1948 Magnavox Windsor - An elegant example of 1940's craftsmanship

CLICK HERE FOR VIEW OF COMPONENTS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD9FwtpIWVg Magnaovx Windsor is very rare, it sold for 849.00 in 1948,and was way ahead in quality, design and sound for 1948. It has an awsome full range sound for 1948, when most units of that era were low-fi with a limited frequency range, and just one speaker. I have all the papers with it, even the house it was delivered to in 1948. It belonged to only one family, and I bought it last year for 35.00, these units have parted out on ebay for 3.000.00 due to their desirable Stephens field coil HF driver, mine is staying together. The cabinet is in very nice condition, and really adds that classy 1940;s look to any room. This Windsor is in original condition,electronics as well as the changer, nothing has been replaced except one tube so far. I plan to have the electronics renewed for better performance as it is 63 years old, and I must say doing very well for 63. Fm was rare in 1948, and not very popular at that time, but this radio does perform very well. The records do not sound near as good as they should due to the failing crystal cartridge. It is limited on sound quality and volume., which is normal for aging cartridges of this type. I plan to replace the cartridge with a Shure magnetic cartridge. Magnavox did offer a magnetic cartridge for this unit. Some Windsors have 15" field coil woofers, but this one has a PM magnet woofer, and the Stephens HF driver is a field coil type. I will upload another video with the renewed electronics and better cartridge, but it isn't doing too bad as it is for being 63 years old.

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Entertainment

Tags:

• magnavox
• windsor
• 1948
• magnavox-vintage-radios
• antique-radios
• antique-record-players
• classic-1940's
• webster
• chicago
• changer
• vintage-tube-radios
• vintage-tube-record-players
• console-radios
• console-record-players
• classic-audio-equipment
• vintage-audio-equipment

[MusicMike1285]

whats the name of this song thats playing? very pretty!!

[maynardcat]

@MusicMike1285 I belong to you Ralph Flanagan orchestra

[AstroSonic1967]

Very nice console. I also have a Windsor from the early 50's. I'm using a Webster 3 speed changer with a Stanton 500 cartridge and a Fisher one-tube pre-amp for the phono cartridge. The Stanton cartridge really helped the reproduction of records. When you replace your changer you might want to keep an eye out for the Webster 3 speeds that have the plug in head shells w/standard mounting holes. If you go GE, I'd go w/the VR II. They are easier on records than the older RPX series.

[maynardcat]

@AstroSonic1967 Hi Thanks for the advise, very much appreciated. I've seen a few 3 speed Websters excactly like this one with 3 speeds on ebay ,but they were very high priced. I do have a 3 speed early 50's webster that I found this summer, but looks somewhat different from this one. I have a stanton cartridge, but I am not sure of the model, which I am going to check out. I do have a couple of the GE VR11 cartidges, but they won't fit in this particular tonearm as it is too narrow.

[MusicMike1285]

@maynardcat Thanks. I've never heard of Ralph Flanagan. I'll have to look i up. By listening to it I thought it was glenn miller and the modernaires.

[75capriceconvertible]

Absolutely STUNNING. What a piece of furniture, and what components and what a record changer. The original cartridge sounds impressive, I can't imagine how it will sound with the upgrade. This was definitely a rich man's (or woman's?) toy for 1948... just beautiful.

[spannerworks1]

Hi

Just a great sound with depth and range - over the web.

A piece to treasure

Warm regards

Richard

[gabevee3]

That phono sound is super! And we're listening to it from a likely mid grade mike and digital recording! I bet it's tons better in person! Wow!

[maynardcat]

@chkjns That is true it would have been a little irritating, but electronically, and in sound it was way ahead of its time, and could have been easily updated with the 3 speed Webster changer that came out in the 1949 model which looked identical except for the speed indicator. The only updating the previous owner did was a little RCA RP-168 45 player that came along for the ride for free which needs new idler wheels and cartridge, and odd update for something this expensive.

[chkjns]

@okiebill1948 To put the price in perspective, my dad began as a trainee commercial insurance underwriter in 1950 at a salary of $50/wk. That unit represented 1/3 of a year's GROSS salary !!! How sad that this wonderful machine became instantly obsolete with Columbia introducing LP records that same year & RCA coming out with 45s in 1949! Man, I would have been so ticked off after paying a price like that . . .

Tech wars it has been & tech wars it shall always be.