Grundig 3012

Grundig 3012 – en

2nd September 20176th December 2017
by giovanni

The Grundig 3012 is a very special device called friendly "The bufferfly" because the loudspeakers position. The classification of Grundig devices is as follows:

Serie 1 xxx – Economic Class (ie.1060)
Serie 2 xxx – Economic - Medium Class (ie.2035)
Serie 3 xxx – Average Class (ie.3012)
Serie 4 xxx – Medium – High Class (ie.4035)
Serie 5 xxx - High Class (ie.5010)
Serie 6 xxx – Very High Class (ie.6099)

The Grundig 3012 belongs to the Medium Class but it has some features of the Upper Class.
Firstly, the final tube is a powerful EL12, normally used on Serie 5 devices.

The EL12 is a large pentode that delivers until 8W in A- Class.
The output transformer is a very large, almost like the power transformers in a normal radio, so it hardly goes into saturation.

Another important feature is the two elliptical loudspeakers.
Together, they can reproduce very low notes. Being smaller, they are faster and for this reason the bass is very limited, pleasant and modern.

Finally, the central tweeter and the symmetrical arrangement of the two broadband loudspeakers simulate a sound emitting point source. In this way, it is possible to get a remarkable “soundstage” effect and great depth of environment.

The cabinet of the radio is very beautiful and contains a surprise.
The clear frames that you can see on the sides are not painted, but they are inlaid.
All of these architectural choices do not belong to a Medium Class device, in fact Grundig 3012 is not a device of that class.

BLUETOOTH

Bluetooth receiver embed

MULTI PLATFORM CONNECTION

Each radio is equipped with a cable for connection to any digital device.

- Bluetooth receiver embed - The unit is equipped with a BLUETOOTH receiver powered directly by the receiver power supply. This makes it possible to control the amplifier from any external digital device as an IPAD, a Smartphone, or a sophisticated multimedia station. So you can hear your preferred web station or your lossesless file without cables on the room. Wireless Receiver can be equipped upon requests.

- Multi Platform Connection - A customized adaptation cable to connect any digital device as Iphone, Smartphone, Laptop, CD Player etc. will be provided with this radio. This special cable suits the different impedances between the modern equipment and the receiver. Furthermore the two stereo channels flow into one without increasing the load to the input unit.

1930 - At 22 years old Max Grundig begin a radio repair business.

1939 - The II world War start. Grundig works primarily for the Wehrmacht and repair of telecommunication equipment.

1945 - Immediately after the war, the demand for repair work was very great. Max Grundig built the first two Grundig appliances: the Tubatest tube tester and the Novatest testing device.

1947 - Start the sale of a kit radio, the Heinzelmann. The unit is the basis of success, sold more than 15,000 pieces.

1950 - Very high frequency (VHF) is introduced to Germany and places new demands on the industry. Grundig launches the 380 W on the market.

1952 - The first television channel starts up in Germany. After intensive research, Grundig launches the FS 080 onto the market. In the same year the first portable tape recorder Reporter 500 L is created.

1956 - After a lot of radio produced with progrssively high performances was produced the Concert Radio 5080 equipped with an equaliser, which has five controls and a visual display.

1965 - A new factory is established in Braga, Portugal. The Satellit 205 is one of many appliances in the Satellit series. This product marks the beginning of Grundig production of high-quality global receivers.

1970 - The Audiorama 7000 Hi-fi was produced, it has twelve dynamic speaker systems in one speaker.

1976 - The Reel Tape Recorder TS 1000 is equipped for semi-professional use.

1980 - The slim-line Hi-fi Tuner ST 6000 and the Monolith Hi-fi Dynamic Flat Top Antenna, which has 22 speaker systems, are two particularly popular appliances in the new hi-fi range.

1984 - After severe drop in sales Philips increased its stake in Grundig 31.6 percent and takes over the corporate management.

1997 - Philips pulls out of its involvement with Grundig.

2003 - The company files for bankruptcy.

2008 - Turkey's Koç Holding took full ownership of Grundig Multimedia B.V., the parent company of Grundig Intermedia GmbH in Nuremberg.

Courtesy of: Grundig

The tones control system is very efficient. Above the large tone control knobs there is a band that lights up gradually indicating the emphasis on the band on which it acts.
Interesting the high-tone control knob linked to two thin ropes. One of them is for the position indicator of the control itself, whereas the other changes the position of the ferrite in the MF transformers modifying the inclination of the transformer’s curve.
By doing so high tones were attenuated/accentuated even before getting to the BF stage. Tone control was usually put into effect with the potentiometer on the voltage amplifier stage

There are three speakers, but what matters most about this unit is their arrangement.
They are arranged to reproduce the sound as if it came from a point source, like in a single speaker.
The acoustic result is extremely enjoyable, and the rebuilding of the scene is realistic. You find the depth and the space.
The bass is very deep and fast, and the acute are balanced, thanks to the help of the central electrostatic tweeter.
I do not understand why this configuration was not re-proposed even in the most expensive models. Maybe just to keep costs down.