Vintage Zenith 8 track stereo system, Zenith Allegro 1000 speakers

Here's a mid '70s looking Zenith 8 track/AM/FM receiver, with it's matching Zenith Allegro 1000 speakers.

This stereo sounds phenominal, and it has a very powerful amp. Very quality unit.

But when I bought it, the 8 track didn't work. i just figured it was the belt, and I was right. The belt was melted and gooey and sticky and disgusting, and cleaning it up was a huge pain in the ass, so I pulled the belt out of my old Lloyd's 8 track deck; the motor blew on that one.
The belt was a perfect fit for the Zenith.

But the problem is that I can't get the stereo open. I can take the back panel off, but that's about it. Which was mostly why cleaning up the old gooey belt was such a pain in the ass.

This stereo is replacing my JIL Concerto rig, which sounded like crap, and was very underpowered. It's pretty much the same basic type of unit as this Zenith, except it can record, so i have it set up with my upstairs stereo, for when I wanna make an 8 track.
I would have made a video of the Concerto, but my camera battery died, which is why this video looks so hastily made towards the end.

I also forgot to present operation of the BSR record changer I have matched with this stereo. It's a bottom of the barrel turntable, but it sounds great for what it is, it's very reliable, and it works like new.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• zenith
• 8track
• track
• stereo
• digilite
• allegro
• 1000
• speakers

[osdelced]

We have the same type of stereo (with cassette tape deck and BSR turntable model) since my father buy it in December 1973, and it works so good!. :)

[wilkes85]

Awesome! I saw a unit just like that at the thrift store about a year ago but i didn't buy it.

Yea these Zenith stereos are awesome aren't they? They're built very well, and they perform great.

[Matrix803]

Zenith recievers back then were the best. This unit is the most unique thing I've ever seen. They should've left out the program lights and have it say "PROGRAM #" on the display! There are actually 8-track players that have a true LCD display for the program numbers. o:

Love this video. And the music at the end. Hehe. :D

[wilkes85]

That would be awesome! Right on the tuning dial, that would look so cool.

[vwestlife]

The "Matrix" mode will give you a surround sound effect when you have an additional rear pair of speakers connected. It is not true quadraphonic, but it is still a very nice effect. (Normal stereo mode just plays the same audio through the front and rear speakers.)

[wilkes85]

That sounds cool! i gotta try that out! I did notice a change in sound when i flicked that switch with just 2 speakers connected.

[grodenbarg]

interesting stereo unit. BTW:innards may slide out through the rear of unit, if not tried to dismantle (my guess, worth trying). :P

[stilleavy]

u must b Canadian w/ that intro. cheap gear, but sometimes the cheap stuff is more interesting than the hi end stuff.

[TrekFan85]

Picked up a Major Eight Track player with some Cheap Trick today. Now I just need some speakers...

[weasel2htm]

I have a stereo very similar to that, however mine has a 8-track recorder and a 2nd set of RCA connecting to the tape record jacks. Mine sadly has gotten very beat up and the case is rotting out from being in the basement so long. I do like the feature of disconnecting the the 8 track so another tape deck can be used with the stereo.

[comgeek24]

My grandfather had an old Zenith BSR turntable with the AM/FM tuner and 8 track with the Digilite display. I remember being obsessed with it as a kid and trying to figure out how the display worked. Thanks for posting!

[CassetteMaster]

Very nice indeed. The tape record and play jacks are for hooking up an external recorder. The "record" is for line output and the "play" for line input of the stereo.

[UzumakiNarutoX3]

Are there screws in the bottom of the unit (like 4 or so)? If yes, try to unsrew them and pull the chassis out to the front. My receiver is built like that, perhaps that helps...

[lrd9999]

(continued)

3. Removal of the screws on the sides (and maybe the bottom) allows the chassis (including the face plate) to slide forward and out. This is the most likely setup for a Zenith, I think.

One last possibility: that the wood case slides back, revealing a metal case that would probably fit scenario 1. That would be very unlikely for a Zenith, more common on an upmarket receiver with an optional wood case.

Anyway, if you take off enough screws and knobs, the rest will become obvious.

[lrd9999]

With the back already removed, those receivers usually came apart one of three ways:

1. Removal of the screws on the side allowed the top and sides to come off as one piece. Unlikely for your model, more common with metal cases.

2. Removal of the screws on the bottom and the knobs on the front allowed the chassis to slide out the back. More common with cheapo brands, which often had separate chassis for the receiver and the tape deck, than a Zenith.

[osdelced]

Yeah. Our stereo survived to partys, removals, earthquakes, and the complete family use and abuse... ha, ha!. In it, i taught myself to play my first records, and to re-record my first cassette tapes. :D And this stereo give to me my first audio and electronic lessons. :)