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Old 17th Aug 2008, 11:59 am   #9
Paul_RK
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Fakenham, Norfolk, UK.
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Default Re: Roberts transistor radios; model rarity.

Hardly anything changed cosmetically through the R200's run, but the circuit underwent various changes major and minor: a different wavechange switch was used from serial 26705 onwards, a somewhat different circuit from 36547 with OC81D and OC81 driver and output transistors in place of the early sets' OC78D and OC78, then as Howard says came those AF117s. The transistor changes by Roberts and other manufacturers I take it would have been in response to recommendations/availability from Mullard.

I'd hardly say the R200 came to be an embarrassment: just someone would have decided it could do with a minor facelift after four years in production, and perhaps making it look more of a partner to the R500 by changing the grille shape was a factor. Rather more of a facelift was deemed necessary when the R303 came along. Nothing unusual there at all, witness the very late RP10 Hacker Herald outwardly tweaked so as not to look so out of date beside the new Mini-Herald, or Hacker's dramatic change of style between Sovereigns II and III (mentioned only to illustrate how all manufacturers changed their models in line sometimes with technical developments and sometimes with the fashions of the day - we'd need a new thread to discuss those).

Even the Roberts Revivals have been through several changes already

Regards,
Paul
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