VAL 601 SW Tube Stereo AM/FM Classic Receiver
See it at Amazon.com for $549.00Average Customer Rating
(5.0 out of 5)
Amazon Customer Reviews
Most Helpful First | Newest First (5 out of 5)"the originals were never this good"
I write this review after noting the radio is not currently available; I hope Amazon will influence the distributor to provide it again for those of you who would like to purchase one.
Now, having said that, I must report VAL 601 is a wonderful update on the tube radios of the 30's and 40's...without the occasional puff of smoke emanating from the innards of those fondly remembered (and widely collected) relics. As described, this is a large, beautifully crafted wood cased AM-FM broadcast band radio having imputs for a CD player or other modern input device. It has internal antennas for both bands but will accept (thru "F" fittings") external antenna if desired. In my suburban location the internal antennas are sufficient. The sound is much more modern tube hi-fi than antique mono; attributable no doubt to the pedigree....this radio is distributed by the same company that designs and markets the well regarded jolida brand of tube amplifiers.
Comparing the VAL 601 to both a Tivoli Model 2 and the Tivoli "Music Center" yields a rich, warm, room filling sound very reminiscent of the large !950's tube radio/phono consoles made by Magnavox and others during those mid century years. The sound is more lush and warm than either of Tivoli models though probably not as detailed or clinically revealing. It actually reminds me a lot of those big Grundig and Telefunken german SW radios of the same era. One noted failing of older analog radios was signal drift but I noticed a surprising lack of that problem with the VAL 601. As a matter of fact, my only regret is that they didn't design SW bands into the front end, which was very representative of the higher end Philcos, Zeniths and RCAs of the era.
Physically, it's about as perfect as one could ask for. The wood case is beautifully crafted with discrete laser etching to indicate volume and band position. The main tuning dial is very retro with a cream background and black/red markings. The dial appears to be quite accurate with regard to signal position and, with the provision of the center tuning "tube", it is quite easy to zero in on stations.......no digital, remember. The two speakers complement the warm electronics and present a sound stage much larger than the physical size of the radio itself with surprising bass response. But, the capper is to turn this baby on in a darkened room and listen to a classic jazz station send out hours of wonderful recordings from artists of the era accompanied by the tubes' beautiful glow emanating from venting on the cabinet. Just remember that there's a slight delay for the tubes to come up to temperature before one gets any sound out of the box!.......If you can get one, grab it, you won't be sorry.
(5 out of 5)High Quality Tube Amp Table Top Radio...at last!
As soon as I opened the double boxed package, I was
impressed! Not only was the complete 'history of radio'
printed on the carton, but inside a beautiful radio
was nestled safely in styrofoam. The radio's wood case
is the first thing that caught my eye and I immediately
knew I was getting my money's worth...
Indeed, this was no cheap replica, but a custom 'made
for today' tube amp radio. They may not 'make them like
they used to' but this radio is the exception to the rule!
Yes, it's made in China but if I had any misgivings about
quality from overseas, this product laid them to rest!
Plugging into AC and turning the power knob, I was greeted
with a nice mellow yellow backlit dial reminiscent of radios
of yesteryear. The main tuning knob is smooth and direct.
After a brief warm up, I plugged in headphones. I was
very impressed by the total lack of hiss or hum; as I
turned up the volume, the control was quiet and linear.
Everything is quality top to bottom, front to back. And
on the back panel, I was surprised to find a serial number
signifying that indeed, this isn't just any radio but
MY radio! A nice touch...
The radio is big. It's going to turn some heads. Like,
"hey, that's really cool"..."where'd you get that?" It's
warm to the touch, but not overly hot...especially given
the visible glow of the tubes inside. And the magic tuning
eye is icing on the cake...
So how does it play? I'm glad you asked. Quite nicely,
thank you. On FM, the radio produced full and rich
sounding audio. Rock on! On AM, I utlitized the external
AM antenna RCA jack and connected a small indoor loop
antenna. As an avid AM listener I was especially pleased
with the quality and quantity of signals received; this
radio is no slouch! And best of all, it produces that
'tube sound' from...well, tubes!
The VAL 601 SW Tube Stereo AM/FM Classic Receiver was
promptly delivered by Vacuum Tube Valley; in addition,
they answered emails with same day responses. I highly
recommend this vendor and product!