it up or an AK pony express helper picks it up. I won't touch even a tube; I will just keep the knobs.
This unit has a spare stylus as well as record cleaning materials, a 45 adapter, etc.
The cabinet is in close to flawless condition.
I'm just outside of Boston, Mass.
Don
 
cooljayjay,
Yes, I wiggled tubes and got everything to light up, until a resistor burnt. I know the smell. Even with every tube lit and warmed up, there was no output.
 
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