[DonBroussard]

Intro

Having a nice sound system has always been a priority on my life since I was a teenager in the 1970's. My tastes in music have changed over the years but I still insist on listening to good quality audio equipment. These days I find myself seldom playing CD's anymore, instead I either stream music from the internet, play music ripped to my laptop via iTunes or listen to my local FM radio station. So my audio equipment has dwindled down to just an integrated amp , a tuner, and speakers.

I've always been fascinated with those old radio consoles from the 1930's and 1940's and decided it would be neat to retrofit one of these old cabinets with my audio equipment. So begins my next project and first posting on Lumberjocks.

I came across this 1940's Philco cabinet on ebay which I bought for $40 which I found the art deco design very appealing to match my 1930's built house…. and most important, my wife agrees

It has a lift up panel where the original tuner went which is a perfect size for the tuner I wish to use. It also has a pull panel that housed a turntable which would be perfect for housing my integrated amp.

The project begins with repairs to the cabinet's framing…

I'll follow along as well. I have a 1946 Philco cabinet similar to yours. BTW, that was a good buy at $40. Did it have the original knobs on it?

 

[DonBroussard]

The Components

At the heart of this system will be my 10 year old Marantz PM7200 Integrated Amp. It operates as both a Class AB and a Class A Amp. Class A operates much like the vacuum tube amps of yesteryear.

It will get mounted, face-Up in the front tilt-out panel.

The tuner is a high-end European brand table radio made by Tangent Audio called the Uno. I chose it primarily for its art deco style glass bezel tuner dial. Also because it is simply controlled. It produces an exceptional sound for a table radio, pulls in the local stations (both AM and FM) nicely, has an auxiliary selection for input from Apple Airplay for streaming music, and a stereo output jack in the back to input into the amp. It will fit very nicely under the console's lid.

It has a glass bezel, and the knobs have a very solid quality feel to them when you turn them and sort of match the knobs style of old radios. It also has a tuning light indicator that glows or dims indicating how well your dialed-in which was common on old radios like the famous Zenith Magic-Eye.

You can't buy the Uno anymore as Tangent Audio no longer produces them. C.Crane used to distribute them here in the USA. I found this one on eBay for $80.00. Crosley makes a look-a-like called the Solo. I don't know if its the same thing or a cheap look-a-like.

Mounted in the base of the console will be an 8" sub-woofer.

A pair of stereo speakers will be external to the radio console and will site on shelves on the wall. I plan to rebuild the speaker cabinets to match the style of the radio console.

Making progress! I used to have a Sansei 9090dB and I miss that amplifier. It was just SO clean. That Uno unit looks pretty sharp. Modern techology with a retro look.

 

[DonBroussard]

The Components

At the heart of this system will be my 10 year old Marantz PM7200 Integrated Amp. It operates as both a Class AB and a Class A Amp. Class A operates much like the vacuum tube amps of yesteryear.

It will get mounted, face-Up in the front tilt-out panel.

The tuner is a high-end European brand table radio made by Tangent Audio called the Uno. I chose it primarily for its art deco style glass bezel tuner dial. Also because it is simply controlled. It produces an exceptional sound for a table radio, pulls in the local stations (both AM and FM) nicely, has an auxiliary selection for input from Apple Airplay for streaming music, and a stereo output jack in the back to input into the amp. It will fit very nicely under the console's lid.

It has a glass bezel, and the knobs have a very solid quality feel to them when you turn them and sort of match the knobs style of old radios. It also has a tuning light indicator that glows or dims indicating how well your dialed-in which was common on old radios like the famous Zenith Magic-Eye.

You can't buy the Uno anymore as Tangent Audio no longer produces them. C.Crane used to distribute them here in the USA. I found this one on eBay for $80.00. Crosley makes a look-a-like called the Solo. I don't know if its the same thing or a cheap look-a-like.

Mounted in the base of the console will be an 8" sub-woofer.

A pair of stereo speakers will be external to the radio console and will site on shelves on the wall. I plan to rebuild the speaker cabinets to match the style of the radio console.

Double post.