I know that Larry posted a thread on this model a little while back, but I just picked this one up over the weekend. I'm kind of overloaded with console record players but this is one I've wanted for a few years. I love the danish/atomic/space age late 50's-early 60's styling of this unit, which I believe is from the 1960 lineup. The record changer is a nice restyling of the RP-200 and it has my old friend the ST-200 cartridge in it, which is working quite well. The main unit contains the woofer only, and the two satellite speakers consist of a 5 x7" full-range and a 3" tweeter. The 12" woofer appears to be of the same heavier structure that is in my SHF-2...it doesn't look like the standard 12" twin woofers that are in almost all of my other mid-range consoles. Not sure what the power output of this thing is, but it has six 6BQ5 tubes on the power amp. The cool thing about this otherwise kind of boring looking console is of course the satellite speakers, which are pretty funky looking, IMHO. This one's a keeper!

Brain,

That is the COOLEST. I love those speakers.

So, is it multi-channel and therefore all of the 6BQ5 tubes? By that I mean, mid channel, bass channel etc. A schematic sure would be nice to see. Looks like Sams 502-15.

Even though I have no room for anything in my place, I would have bought that in one second. Very nice... enjoy!

Steve

So awesome! Let us know how it sounds!

That IS a sweet piece for sure.
And clean looking too, even the grilles look nice and new.

Good luck with it.

Wow, unbelievable condition. Nice score.

Thanks for the compliments, folks. It does seem to be in superb condition, and it looks like it may have been pretty expensive originally, too. It has the heavier construction that I notice RCA used in the upper-level units. And the is no photo finish anywhere, which is nice.



Don, it looks like there is left, right, and a separate bass channel but I'm not sure because of the bizarre balance setup that this has----somewhat similar to the immediately preceding stereo models, with the "service adjustment" balance control. This one is on the control panel, though. I'd like to see a schematic, too, and a parts list. Anyone have a scan they can send?

Brain, very very nice system. I would have bought it too. I believe it does have three channels, the center being the bass.

Oh, and his one has that super deluxe RCA changer... love it.

Charlie, the Sam's Photofact is on its way to your email box.

Brain,
You always come up with the coolest stuff. I love the brass elements of the cabinet. That is a 3-channel amp with center channel bass.

Many thanks, Larry!



I agree, Doug, the brass ends on the decorative crossbars make this cabinet stand out from the previous similar consoles. I always wanted one of these center channel bass units since I've never even heard one before. My preliminary "testing" shows the left and right channels to be sounding good, but the center channel is very weak; in fact it cannot be heard unless the left and right speakers are unplugged. I tested the 12" speaker separately and you know, it sounds like it's a full range----sounds really good even by itself. I'll start with a recap and see if that solves the center channel problem. Tubes all test good. TT will need servicing, but the speeds seem good with no slipping. This thing was either hardly used, or very well taken care of.

It's obvious the best RCA stuff shows up in Jersey/Philadelphia area. That's where this stuff was made, and I expect they sold more top end sets in Philly, New York City and Jersey than anywhere else.

Not so much where it was made (it might have been Indianapolis by 1960) but more like where there were large concentrations of RCA employees, who would get RCA Victor products really inexpensively through company stores or other discounts. So in NJ there would be huge numbers of RCA folks, also in Indianapolis.

That's why in the Boston area we don't see a lot of RCA but we do see large quantities of GE stuff. Back in the day, the GE Lynn plant employed more than 50,000 and there were three smaller plants as well. When I worked there you couldn't believe the deals. You would be silly to buy anything other than GE -- if GE made it, you bought it.

-David

Is it possible that the cartridge has been replaced with one with the incorrect phasing?

I never cared for that "shared" bass system in these early stereo units.
They lack the ability on some music to seperate true stereo.
Orchestra with a bass drum on the right - bass fiddle on the left - simply can't do it.

I'd revamp the whole deal - re-do the main unit with two 10" woofers (or even 12's) - re-do the amp for only two dedicated channels, perhaps bi-amp it too.

It would improve the stereo effect immensely.

That is a absolute beauty Mr. Brain!

I always loved the look of this RCA unit but was always held back by the oddness of that amp and the lack of tuner. On my big consoles we listen to radio the most and seems this model was never available with one or was it? If not I am guessing it might have had something to do with the odd 3 channel set up not being compatible with radio?

Anyhow what beauty...I would love to see the schematic on here and hear Mr DVC give a detailed talk about how that 3 channel system specifically works.

Good idea, but I already checked for that. the cart is original and fully functional. I tried the other inputs, and even plugged in another TT with an identical cartridge but to no avail.




BB, it looks like this is set up for an external tuner, perhaps fitting into the record storage area like your SHC-8. I say this because there is a regular AC outlet on the preamp, and it is not in a place that you can access with the console's back cover in place. Also, on the selector switch, it actually has a position for "AM-FM", and of course the 3-pronged input for a tuner. I'm with you on having a tuner...I listen to other media like radio and Mp3's much more than record albums, so no doubt I will have some sort of tuner playing through this...it will be fun to search for a period-correct unit for it, whether internal or external.

And I second your request for DVC giving us the lowdown on the 3 channel system!

I seriously looked at one of these a while back, I could not see any provisions for an optional cabinet mount tuner like the SHF4-5 and SHC-P 8s had but I was just looking at pictures the guy sent me. The 4-5 and C-P 8s had all kinds of special holes cut with a block of plate and stickers all over denoting the specific model tuner to install and how to install it. I did not see any provisions at all on the 16 I was looking at but you have one in hand, does yours have any of those things?

I know in the Sams Photofact for the 4-5 and C-P 8 it actually includes the optional tuner schematic etc. Did you get the Sams for this unit yet, I wonder if that would have info on a possible optional external unit or something? An external unit seems like it would be a strange and awkward thing for this unit though.