Radiola III-A (modified) with Tower Adventurer Speaker

[Rob Uthe]

The Radiola III-A was almost completely wrecked internally when I received it, though the outside was okay:
-it was missing one tube socket strip, and the other was badly damaged
-all three transformers had open windings, and one of the three was a previous replacement
-rivets on both rheostats were popped
-the fixed tuning capacitors had been cut off (grid leak was still there).
-no tubes (no surprise!)
-most of the bus wire had been replaced with line cord that was frayed

For the two original transformers, I replaced them with the Hammond transformers that fit in the original cases. The third one I replaced with a universal 1:3 interstage transformer. The tuning coil was fine, which was a blessing.

Since I didn’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on sockets, fabricating or buying adapters and using 864s or one of the regular replacement tubes, I installed four octal sockets and used 1A5 tubes as replacements. It isn’t period accurate, and purists will hate it, but they work and they are cheap. I can always go back and do it “correctly” later, but for a period-accurate restoration, I’d like to start with one in better condition.

I didn’t modify the circuit much, except to add resistors across the filaments to increase the current draw and allow the rheostats to function. I also added DC blocking capacitors at the output to keep the B+ out of the speaker. The radio works well, though it is no collector piece. I also have enough 1A5 tubes to last a couple lifetimes.

The Tower Adventurer speaker is another story. I have tried to make it as original as possible. The driver was re-wound by someone who has the expertise, the replacement cord is cloth with proper phone pins, and even the cone is a period-accurate replacement. It sounds great and looks wonderful; I wouldn’t change it at all.

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