Author Archives: retrovoltage

1936 Zenith 5-S-29 Repair with Dial Face Replacement

Posted on December 12, 2013 by retrovoltage

I recently had the privilege of working on this beautiful 1936 Zenith 5-S-29 tabletop radio. It’s a beautiful 5-tube table radio with a 6-inch speaker and the iconic black Zenith dial and lightning bolt Z pointer. This one is special, … Continue reading →

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Bose 901 Series I Active Equalizer #50911 Repaired

Posted on December 3, 2013 by retrovoltage

Looking for the latest info on repairing your Bose 901 Series I, Series II, or Bose 800 Active Equalizer and speaker system? Take a look at the latest in-depth guide with everything you need to know (and more!) I recently … Continue reading →

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1936 GE Model A-52 Antique Radio Repaired!

Posted on November 22, 2013 by retrovoltage

A change of pace from the Bose equalizers and hi-fi I’ve been working on a lot of lately, I had the pleasure of working on a 1936 GE Model A-52 antique radio. This is a nicely designed and straightforward table … Continue reading →

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1954 Philips 778-2 Canadian Antique Radio Repair

Posted on October 24, 2013 by retrovoltage

I was lucky enough to get to work on a beautiful 1954 Philips 778-2 radio console. It had been moved around and played for a while but eventually ended up giving only buzzing instead of audio output. I’m surprised it … Continue reading →

Posted in Electronics, Projects, Radios and Tubes, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Mailbag: Is The Bose 901 Equalizer Really Necessary?

Posted on October 21, 2013 by retrovoltage

I take questions from readers often, but they don’t always make it to a Mailbag segment. I’ve got this one a few times lately, though, so I figured I’d answer this one publicly. Jim from Ohio writes, I bought a … Continue reading →

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Evidence of Past Repairs

Posted on September 16, 2013 by retrovoltage

It’s always interesting to see what’s happened with equipment that’s been worked on previously. It’s often a mixed bag with some great repair jobs, some that have a lot of room for improvement, and some that really just don’t measure … Continue reading →

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KN0CK HF Converter Rev. 4 is Released!

Posted on July 25, 2013 by retrovoltage

The complete Rev 3 KN0CK HF Converter has sold out and been discontinued. That’s okay, though, because it’s been replaced with the KN0CK RTLSDR for HF Revision 4! This model incorporates a lot of the feedback from the community about the … Continue reading →

Posted in DIY, Electronics, Gadgets, Radio, Technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

1931 Westinghouse Columaire WR-8 Grandfather Clock Radio

Posted on July 15, 2013 by retrovoltage

I’ve had the privilege of working on this 1931 Westinghouse grandfather clock radio, the Columaire WR-8. These are a very beautiful and desirable early piece of radio engineering and featured a New Haven Westinghouse electric clock in the front and … Continue reading →

Posted in Radios and Tubes, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Fixed: Sansui SP1500 Speakers

Posted on July 8, 2013 by retrovoltage

A while back I found these Sansui SP1500 (SP-1500) speakers and I’m trying to finish some more projects as summer comes out. There are several radios on my bench right now being worked on, but during a natural break in … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Overloaded 1931 Transformer [Fried Electronics]

Posted on June 7, 2013 by retrovoltage

I’m working on a 1930/31 Westinghouse WR-8 Columnaire clock-radio which had a bad transformer. The filter capacitors failed and shorted the high-voltage secondary, burning it open and causing a lot of heat and melting.   The replacement is a General … Continue reading →

Posted in DIY, Electronics, Projects, Radio, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments