ULTIMATE MODEL RCE 'BABY GRAND' (1954)

The Ultimate model RCE was manufactured by Radio (1936) Ltd in 1954.

Ultimate bandspread radiogram, Garrard de-luxe record changer with twin crystal changeover head,

2 different RCE models:

Baby Grand: 12" Rola speaker
Symphony: 3-speaker system: 2 x 8" (Rola 8M) speakers and a 5" (Rola 5FX) speaker

Ultimate RCE Baby Grand Radiogram - announcement in Radio and Electrical Review, June 1954

Technical Information

Valves (7): 6BA6, 6BE6, EF41, 6AV6, EL41, 6X4 and EF22 Gramophone Pre-Amp

Intermediate Frequency: 460kc/s

Frequency Bands: 4

Chassis Notes(most schematics can be clicked to download a full size version)

Full service info here

1954 Ultimate RCE

1953 Rolls RCB

General Construction Notes for Radio (1936) Ltd:

Early Radio Ltd. schematics did not show the models, just the year, valves and bands, so some sleuthing is required to find the right one.

Early 30's Ultimate models with three digit model numbers indicated both the number of valves in the set, and the price it retailed for - for example, the model 856 was an 8-valve radio which retailed for $56 pounds. The equivalent Courier models were reversed, so an Ultimate 856 was a Courier 568 (theoretically, at least). This was the Auckland price though, and often the sets would retail for 1 or 2 pounds more in other centres, presumably to cover the freight cost of moving them around the country from the Auckland factory.

Note the use of old resistance terminology on older schematics: ω means ohms and Ω means megohms.

Some 1936-onward 3-letter chassis codes vary the last letter between brands, for example:
BBU - Ultimate model BB
BBR - Rolls (and Golden Knight) model BB
BBC - Courier model BB
All use the same chassis.

Golden Knight, Courier and Rolls appear to use the same copper-painted chassis while Ultimate chassis' are painted silver

After the war a new model code system was introduced, whereby radio models all began with R - the first model being the RA, a dual-wave 5-valve set commonly released in a pressed tin cabinet.