Repro radios and telephones

[$ally]

I'm sorry if this is a repeat:
http://www.crosleyradio.com/

 

[Starius]

I got one of these for Christmas one year:

 

[Dr Doran]

Those are gorgeous! I'm buying one right now. Cheap too!

 

[moustache]

I have a differeent brand of reproduction.It is a Thomas.I looked over the real thing and what with tubes and limited playability,i settled for a repro.
And i only paid $20 at an antique show last week!!!
It has AM/FM and a cassette deck on the side.The great part is that i use a cassette adapter(like the ones used in cars)and plug in the other end to either a cd player or my iPod.That way i can play my entire cd or digital collection of swing,big band and classical through the large front speaker.
Add that i use Live 365 and other online streaming music sources,i can play anything i want through it.Not limited to AM like the actual radios.Nor the heat and tube issues to contend with as well as the high price of a real radio from 1935! ($200+).

Here it is:

JD

 

[scotrace]

I have been thinking for a few weeks that a reproduction radio would be just the thing for listening to NPR in the kitchen while dinner is in the works. Moustache, that looks like IT. I'm so glad you posted it!
I can't find a thing about them on the net, or any of them on ebay. When was it made? Is there an exact model name for it?

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

what with tubes […] settled for a repro. […] That way i can play my entire cd or digital collection of swing,big band and classical through the large front speaker.

But the sound is different.

 

[CharlieH.]

Anyone tried the candlestick telephone? For that price I'm willing to tolerate the fake rotary dial...

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

I have a Crosley CR31 (http://www.crosleyradio.com/prods/cr31.html) that I bought on the Queen Mary last year. The light sadly doesn't work anymore, and I have to sit in the dark while "The Shadow" plays through it....scary...

I have a FM Transmitter which is hooked up to the DVD player in the living room with fancy Radio Shack adapters. I have my entire radio collection burned on DVDs and basically you can play something from that DVD player and pick it up on any FM radio almost anywhere in the house. To this, I'm glad that I have a reproduction to listen to them through the right looking tabletop radio.

I want to get this battery operated radio so I can listen in the backyard. Nothing like the originals, though.

 

[Starius]

Someone sent me a message asking about the crosley and how I liked it, so I figured I'd post my response here too in case anyone else is interested:

I haven't had a chance to play any 78's on it. Most of my collection is from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. I almost picked up some 78s at an auction last weekend but decided not to get em.

I lost my good pioneer turntable a few years ago so my crosley is my only means for playing records now. Overall, Im satisfied. It doesnt compare to the component audio system I used to use, but it does a good job for what it is. The sound is clear and it features some built in EQ presets for sound as well.

It does feature bare wire terminals in the back so you can connect external speakers as well, if you wanted. I've never tried that yet. (I'd rather have RCA out terminals so I could connect it to a pre-amp if I wanted to go that route.)

At any rate, for a convenient record player that just looks nice, I'm satisfied with it.

Hope that helps at least.

 

[moustache]

But the sound is different.

Of course it is.But the trade off,for me,was easy.I have used tube gear all of my life in radios being a Ham raised on Collins and Heathkit.
And i know well the quality of the old radios"it is inferior in my opinion.Some like it,some don't.When playing 1930's swing,i notice little difference between them
other than more AC hum and tube glow.And i have no AM or FM stations playing big band,swing or 1930's music in my area.So it was an easy decision.

Also glad i don't have to buy those crummy tubes like i did for my old ham gear.
lol lol lol lol


JD

 

[Flivver]

But the sound is different.

Pre-war radios generally exhibit boomy, over-boosted mid bass and truncated high frequency response (generally not over 3,000 Hz). There were some high fidelity radios offered by Philco, RCA, Stromberg Carlson, E. H. Scott and others that exhibit surprisingly wide frequency response, but these were not the norm in the 1930s.

The modern reproductions will have a much wider, flatter frequency response than the 1930s originals. But, to some, there's just nothing like that boomy, old fashioned sound to complete the vintage listening experience.

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

Very right. In fact, I didn't simply mean the modern sound was worse, but even simpler - that it's just different. I take it you can modify sound files rather easily to the typical tube sound (no, not "Mind the Gap"), at least if whatever is at the end has a loudspeaker that isn't too small, which might be the case in those repros.

 

[Fletch]

My .02 on Crosley repros

I've owned both a radio/CD/cassette and a portable phono. Both were deeply disappointing. :rage:

The phono's works are cheapo plastic that makes those 1970s compact stereos look well crafted. It has no dedicated 78 stylus. But it doesn't matter, because the drive belt slips so regularly the thing will barely play. I even exchanged it for a new one - same problem.

The radio wandered off signal, so that you needed to retune it every few minutes, and the CD deck up top began wobbling and skipping so badly after daily use for a year or so that I just quit using it. I will say that the wooden cabinet was handsome and gave out a pleasant sound, but the workings just weren't up to snuff.

 

[Fletch]

[...] to some, there's just nothing like that boomy, old fashioned sound to complete the vintage listening experience.

And to some others, there's nothing like hearing every last squeak of a guitarist's fret hand on the strings and every micro-milliliter of phlegm in the pipes of an otherwise excellent singer. Fidelity is overrated; ambience is underrated.

 

[imoldfashioned]

I received a TEAC SL-D80B CD Player Radio as a gift and I've been really happy with it. The sound quality is quite good, my only peeve is that it doesn't have a metal antenna, it's one of those wires you have to move around. I like the look of it but I don't think it's a copy of a vintage machine, more a pastiche.

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

This is my fave:

I have an older (70's?) Pioneer turntable that I never really use. I might sell it, but I'm worried about shipping such an item.

 

[Dr Doran]

Is there a link for the TEAC?

 

[The Wolf]

My wife gave me the same turntable for our anniversary that Starius got for Christmas.

Sincerely,
the Wolf

 

[Absinthe_1900]

I have an older Crosley Bluebird replica, the sound leaves a lot to be desired, personally, I'd go with a rebuilt vintage radio, tubes are seldom an issue, as my 1940 Zenith console is still running on the original 1940 Zenith tubes.


Better turntables for 78s than the Crosley's.

http://www.78rpm.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=NRC&Category_Code=105

http://www.78rpm.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=NRC&Category_Code=100

 

[imoldfashioned]

Hey Doran,

Amazon has 3 listed used: http://www.amazon.com/TEAC-SL-D80B-Player-Radio-Black/dp/B00008BWMB

Also available at:

http://www.needledoctor.com/Teac-SL-D80B-CD-Radio_2

http://penguinaudio.com/Theatre-3010231-B00008BWMB-TEAC_SL_D80B_CD_Player_Radio_Black

There may be more places that sell them but this will get you started. The radio also comes in silver if you prefer.

Happy hunting!