Tube line up
- 12AX7A Left and Right Audio Amplifier
- 6BQ6A Left Output
- 6BQ6A Right Output
- 5Y3GT Rectifier
This unit isn't really portable, it's luggable, the largest record player to evolve form the suitcase portable style of phonograph. GE managed to take a full-size Voice of Music turntable and enclose it in a big, leather covered box with speakers and a 4-tube stereo amplifier. I would say this is the most "deluxe" portable phonograph I have ever seen. Below is an overview of the entire unit. It has 4 speakers, two in the main unit, and one each in the removable speakers that are shown hinged to the sides.
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Below, a view of the neat, cleanly-designed record changer. This changer was made by the infamous Voice of Music Corporation, of Benton Harbor, Michigan. V-M changers from this time period are my favorite record changers for a few reasons I will soon go into.
Below, another view of the changer. In these two view I have shown the changer playing a stack of 45's; fourteen of them to be exact, mostly mid 60's oldies. Therein lies the feature I like so much about these changers: stacking capacity.
The typical V-M changer from this era will stack:
14 seven-inch records (any hole size)
12 ten-inch records
10 twelve-inch records
10 ten and twelve inch records of the same speed, intermixed.
Compare this to the changers made in the 1970's, made usually by BSR or V-M and almost always black with silver accents:
6 seven-inch records (45's with the flat adapter)
6 ten-inch records
6 twelve inch records
no intermixing of record sizes.
I have a lot of 78's, 45's, and 33-1/3's that I like to hear. The ability to stack 12 10" records (the most popular size for most recordings) is very convenient if I wish to just sit down and listen to music. I find that the old 78's old up very well on these older changers. I do not play cracked records or records without center trip grooves in changer operation. This changer can be put in full manual mode by turning it on without turning the knob to "REJ".
Above, a view of the control layout. Rather than a tone control, a separate bass and treble control is used. Other controls are balance, loudness, and stereo. The stereo control allows you to optimize reproduction when using the removable speakers (we would probably call them satellite speakers nowadays).
Below, the GE logo, black on white leather. This logo is printed on the cover over the tubes.
Oh yes, I even have the owner's instructions for this gem!!! And yes, I do have the removable legs. They store in a little compartment in the main unit. They are heavy, solid steel (stainless maybe) and screw into mounts recessed into the bottom of the cabinet.
Finally, another view with the lid close and the instructions sitting on top. Despite its huge size (for a portable), this is really a fine unit and must have been expensive in its day.
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