Grundig SO 191 (c. 1960)
The Grundig SO 191 — written variously as SO-191-PX, SO 191/60, or SO191 — is a late mid-century German stereo console, a type Grundig marketed as a "Luxus Truhe" (luxury chest). It dates to roughly 1960; the SO191a/B variant is documented as built 1960/1961. The surviving record is thin, but what exists is consistent: this was a serious piece of audio hardware hiding inside a piece of furniture.
The console combines a radio section, a PE record player, and a separate amplifier module, the Grundig NF2, mounted in the cabinet behind the chassis. The NF2 is the heart of the system. It has two push-pull output stages delivering 15 watts per channel, driven by four EL84 output tubes with a pair of ECC83 driver tubes. There are further preamp tubes on the radio chassis. The full tube complement runs to 14 tubes, including an EM34 or EM35 magic-eye tuning indicator. RETROVOLTAGE, documenting a repair of a 1960 example, noted that the amplifier is so substantial it's split across two chassis. It also noted that the NF2 module has gained a reputation in audiophile circles, commanding several hundred dollars on the secondary market on its own. The same source describes the console as "a stunning piece of late mid-century modern German engineering."
Documentation is otherwise sparse. No dimensions, weight, original price, or detailed amplifier specs (frequency response, THD, sensitivity) have surfaced. What is known comes mostly from repair logs and listings. A 2018 blog post by iamluno.com references the SO 191/60 nostalgically while promoting modern consoles. A Craigslist seller described an example as "an impressive piece" with a fair-to-good cabinet and one missing piece of laminate. Another listing offered a used SO191 B for €350. A YouTube video title indicates a recap was performed on one unit, and RETROVOLTAGE's repair article mentions electrical issues to sort out despite nearly pristine cosmetics.
The record is incomplete, but the core is clear: a German luxury console whose real value sits in its NF2 amplifier module.
Known Specs
- Type: Stereo Hi-Fi console ("Luxus Truhe")
- Production: c. 1960 (SO191a/B variant: 1960/1961)
- Power output: 2 × 15W (Grundig NF2 amplifier module)
- Output tubes: 4 × EL84
- Driver tubes: 2 × ECC83
- Full tube complement: ECC85, ECH81, EF89, EBF89, EM34 or EM35, 4 × ECC83, 4 × EL84 (14 tubes total)
- Includes radio section and PE record player
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