Kapsch Sonocord W
The Kapsch Sonocord Wechselstrom is an Austrian table radio from the mid-1950s, produced by Kapsch & Söhne, Telephon- und Telegraphenfabriks-AG, Vienna. The model dates from 1956/1957 and represents the later generation of Austrian valve radios, when FM reception had already become an expected feature in better domestic receivers.
Kapsch was one of Austria’s important radio manufacturers. The company had its origins in Vienna in 1892 as a precision engineering workshop for telegraph and telephone equipment, and entered radio production in the 1920s. In this respect, the Sonocord belongs to a long Austrian tradition of radio and communications manufacturing.
Visually, the Sonocord is a compact but well-equipped 1950s table receiver. The wooden cabinet, wide dial scale and push-button waveband selection give it the typical appearance of a mid-century Austrian living-room radio. The model was not a luxury console, but a solid domestic receiver intended for everyday use.
Technically, the Sonocord is a superheterodyne receiver for long wave, medium wave and FM. The documented valve line-up is ECC85, ECH81, EF89, EABC80, EM81 and EL84, with a dry rectifier instead of a rectifier valve. The set also includes a tuning eye, using the EM81, and three sound-register buttons for tone selection.
Condition
This example is preserved in unrestored condition, exactly as acquired. No electrical or cosmetic restoration has yet been carried out. The cabinet, chassis, dial, controls and internal components therefore still show the condition in which the radio survived.
Technical Data
| Item | Data |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Kapsch & Söhne, Telephon- und Telegraphenfabriks-AG, Vienna |
| Model | Sonocord W / Sonocord Wechselstrom |
| Country | Austria |
| Year | 1956/1957 |
| Type | Table radio with push buttons |
| Principle | Superheterodyne receiver |
| Wavebands | Long wave, medium wave, FM |
| Intermediate frequencies | 480 kHz AM, 10.7 MHz FM |
| Valve line-up | ECC85, ECH81, EF89, EABC80, EM81, EL84 |
| Rectifier | Dry rectifier |
| Supply | AC mains, 110 / 125 / 150 / 220 / 240 V |
| Dimensions | approx. 444 × 260 × 210 mm |
| Weight | approx. 7.6 kg |
| Original price | 1,495 Austrian Schillings |
Circuit Diagram
References and Further Reading
Radiomuseum.org – Kapsch Sonocord Wechselstrom
Main model reference with year, valve line-up, dimensions, weight, original price and notes such as the dry rectifier and tone registers.
Museums Bote / Radiobote, No. 122, 2004
Kapsch model overview listing the Sonocord W among the 1957 Kapsch radio models, including the same valve line-up and dry rectifier note.
Kapsch Company History
Background on Kapsch as an Austrian technology and communications company, founded in Vienna in 1892 and active in radio production from the 1920s onward.
Pictures
