Dynatron K329 "Ether Sovereign" TV/radiogram

At that period Marion, it is more likely to be "sound on" and "vision on" - rather like some RGDs of that era. I'll take some photos of the chassis tomorrow or Wednesday when I'm next up the store. It's a 12" set, mains EHT (with voltage doubler). The TV21 chassis forms part of a K329 Ether Sovereign combined TV and radiogram.

I have found two photos with different cabinets from the valve page. Is it one of these, I have been looking for service information but found none.

Ah, I see,

I'm about 20 years into the future... As I said, I wasn't familiar with the chassis, and was a long way off. It still looks like a fantastic set, and in my eyes, a lovely piece of furniture.

Kit like the topmost two of those pictures always makes me think of Wurlitzers and Comptons, and the like.

It's the upper ("Modern") one, Frank - the K329 looks the same as the K349.

The K329 has a TV21 chassis in it, and should have a T69 tuner and LF59 amplifier with Garrard RC60/65 record changer - but mine has a T57 tuner and an LF44 amplifier, which are later.

It has a wonderful Art-Deco style and I love it.

When new, I would imagine that if you had to ask the price, you probably couldn't afford it.  ? 

Posted by: PYE625

It has a wonderful Art-Deco style and I love it. 

You might not say that when you have to lift the ruddy thing into a transit van !

New back please !  ? 

Catho never picks anything easy  ? 

Posted by: Marc

You might not say that when you have to lift the ruddy thing into a transit van !

New back please !  ? 

Catho never picks anything easy  ? 

You'd hate it if I did 😉

Posted by: Cathovisor

Posted by: Marc

You might not say that when you have to lift the ruddy thing into a transit van !

New back please !  ? 

Catho never picks anything easy  ? 

You'd hate it if I did 😉

Too right I would !   ?  ?  ? 

Right - second attempt at a reply, as I just lost the first one!

The TV chassis came from the actual set featured in the late Michael Bennett-Levy's book Historic Televisions and Video Recorders and bears a Bonham's auction label to that effect. It was also the subject of a restoration thread over on UKVRRR back in 2010.

I have the correct record changer for this (currently it has none) - a Garrard RC60 with a Garrard high-fidelity pickup. I knew it had one of these as when I got the 'gram out of the van (on my own, by the way 😉 ) and inverted it to deal with the castors a used stylus fell out! There's a problem with this, which we shall return to.

The radio chassis are going to be more problematic for a pedant like me. Currently, it is fitted with a T57 tuner and an LF44a amplifier which is a combination often seen on the newer Ether Princess radiograms; they're all 6-volt miniature valves. My Ether Princess has the radio chassis and I suspect it may have had the bigger LF612 amplifier, but it was missing! However, the Ether Sovereign should really have a T69 tuner and an LF59B amplifier (4-volt Mazda valves). The problem is, that amplifier is the one much loved by 'high-fidelity enthusiasts' and has PP3/250 triodes in it. So finding one will neither be easy or cheap.

Cabinet-wise, the finish is tired but the serious problem is that the bottom of the cabinet is very badly damaged; that will need expert repair/replacement.

As for service data; I have all that I need both from the previous owner and from the Dynatron Museum for the variants of radio and amplifier chassis, but neither the TV or indeed, how this set switches the loudspeaker between radio and television as it has but the one fitted. More research required, no doubt.

However, there are more pressing sets in the queue; not least, Brian's GEC BT8161 recreation.

Posted by: Cathovisor

I got the 'gram out of the van (on my own, by the way 😉 ) .

See, I told you Yorkshire curry gives you strength....amongst other things   ? 

A quick picture of the damage to the base. The bits of decking used for the previous castors (which were bent/collapsed) will, in the fullness of time, be removed and more appropriate castors fitted.

A bit of a challenge to repair the base but I guess a steam box and ply bending should sort the plinth curves.

Posted by: Marc

A bit of a challenge to repair the base but I guess a steam box and ply bending should sort the plinth curves.

Neither of which I have - plus, me and wood have a hate/hate relationship!

Marion asked for pictures, so here they are.

In some respects, a quite modern looking chassis, and good news or bad, I see some new electrolytics in there, so I guess that it has been working, or worked on, in fairly recent times? - I guess to find out, you just have to cross the Rubycon?

Did I see the British end of the "Anglo-French Interconnector" atop that large bottle?

Posted by: Katie Bush

[..] I see some new electrolytics in there, so I guess that it has been working, or worked on, in fairly recent times? 

yes repaired by Trevor Goodenough aka MurphyV310, Mike indirectly mentioned this with a link to the repair in previous post #10  ? 

Posted by: PYE625

When new, I would imagine that if you had to ask the price, you probably couldn't afford it.  ? 

Thanks to John at the Dynatron Museum, here's an extract from what looks like the Trader, dated 4/10/1947.

For comparison, in 1948 the new Morris Minor was £358.

Hi Catho,

At 1947 it's a year or so older than I thought too.

Probably, probably not Marc - most likely the October '47 piece is the Radiolympia announcement. Where serial number 62 sits in the scheme of things is another matter.

There's an odd switch assembly given loose to me that has two toggle switches linked together (you can see it in the photo of the LF44A): one includes a 'power' type cable, another is a changeover covered in screened cable. There's also a panel with a large resistor on it that looks as though it plugs into the loudspeaker socket on the TV chassis.

More information clearly required.