Hi there,

Can anyone point me to a sight that explains the differences between the RCA Victor New Orthoponic mono consolette's made between 1956-1958? Also, pics of the model's would be nice too.

Model #'s:

6-HF-4
6-HF-5
7-HF-4
7-HF-5
7-HFP-1
HFP
SHF-4, SHF-5, SHF-6, SHF-7, SHF-8, SHF-9

I'm looking to get my hands on one of the better sounding ones.

Thanks,

sparky66

Sparky, they all sound great actually. The higher the model the more power and usually slightly better sound. Most all of them use the same changer and just the amp is improved upon. Your best bet is to just do a Google search for each model and you will find pictures and info on each and make your decision.

I have a ton of pictures of some of mine on my Photobucket page linked here.
http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t167/bastardbus/ Click on the Phonograph folder then look through the many subfolders listed by model.

I also have videos of several in action on my YouTube page linked here.
http://www.youtube.com/user/bastardbus
Remember these vids are recorded with a tiny little camera wich has a microphone the size of a pencil tip so don't judge the actual sound quality by the vids too much.

Also it would help to know your general location, odd most new folks seem not to mention that. There might be someone in your area that could hook you up with a good deal on an RCA. I know I have all kinds of em here I have picked up over the past couple years that I would be more then happy to go to a good home for a good price. You never have enough room to use em all...

T

Hey Bastardbus,

Thanks so much for the response. I was looking for a thread for new members for introductions but couldn't find one. Also, I was in a hurry at the time of registration and didn't get a chance to plug my profile. I live in the San Francisco bay area. Will take your recommendations into consideration. Also, this is a most elementary question, but I didn't take into the account when shopping for vinyl albums that some were recorded in mono and some in stereo.

Will I be able to play stuff that was recorded in stereo if I choose one of the "mono" units? The music I will be wanting to play will range from the 30's-70's. Mostly will be playing stuff from the 50's-60's which walk the line between being recorded in "mono" or "stereo".

Thanks,

sparky66

Edit: I missed one, The 7-HFR-1 console with built in tape recorder.

Here's a quick overview from memory.

All models used twin 3.5-inch tweeters. Cabinet trim and cosmetics changed from year to year. Improvements made in electronics from year to year.
Model names. HF-1, HF-2 = Mark I, Mark II etc.

6-HF-1 $1,800, Two Cabinet console, Top of the line, 15-inch woofer 20-watt amp, AM-FM tuner, Tape recorder, Moving coil cartridge, 4-pole motor.
6-HF-2 Console, 12-inch woofer, 20-watt amp, AM-FM tuner, Moving coil cartridge, 4-pole motor.
6-HF-3 Console, 12-inch woofer, 5-tube 10-watt amplifier, AM-FM tuner.
6-HF-4 Consolette, 8-inch woofer 4-tube 5-watt amp.
6-HF-5 Table mode, long legs, 6-inch woofer 3-tube 3.5-watt amp.

7-HF-1 Not produced, 6-HF-1 still available.
7-HFR-1 Console, 12-inch woofer, Single chassis AM-FM receiver with 10-watt amp, Tape recorder.
7-HF-2 Console same as 6-HF-2.
7-HF-3 Console Dual 12-inch woofers, Single chassis AM-FM receiver with 10 watt amp.
7-HF-4 Console same as 6-HF-4 with bigger cabinet that includes record storage.
7-HF-5 Table top, long legs, same a 6-HF-5 .
7-HFP-1 Portable version of 7-HF-5.
7-HF-45 Table top 45-rpm player 6-inch woofer single tweeter, 3.5-watt amp.

SHF-1 $2000, Three Cabinet console, Dual speaker cabinets with 15-inch woofers and 5-inch mids, Dual 20-watt amps, AM-FM tuner, Stereo tape player, Moving coil cartridge, 4-pole motor.
SHF-2 Same as 6 and 7-HF-2 only using 15-inch woofer and 5-inch mid.
SHF-3 Same as 7-HF-3.
SHF-4 Console, Dual 12-inch woofers, 5-tube 10-watt amp, AM-FM tuner.
SHF-5 Same as SHF-4 only AM-FM tuner optional. Drops into record storage area.
SHF-6 Consolette, 12-inch woofer, 5-tube 10-watt amp.
SHF-7 Deluxe table model, long legs. 8-inch woofer, same 10-watt amp as SHF-6.
SHF-8 Same as 6-HF-5 AND 7-HF-5.
SHP-9 Portable version SHF-8.
HFP Hardboard Consolette, 6X9-inch woofer same 5-tube 10 watt amp as SHF-6 and 7.
8-HF-45P Portable version 7-HF-45.

Sparky, Google is your friend and will give you your best search results. The search engine on this web site is absolutely useless. If you want to search THIS site, go to Google and type in what you are looking for like "RCA SHF-8 Antique Radio Forums" make sure to add Antique Radios Forums and it will give you an excellent search of this site.

As far as the stereo-mono question. The New Ortho RCAs will play stereo or mono if you use the right cartridge and set it up correctly. That is one of the reasons they are so popular, they have that `50s look, sound and they are about the earliest units you can play pretty much any record up to present day on.

Use Google and you will spend many hours having fun searching through all the cool RCA stuff out there. I know I have and continue to. YouTube is wonderful as well...check out all the vids.

Todd

Thank you Doug and Todd for the excellent info! I noticed the search engine on this site is not that great but a great resource nontheless. Allright, good news on the mono/stereo issue. Yeah, you should see how many tabs I have open on my computer browser...surprised it hasn't crashed. lol

Thanks again.

sparky

Oh, forgot to mention that I found a 7-HF-5 for $300. From the pics, the cosmetics look good and he claims that it works well. However, after reading the restoration info on this site and other research as well as my own meticulous standards, I will be going through it and opening it up to make sure everything is cleaned and tightened up. I'm going to look at it tomorrow. Seeing how this is my first rodeo with this machinery, is there anything I should look out for? What should I be expecting for $300? It is a blonde unit which will go WELL with all my Heywood Wakefield furniture from that era.

Thanks in advance,

sparky

For $300 I would expect it to look as good as this 6-HF-5 but I expect too much sometimes.



Or as good as this SHF-6

An as found 7HF5 should be $20-$50 and up to maybe $100 tops if it is in exceptionally mint condition and has the optional legs. For $300 it should be in perfect shape and have had the amp and changer fully rebuilt. If this is just something "as found" but the seller says it works....$300 is crazy money. Remember most folks think if they plug something in and they hear a hum and it spins that means it works. Everyone of these old players needs to be fully rebuilt and serviced IF you wish to have it work reliably on a regular basis.

I have two 6HF5s (basically same as the 7HF5) that are absolutely mint, one is a blonde like doug pictured and the other a mahogany. They both have had the amp rebuilt and the changer completely serviced I would be in the $250-$300 ball park. I am about ready to list them on Craigslist of eBay if interested shoot me an IM.

Here is a couple pics and a video of the mahogany

VIDEO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb5H6wNTVlg&list=UUEUAlm_bnVvIEOt5pBiEL6w&index=8&feature=plcp

Here is the blonde BEFORE restoration...it looks even better now. I need to take some pics and vid of it finished.

I don't know what happened to my response to this but here goes again...Doug, that SHF-6 is one that REALLY catches my eye. Pretty awesome blonde specimen.

Sparky

This is very good advice. It seems that many sellers either don't understand the English language or are being down right deceptive in their descriptions. The photos are usually poor quality or set up so that flaws won't be seen. It's hard to sell one of these with an honest description that includes phrases like Very dirty. Scratched, Faded, Discolored, Warn, Makes sounds like a beer can crusher. DOES NOT WORK. Only $379.99 including shipping. Get real.

Even B.Bus' photos are deceptive but in the opposite way, the photos don't show how beautiful the players really are, especially the blonde set. I saw it in the back seat of his car the day he picked it up. I couldn't believe how nice it was. Even the flocked platter was in good shape.

I sold that SHF-6 for $200 if I remember right. It was cleaned and detailed into every little corner and serviced so that it performed well but it wasn't fully restored. The buyer had the chance to inspect it before he bought it.

Here is a video that the owner of the blonde 6-HF-5 posted.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o11Eatv6 ... GJzeg630Vg

Just thought i would throw my Canadian HF191 into the mix.
-

-

...and the funniest thing is he sold that SHF-6 to ME...LOL. Here is my son with it the day I brought it home.



That SHF-6 was the very first RCA record player I bought. It was the one that got me started in this crazy habit, aided and influenced from Mr DVC himself. It was a beautiful player and sounded amazing. It was the main player in my living room for a long time until I upgraded it to a SHF-4, the radio was the factor that made that decision. That SHF-6 then sat in my shop for some time (like many others). I had a fellow come down from Canada to buy a small radio-78 Motorola Player and he saw the SHF-6 and fell in love. I think I sold it to him for what I paid plus my gas money I spent picking it up, about $230 or so.

T

I think that the SHF-6 is so attractive, and it is such a nice compact size, that it can demand more money than some of the much "better" New Orthophonics. I had one that I detailed, serviced the changer, but kept the original cartridge with new needle and I did not service the working amp at all. It sold for $450 to a local guy who was thrilled to death to have it. I paid $50 for it. I'd never pass one up for a reasonable price, especially a blonde.

Id never get rid of mine, completely recapped and changer has been serviced, has a great sound.
The only modification i made and its reversable is to mod the jack on the back that was used to record to tape, i used this as an input so i can plug in a cd player, works well and if i did sell her it can be put back as it was.

As i sit typing this it is playing "connie Francis"

Brain,
It's one of my favorites too. I bought it because I had never worked on that model before and I kind of liked the way it looked. It's just a simple record player without any aux inputs. The power transformer operated 10-watt amp and 12-inch speaker give it big sound compared to the table top version. I wish that I could keep them all.

edit

You should see the MODIFICATIONS I'm currently performing on s blond SHF-6 in the shop right now.
Rockin' the house down!

Gee, what a memory you have Douglas!!!! I couldn't begin to remember all that!!!!!!

No kiddin' .... I am printing that list for future reference!