Magnavox tube console stereo

I have an opportunity (I think) to buy a Magnavox 1ST626A console stereo for $40 (I'm pretty sure it was made in 1962-63). It has a cherry finish and looks really well kept by the original owner. And if I'm not mistaken, judging from the brown knobs with the silver centers. There is actually another Magnavox for sale by the same person that looks equally nice and I think is also tube, but not sure. Both have the Micromatic turntable.
Should I jump on this? (I'm 99.9% ready to already) I am interested in getting a simple tube-powered amp setup anyway, so if this is as nice as it looks, it would seem like a no-brainer. With my lousy turntable, the Micromatic should be able to run rings around it sonically-speaking (and tracking should be better as well. Mine really sucks for that). I've been looking around for a 70's Thorens TD 160 turntable, but if I have to wait a few weeks on that, I will.

Thanks. I would post pictures, but I'm having a problem doing so on my computer right now. Stupid gremlins!

 

I've been reading up on these, and if it is what I think it is, it should be well worth it. Especially the amp, which I think is a 6v6 circuit (could be EL-84's, but not sure). I've seen some interesting pictures of amp mods that people have done with these. But the console unit as a whole is so mint-looking that I can't bear the thought of gutting it; especially if it has the Jensens (and if they're in good shape). This thing is REAL clean. Beautiful cherry cabinet; and even the Micromatic turntable looks mint.

 

Here ya go:

 

Wow!. Is that the same one? Thanks! The person lives in the town next to mine (about 5 minutes away).
Man you're good at this. I didn't even say where I saw it. There are two listed for the same number and if the cherry one is still available, then great. Otherwise I'll probably take the other one. They're both very clean (and both all-tube, I believe, which is perfect). I'm going to call in the morning and make sure (They were added today, and only left a phone #, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that at least one of them is still there - Hopefully both are).

Hmm... would 3:27 AM be TOO early? Hmmm...

 

I have one precisely like it except mine is the Mary Kay Fender blonde style finish..

As a collectible, it has little demand, but if you like it it's a nice furniture poece. Sonically.....nope. It's good for listening to ball games and talk radio if you like that. The changer rumbles, the amps have undersized transformers and a poor circuit (by hi-fi standards) and the drivers are basically like guitar speakers, but more lightly built.

 

Is yours the one with the Jensen 15's and the horn tweeter's, or does it have the full range 12's? The owner has two different Magnavoxes that I think are all-tube and from the same time period.
I was only interested in it if it was all-tube and had the Jensen 15's, otherwise I will pass. Plus, I left an email on a pair of old Wharfdale W60E's and a pair of Marantz RG100's that both look really clean.

I almost forgot. What kind of tube circuit does yours have? (EL-84, 6V6??)

 

I forgot to mention that the Wharfdale W60E's and the Marantz RG100's are $30 total for all four speakers. And considering how clean both pairs look, I'm guessing that they weren't beat on.

 

Anybody have any more info?

 

That record changer was made by Collaro.

 

It looks like the guy has a few different ones. I'm just wondering if it's worth going for just for the tube amp. Plus I've read where people mention the ones with the 15 inch woofers and horn tweeters and say that they sound really good. I'm looking for good sound quality (and hopefully a good-sounding, good-tracking turntable to boot). I just thought that this could be a half-way decent-sounding standalone setup that I could run a CD player /or cassette deck into, and later use the tube amp from it as my power amp when I upgrade. Not sure though. I think I'mgoing to go look at what he/she's got and see. I just wanted to know what things to look for (good/bad).

 

That's the company that made the Imperial Micromatic? I honestly don't know much about that stuff. There are so many good names that I've never heard of (and bad ones too).

 

I'm honestly not sure what I want. Part of me says to wait until you find a refurbed Thorens TD 160 turntable (maybe because it will probably do a lot more for my vinyl sound than a console stereo from the early '60's would). Then the other half (or maybe 35% of me) is saying "Go for it, man!!". I'm not sure I should listen to someone that says "man!!" after everything they say. It's SO "Tommy Chong". I'm more of a Cheech Marin guy myself.

Who knows?

 

I have one of these that my Aunt and Uncle gave to me. I remember when they purchased it in the early 60's. My folks had a Sylvania which I thought was way cooler.

But as for the Magnavox, it doesn't have a great turntable. I think it's unique because of how it drops records and aligns the arm for the drop, but other than that, it's your common mechanical operated, idler driven, heavy tracking TT with a simple ceramic cartridge in it.

The amp may be tube driven but it's only a design that makes sound. Nothing fancy there either.

Speaker systems could be a horn and 12" woofer or 4" speakers for tweets and a 12" woofer. Mine has the 4" speakers for the tweeters.

I wouldn't rely on this unit to out play something you could buy as seperates. You could use the speakers in it and use a low powered receiver and a decent turntable though. You might want to disconnect the speakers from the output transformers.

I usually just connected a receiver right to the external speaker RCA jacks on the back of the Magnavox though. As long as your not pumping gobs of power into them, it shouldn't hurt the transformers or the receiver. The speakers can't handle much anyway.

IMO, they were something back in the day for those who didn't know to buy a McIntosh or a Fisher.

 

It would be a nice little conversation piece to pickup, but as P2CH says it won't be the greatest hi-fi piece. Those amplifiers were definitely made to a price point with less than stellar output iron and driver circuits. However the Magnavox stuff does have its followers.

Of course if you wanted to gut the insides and put some better components in there...

 

I think I will wait then. So it wouldn't be worth it for the amp or for the turntable? The one I'm using right now is just a cheap Radio Shack one (plastic platter and everything) with an upgraded stylus (Teac 036LE - $31.95) that made it sound significantly better, but doesn't track much better than the one that came with (AT 3600LAX). I REALLY need a better turntable!

Oh, and what should I do regarding the Wharfdale W60E and Marantz RG100 speaker pairs I can get ($30 for the lot of them)?

Thanks.

 

I feel bad beating down your dream system. As I mentioned, you could use it for the speakers and find a little solid state system and a little better turntable. They could then sit on top of the sliding lids.

The way Magnavox designed the speaker layout was sort of neat. The woofers being side firing and the upper frequencies in the front.

But, I figure you could do a lot worse speaker wise due the cabinet alone would add some nice baffling which would give good bass. I always thought Magnavox stereos had a sound all their own. Sort of scratchy and blurred, to me.

 

Well, that settles it then. And don't worry, it's not my "dream system" at all - I just happen to like the sound of tube power (and I just happen to REALLY need a turntable), and I really like those late '50's RCA console stereos (and I had read some good things regarding the Magnavox's - but if they're no RCA's, then I'll pass).

I just talked to the guy selling the 2 pairs of vintage-ish speakers (Wharfdale W60E's and Marantz RG100's). I'm going to look at those hopefully later today, and he said he also has an old turntable from some really expensive system (his words). He didn't remember what kind it was. It sounds like he just wants to get the stuff out of there as soon as possible.

On a side note: I hope the rest of the Columbia/Legacy remasters of the Santana catalog sound as good as Santana III and Caravanserai both do. These discs really are two of the best-sounding remastered CD's I've ever heard. I say this because lately I've been ultra-cautious when it comes to "new and improved" CD's. Santana III is just amazing.

 

It's worth it for the Warfedales. I have a pair of W60's, a 12-inch two-way, I think the W60E is the same thing with a different tweeter. They are capable of room-rattling bass, the highs are a bit muted, but that's to be expected with vintage speakers. If a small car had a head-on collision with these speakers, I swear, the car would lose. They are beasts. Upgrade the caps, a little Deoxit in the L-pad, and you've got a pair of keepers.

And do pass on the console. My mom had one of those. It's a 15" two way with horn tweeters. Tiny alnico motors on the woofers. Probably not a half-bad sound if you took them out and put them in proper cabinets, but they can't take any power, 20 watts would probably cook them.

 

I had a 12" woofer from a Magnavox console in an old Gibson tube guitar amplifier. It sounded awesome until the voice coil smoked.