Repair of 1960s Saba Freiburg 100 with a bad output transformer. 

One reason for this is because they are simply more deluxe radios with more complex circuitry involved. The motor tuning system adds a lot of parts on its own. The build quality on the SABA's is certainly a step above that of a comparable Grundig or Telefunken. I can't tell you how many times I've opened up a Grundig from the early 60's(e.g. a 5490) only to find parts of the switch linkage crumbling in the bottom of the cabinet due to rotted pot metal. And I've had to deal with bad tube sockets on several Telefunken Opus sets. SABA always used ceramic sockets for the output tubes in the Freiburg series instead of the bakelite ones you find in Grundigs and Telefunkens.

Me to! I used to have a Grundig Reel to Reel that I picked up at a pawn shop in El Paso Texas, it played tapes great, but I used to love recording both with microphones and from my Pioneer PL50 Turntable and back then I had no idea what the hell a DIN plug was or how to wire it. The Grundig had all DIN input and output plugs, so after playing with it for about a year I sold it to another soldier out at Fort Bliss where we were both stationed. About 5 years ago I saw a Grundig transistor radio for sale on Ebay, so I scarfed it up, got a deal on it too because some little puppy had gone dogbone on the poor little set and chewed off the battery cover and a plate that was on the back of the set. I think the total was 7 bucks with shipping. When I got it, I found that I could get the parts, so for less then 10 bucks I had the radio back in like new condition. It even came with the leather case. I was dissapointed however when I read the label, it boasted, DESIGNED IN California USA, MADE IN CHINA! You can't tell though they hired a great plant in China to put it together, it looks very well made and has played for years for my late wife. I took it back now, as she passed three months ago, had to clean up the accumulation of grease that got on it as it was on the kitchen counter for several years, and the dial light failed but the rest of the little radio still plays like a dream, even gets some shortwave as it's AM/FM/SW and for a small radio it still plays like a Grundig, putting out some great lows and crisp highs. I have it beside my chair now and flip it on whenever the sirens go in town as the local radio station always announces the location of the fire or accident the FD responds to, my daughter who now has moved in to care for my ancient ass, is also on the Ambulance Squad, a job I used to love back when I was still able, so I get the location of all ambulance calls on my old scanner and her pager as well.

rosenthal resistor are bulletproof...the reason you see a lot of overheated ones on old radios and tvs is beacuse they overheat but still work fine. they are wirewound and high precision. carbon comp resistors are the ones that dont like overheating

@@MrHBSoftware If I see an overheated resistor, be it carbon or wirewound, I replace it. It has been run beyond its specified limits...possibly for a long time... and has sustained damage from excess heat. When the coating burns off like that, the nichrome wire is exposed, making the whole structure weaker. No resistor is bulletproof. I've had them fail plenty of times. A replacement part of more robust construction and higher wattage dissipation is readily available for very little cost.

@@johnstone7697 sure i also replace overheated resistors. my point was just that the rosenthal ones are VERY reliable in comparison to all the other brands we see on vinrtage gear from that era. try working on a philco radio or tv and report back to me....i have been working on a 70's black and white tv from philco were even the small resistors that never see any current were high by 200%. wirewound resistors with the value clearly printed on the body, those rsenthal parts they smell high quality, i bet they were expensive at the time, manufacturers had to take pride on their tuff to give up on profit margins and use quality stuff

The automatic works fine, I just like spinning the dial!

Until I got the feedback figured out, it was. The right channel would oscillate when switching between stereo and mono. Once I got the right amount of feedback in the new channel the problems disappeared. That's the point of the additional feedback line from the 16ohm tap.

Limited options due to space constraints. Due to EQ built in to the preamp for the speakers, they choke back the Hf to the point where it's about gone by 15k - and that's before it ever gets to the output stage. Thought this was a decent compromise. I agree though - guitar opts are not hi-fi

@@JordanPier I've used these successfully in two of my builds: www.tubesandmore.com/products/transformer-output-8-w-single-ended They don't go down very low, as I recall around 60 Hz, but they extend beyond 20 kHz. I use a sub to compensate. Smaller than the ClassicTone, too.

Nah. Recapping is borring.

But is it he seems to manage just fine.

A 5mhz scope would fill the bill for an old radio