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Old 21st Apr 2020, 4:58 pm   #41
mister valve
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Default Re: What Radio have you got that has an amazing performance way above expectation.

The best performing radio I have is actually a 'radio-gramophone' dating from 1936. It really is an "all singing, all dancing" set with its fifteen valves (13 valves plus 2 rectifiers). It is infact the 'HMV 800' with its two enormous L/Speakers and push/pull Triode's output stage (two PX25's). with tone compensation circuits and clean sound quality with a frequency response of 40c/s - 8kc/s, High Fidelity in the 1930's. Not considered 'Hi-Fi' by today's standard, but actually is a very nice high quality sound. The Radio Tuner section is definitively to communications receiver standard with its RF amplifier, separate Mixer & Oscillator Valves, variable bandwidth I.F. Amplifiers and many more features. Selectivity & sensitivity is superb, with its selectivity switchable from 3kc/s (high selectivity), to 8kc/s (high fidelity), with 5kc/s & 7kc/s in between.

One minor disadvantage to this radiogram is it will only play 78rpm records, but as I still have hundreds of shellac 78rpm records dating from the early 1920's to the late 1950's, so I have quite a selection of recorded music.
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Old 21st Apr 2020, 5:12 pm   #42
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Default Re: What Radio have you got that has an amazing performance way above expectation.

Today in the summerhouse I've been using one of my "Larkspur"-era "Reception sets R209 MK.II" which - considering it uses 1940s-era B7G 1.4 Volt battery valves and a distinctly-strange push-pull output stage using 2 valves of dissimilar kind in a 'self-driving' arrangement - works surprisingly well on the SW bands.

A few metres of scrap "cat6" networking cable thrown into a nearby tree as an antenna, and I was hearing plenty of Middle Eastern and Russian hams on 14MHz. The only downside is the crazy number of KHZ-per-turn-of-the-tuning-knob, making it a pain to resolve SSB stations.
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Old 21st Apr 2020, 6:08 pm   #43
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Default Re: What Radio have you got that has an amazing performance way above expectation.

Out of all my vintage domestic radios, I think my Ekco A23 has the best sound and although it won't win any beauty contests it's is a pretty good performer once properly serviced and aligned.

(But what ever were Ekco thinking style-wise with this set after the splendid A22 that preceded it?)
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Old 21st Apr 2020, 8:08 pm   #44
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Default Re: What Radio have you got that has an amazing performance way above expectation.

My Ferguson 3127, plastic case, made in Taiwan I believe.
Large 'speaker, lovely neutral sound and lasts for ages on 4 'C' cells (or mains powered).
I bought my dad one in 1975ish, then one for myself.
This has been everywhere with me, from my sole entertainment in 'digs', or as a bathroom radio. Works well into my Sennheiser HD400s.
Dare I say it, but the sound is more 'balanced' than a Hacker or Roberts.
It shouldn't be as good as it is!
I put the BBC station marker stickers on, and they're NOT coming off!
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Old 21st Apr 2020, 8:22 pm   #45
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Default Re: What Radio have you got that has an amazing performance way above expectation.

I've read these posts on favourite radios with great interest but I have all but given up on MW|LW reception, with all the mush that SMPS's give out. I remember in the 60's things were so different, I still look around for old radios and must confess to snatching them up, I always like Hacker and Roberts. Only a few months ago someone brought me a valved set for refurb. Can't remember the make but I'm sure the model was Mayflower. Sorry to butt in.
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Old 21st Apr 2020, 9:43 pm   #46
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Default Re: What Radio have you got that has an amazing performance way above expectation.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tractionist View Post
Go on - give it a polish Joe! P.S. And I'm also particularly impressed and very fond of my AM/FM 198 Nordmende 'Transita' too!
That Grundig 97 is in an outstanding condition! Chapeau!
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Old 21st Apr 2020, 10:07 pm   #47
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Default Re: What Radio have you got that has an amazing performance way above expectation.

Decca Intercontinental 1125. Picked up at a BVWS auction. About 1961, only 8 transistors, but it seems as good as my R1155 and CR100 on SW. Nice bandspread tuning. A pleasant surprise.
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Old 21st Apr 2020, 10:22 pm   #48
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Default Re: What Radio have you got that has an amazing performance way above expectation.

My most surprising good performance was from a Murphy A372. It has a rather odd valve line-up but the performance of my set is excellent.

Shame the case on mine is a little the worse for wear...

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Old 21st Apr 2020, 10:30 pm   #49
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Default Re: What Radio have you got that has an amazing performance way above expectation.

Also, my Trio KT 3133 tuner bought in 1982.
Had this as a student in Leeds at that time. I could receive radio piccadilly (from manchester) 103FM in stereo over the pennines !
The 300 Ohm ribbon antenna needed to be pinned to the wall in just the right spot.

In the days before internet radio of course...

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Old 21st Apr 2020, 10:31 pm   #50
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Default Re: What Radio have you got that has an amazing performance way above expectation.

Quote:
Originally Posted by toshiba tony View Post
....someone brought me a valved set for refurb. Can't remember the make but I'm sure the model was Mayflower. Sorry to butt in.
That'd likely be a Hacker also I think, one of these two?
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Old 22nd Apr 2020, 7:12 am   #51
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Default Re: What Radio have you got that has an amazing performance way above expectation.

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That Grundig 97 is in an outstanding condition! Chapeau!
Not always .....
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Old 22nd Apr 2020, 10:51 pm   #52
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Default Re: What Radio have you got that has an amazing performance way above expectation.

HMV Arundel. Very well built (in Britain) and sounds great. The HMV Marlborough is excellent too; both are very much a cut above the average far-east 70s tranny.
Aimed very squarely at the upper-end of the market in the 70s; the Roberts, and Hacker buyers.
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Old 23rd Apr 2020, 3:22 am   #53
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Default Re: What Radio have you got that has an amazing performance way above expectation.

One utterly surprising one: a little bright yellow plastic transistor (not IC)
Sony "Sports" pocket portable, with earphones.

On AM its very good. But the FM is amazing. We have a terrible signal level problem,
with a 50 kW and a 20 kW station actually in town, and the desireable classical music
FM main station 23 miles away, though 100 kW. There is a 300 W secondary program classical station in town. And the stations are badly placed frequency-wise.

No modern FM radio can get the classical stations reliably. None. Even a top of the line
1975 Sony stereo tuner got hopeless when IBOC digital arrived. But the Sony portable can, even walking close to the local firebreathers.

The only reliable true audiophile fidelity FM I've found is an Airspy SDR with a double helical resonator tunable preselector. The preselector
drops the desired station about 1.5 dB and the undesired ones over 30dB.
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Old 30th Apr 2020, 3:56 pm   #54
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Default Re: What Radio have you got that has an amazing performance way above expectation.

Quote:
Originally Posted by crackle View Post
I would still go for my little ITT-KB Tiny 33, a tiny radio with a surprising big sound. It was the first radio that started off my collection about 10 years ago. Bought for a couple of quid at a boot sale.
Mike
Sorry if I am a bit late with my reply.
My two nominations for small radios that punch above their wait are the ITT/KB Tiny Super and my small Philips pocket radio.

Starting with the ITT/KB Tiny Super. I am a big fan of the ITT/KB Tiny 33 such a small but big sounding radio. I never owned one of these but I bought two ITT/KB Tiny Supers about 15/16 years ago. I made one good one out of the two and have been amazed at the sound quality and RF performance ever since. It suffered a fault last year but thanks to Mike I was able to repair it last year and restore it to its former glory.

My second nomination is the Philips 90AL072/65S which is a small AM two band pocket radio. I found it at the bottom of a box of radios at the BVWS bring and buy stall at Royal Wootton Bassett a few years ago. Thanks Paul Stenning for pointing me in the right direction. Despite being at the bottom of a large box underneath a lot of larger heavier radios and stuff it was in A1 condition. All I had to do was replace the battery holder and clean the wavechange switch and volume control. Its sounds very punchy and clear for such a small set just running off a 3V supply. Looking at the small circuit diagram stuck to the inside of the case I was amazed to find it was only a 6 transistor short superhet but the RF performance matches that of many 7 transistor superhets. Philips obviously got something right with this design.
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Old 30th Apr 2020, 6:58 pm   #55
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Default Re: What Radio have you got that has an amazing performance way above expectation.

My favourites are,

1. For domestic MW, LW and FM = Grundig Concert Boy 1100 for superb audio quality and excellent sensitivity.

2. For BC / SW Lisenting = VEGA 215 for very smooth quiet audio and good sensitivity.
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Old 6th May 2020, 3:38 am   #56
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Default Re: What Radio have you got that has an amazing performance way above expectation.

I have a Schneider Beethoven which is awesome. It's a French set from the early 60's
The sound quality is more than a match for most German sets.
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Old 6th May 2020, 8:15 am   #57
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Default Re: What Radio have you got that has an amazing performance way above expectation.

I picked up a rather bashed-up 'Saisho SW2000' at a car-boot sale a number of years ago for a few pounds.
This is a small multi-band 'world radio' and when I got it, it was missing it's telescopic antenna and battery cover.
However, it's performance powered from two AA's is amazing - very clean sounding audio and good reception no doubt helped by the large Sony IC inside it.

Andy
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Old 9th May 2020, 1:19 pm   #58
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Default Re: What Radio have you got that has an amazing performance way above expectation.

To make a late contribution to this very enjoyable Thread, I offer the Sony ICF 403L (early 1990s) radio which is built around a single-chip. Although small, and with only a 3" speaker, this delivers super selectivity and sensitivity on all 3 wabebands - especially when used with a wall-wart, if gives full, powerful audio. Whilst I'm here, I'd like to be cheeky and also add in a Wharfedale WPC-398 SPORT (NB MODS: this is from 2003) which offers a super performance on FM Stereo and AM from its PLL Tuner. Although only a budget boombox from the period, it outclasses many in its then sub-£30-00 price range.
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Old 11th May 2020, 11:12 am   #59
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Default Re: What Radio have you got that has an amazing performance way above expectation.

I have just refurbished this old Japanese Nanaola radio, and am quite impressed with its performance. I can't remember where it came from as I've had it for years, it came with a leather case which was green mouldy so was scrapped.
It dates from when the Japanese were getting into the British market in the 60s. 8 germanium transistors with the usual transformer coupled output stage.
Very sensitive, though the short wave not much use, and selective probably due to the double tuned first IFT.
the sound is smooth and full with not a hint of 'tinny tranny' effect.
even better with a small speaker plugged into the ear phone skt.
listening to it now to Classic FM through a mini TX.
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Old 11th May 2020, 3:40 pm   #60
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Wink Re: What Radio have you got that has an amazing performance way above expectation.

Got to be my Philips D2345

I got this, rather tired looking and dirty from a charity shop for £4. I didn't expect much. I took it apart and cleaned the case in warm soapy water and allowed it to dry naturally. On re assembly I was blown away by it's performance on all bands. FM is particularly good as I live in a low signal area, but it still gets great coverage. All AM bands including shortwave are brilliant as well. I nearly sold it, but very soon changed my mind!

The only thing I would improve on is a bigger speaker. I always think I'll get round to it and there's plenty of space in the bezel. I never seem to get the time though.
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