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c.1961 Magnavox AM-80 "Companion"

Shirt pocket radio, thermoplastic cabinet
4 1/8 x 2 1/2 x 1 inches / 105 x 63.5 x 25.4 mm
Eight transistors (NEC), one tubular 9-volt battery
Manufactured by Nippon Electric Co., Ltd., Japan
Distributed by Magnavox

In some ways I see this AM-80 as being an iconic "typical pocket transistor radio" -- it looks almost generic with its window dial, yet it has several rich elements to it: the gold brushed-aluminum tuning face, the textured metal grille, the tri-colored Magnavox emblem, the slightly contoured metal speaker grille. It's a beautiful radio that appears so simple and familiar in design that it could stand for "pocket transistor radio" in the annals. Well, that's what I think, anyway.

As with the AM-22 and AM-60, this set was manufactured in Japan by NEC for Magnavox. This example is a "RUN-2" 2-AM-80. The manufacture date here may be a bit questionable, but I'm going with the official Magnavox History site's page on this set, though maybe "RUN-2" ran into 1962?


Magnavox AM-80

Magnavox AM-80


Magnavox AM-80

Magnavox AM-80


Magnavox AM-80

Magnavox AM-80 inside back


Magnavox AM-80

Magnavox AM-80 circuit board


Magnavox AM-80

Made in Japan


Magnavox AM-80

NEC circuit board


Magnavox AM-80

display box (photo from official Magnavox site)


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