Anyone know anything about antique Zenith console radios?

[RyeLou]

I'm trying to research an old radio my in-laws have. I believe it's a Zenith 9S262. In looking around online I'm seeing these were the most common ones back in the day. If they were to sell it, I'm seeing prices anywhere from $200 to $1,100. You can see the pictures below. I forgot to get a picture of what I assume is the serial number on the back. The wood is in excellent shape. It doesn't work, but it may be as simple as needing to replace or fix the power cord. My father-in-law said it worked up until the cord started to split, but that was ~15+ years ago so he has no idea if anything has happened since while sitting in their basement.

Does anyone know much about these?

(Disclaimer: I didn't even wipe the thing down, as this isn't meant to be a for sale thread. If/when they decide to sell it, I'd at least carefully clean it and take better pictures of it.)

http://i.imgur.com/Pu70tjW.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/YE4opnC.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/EpYaRk5.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/lXcE1lS.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/IhC0bdE.jpg

 

[Siegel1719]

Ive seen the same units or VERY similar selling in the $500 range in good working order. Personally I would check all the vacuum tubes and if they all look good replace the cord and see what happens.

 

[RyeLou]

I'll see what I can research online about vacuum tubes and capacitors, but that stuff is way over my head. I laughed when I first looked at the back side of this thing because I've never seen anything like it.

 

[Tin]

Looks like a 12-S-267 to me. They are very nice radios, made in the late 1930's. Chances are the oil capacitors used during manufacturing are dried up...they're only good about 20 to 30-ish years or so. They will still work, but will have drifted out of spec by that time. Out of spec components in a tubed radio affect everything, since that's what keeps the tubes within operating range. For it's time, it was a rather high powered radio putting out 15W or so, at a time when most were between 1W and 5W. Something like that will need to have the capacitors and carbon composition resistors replaced as well as have the tubes tested and/or replaced. Do not plug it in without testing the passive components first, tubed equipment runs at very high voltages and can literally burn the house down. The proper way to power up an old dog like that is to use what's called a Variac and bring up the voltage slowly. The sudden inrush of high voltage without a Variac can make for a hell of a fireworks display :lol:

 

[RyeLou]

You've just inspired me to sell it as is. The last thing I need is some project that sits for 5+ years because I don't know what I'm doing and then I wing it on a random weekend once I finally have 30 seconds free only to end up burning the house down. Or the other possibility is I spend $XXX on replacement parts and then go to sell it and make $XXX - $10.

You've also inspired me to get Chinese for lunch, so thanks for that, too.

 

[Tin]

You've just inspired me to sell it as is. The last thing I need is some project that sits for 5+ years because I don't know what I'm doing and then I wing it on a random weekend once I finally have 30 seconds free only to end up burning the house down. Or the other possibility is I spend $XXX on replacement parts and then go to sell it and make $XXX - $10.

You've also inspired me to get Chinese for lunch, so thanks for that, too.

The actual parts to fix it are cheap, capacitors and resistors don't cost much. I bet you can get those components for less than $20. The pricey parts will be the tubes. Those 6V6 output tubes and the 5Y3 rectifier will set you back ~$100.

 

[RyeLou]

The more I think about it though, the less interest I have in actually getting it working. It's been something sitting in a corner of my in-law's basement since my father-in-law's dad passed away, and prior to that it just sat in his fathers basement. I'm assuming the only reason it's been around for as long as it has was because there is obviously some sentimental value to it from when my father-in-law was growing up. They're not hurting for the cash, so I think they just want it gone.

If I knew my son would have any interest in it when he got older, I would consider getting it going and leaving it sitting in my own basement. My concern there is I don't see myself ever using it and if/when I pass it on, my son will care about it as much as I do. I think it's an awesome piece and really shows how much things have changed in 80 years, but it's just not of any value for me to keep. I prefer modern sound and modern technology.

 

[Tin]

The more I think about it though, the less interest I have in actually getting it working. It's been something sitting in a corner of my in-law's basement since my father-in-law's dad passed away, and prior to that it just sat in his fathers basement. I'm assuming the only reason it's been around for as long as it has was because there is obviously some sentimental value to it from when my father-in-law was growing up. They're not hurting for the cash, so I think they just want it gone.

If I knew my son would have any interest in it when he got older, I would consider getting it going and leaving it sitting in my own basement. My concern there is I don't see myself ever using it and if/when I pass it on, my son will care about it as much as I do. I think it's an awesome piece and really shows how much things have changed in 80 years, but it's just not of any value for me to keep. I prefer modern sound and modern technology.

I'm not even sure how much you could get for that. I see them frequently at estate sales anywhere from $30 to $300 depending if it's a family run sale or a company run sale. The speaker in it would make for a sweet project. Those vintage drivers have a very charming sound, especially when run with modern speaker cabinet design methodologies. Back then, they didn't know much about what speakers worked in most cabinets, so they either ran them open back (like this one) or in a bass reflex box. Many vintage speaker drivers go into a whole new realm of audio quality when installed into a properly designed cabinet. That's why I have such a hard time giving up my Electro Voice coaxials. They're about 40 years old, but once I reworked the crossover and designed the cabinet around them, they sound really good. Good enough I walked out of Audio Dimensions and shook my head at their $60,000 Magneplanar/Audio Research system

 

[RyeLou]

Hmm...you make a good point. If nobody is hurting for money, and we have the space, why not throw $150 at it and enjoy it for what it is, even if that's only every once in a while.

Maybe I'll start researching exactly what tubes and rectifiers I'll need for this. You may have some PM's coming your way as I start looking around.

 

[Tin]

Hmm...you make a good point. If nobody is hurting for money, and we have the space, why not throw $150 at it and enjoy it for what it is, even if that's only every once in a while.

Maybe I'll start researching exactly what tubes and rectifiers I'll need for this. You may have some PM's coming your way as I start looking around.

The schematic should be somewhere on the cabinet. It will list the required tubes and component values. Before you spend money on tubes, have those ones tested. Tubes can last a very long time and generally won't need to be replaced unless they were abused. Tubes don't get abused in audio systems, musical instruments are another story because they're intentionally overdriven to get those warm tones.

 

[RyeLou]

I found the schematic for the 9S262. http://www.nostalgiaair.org/Resources/500/M0025500.htm

I still think that's what it is over the 12S267, simply based on the design of the cabinet. The 12S has the 3 thinner wood pieces on the front center and in between the middles ones is another thinner piece of fabric. The 9S has the two wood pieces that sit in front of the fabric piece.