German radios, 1955 to 1960.

German Radios: 3D-Sound FM sets, late 1955 – 1960
Index of the models in this section
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AEG 4075
Grundig 3055 WF/3D
Kaiser W1245-3D
Saba Villigen 6-3DE
Braun 99UKW
Graetz Melodia M518
Grundig 3060a
Saba Meersburg Automatic 7
Saba Freiburg 6-3D
Graetz Sinfonia 522
Saba Phono Super 8
Autophon Melide
Blaupunkt Riviera
Nordmende Rigoletto 614
1955
1955
1955
1955
1956
1956
1956
1956
1956
1957
1957
1958
1958
1959
Radio AEG 4075 - 3D Raumklang Super, 1955
This massive and beautiful radio was built around 1955 or 1956: the rounded corners and the
plenty of golden decorations talk of a high-class equipment. The radio has one elliptical
speaker on the front and two round cone tweeters on both sides. Four bands, LW, MW,
SW(KW) and FM(UK). Dual dial, for AM and for FM, with two coaxial knobs. Band spread
over SW (Lupe). Treble and bass tone controls, plus push-button tone registers and passband
selection. Built-in ferrite rod antenna which can be oriented from the front panel. Interface
connectors for external record player, for tape recorder and for additional speaker box. Seven
tubes: ECC85, ECH81, EF89, EF89 EABC80, EL84, EM80, plus the bridge rectifier AEG
B250C75.
Key features:
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Two tuning indexes, driven by two coaxial knobs; band spread over SW
Two IF amplifier stages: high sensitivity
Variable AM bandwidth
3D sound, three speakers: warm sound, full of deep and loud bass notes.
Keep them alive!
Radio Grundig 3055 W/3D Klang, 1955
Around 1955, 1956 this was a top radio with its huge dimension and the contrast between the
black of the mahogany finish, the ivory of the keys and the gold of the dial and of many other
details. The radio has three AM and two FM bands with three tuning dials, for AM and for
each FM band. Tuning dials are driven by a single knob, with a complex three way clutch
system, so to have up to three preset channels. Built-in ferrite rod antenna can be oriented
from the panel and the direction is indicated by a lighted dial. The radio has separate bass
and treble tone control: the treble control also varies the coupling of two IF transformers and,
then, the AM bandwidth. The output power is limited to about 4 watts, however the radio has
five speakers: one large elliptical speaker, two electrostatic tweeters on the front and two
dynamic tweeters on both sides. Seven tubes plus the selenium bridge rectifier: ECC85,
ECH81, EF89, EBF80, EABC80, EL84, EM34/35, B250C100.
Key features:
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Three tuning dials, AM plus two FM, with single tuning knob
Variable AM bandwidth, with the treble control knob
Five speakers
Great sound
Keep them alive!
Kaiser W1245-3D, 1955
This was an medium priced radio built around 1955. Five bands, including two SW, LW, MW
and FM; the SW1 band is selected when all keys are released. Internal ferrite antenna.
Coaxial tuning knobs, the external one for FM. Tubes: ECC85, ECH81, EF89, EABC80,
EL84, EM80.
Keep them alive!
Saba Villigen 6-3DE, 1956
This radio, built in 1956, is an example of the Saba low end production. The
radio has four bands, including FM, treble and bass controls and a knob (Peil)
to rotate the AM ferrite rod antenna. Three speakers, one large on the front and
two smaller on each side.
Seven tubes: ECC85, ECH81, EF89, EABC80, EL84, EM80, EZ80.
Keep them alive!
Radio Braun 99 UKW, 1956
This is a beautiful radio from Braun, Frankfurt. The cabinet is finished in mahogany. The radio has
four bands, LW, MW, KW (or SW), and FM from 88 to 100 MHz. Two dial pointers, for AM and
for FM, selected by the band selection keys. Ferrite antenna orientable from the panel. Treble and
bass control knobs. Four watts audio output stage. Three speakers: one large elliptical on the front
panel and two tweeters on the sides. Seven tubes plus the selenium bridge rectifier: ECC85, EF89,
ECH81, EF89, EABC80, EL84, EM80, B250C100. Chassis model RC61B.
The two pictures below the large one show the great cleanliness inside the cabinet, over and under
the chassis.
Radio Graetz Melodia M 518 Raumklang Gross Super
mit schallkompressor, 1956
This radio, built around 1956-1957, looks very modern, due to its sharp corners
and to the light colours. Its huge cabinet, the plenty of keys and knobs, the
massive brass grid over the speakers, all talk of a high-class radio. Great care is
given to the audio section, with treble and bass tone controls or alternate tone
register keys, 3-D sound key and the impressive speaker system: two large
elliptical wide band and a small conical mig-range on the front panel, plus two
fluted radiators on each side, feeded by a single horn tweeter driver. Four
speakers all driven by a single EL84, 4 watt output audio stage! Other features
are quite common in German radios of the period. Quite unusual is the magic
eye saving key button, which switches off the magic eye when not needed for
tuning. Tubes: ECC85, ECH81, EF89, EABC80, EL84, EM34, plus the selenium
bridge B250C75.
Key features:
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Two tuning dials, for AM and for FM, with single knob
Three tone register keys
Magic eye saving key switch
Four speakers; the horn tweeter drives two fluted radiators for 3D sound
Top sound!
The two large elliptical speakers measure 25 x 15 cm. Top in the middle is the
horn driver unit which feeds the two fluted radiators. Note that the speakers are
all driven by a single EL84 output tube.
Keep them alive!
Radio Grundig 3060a Hi-Fi Zauberklang, 1956
This is another high end radio from the late fifties, made precious by the
rounded corners of the mahogany cabinet and by the wide use of golden details
matched with the ivory of keys and knobs. The label says 'Hi-Fi Zauberklang',
which stays for Hi-Fi Magic Sound: extreme care was given to the design of
audio stages, which included a five bands graphic equalizer, bandwidth from
30Hz to 20KHz, and four speakers. Three AM and one FM bands, with two dials
driven by a single tuning knob. Built-in antennas: AM ferrite rod can be
oriented from the panel. Connectors for record player, for tape recorder, for
external speaker system, for echo chamber and for remote control. Seven tubes
plus selenium bridge rectifier: ECC85, ECH81, EBF89, EAA91, ECC81, EL84,
EM34/35, B250C100.
Key features:
 Five band graphic equalizer
 Four speakers
 Connectors for echo chamber and for remote control
Keep them alive!
Saba Meersburg Automatic 7, 1956
Here is another huge and beautiful radio from Saba, built from late 1956 to 1957. It was a top
class model, with automatic motor tuning. Four speakers. Very attractive solutions in the
front panel, such as the ferrite antenna dial, surrounding the tuning indicator.
Ten tubes: EC92, EC92, ECH81, EF89, EBF89, EF86, EL84, EABC80, ECL80, EM34, plus
two semiconductor diodes, E25C5 and E62.5C5 and the selenium bridge B250C125.
Keep them alive!
Radio Graetz Sinfonia 522 Raumklang-Spitzensuper
mit schallkompressor, 1957
This beautiful and impressive radio, made precious by the careful matching of
golden and ivory over the redwood cabinet, was built in 1957 to give the best
music to wealthy audiophiles. Like many other radio sets of its period, it has
three AM bands plus FM, two tuning pointers, with a single tuning knob and a
dual clutch mechanism selected by the band change keys. The built-in ferrite rod
antenna can be oriented from the panel. Treble and bass controls, plus
bandwidth switch and three push-button registers: the tone controls are
ineffective, and their lights are switched off, when any tone register is selected.
Seven tubes, plus the selenium bridge rectifier: ECC85, ECH81, EF89, EF89,
EABC80, EL84, EM34, B250C75.
The output power is around 4 watts: nevertheless the radio has a complex
speaker system with two large elliptical speakers and one smaller elliptical
tweeter on the front panel, plus the horn in the middle, driving two radiating
fluted pipes on both sides. Details of the speaker system are given in the
following pictures.
View of the speaker system, including two large speakers, 25 x 15 cm, the smaller mid-range and
the horn unit. Bottom, a detail of the horn driver and of the two organ-pipe radiators.
Key features:
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Double tuning dials, single knob
Two IF amplifiers; AM bandwidth control
Three audio register keys
Four speakers, including the high frequency horn driver with two fluted
radiators on the cabinet sides for 3D sound.
 Magic eye saving key
 Top sound!
Keep them alive!
Saba Phono Super 8, 1957 – 1958
This is a clean table radio and record player built around 1958. Four bands, LW, MW, SW
and FM. Double tuning index with coaxial knobs for AM and FM. Adjustable built-in ferrite
antenna. Separate treble and bass controls, plus one tone register key. Four speakers,
including two tweeters in the sides. Perpetuum Ebner four speeds turntable with PE10
monophonic cartridge.
7 tubes: EC92, EC92, ECH81, EBF89, EABC80, EL84, EM84, plus selenium bridge rectifier.
Key features:
 Built-in record player
 Four speakers
 Excellent sound!
Keep them alive!
Radio and record player Autophon Melide 3731 WS, 1958
This nice radio set was built in 1959 by Autophon A.G. in Zurich, Switzerland, around a
Loewe Opta chassis. Two tuning dials, one for AM bands and the second for FM. Built-in
antennas. Two rows of push-button switches, for band selection and for audio registers. Three
speakers, the largest one on the front and two tweeters on the sides. The record player, from
Thorens, is on a drawer covered by the front panel: pulling the speaker grille, the drawer
comes out and the record player can be accessed.
Key features:
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Two tuning dials, driven by a single knob through clutches
Tone register keys
Three speakers
The speaker grille hides the turntable when not in use
Keep them alive!
Radio Blaupunkt Riviera, 1958
This beautiful and huge radio well represents the medium-high Blaupunkt production in
1958. The radio has push-pull output stage and three speakers, including two tweeters on both
sides. Four bands and two tuning dials, for AM and for FM, with coaxial knobs. Treble and
bass tone controls plus pushbutton tone registers. AM ferrite rod antenna can be oriented
from the front panel. Nine tubes plus selenium bridge rectifier: ECC85, EF89, ECH81, EF89,
EABC80, ECC82, EL95, EL95, EM84, B250C100.
Key features:
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Two tuning indexes, driven by two coaxial knobs
Four tone register keys
Push-pull output stage
3D sound, three speakers
Top sound
Keep them alive!
Nordmende Rigoletto 614, 1959
This medium priced radio was in production around the late fifties. The radio widely uses
printed circuit boards tied to the metallic chassis. Treble and bass tone controls and four key
registers. In this model we see an attempt to brush up the old electrostatic tweeter, because its
presence could be attractive for inexperienced people: an electrostatic unit was mounted
beside the large elliptic speaker on the front panel.
Tubes: ECC85, ECH81, EF89, EABC80, EL84, EM84, plus the selenium bridge rectifier.
Keep them alive!