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Zenith Stereophonic 5 Speaker Tube Type Hi Fi Record Player Turntable Phonograph

$ 131.47

Availability: 100 in stock
  • All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
  • Item must be returned within: 30 Days
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
  • Condition: Working, but with problems.
  • Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
  • Refund will be given as: Money Back
  • Brand: Zenith
  • Restocking Fee: No

    Description

    Here is what was probably a high-tech record player from the '50s.  It claims hi-fidelity stereo sound, with five speakers.  I can only count three speakers, so I figure that each of the external speakers boxes contains two speakers.  The other speaker is in the front face of the cabinet.  It will play at four speeds- 16, 33, 45, and 78 RPM.  The external speakers fit nicely into the cabinet to make the whole unit portable, but it's still kinda bulky and heavy.
    The external speakers are in excellent shape, with no visible damage, and they both sound great, too.  The outer cabinet has taken some damage over the years, but still looks pretty good for its age.
    It works well enough to play a record- I dug out a Hand Williams Greatest Hits album and time warped myself back to the fifties. It has three problems, though.  1) The turntable speed is not very consistent.  You can hear the sound slow down and speed up.  2)  The record changer mechanism does not work.  It is necessary to manually drop the record and place the needle to get it started, and when the record ends, you need to pick the needle up and return it.  The changer mechanism causes the turntable to stop if it's allowed to operate.  I suspect that the mechanism needs some lubrication.  And 3) The right amplifier is not working so well.  Both speakers sound great on the left output, and they both have low volume on the right output.  I suspect that an amplifier tube is week.
    This could be a memorable piece of history with some attention from someone with the skills to repair it.
    This unit is big- I measured it at 25 X 21 X 10 inches, and it weighs 36 pounds, so shipping costs may be significant.  Local pickup would be quite welcome.