Me! Introducing my early 60's Dumont console stereo, made in Canada

Hi everyone. Here's an introduction and demo of my Dumont console stereo circa early 1960s, solid wood cabinet w/walnut veneers, a fine piece of furniture made in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and kept in immaculate condition. 100% solid state (all transistorized), probably one of the first of its kind as it still uses speaker output transformers. Model T-100 tuner/pre-amplifier is what's visible in the console and a separate power amp chassis is located inside and concealed in the cabinet. The technicians at the shop tell me she's pumping out 20 watts RMS per channel; all the electronics have been rebuilt. AM/FM/FM stereo with AFC, scratch and rumble filter settings, mono button for monaural recordings (reduces groove noise). VU meters for audio balance and also for tuning strength in both AM/FM. Buttons for selecting headphones/internal/external speakers or both at once. This splits the output to 4 X 10 watts when both int/ext speakers used. Garrard 'lab series' type A record changer completely overhauled, new Shure cartridge and elliptical stylus for incredible frequency response and tracking at 3.0 grams. Each speaker chamber is air-tight and acoustic suspension with: 12 inch polypropylene woofer w/rubber surround; 5 inch midrange; 4 inch tweeter and 1-1/2 inch supertweeter each with dedicated crossover. This piece of equipment kicks butt, if you're playing this back with a subwoofer and tweeters you'll hear what I mean. This piece of history looks as good as new and fills the room with larger than life sound!

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• EARLY
• 60s
• DUMONT
• CONSOLE
• STEREO
• TRANSISTOR
• AMPLIFIER
• GARRARD
• RECORD
• CHANGER
• WOOFERS
• TWEETERS
• VINYL
• 45RPM
• 78RPM
• AM
• FM
• RADIO
• SOLID
• STATE
• TUNER
• RECEIVER
• ANALOG
• WALNUT
• CABINET
• SHURE
• MAGNETIC
• CARTRIDGE
• DIAMOND
• STYLUS

[rcaVictor1963]

I have a similar unit that had a TV in the center. I think it is a little older, I bought from an older couple who had it at their home and thought it was just too large for their new condo. The set has a newer turntable, it seems. I got to get back to my garage and look at it again, to compare to yours. These were quality units made in Dumont, NJ. Thanks for posting this.

[75capriceconvertible]

@rcaVictor1963 glad you're interested and thanks for the comment... I often wanted a stereo/phono/TV combo but could never find a real quality one. I do have my Zenith 26" console TV circa late '80s - the last huge console Meterranean cabinet made, and it's stereo sound with a high res picture tube. It's piped thru the Dumont console's sound system.

[rcaVictor1963]

@75capriceconvertible I am confused on how to write on here, but I will get the hang of it, My set no longer has the TV in the middle, I used that space for storage. It has beautiful finely grained wook and it sits in my garage with my old cars. Do you have a 75 Caprice ? ! If you do, please do a video or send me a pic to npd1963@gmail.com, Would love to see it. Thanks, Nick

[75capriceconvertible]

@rcaVictor1963 You've got the hang of it all right! Yup I do have a '75 Caprice convertible it's in right now getting a ground-up restoration... a work in progress. I will be posting vids this year sometime but I will send you some pics, you're welcome Nick,

-Bill.

[podiumman2]

If it is transistorized, or "solid state," it's more than likely mid-60's.

[75capriceconvertible]

@podiumman2 you could be right... for as long as I've owned it I've never date-coded something from the inside. Next time I have it apart for some reason, I'll try and get a date code off a transformer. But my juke is a '62 and has a solid state autospeed unit as well as the pre-amp stage. During the 60s you just never know, there was a lot of transitioning.

[75capriceconvertible]

@AstroSonic1967 Thank you. I feel really lucky to have found this console... because I've never seen another one! Yes the Garrard A's are like a battleship... incredibly ahead of their time. In spite of their clunky appearance they're very gentle with the records... mine tracks at 3.0 grams. Your system sounds cool also

[AstroSonic1967]

Great looking stereo. Really enjoy videos. My parents had a Dumont TV same vintage as your stereo. They were fantastic sets. Those Garrard Type A changers were built like a tank they will last forever. I have an RC98 which is the predecessor to your Type A hooked up to my Fisher 500 mono receiver.  Love playing 78s on it.

[75capriceconvertible]

@78recordrepair Hey I'm glad to hear this! You saved another one from being land-fill. I'll bet it does sound just phenomenal. That's how they were built, that's how they are meant to sound. Thanks for letting me know

[78recordrepair]

I have an early sixties Dumont console too. A tube model found on the side of the road. It literally had a rats nest inside it and it took months to get the urine smell out of it. It has a garrard turntable as well and the original dumont tubes. After changing out the capacitors, it sounds phenomenal. Its at my girlfriends house now.