I'm realizing that I simply don't have space in my little workshop at home, to EVER be able to really get to working on the 1949 model Zenith 9H984LP floor-standing radio/phono unit, that I got a while back. It's been languishing away in my storage building, for several months now.
This unit was, apparently, from the first year that Zenith offered LP record playback... it's got DUAL Cobra arms on the turntable (one for 78, one for 33 1/3). It's also got the modern FM-100 scale FM tuner (as opposed to the FM-45 of 1947 and earlier). The turntable is remarkable, in using an FM MODULATED cartridge (variable inductor tuning an oscillator circuit, which is then fed into the IF of the FM tuner!). That's definitely one of the more novel phono preamp schemes I've ever heard of- and could be good sounding, I would think, if set up right!
I think the best idea, is to try to trade this Zenith for something that I can actually get on my workbench, and that I might have a little more passion for repairing and bringing back to full glory. It's not fair for it to just sit, while I do other things.
I have not tried to power this unit up... it was sold to me as being in sort-of working condition- the previous owner had not tried to use the turntable, but he said the radio was working, to an extent. The unit is in decent condition, with the exception of a broken (and now missing, as he threw the pieces away) dial glass (clear plastic, I think, in this case). Other than that, it's all there. Oh... I think the power transformer has also been replaced, if I remember correctly. I was unwilling to fire it up, until it was recapped... so, it's not been plugged in since I got it.
So, if anyone near Atlanta GA has any sort of neat stereo hi-fi amp (or pair of small mono amps) that needs restoration (but is basically intact, ie, everything of significance is at least present), and would like to trade for this unit, I'd be glad to entertain such a trade. I have a small pickup truck, so I can bring it to anyone within a reasonable distance from Atlanta. To be clear- I'm not expecting to get a working unit for this, but I WOULD like to get something I can fix without having to scour the corners of the earth...
I'd also be interested if anyone had a fixable preamp... something like a Heathkit SP2 (or even the mono SP2A- I have one of these, and could probably figure out a way to cobble both of them into one chassis, since there's space in my chassis for a second channel board), Eico, Harman, or whatnot...
Anyone interested, please email ( gwaters@inbox.com ) me. Lemme know what you got and where you are, and we can figure something out.
Thanks!
Regards,
Gordon.
This unit was, apparently, from the first year that Zenith offered LP record playback... it's got DUAL Cobra arms on the turntable (one for 78, one for 33 1/3). It's also got the modern FM-100 scale FM tuner (as opposed to the FM-45 of 1947 and earlier). The turntable is remarkable, in using an FM MODULATED cartridge (variable inductor tuning an oscillator circuit, which is then fed into the IF of the FM tuner!). That's definitely one of the more novel phono preamp schemes I've ever heard of- and could be good sounding, I would think, if set up right!
I think the best idea, is to try to trade this Zenith for something that I can actually get on my workbench, and that I might have a little more passion for repairing and bringing back to full glory. It's not fair for it to just sit, while I do other things.
I have not tried to power this unit up... it was sold to me as being in sort-of working condition- the previous owner had not tried to use the turntable, but he said the radio was working, to an extent. The unit is in decent condition, with the exception of a broken (and now missing, as he threw the pieces away) dial glass (clear plastic, I think, in this case). Other than that, it's all there. Oh... I think the power transformer has also been replaced, if I remember correctly. I was unwilling to fire it up, until it was recapped... so, it's not been plugged in since I got it.
So, if anyone near Atlanta GA has any sort of neat stereo hi-fi amp (or pair of small mono amps) that needs restoration (but is basically intact, ie, everything of significance is at least present), and would like to trade for this unit, I'd be glad to entertain such a trade. I have a small pickup truck, so I can bring it to anyone within a reasonable distance from Atlanta. To be clear- I'm not expecting to get a working unit for this, but I WOULD like to get something I can fix without having to scour the corners of the earth...
I'd also be interested if anyone had a fixable preamp... something like a Heathkit SP2 (or even the mono SP2A- I have one of these, and could probably figure out a way to cobble both of them into one chassis, since there's space in my chassis for a second channel board), Eico, Harman, or whatnot...
Anyone interested, please email ( gwaters@inbox.com ) me. Lemme know what you got and where you are, and we can figure something out.
Thanks!
Regards,
Gordon.