Initially introduced at $75 Zenith eventually was forced to reduce it to $59.99 to compete with the flood of inexpensive sets available from Japan. The new chassis was designated 8CT40Z2 but was almost identical to that of the 500D. Original 500 On Left, Black & Two-Tone Gray 500H’s On rightġ959 saw the introduction of the 500E which kept the same basic format of the original models but with a totally freshened look. Also note that some 500D’s say “Long Distance” on the front, later ones say 500D.
Strangely it was not put into all 500D’s so the only way to know if a radio had the new speaker was to take it apart. There was also a newly designed speaker called the inverted cone which was convex rather than concave which helped Zenith achieve better sound quality. Now featuring 8 transistors and chassis 8AT40Z2 a new RF amplifier stage was added along with other improvements providing better reception and stronger sound. A big improvement came in 1958 with the release of the Royal 500D (the D stood for Distance). In 1957 the hand wired chassis gave way to a modern printed circuit board (PCB) design with chassis 7ZT40 and 7ZT40Z1, along with the addition of vernier tuning. In 1956 the 500 was upgraded for better performance with chassis 7XT4040Z and 7XT40Z1. Those early days of transistor technology saw rapid development so manufacturers, including Zenith, updated their models frequently. We have since learned that transistors are usually longer-lived than the electrolytic capacitors which often require replacement in vintage electronics.
While some early transistors did suffer a higher defect rate than later ones, transistors turned out to be very stable and reliable.
_more.jpg "zenith retro transistor radio for sale")
* Most early Zenith sets had socketed transistors, clearly with the thought that they would need to be replaced occasionally, as in tube sets. Zenith was proud enough of their new model that some were released in a semi-transparent maroon case, so in bright light you could see through it. Zenith marketed these radios aggressively and additionally offered attractive gift boxes as an add-on option.
The Royal 500’s transistors were socketed * rather than soldered in directly, and the radio outperformed most of the competition for its ability to receive distant AM signals and to play loudly and clearly. The radio had a clever three-position bail handle which could swivel back to prop the radio at a nice angle, lifted straight up to become a carrying handle, or folded down out of the way against the back of the set. One of the reasons the 500 performed so well was that Zenith manufactured many of its own components rather than using generic parts which would compromise performance. Zenith also made much of the fact that it ran on 4 AA cells (then referred to as penlite cells), where many radios such as the Regency required special batteries that cost more and gave far shorter life. It was designated a “pocket radio” but at 5 ¾ x 3 ½ x 1 ½ it would only fit into a large coat pocket or purse. Unofficially dubbed “Owl Eye” because of its appearance, the first Royal 500 was a hand wired 7 transistor design (Left – Chassis 7XT40) and proudly displayed the word “Tubeless All Transistor” on the back of the cabinet.
#Zenith retro transistor radio for sale series#
The Royal 500 was destined to become one of Zenith’s most enduring and most copied series of radios.
0 kommentar(er)
