Antique Radio Parts and Vacuum Tubes
Could an Old-School Tube Amp Make the Music You Love Sound Better?
By Ben Marks — Like a lot of adults who attended too many rock concerts in their reckless youth, my hearing is not what it used to be. On more than one occasion, I remember stumbling out of Winterland in San Francisco after seeing high-watt bands like Hot Tuna or Pink Floyd, putting the key in the car’s ignition, giving it a turn, and then having no idea whatsoever if the engine had roared to life. That’s what four or five hours of standing in front of a wall of speakers pumping music at more than 100...
Vintage Transistor Radios of the 1950s and 60s
By Michael Jack — Perhaps you recently saw a picture of a cool looking pocket radio from the early 1960’s and were reminded of your carefree, youthful days? Maybe it was the pastel colors or atomic aged designs that caught your eye? Or the chrome highlights that attracted your attention? Nonetheless, you find yourself actively seeking them out at the local flea market or surfing eBay for a good deal. Well, be warned! If you buy one transistor radio it will most likely grow to two, then three. Before...
Understanding Antique Radios
By Phil Nelson — You've just acquired an old radio, but apart from the manufacturer's name on the front, you don't know a blessed thing about it. Learning more about your radio may satisfy your curiosity, or it may serve a practical purpose such as helping you get repair information. Here's how to go about identifying an antique or vintage radio, and then how to decide if it’s playable. Identifying Radios Tens of thousands of different radio models were manufactured over the decades, in the US alone....