g2 mini
The G2 was designed by Hugh Spencer and manufactured by Clairtone in Canada starting in 1966. At 27” high x 79” long x 14.75” deep, the G2 was a monster stereo system designed for the modern age of vinyl.
In the 1960s, audiophiles listened to their music through a system of separate components. Most others enjoyed listening via the recent invention of the Console Hi-Fi. These furniture-like units incorporated a tuner, turntable, preamp, and amplifier together with a set of speakers.
When buyers selected a console, the looks and quality of the cabinet were often as or more important that the sound quality. Most units were built by large home electronics firms like Admiral, Magnavox, RCA, Ferguson, Philips and Telefunken, each company offering their own component chassis and speakers in a variety of furniture styles; Mediterranean, French Provincial, Regency and whatever other period style happened to be in vogue. My grandparents and parents both owned Zenith systems as Zenith was considered our local Chicago brand.
When buyers selected a console, the looks and quality of the cabinet were often as or more important that the sound quality. Most units were built by large home electronics firms like Admiral, Magnavox, RCA, Ferguson, Philips and Telefunken, each company offering their own component chassis and speakers in a variety of furniture styles; Mediterranean, French Provincial, Regency and whatever other period style happened to be in vogue. My grandparents and parents both owned Zenith systems as Zenith was considered our local Chicago brand.
Record storage was in a separate module enlarged to accommodate up to 100 single-disc albums w./hinged acrylic lids. The G2 could be seen in A Fine Madness and The Graduate. In 1967 the G2 received a Prix d’Excellence in design from the Canadian Nation Design Council. Somewhat less than 1000 were built until production ended in 1970.
My G2 mini was designed and built not for the vinyl age but the digital age. I redesigned/re-imagined the original G2 as a digital stereo system/boombox paring an iphone with a Qinpu Q2 Hybrid Amplifier and Gallo Acoustics Nucleus Micro stainless-steel speakers so as to take up a much more modest footprint.
