Thought I'd devote a thread to some of the truly magnificent radios of the past. As you might expect, the Americans led with them.

I'll kick it off with the 30 valve Scott Philharmonic of 1937

Original price US$275 (U$4,528 in 2016) [see * below]

EH Scott was born in New Zealand in 1887, orphaned at 14, and while in the Australian Army Corps, invented an automobile trouble shooting device which eventually brought him $46,000. After World War I, he migrated to Chicago.

"Scott owners included Sir John Barbirolli, Eugene Goosens, Tullio Serafin, Lauritz Melchior, Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor, Deems Taylor, Guy Lombardo, Rudy Vallee and Arturo Toscanini. These names attest to the authenticity of the sound produced for that period. Other owners included Prince Otto von Bismarck, the Baron de Rothschild, and the Chicago Tribune’s Colonel McCormick. The Hearst press used Scott receivers to monitor world news events. A Scott tuner was used to receive one of the earliest experimental television broadcast demonstrations during the 30s in Chicago." (http://hhscott.com/e_h_scott_2.htm)

Line-up: 6U7 x2, 6L7 x 3, 6E5 x2, 6K7 x 3, 6J5 x 2, 6J5 x3, 6B8 x4, 6H6, 6J7, VR150, 6J5, 6N6, 6L6 x 4, 5Z3 x 2

What a radio masterpiece ! There are more controls on the front than a high grade communications receiver.

Quite honestly I would not dare to try to work on such a radio let alone re align it.

Thanks for putting this up.

Hammarlund of the U.S.A whom were noted for their mostly commercial grade shortwave radios also produced a version for domestic usage.

A monster by any standards.

http://www.radioblvd.com/super%20pro/SP150CONSOLE.jpg

I have serviced a couple of Midwests & consider that there were a few valves that did not make a lot of contribution. Noise wise four 6F6 in Push pull into a Jensen Woofer & Tweeter did make a contribution.

There were 18 valves in one with two 5Y3s with their plates parallel, in the power supply (serious current) Eventually there was a court case against the US Manufacturers for putting in valves that served no worthwhile purpose and in some cases, it was only the heaters that were connected.

Marc