1955 Telefunken Opus 6 acquired today! - Printable Version
+- The PHILCO Phorum (https://philcoradio.com/phorum)
+-- Forum: Various and Sundry Categories (https://philcoradio.com/phorum/forumdisplay.php?fid=37)
+--- Forum: Other Radios/Phonographs (Non-Philco) (https://philcoradio.com/phorum/forumdisplay.php?fid=12)
+--- Thread: 1955 Telefunken Opus 6 acquired today! (/showthread.php?tid=25957)
+- The PHILCO Phorum (https://philcoradio.com/phorum)
+-- Forum: Various and Sundry Categories (https://philcoradio.com/phorum/forumdisplay.php?fid=37)
+--- Forum: Other Radios/Phonographs (Non-Philco) (https://philcoradio.com/phorum/forumdisplay.php?fid=12)
+--- Thread: 1955 Telefunken Opus 6 acquired today! (/showthread.php?tid=25957)
1955 Telefunken Opus 6 acquired today! - captainclock1988 - 08-26-2025
Hello everyone, today I bought a 1955 Telefunken Opus 6 from Facebook Marketplace for $60 and I am in need of some parts for it, specifically the back cover with the interlock cord assembly attached, and possibly a replacement case, as the case on mine is damaged on the back where the cover is supposed to go, and the cabinet on the top is in bad shape as it had suffered from water damage from what I assume to be an old flower pot sitting up there.
Also, where does this model sit in the Telefunken Model Line up and how does it compare to the other German radio companies and their models?
See Pictures below.
RE: 1955 Telefunken Opus 6 acquired today! - RadioSvit - 08-26-2025
Hello. Your Telefunken is in perfect condition for a German top radio from the 50s, bought for $60. There are no such low prices for premium Telefunken even in Europe. Judging by your photos, the repair of the body of this radio will take a maximum of a week and in Ukraine the cost of materials for restoration would be limited to another $20...$30. Plus the cost of your work. I think this is a find. Yes, you will have to work hard with your own hands, but if you try hard, you will get a diamond for the price of a cheap plastic decoration. The main thing is not to rush and very carefully remove the remains of the old varnish and carefully sand the old veneer so as not to remove too much. But if you do not have experience working with wood, it is better to trust a specialist so as not to spoil this receiver. Here are links to three German radios that were in a similarly deplorable state and that I restored about 10 years ago.
[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPsovgo_LM8&list=PLoDgUyBraTny7K2WjMXbSzKxgexQcXWE1&index=96]
RE: 1955 Telefunken Opus 6 acquired today! - captainclock1988 - 08-26-2025
Thank You Sir, I appreciate your advice, I do have some experience with woodworking, and refinishing cabinets, but the part I was concerned about the most was the back cover and trying to find a replacement, so I don't have to worry about dust getting inside the cabinet, and the pieces of wood that were broken off the back of the cabinet that were from mounting the back cover onto.
The electronics part I don't think should be too hard to do, as the previous owner said that the unit was functional about 6 or 7 years ago but when he tried it a few days ago it had a loud hum, which I am assuming is the filter caps failing.
RE: 1955 Telefunken Opus 6 acquired today! - MrFixr55 - 08-26-2025
Hi Captain Clock,
I think that for $60.00, you have made a lot of collectors of German radios quite jealous. I only have one, A Telefunken Allegro "Stereo". Actually, it is only Stereo for external inputs like Phono or Tape and the amps are not equal.
This seems to me to be a "High End" model. Yours seems to have very nice "bilaterally symmetrical" speakers. Are those "electrostatic" tweeters? It also looks like you have Push-Pull EL84s (6BQ5s) with hefty power and output transformers. I would not be surprised if this radio has between 5 and 10 watts output. It should "rock"!
The power cord is a standard USA TV "Cheater" cord from the 1950s.
I think that a lot of these made it into the USA from US Army and Air Force personnel stationed in Germany.
RE: 1955 Telefunken Opus 6 acquired today! - MrFixr55 - 08-26-2025
More info:
There are You Tube videos about this set. It is listed also on Radiomuseum. A picture of the back panel is listed here:
Here is a copy of the Service Manual ( en Deutch, naturlich):
Schematic on last page. Symbology in German schematics (or Europe in general) is different than American but not too hard to figure out. Single line such as "|" or "_" indicate ground or chassis common. Resistors are rectangular boxes. Caps and diodes are as we expect. Tubes are somewhat similar. Do replace the electrolytics and all other caps, especially coupling and bypass caps. Consider replacing the rectifier bridge, as it may be selenium and likely prone to failure (at least American ones were).
According to Radiomuseum, this set puts out a whopping 15 Watts! And that is likely an honest value, judging on the size of the power and output transformers, not like the party speakers that advertise a maximum peak power of 1000 watts (possibly into a dead short for 1 microsecond before the output transistors vaporize).
RE: 1955 Telefunken Opus 6 acquired today! - David - 08-26-2025
Me thinks you need to go purchase a lotto ticket now. David
RE: 1955 Telefunken Opus 6 acquired today! - captainclock1988 - 08-26-2025
Mr. Fixr, My understanding is that there were models that were made specifically for the North American Markets (US, Canada and Mexico) and those models had the FM band that went from 87.5-108 MHz whereas the FM Band for the European Models (like the German models and Models for Eastern European markets) only had the FM Band that went from 87.5-100 MHz or 87.5-104 MHz, this one has the full 87.5-108 MHz FM Band which means this one was meant to be exported to North America, so more than likely this wasn't one that was brought over from Germany by an American Soldier.
As for the Electronics Restoration, I am planning on replacing all of the Capacitors in this unit, and the Bridge Rectifier I am assuming I could just use some 1N4007s in series to make the rectifier bridge in this unit?
As for the cabinet restoration, I'm guessing that the top was finished with some sort of toner lacquer, like the old Philcos were?
I'm hoping I can find a back cover for this radio to complete the radio, so that the radio will sound halfway decent, or else get some 1/8" plywood that I could paint to look similar to the original back (and have someone paint the lettering onto the back of the cover for me, so that it looks like the original back.)
RE: 1955 Telefunken Opus 6 acquired today! - Jimradio - 08-27-2025
Hello, I have one of these that I restored a few years ago, I still have it not for sale. I wish I knew where to get a back for you. You could make on but not the same.
https://www.surplussales.com/categories/2319-electrical-cords/
They have a couple of these interlock cords, hard to find. I have one on order to see if it will fit another German I want to restore.
Good luck with your project.
RE: 1955 Telefunken Opus 6 acquired today! - RodB - 08-27-2025
You should be able to find a 4' x 4 ', or even a 2' x 4', piece of 1/8 inch hardboard (AKA Masonite) at a home supply store like Home Depot. Usually one side is finished smooth. Don't button up the back too tight, you'll want the heat to escape. I did a restoration of a Grundig that had been in a garage for 30 years several years ago and it came out gorgeous. I didn't use any toner, just sealer and clear lacquer.
RE: 1955 Telefunken Opus 6 acquired today! - captainclock1988 - 08-27-2025
Quote:You should be able to find a 4' x 4 ', or even a 2' x 4', piece of 1/8 inch hardboard (AKA Masonite) at a home supply store like Home Depot. Usually one side is finished smooth. Don't button up the back too tight, you'll want the heat to escape. I did a restoration of a Grundig that had been in a garage for 30 years several years ago and it came out gorgeous. I didn't use any toner, just sealer and clear lacquer.I think if I were to use a piece of masonite board for making a new back, I would try to drill holes in it following the same or a similar pattern to the original back.
RE: 1955 Telefunken Opus 6 acquired today! - RodB - 08-27-2025
I meant to point out that if the dial face is in German then it is a German radio brought over the pond. If it's English then it is made in Germany to be exported and sold in USA, Canada or nearby.
RE: 1955 Telefunken Opus 6 acquired today! - MrFixr55 - 08-27-2025
Hi Captain Clock,
Somehow, I lost my reply. I hear you that these may be export models. I suppose that if these were sold in the PX to soldiers, it may be the export model. Funny, the US model of my Telefunken Allegro still has the voltage adjustment even though the back is in English and FM is 88-108MHz. I have a SABA Trans-Europa I Portable (Neat radio; there was an optional mount to install it in a car. 4 band unit, LW, Broadcast, Shortwave from 40 - 25 meters and FM up to 104 MHz. Found it at the curb in the Yorkville section of Manhattan, NYC. I would have to think that this was a Euro only model, but funny, the bottom / battery compartment said "Made in West Germany" in English. Many of the residents of the Yorkville area were German American. I also had a Grundig stereo receiver that I swapped for a Sherwood (dumb mistake), given to me by a coworker whose late husband was German.
BTW, I don't think that not having a back would affect the sound much. It's not like this was a tuned port or acoustic suspension speaker system; it was much like the American sets of the time. Nonetheless, with 15 watts, 2 woofers, 2 midrange and 2 tweeters, this thing would out-rock any American table radio of the time.
I remember working on a 1975 Mercedes Benz 450 SEL. 1975 US models required a catalyst; Euro models did not. M-B advertised buying your car in Germany, touring, then having it shipped to the US. While in Europe, blanks were put in for the catalysts (they mounted directly to the manifold) and then when you were going back to the US, your car would be fitted to meet US emissions specs. The Catalysts would literally melt off these cars, getting this one right was a nightmare (this was in the late 1990s). I suppose that the logic behind the program was to save on rentals, enjoy driving your car at 160KM/hr on the Autobahns because you couldn't do that legally in the US at the time (national 55 MPH speed limit), then ship it to the US.
As someone who has worked on German electronics and a few German cars, the comments about engineers gone wild ring true. However these sets are beautiful.