Vintage Zenith Stereo Portable Record Player

[NBH45304]

I have this very same set. Mine is model#E-541-1. Serial# 109K15X. It's actually a Zenith Nomad II. Mine played decent, and sounded good. The tone arm had a crack in the back, where it automatically picks up. Well on 11-18-2011 I was playing a record and the changer picked up the tone arm, and the whole damn thing broke off !!! .

[Trance88]

@NBH45304 Aww man! That sucks! You might be able to fix it. The BSR Turntable in this unit is pretty common among Zenith's and other manufacturers.

[bunnyjoke]

Good sound!

[lrd9999]

Is that a Zenith E547W? Consumer Reports tested that model (11/74) and loved it. Their only complaint was that the arm had no finger lift or cuing lever. Zenith seems to have put their own arm on an otherwise BSR turntable; that's why it tracks better than the competing models with BSR arms (which always had finger lifts). They also ordered the steel platter, which keeps the wow&flutter lower than on the competing plastic-platter versions.

[Trance88]

@lrd9999 Actually it's an E541-1 model. Not sure how similar it is to the E547W. The E547W is probably a more upscale version of my player. I'm sure my player is one of the more base/budget models.

[maynardcat]

The styling of this Zenith reminds of the GE Wildcat I have posted playing Allegheny Moon

[Trance88]

Yeah, it does have similar styling and layout although this unit is a little larger than a wildcat. I don't think Wildcats have detatchable speakers like this one does.

[Tronman63]

Zenith made good products, my father swore by Zenith TV's and would buy nothing else.

[osdelced]

Man, I have a same type turntable and I'd resolve the fast 33 and 45 rpm speed trouble devasting carefully the motor spindle, comparing the beat of a record with the beat of a CD with same song step by step.

[Trance88]

I was able to adjust the speed. I got 33 RPM set right but 45 and 78 still run too fast.

[osdelced]

Yes, all the same types of BSR turntables like this are in same trouble or error design in the motor spindle. :/

But after all this machines are so good and durable recordchangers. :)

[themadhacker2]

how did you fix the speed problem? My portable magnavox record player players too fast as well, and i was hoping to find out how to fix it.

[emyandmatty]

dude....i am utterly amazed, that sounds incredible

[hondolespaul]

Where did you get the stylus for this record player? I recently acquired a Zenith Stereophonic solid state portable record player from the late 60s. Mine is very different from yours because my speakers are detachable. It hadn´t been used in over 20 years, but she works great!

[Trance88]

I bought the stylus at a record shop. The speakers on my portable are actually detachable. There are tabs on the side of the player itself that the speakers slide in and out of.

[hondolespaul]

My Zenith Stereophonic is the only one of its kind that I have seen. My mother charged me $75.00 for it. My aunt bought this record player before she turned 20. She is 60 now. It has never been repaired. When I feel better, I will show you just how rare this is. I wish Zenith still made these stereos.

[Trance88]

I don't think it should be too hard to find a stylus for it. A whole bunch of models use the same one.

[stereobrowser]

I noticed that on the beginning on playing the 'Earth, Wind And Fire' record the needle landed a little too ahead 2, 3mm. On the right side near the tone-arm's axle there's a screw that adjusts the position. In this case loosen the screw a little counter clockwise to resolve the problem.

[wilkes85]

FUCKIN A! You put a mat on the platter. I can tell you from experience that the rim of the plastic platter leaves an ungodly ring on the record playing surface.

But i freaking hate tonearms with a lack of a handle thingy.

Your unit sure has a nice sound to it though! (despite the plastic construction)

[vinylman86]

I guess that's why BSR has a bad rep as well as their speed issue.

[CarlsBarkley]

Yeah, the speed issue did kinda give it a "mickey mouse" effect. LOL. That should be adjustable somehow (maybe hidden somewhere on the unit is a porthole to adjust with a tiny screwdriver). If so, I imagine the adjustment mechanism shifted with time and use. I certainly hope they didn't manufacture this as the permanent speed.

[Trance88]

Yeah. I didn't really like the idea of my records just plopping on that hard plastic surface. My late 50's Voice of Music player has a rubber platter surface for gawd sake!! I noticed the mat also cuts down on motor noise and it's definitely quieter changer drop.

[retrochad]

That Zenith sounds good! Is that second record a present-day music group? (Sorry I'm kind of behind the times! but I enjoyed the music)

[Trance88]

Yup, it's newer. From 2001. ATB is a really well known electronic artist over in Europe. He's also a DJ and plays in nightclubs.

[vinylman86]

Lol, I'm kind of behind the times too.

[jefferyb304]

me 3 lol

[vinylman86]

I can't stand most of todays stuff.

[vinylman86]

Nice player!Ii love the tonearm design too. they always used their own tonearm on their sets whether BSR or VM unless itz a low-end model like my 1966 zenith which uses a bsr changer then it won't have the custom tonearm. Yours is probably from the early to mid 70's. Most vintage players plays a little too fast except for Magnavoxs and some VMs. Luckily, my Zenith plays at the right speed. Btw, thatz an awesome pillow you have and the ATB record kicks ass.