Are any NSW members into vintage Hi-Fi? If so there is a very nice Astor HF radiogram for sale on Ebay at the moment. It's not mine but it's too nice to see it sitting unloved on Ebay.

Specs (taken from period advertising):

For the discerning...the superb Astor "twin-unit" high-fidelity, created by the vast resources of Electronic Industries.

* Separate player console and speaker unit of the "infinite baffle" type.
* Power output 9 watts.
* Frequency response 33 to 15,000 cycles per second.
* Twin 12" high-fidelity speakers.
* Spring mounted Thorens automatic player.
* Separate bass and treble controls.
* Electronic tuning indicator.
* Input socket for tape recorder or FM adapter.
* Function switch to select the correct tone balance for all types of records.
* Storage for 170 records.

Price 429 GNS

The imported Swiss Thorens turntable uses a magnetic cartridge and tracks under 10 grams making it compatible with newer vinyl records. The amplifier uses a pair of 6V6 valves with much larger transformers than normally found in the typical radiogram. The separate speaker unit is a sealed enclosure with a pair of English speakers (Baker's I believe).

It's being advertised with an AWA radiogram so the ad title is misleading. See it here: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/AWA-Radiola-Vintage-Radio-Turntable-Speakers-Antinque-Radiola-Cabinet-/271647274925....

429 GNS was a massive amount of money. The average mantel radio was selling for around £25 which was about a weeks wage in the 50's. I don't imagine too many of these were ever sold.

429 GNS was a massive amount of money.

It sure was!

For comparison purposes, according to the RBA 429 guineas in 1955 equates to $14,127 today.

It was a lot of money. The Astor HF was the price of a small car which means it sold in very limited numbers. They are not the average radiogram for the consumer market, it was aimed at a select market that would equate to audiophiles today.

That's the reason I pointed it out, they were built to a very high standard with cost not being the main consideration and it is now available for less than the cost of a tank of petrol!

The seller has been offering that for around a month. Personally I don't think it'll sell until he corrects the title and classifies all the photos so people can keep track of what they are looking at. There are two different beasts in that auction.

Yep, it's a hodgepodge of an ad and helps neither seller nor buyer.

Curiosity got the better of me and I put a bid in on it. $50 and I pick it up tomorrow so I've spent the day rearranging things in the workshop to fit it in. I'd looked at the listing a few times in recent weeks but the Astor looked pretty uninteresting and those AWA radiograms are everywhere.

TV Collector, where did you find the info on it? I've been searching around in Trove but can't find it. Actually I can't find any reference to it anywhere. Radio Museum doesn't list any Astors with push pull 6V6's nor does the HRSA Radio Manufacturers list.

This is an interesting piece. I haven't had a chance to get right into the Astor yet but from what I can see through the ventilation holes in the bottom it has a separate amplifier in the base of the unit, and although I can't see it, I assume the tuner at the top. The amplifier has a large rectifier (5V4G?) 6AU6 x 2, 6V6GT x 2, a very large mains transformer and 2 equally large OP transformers. The speaker unit is massive, approx 900mm high, 900mm wide and 500mm deep and weighs a ton. The whole thing is in very good condition but unfortunately has a few deep gouges in the high gloss finish that look quite recent. It was stored in a small warehouse and looks like a bit of transit damage.

The only Astor (or for that matter any unit) that has a lineup anything like this has a couple of 6AQ5's and is shortwave which this radio insn't. Once I figure out how to get into it I'll hopefully find a bit more information.

Cheers,

Warren

Yay, it found a home!

For $50 you can't go wrong and hopefully it lives up to it's claimed specifications. The Astor HF is a virtually unknown model with no information on it to be found. It does not appear in the AORSM's and so far no original service documents have been found. It appears in a David Jones brochure from the 1950's (the source of my info) and the only reference I've found in Trove was a small ad for the private sale of one.
I've confirmed that these almost mythical beasts exist with an ex-Astor employee who remembers them being built.
I have one myself in the "get to it" pile so if needs be we can compare notes if you run into problems. Mine is missing the headshell from the Thorens turntable so I'm envious that yours is complete with the now rather rare and expensive GE magnetic cartridge.

Hopefully someone can provide a scan of the David Jones brochure or even better, some other documentation on these rare radiograms.