ITT-KB Tiny Super.

[crackle]

My new favourite radio is this superb little ITT-KB "Tiny Super", in grey livery.

The Tiny Super crops up regularly on auction sites but you dont see many of the Grey ones make an appearance, the rarity reflected the fairly high price I had to pay for what is nearly a 50 (actually 46) year old tranny.
This example is in much better than average condition and because of the smart grey, black and silver trim styling the usual issue with the printed wood effect becoming rubbed away is not a problem. The radio has obviously been looked after very well all these years.

I cleaned away a tiny amount of oxidation from the terminals, fitted 6 fresh batteries and away it went. The performance of this little radio is the best of its class, and it far outperforms many radios maybe 2 or 3 times its size. The audio is clear and rich from its largish elliptical speaker, the 600mW output gives more than adequate volume with no noticeable distortion up to a volume level which is becoming uncomfortably loud for close listening. It certainly has a B I G sound from a little radio.

Radio wise it has really excellent reception on MW and LW pulling in the weaker stations that many of my radios struggle to find. Distant "local stations" like Gold and Caroline are now like the national BBC stations. On FM nearly all stations are adequate with just about 4 inches of aerial extended. The AFC works very well giving a broad tuning point for distortion free reception and easy tuning.

You can see the radio in more detail on my web page together with its simulated wood grain brother, http://www.kbmuseum.org.uk/itt_image...tiny_super.htm (click on an image to see full size)
It features towards the end in the radio section of the 1972 ITT-KB catalogue also on my website, together with its specifications. http://www.kbmuseum.org.uk/itt_1972_catalogue.htm .

[Hybrid tellies]

I agree totally with what you say about these excellent little radios. ITT/KB really excelled them selves with this model.
I have just found the write up I did for this forum a few years ago.

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=68523

Simon

[Andrew2]

That's a nice radio, and in top-notch condition. IMO, the early/mid 70's produced some very smart radios that were pleasing to the eye while still being fairly basic and un-fussy. The little Bush Sandpiper is another one.
Re the performance - it amazes me that some radios are so-so performers and others are quite impressive, but looking at the circuits one is hard-pressed to spot any major differences.
Ten transistors? Wow. I can see how an AM/FM receiver might use up to 8 or 9, but perhaps the tenth was a bias stabiliser.

[crackle]

Thats a nice write up Simon. Its nice to read other peoples appreciation of this little radio. The ITT SL75 Cassette radio is also a very nice sounding set, it has a different circuit, with a transformer driving the OP transistors.
Here is the circuit for the output stages of the Tiny Super.

Mike

[ionburn]

My sister had one of these. I remember it working well. I think I have the user manual somewhere as I was a magpie for such things.

[Andrew2]

Ah, now I see where they stashed all those transistors!

[tealandsilver]

My Dad had one of these radios in brown wood grain livery, superb little set! Not certain what happened to it but your posts have stirred some fond memories for me, thanks.

[Nickthedentist]

Very interesting that a cheap, H-K made set, with such a roughly-built PCB (no offence meant!) has such good performance and such a following here!

OTOH, it reminds me of my Taiwanese Ferguson 3188; with an external LS, this sounds super.
https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=89878

N.

[crackle]

Originally Posted by Andrew2

Ah, now I see where they stashed all those transistors!

These radios are tomorrows antique's. I am trying to get stocked up before they all go.
I believe I have heard that even now some kids don't know what a transistor radio is or does.

Mike

[1100 man]

Hi,
Not being a radio person (ducks to avoid flying objects ), I have a massive collection of just two sets which have survived from my childhood. One of those is an ITT/KB Tiny33. This looks almost identical to the picture in the first post but without the buttons on the top. The wave change is on the back and it's black with a brown front.
This came from my school fete in about 1981 for 50p. I remember swithering over spending such a huge sum on a mere radio, but as there were no TV's to buy, I took the plunge!
My main radio at the time was a Regentone Multi 99 radiogram (I still have the chassis) but this had no FM. The ITT was my FM tuner for when Radio 1 was on FM.
I did power it up about a month ago for the first time in 35 years and it worked fine for all of 10 seconds and then went very distorted I now need to do a proper repair on it.
It's just pure luck that I've carted it about for the last 35 years without actually getting rid of it!
All the best
Nick

[crackle]

Nick, I can vouch that the Tiny 33 also sounds very good. It is well worth repairing if you want a little radio for the kitchen or bathroom, or any room for that matter.
It was a Tiny 33 bought at a boot sale which got me collecting these ITT-KB radios and then later the more vintage KB valve sets..

I would check the electrolytics, especially the output one C45 220uF

Mike

[paulsherwin]

Originally Posted by Nickthedentist

Very interesting that a cheap, H-K made set, with such a roughly-built PCB (no offence meant!) has such good performance and such a following here!

OTOH, it reminds me of my Taiwanese Ferguson 3188; with an external LS, this sounds super.
https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=89878

Yes, these 70s HK/Taiwanese contract built sets are often very capable and are an interesting specialist area of vintage radio. My Fergie 3188 is in regular use and is a fine performer. The electronics in the Bush Sandpiper are very similar.

[crackle]

Whilst we are on the subject of Tiny radios, I thought it would be fun to show you all my "Tiny" collection of radios.

There are a couple of interlopers, a Schaub Lorenz Tiny 30 Automatic, and a RGD R160 which is based on the Tiny Super.

Have I missed any out?

Who can tell me what the missing radios are?


Mike

[Andrew2]

What a super collection, Mike! I always liked the speaker grille design on the 100 and 101. They used it on many of their 70's cassette recorders too and it looked great.

[Hybrid tellies]

Wow that is a superb collection. I like the look of the Tiny 100 and 101. I think the quality and pcb layout of the Tiny Super is rather good in comparison to other radios of this era. I think its part of the reason why the Tiny Super and Tiny 33 sounds and performs so well.

[crackle]

Looking at the chassis layout of the Ferguson 3188, am I the only one who sees a similarity with the ITT-KB Tiny Super?
Not exact but very similar.


Anyway, I thought there were 5 "Tiny" radios missing from my last post, but I was wrong, another 2 appeared from the shelves to have the dust shaken off, complete with built in cassette recorder.

Here is part 2 of the "Tiny" Collection of Radios, I wonder if I have all of them now.

I reckon this model name was more popular than the KB Rhapsody range.

Mike

[crackle]

The AF stages of the Ferguson 3188 are similar to the Tiny Super.


Mike

[Nickthedentist]

Wow, that's an clever observation, Mike!

I'm sure the Ferguson's LS is a "Foster" too.

[paulsherwin]

They could well have come from the same subcontractor. Were Sangean going then?

[Andrew2]

That Tiny 220 looks nice, Mike. Sort of classy.