ULTIMATE

'Ultimate' branded equipment was manufactured by Radio (1936) Ltd, they had various distributors. Currently there are 146 documented models.

Ultimate was the main house brand for Radio Ltd and one of the best-known brands in NZ.
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In 1932, reportedly 3100 Ultimate radios sold in NZ, approximately 20% of all radios sold in that year (according to their adverts).

Where the model code is not clearly stated it can be found (in most cases) as the letters at the start of the serial number.  For example, RB10574 would be a model RB.

146 Documented Ultimate Models
IMAGEYEAR MODEL CODE VALVES BANDS
1923 Ultimate model RA1 2 + crystal detector  Broadcast 
1927 Ultimate model SG4 'Screen Grid 4' 4
1930 Ultimate 1930 AW Console 6 4
1931ish Ultimate model 856 'Senior Console' 8
1932 Ultimate model 417 'TRF' 4  Broadcast 
1932 Ultimate model 520 5  Broadcast 
1932 Ultimate model 523 5  Broadcast 
1932 Ultimate model 524 'Superhet Mantle' 5  Broadcast 
1932 Ultimate model 527 'Consolette' 5  Broadcast 
1932 Ultimate model 627 'Superhet Mantle' 6  Broadcast 
1932 Ultimate model 631 'Consolette' 6  Broadcast 
1932 Ultimate Short Wave Adapter
1933 Ultimate model 514 'JCL' 5  Broadcast 
1933 Ultimate model 521 5  Broadcast 
1933 Ultimate model 522 5  Broadcast 
1933 Ultimate model 5LN 5  Broadcast 
1933 Ultimate model 621 6  Broadcast 
1933 Ultimate model 623 6  Broadcast 
1933 Ultimate model 7L
1933 Ultimate model 829 8  Broadcast 
1933 Ultimate model 931
1934 Ultimate model 10LAW 10  Dual Wave 
1934 Ultimate model 7LAW 7  Dual Wave 
1934 Ultimate model 8PPL 8  Broadcast 
1934 Ultimate model AU 5  Broadcast 
1935 Ultimate model CU 6  Dual Wave 
1936 Ultimate model AAU 6  Dual Wave 
1936 Ultimate model ACC 6  Broadcast 
1936 Ultimate model AEU 9 + magic eye  All Wave 
1936 Ultimate model AFU 'De Luxe' 10 + magic eye  All Wave 
1936 Ultimate model UU 'Wembley' 5  Broadcast 
1936 Ultimate model XU 6  Dual Wave 
1937 Ultimate model BAU 4  Broadcast 
1937 Ultimate model BBU 5  Broadcast 
1937 Ultimate model BCU 7  All Wave 
1937 Ultimate model BDU 6  Dual Wave 
1937 Ultimate model BEU 5  Dual Wave 
1938 Ultimate model BWU 7 + magic eye  All Wave 
1938 Ultimate model BXU 5  Broadcast 
1938 Ultimate model BYU 5  Dual Wave 
1938 Ultimate model CCU 6  Broadcast 
1938 Ultimate model EXP 7 + magic eye  All Wave 
1939 Ultimate model CIU 5  Broadcast 
1939 Ultimate model CNU 7 + magic eye  All Wave 
1939 Ultimate model COU 6 + magic eye  All Wave 
1939 Ultimate model CPU 6 + magic eye  Dual Wave 
1939 Ultimate model CUU 4  Broadcast 
1940 Ultimate model EA 'Teleflick' 6  Dual Wave 
1940 Ultimate model EB 'Junior' 5 + magic eye on some sets  Dual Wave 
1940 Ultimate model ED 7 + magic eye  All Wave 
1940 Ultimate model EF 'Teleflick' 5  Dual Wave 
1940 Ultimate model EG 'Dual-Wave Junior' 5 + magic eye on some sets  Dual Wave 
1941 Ultimate model FA 6 + magic eye 5
1941 Ultimate model FB 6  Broadcast 
1941 Ultimate model FJ 5 + magic eye 5
1945 Ultimate model RA 5  Dual Wave 
1945 Ultimate model RA 5  Dual Wave 
1945 Ultimate model RB 5  Broadcast 
1945 Ultimate model RB 5  Broadcast 
1945 Ultimate model RD 4 + vibrator power supply  Broadcast 
1946 Ultimate model RC 6 + magic eye 4
1946 Ultimate model RG 8 + magic eye  Broadcast 
1946 Ultimate model RG 8 + magic eye  Broadcast 
1946 Ultimate model RJ 6  Broadcast 
1947 Ultimate model RL 6  Dual Wave 
1947 Ultimate model RM 5 + vibrator  Dual Wave 
1947 Ultimate model RN 5 + vibrator  Broadcast 
1947 Ultimate model RO 6 + magic eye 5
1947 Ultimate model RU 5  Broadcast 
1947 Ultimate model RU 5  Broadcast 
1948 Ultimate model RAA 7 + magic eye 5
1948 Ultimate model RAC 'Minor' 5  Broadcast 
1948 Ultimate model RAC 'Mitre' 5  Broadcast 
1948 Ultimate model RAF 'Challen' 5  Broadcast 
1948 Ultimate model RAG 'Cargill' 6  Broadcast 
1948 Ultimate model RAG 'Loop' 6  Broadcast 
1948 Ultimate model RW 'Snowden' 6  Dual Wave 
1948 Ultimate model RX 'Eden' 5  Broadcast 
1948 Ultimate model RY 5  Dual Wave 
1949 Ultimate model RAN 'Gypsy' 6  Broadcast 
1950ish Ultimate model RG 8 + magic eye  Broadcast 
1951 Ultimate model RAW 'Nymph' 5 + selenium rectifier  Broadcast 
1951 Ultimate model RAX 6  Dual Wave 
1951 Ultimate model RBC 'Clifton' 6  Broadcast 
1951 Ultimate model RBD 8 + magic eye  Broadcast 
1951 Ultimate model RBE 5  Broadcast 
1951 Ultimate model RBG 'Minor' 4  Broadcast 
1951 Ultimate model RBH 'Drummond' 6 + magic eye 5
1951 Ultimate model RBK 'Tawa' 5  Broadcast 
1951 Ultimate model RBK 'Musgrave' 5  Broadcast 
1951 Ultimate model RBK 'Miro' 5  Broadcast 
1952 Ultimate model RBN 'Car Radio' 7 + vibrator  Broadcast 
1952 Ultimate model RBP 'Hanging Horror' 4  Broadcast 
1953 Ultimate model RBO 'Troubadour' 6 or 7 valve equivalent  Broadcast 
1953 Ultimate model RBY 'Duchess' 6  Dual Wave 
1953 Ultimate model RBZ 'Linnet' 4  Broadcast 
1953 Ultimate model RCB 'Minnow' 6 4
1953ish Ultimate model RCD 5  Broadcast 
1953ish Ultimate model RCD 'Saturn' 5  Broadcast 
1953 Ultimate model RCG 'Newark' 6  Broadcast 
1953ish Ultimate model RCI 7  Dual Wave 
1953 Ultimate model RCZ 'Seafarer' 6  Dual Wave 
1954ish Ultimate model RCD 5  Broadcast 
1954 Ultimate model RCE 'Baby Grand' 7 4
1954 Ultimate model RCE 'Symphony' 6 + magic eye 4
1955 Ultimate model RCC 'Emperor' 7 4
1955 Ultimate model RCC 'Rex' 7 4
1955 Ultimate model RCC 'Monarch' 7 4
1955 Ultimate model RCJ 'Century' 5  Broadcast 
1955 Ultimate model RCP 'Cygnet' 5  Broadcast 
1955 Ultimate model RCP 'New Sorrento' 5  Broadcast 
1955 Ultimate model RDG 'Sorrento' 5  Broadcast 
1956 Ultimate model RBK 'Sherwood' 5  Broadcast 
1956 Ultimate model RCC 'President' 7 4
1956 Ultimate model RCC 'Wren' 7 4
1956 Ultimate model RCL 'Hanover' 5  Broadcast 
1956 Ultimate model RCL 'Stuart' 5  Broadcast 
1956 Ultimate model RCL 'Windsor' 5  Broadcast 
1956 Ultimate model RCN 'Tyne' 6  Broadcast 
1957 Ultimate RDE Transistor 7 'Voyager' 7 transistors, 1 diode  Broadcast 
1957 Ultimate RDE Transistor 7 'Venturer' 7 transistors, 1 diode  Broadcast 
1959 Ultimate model RDM 'Explorer' 8 Transistor ,1 Diode  Broadcast 
1959ish Ultimate model RDR 'Autoportable' 8  Broadcast 
1959ish Ultimate model RDR 'Grand Mantle' 8  Broadcast 
1959 Ultimate model RDW 'Madeline' 7 5
1959 Ultimate model RDW 'Lyndhurst' 7 5
1960ish Ultimate model RCN 'New Tyne' 6  Broadcast 
1960ish Ultimate model RDG 'Argyle' 5  Broadcast 
1960 Ultimate model REF 'Lynton' 5  Broadcast 
1961 Ultimate model REH 'Fairleigh' 7 5
1961 Ultimate model REH 'Lurline' 7 5
1961 Ultimate model REO 'Beaumont' 5  Broadcast 
1962 Ultimate model REM 'Playmate' 1 + rectifier diode
1962 Ultimate model REQ 'Christina' 6  Dual Wave 
1963ish Ultimate model REM 'Playmate II' 1 + rectifier diode
1963 Ultimate model RER 'Friendship 8' 8 transistors, 3 diodes  Broadcast 
1964 Ultimate model REQ 'Monterey' 6  Dual Wave 
1964 Ultimate model RES 'Lonsdale' 4 + rectifier diode  Broadcast 
1964 Ultimate model REU 4 + rectifier diode  Broadcast 
1964ish Ultimate model REV 'Domino' 4 + silicon diode rectifier  Broadcast 
1965ish Ultimate U163 'Impresario' 7 5
1966 Ultimate U505 'Imperial' 7  Broadcast 
1966ish Ultimate U525 'Nottingham' 15 transistor, 2 diode  Broadcast 
1968 Ultimate U513 'Palestrina'
1970 Ultimate model 5003 'Symphony Master' 10 Transistors
1972ish Ultimate model 702 'Vagabond' 4 Transistors