Magnavox Regency Symphony, 1947?

[Ron Ramirez]

In September, I acquired another console radio. These days I tend to shy away from consoles, but this one was different. You see, the very first old radio I ever owned was a Magnavox CR-181 chassis and speakers. That set was junked many years ago. So when a Magnavox Regency Symphony became available within driving distance last month, I decided to go for it.

Here are some photos.



It looks better in the photos than it really is; the cabinet does have some scuffs and scratches.



Showing the cabinet fully open. The grille cloth is torn on the right side panel (the door).



Close-up of the dial and control panel of the CR-188A tuner. The Regency Symphony also includes a separate AMP-101A amplifier using four 6V6GT output tubes and two 5Y3GT rectifiers.



The four-speed VM changer that was in the set when I bought it.



Finally, the 78 rpm RCA/Seeburg changer I found at IHRS-Greenfield a couple weeks ago, and installed in place of that incorrect VM changer.

The correct changer for this set is a Webster Chicago 56, but the RCA-Seeburg unit looks more "period correct" than did the Voice of Music changer.

[denver]

I thought i was hooked on philcos. But i got me a big ole, crosley set console with phono. That is nice . I will not cull any old sets now.
Having too much fun.

[Ron Ramirez]

Denver - what model Crosley radio-phono do you have?

I should add that there was an optional FM tuner available for the Regency Symphony; mine does not have the optional FM tuner, only the CR-188 AM/SW tuner.

Rider's Volume 15 states, and Doug Houston confirmed, that the original changer in this model was the Webster Chicago model 56. See discussion here:

http://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread.php?tid=2613

Another Phorum member, Mikhail7, tells me that he used to own a Regency but it had a three speed changer that looked like a Webster 56; he recalled playing 45s in his set. After some research, I concluded that he must be talking about the Webster 356-1.

Doug, if you're looking in, I did not see any rubber-stamped numbers on the CR-188A or the AMP-101A chassis save for the rubber stamped model numbers "CR188A" and "AMP101A", respectively. I didn't pull either chassis to look them over completely, though. Where were these date codes stamped?

[denver]

Here is my set . Phono looks a lot like yours.http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/crosley_03ca.html Need knobs for it any ideal where i could get.
Searched no luck.

[Ron Ramirez]

Send a PM to fellow Phorum member ekimetsok. He may have the knobs you need.

If he doesn't, I have a couple other sources.

[Ron Ramirez]

I'm copying the following from comments I made in Doug's thread about his Philco 37-650 radio-phonograph, since they pertain to this Magnavox:

Ron Ramirez Wrote:The very first radio I ever acquired was the chassis and speakers of a Magnavox CR-181. This was back in 1974 when I was 14, and had at that time only begun to be aware of the vintage radio hobby through Jim Fred's articles in Elementary Electronics magazine.

Last year I stumbled across a Magnavox Belvedere. At least I thought it was a Belvedere. It did not have a CR-181 inside, but a newer chassis. I passed even though it was only 20 bucks. My wife Debbie, who was my fiancee at the time, wanted me to get it. So we went back later, and of course it was gone. I had passed on it because I didn't think we had the room for it, not because of the price.

Since then I have seen someone's Magnavox on YouTube, which has a CR-154 chassis (which looks like a CR-181 to me) in a cabinet similar to the Regency Symphony. It has an instruction manual with it, and the manual refers to it as a Belvedere. This cabinet looks nothing like what I thought a Belvedere looked like. I had seen a photo in Billboard magazine many years ago of what they called a "Belvedere." Now I'm curious as to whether that was a Belvedere or not.

Here's the YouTube video, where the guy shows the owner's manual:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX-PdYn1Vw8
The changer in this set looks like a Webster 56.

A short time back, after I had recovered from my surgery, I found this Regency Symphony on Craigslist in Indianapolis. It cost me $30 plus gasoline.

Mine has the CR-188A chassis, AM/SW, no FM. It has a space in the cabinet under the main tuner for the optional FM tuner, but does not have the FM tuner. I would be interested in finding one of these tuners. It has a separate AMP-101 amplifier, using four 6V6GT tubes and two 5Y3GT rectifiers. It has two 12 inch speakers.

I will look for the manufacture dates and post these later.

The girl who sold it to me had it playing when we arrived to pick it up. She started showing me the breaks in the AC cord...with the cord still plugged in! I quickly unplugged it before anything happened.

So anyway, my acquisition of this Magnavox is a reminder of that first radio which started me in this hobby, 36 years ago.

Just now, I did a little bit of research on the Web, and it was indeed a Belvedere that I saw locally a year ago. I saw a picture of a Belvedere on the Web that showed a tuner identical to my CR-188A. I think that is the same model that I saw locally. This Belvedere I saw on the Web today also had a Webster Chicago 56 changer.

The Magnavox in the YouTube video linked in the quote above is not a Belvedere cabinet.

I would have preferred a Belvedere, but I like the Regency Symphony that I found. I'll like it better when I have it up and running. I want to recap both chassis and replace that power cord before operating it again, even though it was playing when I bought it. One never knows when an electrolytic or paper cap is going to fail!

[denver]

Ron Ramirez Wrote:Send a PM to fellow Phorum member ekimetsok. He may have the knobs you need.

If he doesn't, I have a couple other sources.

He did not have them. But i searched antique radio knobs . Found them herehttp://www.renovatedradios.com/parts.html exspensive 68 dollars have to paint. White only.

[Jayce]

My friend has one of those, but yours is in a bit better condition. I've got the Magnavox that trumps that though, using four 6L6s in the amp and it has alot of sound and weighs a ton! A Magnavox Windsor Imperial!

[Ron Ramirez]

Now that's the Maggie to have...four 6L6G tubes in parallel push-pull producing 45 watts output! Yes, that would leave my Regency Symphony with its 20 watt output behind. (I know these ratings because I've just looked up the AMP-108 with four 6L6 tubes vs. my AMP-101A with four 6V6 tubes.)

Jayce, what does the Windsor Imperial look like?

Edit: Never mind, I just looked it up online and saw one. Wow! Do you have just the radio-phonograph, or do you also have the bookcase with the TV that sits on top of the radio-phonograph unit?

[Jayce]

I just have the radio-phonograph combination. At over $700 new in 1949, one would be lucky just to afford the radio! Also, I wouldn't have room for that upper cabinet even if I had it. The only glaring flaw with my radio is that somewhere along the line the original horn tweeter died and was replaced with a later Zenith horn tweeter. I have seen pictures of the original tweeter and it is impressive! Probably also rather expensive.

[Michael Dennis]

Hi Ron,

Say, those knobs on your Regency Symphony are different than the ones that were on the one I used to have. In an e-mail you said your speakers have Magnavox lables on them. My Regency did not have the lables and you postulated that maybe they stopped putting lables on after a certain date. My Belvedere, which I accquired Tuesday October 19th., CR-208B tuner chassis, Amp 101B chassis, (we think!), has one speaker that has it's lable and the other 12" speaker does not have a lable and looks as tho it never did. The more I learn about these Maggies the more confused I get, but I sure like 'em.

Mike

[w4rtc]

Hi Ron
Do you have a picture of a Webster Chicago 56? I may get a magnavox duette (CR-194). but the phono is missing. I would like to be on the lookout for one.
Joe

[Ron Ramirez]

Joe

I do have a top view of a Webster Chicago 56, a photo sent to me by a Phorum member. I've asked the gentleman for permission to post it here; if granted, I will post it tomorrow.

[Ron Ramirez]

Here's the Webster Chicago 56:



This changer is in Mike's (Mikhail7) Magnavox Belvedere, which has a CR-208B tuner and AMP-101B amplifier.



Photos courtesy of Mikhail7

[w4rtc]

Hi Ron
I just picked up a Magnavox Duette CR-193 it is a blond cabinet. What is blond? Is it a paint, stain, or what ??? The one I picked up Is in need of refinish. It looks like ther is a good finish under the blond (what ever) I am tempted removing the blond finish and staining what is under . It has pushpull 6L6 output and two 12 inch speakers. It is really loud. It does not have a RF stage in it but seems to be pretty sensitive. I was bidding on a FM adapter but it went to high. I quit bidding at $50 .
Thanks
Joe