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Tucked away
in Owen
Sound, Ontario, Old
Fidelity Radio Restorations
represents the very best of what
passion, precision, and decades
of expertise can produce.
Founded and operated by master
restorer Jim Hutton, Old
Fidelity has earned a devoted
following among vintage radio
enthusiasts, collectors, and
audiophiles across North America
who recognize that truly
exceptional restoration work is
extraordinarily rare.
What sets Old
Fidelity apart is an
uncompromising commitment to
authenticity and craftsmanship.
Each radio that passes through
Jim's workshop receives a
comprehensive, top-to-bottom
restoration — with 90 to 100
percent of all internal
components replaced, tubes
inspected, and a full electronic
alignment performed before a
single detail of the cabinet is
addressed. The result is a set
that performs precisely as it
did on the showroom floor the
day it was first sold, whether
that was in 1931 or 1949.
Old
Fidelity's portfolio spans some
of the most iconic names in
vintage radio history -
Rogers
Majestic,
DeForest,
RCA,
and
Canadian General Electric
among them - with restored
examples ranging from elegant
tabletop receivers to stunning
grandfather clock consoles. For
those who wish to enjoy their
restored radio daily, Jim also
offers thoughtfully integrated
Bluetooth and FM broadcast
modules, available in both
built-in and external
configurations, allowing these
beautiful instruments to serve
as fully functioning
entertainment centers without
compromising their period
authenticity.
At its heart,
Old Fidelity is driven not by
commerce but by a genuine love
for preserving history. Jim's
mission is simple: to rescue
radios that would otherwise be
lost forever and return them to
the hands of people who will
cherish them for generations to
come. That philosophy -
prioritizing craftsmanship and
stewardship over profit - is
precisely what has made Old
Fidelity one of the most
respected names in vintage radio
restoration.
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1931
De Forest Crossley Clock Radio |
1934 General Electric
Model K-80 |
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Current Restorations
Available to Purchase |
With
very
few
AM
broadcast
stations
on
the
air
today,
most
of
my
restorations
include
integrated
FM
and
Bluetooth
modules
so
these
vintage
radios
can
be
enjoyed
on a
daily
basis.
When
a
module
is
in
use,
only
the
radio's
audio
section
is
active
—
the
front-end,
AM
detection,
and
demodulation
stages
are
bypassed.
I
offer
two
approaches
to
integrating
this
capability,
each
with
its
own
advantages. They
are
the
Built-in
Module
Style
and
the
External
Module
Style.
Built-in
Module
Style:
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This style provides the most authentic replication of the vintage radio experience. When the radio is switched on using its original power knob, it automatically resumes the last FM broadcast station it was tuned to. The radio's original Tone and Volume controls work exactly as they always did. In every practical sense, the radio behaves as it was designed to — just receiving FM instead of AM.
 To change stations, use the frequency control on the back of the radio. This is the only functional departure from the original design, as the AM tuning dial on the front is no longer active. Since the radio's front-end is not used in this configuration, it is typically not restored.
As shown on the right this built-in module has a volume control for FM and Bluetooth. However these only need to be set the first time the raido is used. After that all volume is controlled using the radio's original volume knob.
To stream music from a phone or tablet, flip the switch on the back of the radio to
Bluetooth and select the radio's unique Bluetooth label — usually based on the manufacturer and model, such as "CGEK64" or "RCA128."
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External
Module
Style: |
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This style supports four operational modes: AM Broadcast, FM Broadcast, Bluetooth streaming, and USB Playlist. Its key advantage is that all stages of the radio are fully restored, allowing it to be used exactly as originally designed — tuning live AM broadcasts — while also offering modern connectivity.
 When the radio is first switched on, it operates in AM Broadcast mode and all original controls function as designed. To switch to FM, Bluetooth, or USB playback, the radio is routed through the external module using a remote control, and from that point the module handles source selection and volume.
To change FM stations, use the frequency dial on the external module. To stream from a phone or tablet, select
Bluetooth on the module and choose the radio's Bluetooth label (e.g., "CGEK64" or "RCA128"). To play a playlist, insert a USB key and select
USB from the module's control panel.
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To Purchase a Radio email me at: |
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