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Old 6th Nov 2005, 7:40 pm   #1
Nickthedentist
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Default My new toy - a H-U-G-E 1959 Telefunken :-)

Evening everyone,

You may remember that somebody enquired about the value of a Telefunken Opus 2004 Stereo recently, and I pointed him towards one that was up for sale on eBay with a £10 start price.

Well, it received no bids at all and I felt sorry for it, so against my better judgement, I e-mailed the seller to see if it was still available. It was, of course.

This is an absolutely huge set and Nuneaton is some way from me, but I said yes, especially as I could stop off in Solihull on the way back to see an old friend from University.

Anyway, the outcome was that I went to pick it up today. The journey only took 70 minutes each way, and the seller invited me in for a coffee and a chat about the set's history (no "I don't trust anyone enough to see them in person" nonsense here). I got it for a tenner, the seller being glad it was going to somebody who'd appreciate it.

It was fun to see my friend too, and I even mended her dishwasher while she cooked me lunch (nothing more than a dead L-N short in the mains supressor, thank goodness).

Apparently, the radio was bought new in about 1960 by a fellow Ukranian who'd emigrated to Bradford after the war, and had been given to the seller by his widow when he passed away about 10 years ago. He could remember his father and his friend listening to SW transmissions from their home country on it - and being thoroughly bored (although he put it in a much more colourful way ). It had not worked during all the time he'd had it.

It's in virtually perfect condition, with no damage or tobacco deposits (which was a nice suprise as the vendor appeared to be an enthusiastic smoker). The only obvious electrical fault is a tarnished fuse holder on the chassis which had rendered the connection to the mains transformer primary open circuit. I suspect it would now work if I pugged it in, although I will do all the usual things before firing it up via a lamp limiter.

Fortunately, the original circuit diagram (dated 1959) was still in the pouch inside the back cover

Are there any important things which I should know about large German sets before I start messing around with it, by the way?

Nick.
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Old 6th Nov 2005, 7:52 pm   #2
mickjjo
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Default Re: My new toy - a H-U-G-E 1959 Telefunken :-)

This translated page says something about replacing 22 condensers.......... . :-

http://translate.google.com/translat...005-13,GGLD:en

Not sure about the rest of it , Good luck. .

Regards, Mick.
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Old 6th Nov 2005, 7:58 pm   #3
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Thumbs up Re: My new toy - a H-U-G-E 1959 Telefunken :-)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nickthedentist
Evening everyone,
Evening Nick.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nickthedentist
(no "I don't trust anyone enough to see them in person" nonsense here).
Ouch.

That looks like a very luverly set Nick, congratulation. I cannot believe you got away with that for a tenner. Care to tell us just how large it is, please? By the looks of it you have my largest Grundig beat here hands down.

Special things to think about in late fifties German sets? All the paper caps will be bad!

Best regards

Frank N.
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Old 6th Nov 2005, 8:02 pm   #4
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Default Re: My new toy - a H-U-G-E 1959 Telefunken :-)

Quote:
Originally Posted by mickjjo
This translated page says something about replacing 22 condensers.......... .
If I do that, then "again everything is in the plumb bob". Ja!

Nick.

Last edited by Nickthedentist; 6th Nov 2005 at 8:07 pm.
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Old 6th Nov 2005, 8:07 pm   #5
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Default Re: My new toy - a H-U-G-E 1959 Telefunken :-)

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Originally Posted by YC-156
Care to tell us just how large it is, please? By the looks of it you have my largest Grundig beat here hands down.
Hi Frank, it's an amazing 68cm wide, 34cm tall and 27cm deep

Nick.
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Old 6th Nov 2005, 8:09 pm   #6
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Default Re: My new toy - a H-U-G-E 1959 Telefunken :-)

You did well there Nick, it should make a nice radio.

You've not been tempted by this Blaupunkt radiogram then?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Retro-1960s-Bl...QQcmdZViewItem

I wonder if it'll sell... It may well have a similar circuit design to your Telefunken, so might be worth buying as a donor set.

Best regards, Paul
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Old 6th Nov 2005, 8:11 pm   #7
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Default Re: My new toy - a H-U-G-E 1959 Telefunken :-)

Quote:
Originally Posted by paulsherwin
You've not been tempted by this Blaupunkt radiogram then?http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Retro-1960s-Bl...QQcmdZViewItem

I wonder if it'll sell... It may well have a similar circuit design to your Telefunken, so might be worth buying as a donor set.

Best regards, Paul
Good idea, especially as it's in Oxford, but getting one in the back of my Polo, and then into my overcrowded house would be a real challenge

Nick.
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Old 6th Nov 2005, 8:30 pm   #8
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Default Re: My new toy - a H-U-G-E 1959 Telefunken :-)

What a beautiful wireless set. I bet it will sound fantastic when you get it fired up.
Well done for getting it for a tenner.
good luck with getting it going, keep us posted.
Regards
Paul
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Old 6th Nov 2005, 9:22 pm   #9
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Default Re: My new toy - a H-U-G-E 1959 Telefunken :-)

Hi Nick,

A very impressive set!

After looking at the number of piano keys and controls on the front, I'm just off to buy some shares in Servisol

Jim.
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Old 6th Nov 2005, 10:36 pm   #10
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Wink Re: My new toy - a H-U-G-E 1959 Telefunken :-)

what a great buy for a tenner! these german sets run rings round what we were turning out in the mid 50s............................ours were crap in comparison, lets face it....................ianj
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Old 6th Nov 2005, 10:39 pm   #11
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Default Re: My new toy - a H-U-G-E 1959 Telefunken :-)

Quote:
Originally Posted by ianj
what a great buy for a tenner! these german sets run rings round what we were turning out in the mid 50s............................ours were crap in comparison, lets face it....................ianj
Hi Ian,

You're not wrong there, though there were a few notable exceptions (e.g Pye Fenman II: http://www.vintage-radio.com/images/...ye/fenman2.jpg).

I also have to say that I 've found these German sets pretty messy inside, nothing like a Hacker, for example.

Glad you think I got a bargain

Nick.
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Old 6th Nov 2005, 11:27 pm   #12
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Default Re: My new toy - a H-U-G-E 1959 Telefunken :-)

Hi Nick,

Fantastic buy, well done Does it have a stereo decoder?

Regards
David
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Old 6th Nov 2005, 11:30 pm   #13
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Default Re: My new toy - a H-U-G-E 1959 Telefunken :-)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Radio_Dave
Fantastic buy, well done Does it have a stereo decoder?
Glad you like it Dave! I'll let Paul RK answer your question, lifted from a previous thread:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul_RK
The eBay radio Nick mentions has now been identified by the seller as itself an Opus 2004 in response to a question. Despite the seller's remark on its waveband coverage, FM is definitely included, on the evidence of the twin feeder to an internal dipole that's seen in the view of the back of the set. Its being a stereo model too (though it will lack a decoder, and so stereo performance will only be available through the gram. and tape inputs, not on FM) probably raises it to the higher end of the value ranges Nick mentions, though that's conditional on its proving reasonably repairable: and then there's the matter of finding if possible a nearby buyer, as the size and weight of these things makes them quite difficult to send anywhere. The model indeed dates from 1959-60 according to this site:

http://www.egrund.de/opu-2004.html

Paul
It would probably not be too taxing to add a solid-state decoder, maybe stolen from a scrapped hifi tuner. It could be done in such a way that it could be easily removed to restore originality, of course.

Nick.

Last edited by Nickthedentist; 6th Nov 2005 at 11:33 pm.
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Old 6th Nov 2005, 11:44 pm   #14
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Default Re: My new toy - a H-U-G-E 1959 Telefunken :-)

Congratulations! It's a beauty!

You're all going to hate me for this but I junked a brother to one of these beauties about fifteen years ago. It was a 1959 Telefunken console which paired the radio with a record deck in a masssive cabinet. It worked great for quite a long time but started acting up. Bad capacitors no doubt. It was my first "European job" and the chassis looked way too complicated to dive into with work and my studies and such. On top of it at that time it was nearly impossible to locate service diagrams and spares for such a beast here in the States. Saddly I was forced to divest myself of it when I moved. It looked nice and I wanted to keep it but couldn't. Another option was to leave it for the next tenant but the landlord insisted we "remove that ugly stereo from the premises before vacating or we'll keep your sureity deposit". Since it was so big and heavy it was more expediant (and less costly) to dismember it and dispose of it in the rubbish than to move and store it.

My friend and I still lament we had to get rid of it.
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Last edited by Roy Nichols; 6th Nov 2005 at 11:50 pm.
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Old 6th Nov 2005, 11:54 pm   #15
Nickthedentist
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Default Re: My new toy - a H-U-G-E 1959 Telefunken :-)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roy Nichols
You're all going to hate me for this but I junked a brother to one of these beauties about fifteen years ago. It was a 1959 Telefunken console which paired the radio with a record deck in a masssive cabinet.
All too common a story, sadly.

The better radiograms tended to use the chassis of the best table radios, but with superior speakers and cabinet. They turn up here all the time. The very similar Blaupunkt that Paul mentioned above got bought, thank goodness, but it only raised £1

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Retro-1960s-Bl...QQcmdZViewItem

Nick.

Last edited by Nickthedentist; 7th Nov 2005 at 12:04 am.
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Old 7th Nov 2005, 9:13 am   #16
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Default Re: My new toy - a H-U-G-E 1959 Telefunken :-)

Quote:
Originally Posted by paulsherwin
You did well there Nick, it should make a nice radio.

You've not been tempted by this Blaupunkt radiogram then?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Retro-1960s-Bl...QQcmdZViewItem

I wonder if it'll sell... It may well have a similar circuit design to your Telefunken, so might be worth buying as a donor set.

Best regards, Paul
Anyone
If anyone does get it, I have the identical Blaupunkt that I am restoring at the moment - it would be a crying shame to break it. I also have all its documentation - handbooks, manual, if anyone wants copies. 6 speakers, AT6 deck, 2 x ECL86.

Nick
Well done - it is similar to my (enormous) Nordmende Tannhauser. Did you look at the Nordmende with the two huge trumpets on the link?
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Old 7th Nov 2005, 9:17 am   #17
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Default Re: My new toy - a H-U-G-E 1959 Telefunken :-)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nickthedentist
Good idea, especially as it's in Oxford, but getting one in the back of my Polo, and then into my overcrowded house would be a real challenge

Nick.
It is 43 inches wide, and just about fitted in my ZX with seats down! Would have fitted in SWMBO's Dyane. It is also much heavier that you would expect - 3 people were needed here to unload it.
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Old 7th Nov 2005, 9:26 am   #18
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Default Re: My new toy - a H-U-G-E 1959 Telefunken :-)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nickthedentist
Hi Frank, it's an amazing 68cm wide, 34cm tall and 27cm deep
OK, then one of my Grundigs still have your Telefunken beat by a few centimetres.

As for the decoder, then it might be a fun, little project to build a stereo decoder with valves. The main problem would probably be finding suitable coils/'IF transformers' for the low frequencies involved. I wonder what it would take of test equipment to adjust a home made stereo decoder properly?

Best regards

Frank N.
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Old 7th Nov 2005, 1:15 pm   #19
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Default Re: My new toy - a H-U-G-E 1959 Telefunken :-)

Hi,
one problem is the IF bandwidth of the mono receivers is tuned to small
for a good stereo reception.
For the agliment I have a stereo test transmitter SC 384/1 from Nordmende.
All stereodecoders with valves I have seen now are switching types
and the valves are in the 38KHz carrier generator. So they are not
really valve decoders.
I made some mixing (Matrix)decoders with valves (ECH81) a long time ago.

Kind regards
Darius
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Old 7th Nov 2005, 7:46 pm   #20
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Default Re: My new toy - a H-U-G-E 1959 Telefunken :-)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Darius
one problem is the IF bandwidth of the mono receivers is tuned to small for a good stereo reception.
Thanks Darius, that's saved me a lot of wasted effort.

It will probably have to stay mono for radio reception, but could no doubt make a rather unique playback system for my iPod.

Nick.
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