Cossor 'Melody Maker 501'

[Yorkie]

Like you, David, I'm mystified as to why the awful retaining valveholders were ever used. Of course originally the valves designed for these devices were made with a metal base and only later were the all-glass types brought out, probably made with cost saving in mind.
I also am with you on the rather inelegant stepped cabinet design, with its echoes of austerity. Not one of my favourite sets.
Tony

As to Spiratronics and their 2 Watt Metal Film resistors, The higher values are mostly of interest to us, and there are a few gaps in what we might want, but here is the full range of 2 Watt Metal film that Spiratronics stock, reasonably priced at 11p each. (They're cheaper for 10+ each - I've just bought 9 lots of ten, which inc VAT and £1.24 p&p came to £9.59. They arrived next day):

1R 100R, 1K, 100K, 1M
2R2, 2K2, 220K
3R3, 33R, 330R, 33K, 330K
4R7, 47R, 4K7, 470K
68R, 680R, 6K8, 680K

http://spiratronics.com/resistors-and-po...ors.html#1

The stock other types of resistors, such as 5 Watt wirewound ceramic axial ones, but curiously, the pic they show is of a radial one, albeit not the ones listed:

http://spiratronics.com/resistors-and-po...stors.html

Lots of other components including ICs, caps diodes etc.

Nice outfit.

As to those ghastly wire retaining rings, I can only assume that they were war surplus, and as you say Tony, were originally intended for use with metal based valves. I can see how in military equipment where vibration over rough terrain might just shake valves loose, but I wonder how many DAC90A 'doer-uppers' have been caught out and smashed the pips off valves. Even with the springs removed and discarded the valves take some removing.

As to brown Bakelite sets looking austere, you and I are old enough (me more than you I must add!), to recall when Bakelite was looked upon as an inferior 'mass produced' utilitarian alternative to wood and that's reflected in the prices of models which were sometimes offered in alternative wooden or Bakelite cabinets, in which the wooden cabinet was more expensive.

I've said before that the DAC90A is my least favourite set because we had one sat on the sideboard for years from about 1948 - 58. The only memories that the DAC90A evokes for me is ration books, queues, shortages, power cuts, dried egg powder, cod liver oil, MoF Orange juice, and being made to wear short trousers till I was fourteen because long trousers needed more clothing coupons.

It's a generation thing, and I readily concede that many do not share my view and view the DAC90A s an 'iconic' radio - even their favourite set. Though the DAC90A isn't the best set for newcomers to cut their teeth on, they're so commonplace due to hundreds of thousands being put out on rental during their long production run that it's almost inevitable that almost anyone and everyone with any interest in radio will have had one or more at some time or another.

Almost every film or play on TV or in the theatre set in the post-war years will have a DAC90A on the sideboard. I can't get away from them - we saw a delightful little play at a theatre last Friday night at Barton on Humber, which is now touring, entitled 'Leave Hitler to me Lad' (set in 1952). Sure enough, a DAC90A featured. There it is - 35 Secs into this clip:

http://www.duckegg.org.uk/productions/leave-hitler-tour

Ho hum - maybe they'll drop it before the tour ends?

Rambled Yorkie, pedantically.