01-20-2013, 11:17 PM
I know this is a question that has been brought up over the years and I know it would be next to impossible to pinpoint the last year or model of tube radio. When I say "tube radio", I'm talking about an ordinary consumer grade radio that someone would buy for the kitchen or bedroom. I know that tubes remained in some communications equipment, hi-fi equipment, and TV's for a few more years.
I know that solid state AC-only table radios first hit the market in the early '60's; but, they were expensive and most people stuck with the cheaper tube radios.
By the mid '60's, solid state table radios started to get cheaper and more common; but, there were still a good many tube radios being made. I have a few of those ultra-cheap Japanese 5-tube AM radios that were sold under many brands and in many colors. I think they cost less than $10 when new.
A while back, I was looking at old Radio Shack catalogs and there were still several tube radios from Admiral, Arvin, and some German models in the '67 catalog. In the '68 catalog, there was only one Japanese AM/FM tube radio.
I was told that Zenith still offered a tube radio as late as '69 ("Z"-line); but, '69 was the last year for Zenith to offer a tube radio.
I was recently looking on ebay and purchased a plain jane Zenith AM/FM tube clock radio that's a model Z374 (chassis 7Z03). I haven't actually gotten the radio in my hands; but, I'll post more details once I get it.
I have a friend who has a big plastic '68 Zenith ("Y"-line) AM tube radio that has a tuned RF stage and a large speaker; so, Zenith was actually still making a high end AM-only tube radio as recent as the late '60's.
I figure that by '68-'69, the majority of Zenith's radio output was solid state and what tube sets were made was an effort to use up old stock and these "last gasp" tube radios were likely much cheaper than solid state models.
I think that by '70, most companies had shifted radio production offshore and it was to the point where offshore factories could turn out cheap solid state radios for next to nothing; but, does anyone know of any bedroom/kitchen grade tube radios made after '69?
I know that solid state AC-only table radios first hit the market in the early '60's; but, they were expensive and most people stuck with the cheaper tube radios.
By the mid '60's, solid state table radios started to get cheaper and more common; but, there were still a good many tube radios being made. I have a few of those ultra-cheap Japanese 5-tube AM radios that were sold under many brands and in many colors. I think they cost less than $10 when new.
A while back, I was looking at old Radio Shack catalogs and there were still several tube radios from Admiral, Arvin, and some German models in the '67 catalog. In the '68 catalog, there was only one Japanese AM/FM tube radio.
I was told that Zenith still offered a tube radio as late as '69 ("Z"-line); but, '69 was the last year for Zenith to offer a tube radio.
I was recently looking on ebay and purchased a plain jane Zenith AM/FM tube clock radio that's a model Z374 (chassis 7Z03). I haven't actually gotten the radio in my hands; but, I'll post more details once I get it.
I have a friend who has a big plastic '68 Zenith ("Y"-line) AM tube radio that has a tuned RF stage and a large speaker; so, Zenith was actually still making a high end AM-only tube radio as recent as the late '60's.
I figure that by '68-'69, the majority of Zenith's radio output was solid state and what tube sets were made was an effort to use up old stock and these "last gasp" tube radios were likely much cheaper than solid state models.
I think that by '70, most companies had shifted radio production offshore and it was to the point where offshore factories could turn out cheap solid state radios for next to nothing; but, does anyone know of any bedroom/kitchen grade tube radios made after '69?
