Zenith Model 10-S-153 (10S153) Console Radio (1937)
| "Acoustic Adapter gives you that "best seat in the house effect". The only device now made that adjusts for different size rooms, different ceiling heights - adjusts for perfect performance in any size room." "For best tonal effect, a radio must be balanced to the room. Or the room to the radio. Obviously, the room cannot be balanced to the radio - so, Zenith has the Acoustic Adapter - a "tone balancer" to insure sharp, crisp, clear reproduction in any room. Once you've heard a Zenith in your home, you'll never be without it." |
The Zenith 10S153 is an attractive mid-sized console introduced in June of 1936 for
the 1937 model season. The introductory price was $99.95 ($104.95 West of the
Rockies) for the basic walnut cabinet. The radio features the "squared-circle" version
of the big black dial, having controls at each corner and lower center. Other features of
the 10S153, in words borrowed from Zenith advertising sources, include:-
the 1937 model season. The introductory price was $99.95 ($104.95 West of the
Rockies) for the basic walnut cabinet. The radio features the "squared-circle" version
of the big black dial, having controls at each corner and lower center. Other features of
the 10S153, in words borrowed from Zenith advertising sources, include:-
Choice of Smart and Beautiful
Cabinet Finishes!
For you who are interested above all in
decoration and harmony in home furnishings,
certain models will be available, at slight extra
cost, in either maple, or bone white or ebony.
Ebony - modern sophisticated ebony, black and
lustrous as the coat of a Persian Panther.
Companion of the modern decorative themes.
Bone White - classic and cool. Never fails to
lend a lightsome touch, yet preserves a proper
note of formality.
Maple - a pleasant, cheerful and carefree finish
with a glint of golden sunshine in it. For those
who prefer a touch of the informal.
Cabinet Finishes!
For you who are interested above all in
decoration and harmony in home furnishings,
certain models will be available, at slight extra
cost, in either maple, or bone white or ebony.
Ebony - modern sophisticated ebony, black and
lustrous as the coat of a Persian Panther.
Companion of the modern decorative themes.
Bone White - classic and cool. Never fails to
lend a lightsome touch, yet preserves a proper
note of formality.
Maple - a pleasant, cheerful and carefree finish
with a glint of golden sunshine in it. For those
who prefer a touch of the informal.
- Big Black Improved Dial - Zenith's most imitated feature again improved.
- Telltale Controls - easy to read, easy to tune. You don't need glasses. Everything as simple
as a-b-c. - Lightning Station Finder - Gives you the exclusive Emde Spinner-Tuning method. Gets any
station with the flick of a finger. - Split-Second Relocator - for quick, reliable and accurate short-wave tuning. A patented
Zenith feature imitated in looks but not in deeds. - The radio with the overtone amplifier - should not be confused with "trick" tone modifiers
- Voice, music, high fidelity control - a feature you must hear
- Zenith Acoustic Adapter - being heralded as radio's most outstanding tone adjustment
- Target Tuning - Zenith's simple, accurate tuning method.
- Metaglas tubes
- Triple Filtering
- Choice of smart finishes (see below right)
Zenith 10S153.. a quality radio at a bargain price.
The technical details of the 10S153's type 1004 chassis, along with a link to the schem-
atic, can be found on my 10S130 page, so I won't duplicate them here.
atic, can be found on my 10S130 page, so I won't duplicate them here.
| The 10S153 Acoustic Adapter Mystery |
| If the original Zenith service literature is to be believed, all 10S153 consoles came from the factory fitted with loudspeaker part #49-156, which has no Acoustic Adapter (AA) attachment. However, this information appears to be incomplete, as there are numerous examples of this model around today which incorporate the alternate loudspeaker (part #49-147) carrying the adapter and associated mounting hardware. In late 2006 I initiated an informal survey on this subject at the AR Forums. Some respondents reported their models as using part # 49-147 (with the adapter) while others reported their's as using part # 49-156 (without). I myself have two of these radios, both with adapters. A secondary finding was that the serial numbers of models having/not having adapters do not appear to correspond to particular batches of 10S153 chassis production, though to be fair, the sample size was small. To see if I could shed any further light on this matter I conducted a search of numerous 1936/37 newspapers, looking for Zenith advertising featuring the 10S153. I did in fact come across many instances, spread throughout the model year, where the Acoustic Adapter was listed as a feature of the 10S153. However, there were almost as many ads that did not. Based on the evidence, it seems highly likely that the 10S153 models did in fact come from the factory both with and without the Acoustic Adapter. I therefore feel justified in including it on my list of 10S153 features - shown above. Here's two of examples of what some of the Zenith advertising featuring the 10S153 had to say about the Acoustic Adapter... |
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