1969 Zenith Z434 "The Glissando"
 

What a nice radio! American made solid state from '69, it really has a deep and rich sounding tone to it. Actually, the only reason I purchased it was the way Zenith boasted about it's tuned "dyna-Sound" system and twin-cone high-compliance speaker. (had to see for myself!) I have most of the info for the '69 radio and tv line and this one was the best you could get for an am-fm table radio.
They are going cheap on ebay right now and if you want an impressive sounding every day "driver" I would suggest getting one!

There you go again Cap'tmoody...just when I'm starting to make some ground on my overdue projects and feeling satisfied with the current situation, you throw this at me. Thanks man.

:-)

Seriously, I've found few of the Zenith solid state's to be worth a damn; but the 'Circle of Sound' units are worthy of shelf space. 'Course, that opinion DOES NOT include my 1968 Zenith console, which is Lord and Master over all electronic devices in my home. If the house was on fire, I'd get the wife/kids/dog out first, but it would be a real toss up between the Zenith or my Music Man Saber bass. Then again, what's a little smoke inhalation between friends?

OK, I'll bite. On the lookout-

Looks like you got one, and at a steal! Let us know what you think when it arrives.

Yeah, I cruised over to 'the bay' after reading your post and there it was. The shipping is four times the cost of the radio! That'll work, as long as it arrives in one piece.

Did Zenith really call it "The Glissando"? If so, that rocks! "Super Interlude" is pretty groovy too. I remember studying about glissando in music theory.

Thanks for the tip Cap...will give a shout-out once it gets in.

Dwight,

Nice call on the Z434! This is without question the best sounding Zenith solid state table radio I've heard, and the beefy construction is impressive. Even though it is transistor, I think is qualifies as a vintage radio, due to its build origin and date of manufacture. Certainly, a solid 'daily driver' if need be and a worthwhile addition to my collection. I like it.

On that note, here's another interesting Zenith transistor: eBay item # 110032338850.
Worth looking into? I believe it is from the Circle of Sound series.

Still, as nice as the Z434 is, it can't match the mighty 8-tube C/H845 for tone, reception or presence, but that isn't its fault. Few (if any) table radios are of that status, including Zenith's own MJ 1035 which should be better, but I believe is let down somewhat by its speakers. After the 845, everything else is an also-ran!

Thanks again for the tip Capt! I enjoy sharing the hunt with you-

Glad I could help! What the heck, if you have the shelf space, get the other one!

I agree with everything you said, Nolan. My C-845 still sounds great; in fact, it sounds better than my K731. If my apartment was on fire, I'd get out ASAP, of course, but not before grabbing the '845 if I could. The C/H845 was probably one of the best table radios Zenith ever made. Sounds good, looks great, and the reception is better than most of the other radios in my collection, even using just the line-cord FM antenna. :thmbsp: There is a classical music station some 50 miles west of here that is right next to a very strong country station on the dial (the country station is on 104.7, the classical station is on 104.9). The C845 will get the classical station just fine with the AFC off. This radio was obviously made not only with high-fidelity sound in mind, but for good performance in far-suburban or near-fringe FM reception areas as well. I live some 40 miles due southwest of all but one of the Cleveland FMs and can get every one of them as clearly as if I were living 5 miles from the transmitters. I can also hear most stations from a town some 30 miles from Cleveland and even one right next to a 16kW Cleveland station on 107.9 (just 0.2 MHz down the dial), again with the AFC off.

BTW, how is the stereo speaker input on the C845 supposed to work? I noticed a warning on the schematic that, quote, "coded stereo speaker leads must be connected to coded speaker terminals." I do not see such coding on the speaker terminal strip on my set. Was there the danger of a short across the audio output stage or the power supply if the external speaker was connected backwards?

I'm surprised that the C845 actually outperforms the MJ1035, as you have mentioned several times in your posts. (I never owned a 1035; I'm just going on your obervations.) I would have thought it would be the other way around, considering that the MJ1035 is set up for stereo FM. You said it is "let down somewhat" by its speakers. How big are the speakers in the 1035, including the external speaker? If one were to connect the MJ1035 to a good set of hi-fi speakers, would it sound that much better, maybe even surpassing the sound quality of the C-845? From what you say, it would seem to me that the MJ1035 would sound every bit as good as the 845 if not for the speakers.

The Z434 being solid-state, it cannot match, as you mentioned, the C845 or any of Zenith's better tube powered radios because solid state audio systems don't, indeed cannot produce that warm, full-bodied sound any good tube audio stage can. I have a 200-total-watt bookshelf stereo system (solid state) with an 8-band equalizer, surround sound, etc. that sounds great in its own right, but I think both my K731 and C845 have it beat by a country mile when it comes to sound quality, presence, and so on, even if they are monophonic. One reason, I think, is that the C845 has a true tone control that doesn't just cut the highs, as most others do. I doubt very much if even Zenith's last so-called hi-fi table radio made in the early 1980s, which had bass and treble tone controls and a tuning meter, sounds as good as the C845/H845 series does--again because that so-called hi-fi radio is solid-state and probably has a so-so speaker.

Jeff,

I'm right up against my deadline right now, so I can't answer your questions in the manner they deserve. Once I get through this mass of writing (probably by Saturday) I'll give you the scoop and post interior pics of each radio.

More Zenith blather...
 

Jeff,

You've got me on the speaker phasing question! Although I haven't tried to hook another speaker up to an 845; some of the early C730s have external speaker strips too, in addition to the phono jack and switch. The MJ uses an RCA-type push connector to connect its stereo speaker; the same style used for the phono jack.

Come to think of it, I haven't tried a turn table either...

To answer your other question, I did a bit of looking and discovered the speakers in the MJ1035 are exactly the same ones (same part number) used in the 845...or at least, the ones I have. Both radio and speaker cabinet use the same size; each are roughly 8" in diameter and uses one tweeter; an identical set up to what Zenith installed in the 845.

Here's the stereo speaker box:

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g6...thman/MJ01.jpg

And a look from the outside:

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g6...thman/MJ02.jpg

Here's at peek at the MJ 1035's speaker and a bit of its chassis:

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g6...thman/MJ04.jpg

...and finally, the whole set:

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g6...thman/MJ03.jpg

This MJ arrived this week and it is a really clean example. Don't ask how many I have now! My wife may read this! :nono:

As for the sound and reception differences, I have no explanation now. I remember reading somewhere (on another antique radio forum) that the MJ had cheap speakers, and that compromised its sound. I don't agree with that knowing what I know now, but can't explain why the radios sound so different. The MJ 1035 is warm and mellow, typically excellent Zenith tone adjustment and can be played quite loud before distorting.

I don’t want to say the MJ has poor reception because that wouldn’t be accurate, it is excellent, but doesn’t ‘seem’ to be on the same level as the 845, which most (me included) regard as extraordinary. The big MJ lacks the punchy bass reflex of the 845 table radios and the separation; I was listening to a Lovin’ Spoonful song the other night (“Younger Girl”) and heard instruments that I never noticed before. Just a truly great and special radio.

Time permitting, I may try some other speakers on the MJ, but bottom line; the 845 is a better radio. If dual speakers and stereo separation is important to you, find an MJ and enjoy; it's a fine set. They are still affordable and if you are really serious about collecting Zenith, you must have both. The MJ 1035 is the 'zenith' of Zenith table radios…even if it isn’t the best Zenith table radio.

One last comment on solid state
 

Hi Jeff, all;

Although I agree with your comment that solid state/transistors can't produce the warmth and presense found in quality tube sets, there ARE some exceptions.

My 1968 Zenith Y-928w stereo was the second-to-cheapest console sold by Zenith that year, but nonetheless it delivers a warm, pleasing tone that almost confused me; Is this really a solid state? Wonderous! And its handsome too.

A post sent by RCA2000 explained this somewhat. As an early Solid State, this Zenith uses high quality germanium transistors and Zenith's noted point-to-point wiring sockets. It has two 10"woofers, two 2-3 1/2"mids and two horns. Not a run of the mill transistor radio!

So while it could use an upgrade on the output capacitors, this is one SS radio that sounds very vintage and warm. Like Capt'Moody said so well, having a solid state 'daily driver' around for change of pace listening enjoyment isn't a bad idea at all-

Nolan, I didn't realize that the MJ1035 used the same speakers as the C/H845 series. Thanks much for posting the pictures of those (and the chassis), as I've never seen the inside of an MJ1035 before now and have had the back off my C845 only once since I've had it. Come to think of it, I never saw or owned a table radio with a speaker or cabinet as big as the C845 either, until now. The radio sounds excellent; it is an example of Zenith quality we will never see again. I am especially impressed by the deep bass the 845's 8-inch speaker provides. The tone control in the 845 series is also a true tone control, not the cheaper circuit found in other sets that simply cuts down the highs. I never saw that in a table radio till now, either; but then again, as I said, until I got the C845, I never owned a radio of this caliber. It now has a place of honor on my dresser in my bedroom, and you can be sure I won't part with it.

I was not aware until I read your latest post that the Zenith Y928W console from 1968 sounds as good as many tube-powered audio systems. I read a post of yours to another forum about this console, and know now why you like it so well. I remember seeing a Magnavox radio/phono console (tube powered, no TV) years ago that also had the treble horns, so Zenith didn't have a corner on that design.

Your console must be huge, but that's another reason it sounds as good as you say it does. Then again, the original Zenith Radio Corporation was not a company which was in the habit of cutting corners. The fact that your console still works, and well, after 38 years is living proof of that; even more so if your set has its original record changer, and still more so if the original changer has the original stylus, but that all depends on how much you and/or your family listen to records these days. My best guess is that your console's changer has likely gone through several styli and perhaps has had a new idler wheel installed at one point in the last 38 years, or, perhaps it's had a complete new changer installed. However, given the quality of Zenith's record changers in most of its consoles, it wouldn't surprise me if your set still has the original four-speed changer.

I owned a Zenith "Circle of Sound" AM/FM clock radio (model F472W) some 20-25 years ago. The flip-type digital clock had quit when I got it, so I removed it and wired in a standard push-button switch. This was the model with Target Tuning, which was a small LED mounted in the tuning pointer. The LED showed when the radio was tuned exactly on a station; a small PC board mounted above the main board contained the circuitry which operated this unique tuning-indicator system. Unfortunately, this radio got lost when I moved seven years ago and is probably (almost certainly) long gone by now. I wish I would have kept it, as it was a unique design I haven't seen in any radio (except one, as I will explain) before or since. I do have a Sony transistor portable with a tuning indicator mounted in the upper left corner of the slide-rule tuning scale, but it probably uses a small "grain of wheat" bulb as the tuning indicator, mounted behind a small horizontal red lens (I'd be surprised as all get-out if it used an LED in this position, given the fact that the radio was made in 1973). Oh well. Perhaps I'll find another set like the Zenith F472W on ebay one of these days. I liked the sound mine had, but it had one flaw that always puzzled me, until now. I used to like to listen to an FM station at 97.1 years ago (late '70s-'80s), but on my Zenith Circle of Sound radio, that station would be cut out by, of all things, aircraft radio interference whenever a plane flew over the house. I didn't get this interference on a Zenith stereo I had at the time, nor on any other FM radio I owned.

I just now did some figuring and found out, I think anyway, why my Zenith COS was picking up that aircraft radio interference. The FM station I was listening to was about 50 miles away and operated on 97.1 MHz; the FM IF frequency is 10.7 MHz. Do the math (97.1+10.7x2) and we now have 118.5 MHz, which is right smack in the middle of the aircraft band; the reception of the aircraft signal on the FM broadcast band is due to an IF image. I do not get interference of this kind where I live now, as I am some distance from any major airport; I live almost 50 miles from the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, so I don't expect to be getting interference from its aircraft radio systems. There are a couple of smaller (carrier, non-commercial) airports within 15 miles of my small town, but I haven't been hearing their radio systems on my stereo (Aiwa bookshelf system with digital AM/FM tuner), or any other FM radio I presently own, since I've been here--knock on wood.