RCA 16 tube 18K console recapped - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: RCA 16 tube 18K console recapped (/showthread.php?tid=25854)

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RCA 16 tube 18K console recapped - Dan Walker - 06-23-2025

I have had this radio for about a year and I finally got to it.
With 16 tubes it is a monster.but I finally got it recapped.

  As with many radios,other people have been in there. On this radio someone had cut all
four wires coming from the compensator pack ,and changed the tone control.

It also does not have any wires going to the  SPEECH and MUSIC bulbs  but that is OK
It plays good now  except  for the motorized tuning, and I fiddled with it for over an hour. The motor works great.

    I  find that after I get a station set up according to the instructions,,  it stops short of the station. I believe that there is some slack in the connections.

  BUT the main thing  is the radio plays good and I can live with manual tuning.
The next thing is the cabinet,if the weather here ever gets warm again.

Yesterday it was 35 F  with radio.
OH well
 Dan in Calgary
 Dan in Calgary

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RE: RCA 16 tube 18K console recapped - morzh - 06-24-2025

35F with radio...in an enclosed space? Radio in the open makes little difference in temperature

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RE: RCA 16 tube 18K console recapped - RodB - 06-24-2025

Which tube is in charge of doing windows?

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RE: RCA 16 tube 18K console recapped - Paul Philco322 - 06-24-2025

It's going to be over 100F in Boston today. Paul. I know weather thread

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RE: RCA 16 tube 18K console recapped - Dan Walker - 06-24-2025

Sorry guys   MY post should have read   35F with   RAIN.
Dan in Calgary

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RE: RCA 16 tube 18K console recapped - MrFixr55 - 06-25-2025

Hi Dan,

Looks like a neat radio.  Can't find the schematic.  If you can post a link that would be great.  Is it an 18K or is there a digit missing? 

Looks like the set has 6L6s for the output stage, and the back on the speaker area indicates that RCA Victor had some idea of baffling and / or tuned ports.  Love the "Magic Brain" Sticker.  They used that for quite a while in the 30s.  Apparently, it was in a smoker's house. 

As to the tube count, RCA actually ran an ad on one of these higher end radios similar to this one, explaining that each tube had a task and there were no tubes in there merely for "tube count"  For example, there appears to be an advantage in fidelity with the separate 6H6 detector and audio amp instead of a 6Q7 Detector / 1st AF Amp.

How far up north or high in the mountains is Calgary?  I know it gets cold in the winter, but 34 Deg F in June?  Do you mean 34 Deg C?  Was abut 99 Deg F / 37 Deg C here in Long Island, NY, Southeast tip of NY, the past few days.

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RE: RCA 16 tube 18K console recapped - Dan Walker - 06-26-2025

My post was right  34 degrees F.  It was cold.but yesterday it was 70F.
Sorry I don't have an attachment


Dan in Calgary

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RE: RCA 16 tube 18K console recapped - MrFixr55 - 06-26-2025

Dan, 34 Deg F in the summer is kind of amazing. But I just went to Wikipedia and I guess at about 3500 ft above sea level and about 51 Deg N latitude vs my location of 200 ft above sea level and 41 Deg N latitude, that may explain it.

Pix seem to show an add-on radio - phono jack on the back. did this go to the terminals at the lower left or was it hard wired to the chassis originally? Wonder what it sounds like with a hi fi signal from an MP3, CD, etc injected directly into the audio section.


Good luck with the radio.

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RE: RCA 16 tube 18K console recapped - Dan Walker - 06-26-2025

There is no phono jack ,on the back but there are instructions as to how to hook up a Record player to the radios amp.
 I made an adapt or so I can use my MP3 with this radio BUT  I have not tried it yet.
As the radio plays good     ,there is lots of sound.     It is a BIG 16 tube RCA, so It should sound good
 Dan in Calgary

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RE: RCA 16 tube 18K console recapped - palegreenthumb - 07-12-2025

MrFixr55 - The model number is RCA 816K.

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RE: RCA 16 tube 816 K console recapped - Dan Walker - 07-13-2025

I finally got the cabinet done on this BIG radio.
The radio is big and very heavy,but it sounds good.

   The electric tuning motor works very well but after 88 years of use, the teeth on the gears are worn so the dial won't stop exactly where it should.
   I can live with that.

Here are some photos.
 Dan in Calgary

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RE: RCA 16 tube 18K console recapped - Vlad95 - 07-13-2025

Cabinet before and now   - absolutely great work.
Congrat ! 

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RE: RCA 16 tube 18K console recapped - MrFixr55 - 07-14-2025

 Really nice job!  What a beastie!  Not a Scott Philharmonic or a Zenith Stratosphere, but one of RCA's best.  25Watt output!  If only this had a better speaker than a single 12".  I it heresy to sneak a tweeter mounted coaxially to the speaker?

For anyone interested, here's the schematic from Nostalgia Air:

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RE: RCA 16 tube 18K console recapped - morzh - 07-14-2025

Great final result. Nice addition to every room.

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RE: RCA 16 tube 18K console recapped - Joe Rossi - 07-22-2025

Gorgeous radio! Congratulations. Joe

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