Eico 2050 (1961)
Little is documented about the Eico 2050. What survives comes mostly from a single owner's bench notes and a classified ad. The record shows a 50-watt stereo amplifier with an FM tuner section, built from a construction article published in Radio-Electronics in June 1961. One owner calls it a "14 tube FM Tuner" with roughly 10 IF stages and a crystal filter. He reports that it "sounded better than my HK Citation," which suggests strong RF performance.
The same source notes the unit carried serial number 4117. A "TUNER VOLTAGE ADJUSTMENT PCB" sits on the lower right, outside, directly above the quad cap. A "TUNER CE RESISTOR 3.6K" sits upper right near the tuning meter. The owner's notes also mention factory circuit changes made after the schematic was drawn, which is a headache for anyone restoring one today.
Be careful with the surviving record. The page that documents the 2050 also has extensive notes about amplifier circuitry, including 12AU7 tubes and a heat sink shared with the Dynaco ST-70. The text doesn't make clear whether those belong to the 2050 itself or to a companion amplifier tested alongside it. A parts unit turned up in a classic audio classified listing, with the seller needing a power switch and volume control, so those parts are probably scarce. A vintage audio researcher has also put out a call for anyone with a 2050 to come forward for historical purposes. The trail is thin.
Known facts, such as they are:
- FM tuner, 14 tubes, approximately 10 IF stages with a crystal filter
- Built from a construction article in Radio-Electronics, June 1961
- Serial number 4117 documented on at least one unit
- No production years, original price, or dimensions recorded; sensitivity specs: IHFM usable sensitivity 3µV (30 dB quieting), 1.5µV (20 dB quieting) (Audio, October 1963, p.15). The Classic Series was described as matching or surpassing components selling for much higher prices (High-Fidelity, October 1963, p.27).
No schematic survives in the public record, and no collector pricing has been found. The Classic Series was described as matching or surpassing components selling for much higher prices (Audio, October 1963, p.15). If you own one, the archive would like to hear from you.
eBay Listings
As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.
Related Models
- Eico 3150 (1967)
- Eico 2536 (1970)
- Eico HF-22 (1955)
- Eico HF-52 (1955)
- Eico HF-60 (1956)
- Fisher CUSTOM-ELECTRA-I (K-14/K-15) (1957)
- Fisher CUSTOM-ELECTRA IV (E33/E44) (1960)
- Akai AM-2400 (1978)
- Akai AM-2600 (1977)
- Akai AM-2650 (1975)