The Roselson Stereoletta is a radio-record player cabinet manufactured in Spain during the 1960s–70s by the Roselson company, based in Barcelona. It was relatively popular at the time and was sold with various small variations throughout its production life.
Aesthetically, the earlier versions had a lighter-colored cabinet and wooden frames around the radio tuner and amplifier, while later versions featured darker finishes and metal frames instead of wood.
Regarding the internal circuits, there were also some small variations, with mainly two types of tuners: one built point-to-point using valves such as the EF93, and a later, more modern version that used printed circuit boards and other valves like the EF183 instead of the EF93.
The amplifier circuit didn’t change much over time. It’s also worth noting that custom versions existed (naturally more expensive), which could include different amplifiers, turntables, or additional features.
After several years of searching, I was lucky enough to find a Roselson Stereoletta for sale near where I live and at a good price. It was advertised as working but in need of servicing, so without a second thought, I went to pick it up.
The first thing I did once home was to check the overall condition of the cabinet:
As you can see, the cabinet was almost certainly used as a bar cabinet. The rear section shows quite visible damage, most likely from storing bottles of alcohol, while the top—especially around the left speaker—has burn marks from cigarettes.
After touching the radio and amplifier controls, I was met with the unpleasant surprise that the plastic had practically disintegrated over the years, breaking all the knobs except for two:
One surprise I wasn’t expecting was that it still had the original 7″ single adapter:
Not only that, but the original Roselson advertising brochure with the price was also included. I’ve scanned it and you can download it here: Original Roselson Advertising Brochure
RoselsonStereolettaAs a curiosity, the model shown on the cover is the second version of the console, whereas mine is the first version. There was also a Roselson label with the price and serial number.
My version also comes equipped with the automatic Garrard AT50-MKII turntable, fitted with a CDS-630 ceramic cartridge. As for the tuner, it’s not the one shown in the brochure (which corresponds to the first version), but the later, more modern version, which uses the ECC85, ECH81, EF183, EABC80, and EM84 tubes.
The speakers, just as indicated in the brochure, are excellent Roselson AF-10G and 4TWT models.
As for the back side, there’s quite a bit of dirt, including remains of dead cockroaches. You can also see the tuner and the amplifier, both of which will need a thorough overhaul:
For its restoration, I’ll divide the work into three main parts: restoring the cabinet, restoring the amplifier, and restoring the tuner.
I haven’t started the restoration yet, but I’ll be posting updates as I make progress. Stay tuned!