Columbia Record Changer/AM-FM Console
 

So a friend gave me this Columbia record changer - AM/FM player for free. Record changer appears to be a Voice of Music. Part numbers (like idler) underneath start with "VM." Has a "GI" motor. The chassis is a combined amp/am-fm tuner chassis. Back of cabinet says Columbia Model 7001. Tuner/amp chassis says Model T136-2, Serial 067608, Insp. 4PS 33.

Can someone help me find the schematic. Have not been able to track it down. Searched SAMS and no Columbia Model 7001 or T136-2. These are the only models number markings on player/chassis. What am I missing here?

Is this one of those brands that was made by someone else, like "Sears" or something like that? Know nothing about Columbia, but thought they made their own stuff. Should I be looking for another brand for the chassis model number or cabinet model number?

Thx.

A lot of Columbia stuff seems to have been made by others, at least after 1960 or so. the VM website should be able to get you a manual for the changer, which looks like a fairly standard VM 1200 series.

Under Columbia Record Club, it lists a model 7011, in Sams 834 folder 5, dating from 1966....which sounds about right for the unit.

Some Columbia products were made by Arvin, Audio Industries, Olympic and a few other smaller firms. IIRC, they were sold by the Columbia record club.
A lot of them weren't too bad. Remove the back and look at the tube brands.

Voice of Music changer. Probably has a Sonotone 8T or 9T cartridge.

Columbia, Capitol, Decca, and Mercury all had their line of record players. The Mercury models were made by Philips and the rest were made by USA-based companies. Out of what I've seen, Columbia seemed to have the best ones (even though they had some junk, like everybody else). The Columbia 360, which came out in the early '50's, is one of the first hi-fi self contained record players.

Thanks for all the replies and info. Here are some more photos of the chassis and VM changer. I got the changer ID'd. 1962 VM 1235. Changer actually works pretty well now. It is the chassis schematic that I cannot find. This set only has one tuner/amp combo chassis. Phono plugs right into tuner chassis. No separate amp chassis and tuner chassis. So not expecting any great quality. Would just want to get it working well and then maybe sell it to a few people that are interested in a working record player. If anyone has any more insights based on these new photos, please let me know. Thx.

More photos . . .

Does the unit have a ELL80 output tube, with a 6CA4 rectifier and a 12AX7, 1st amp? If so, it's probably a Symphonic. That was before they became, just an importer. The one, I worked on years ago, was a Bradford.
It was actually a rather decent unit for under $200. A bit better than some of the competing makes. :thmbsp:

YOU NAILED THE TUBE SETUP! ELL80 output and the others. RIGHT ON!

I always thought the ELL80 was a neat tube. IIRC, the US number is 6KU8???
I'm lucky, I have one new one to my name. They're rather pricey!

The web says 6HU8....

So it is a single tube P-P penthode output stage?

Gary at the VM Enthusiasts site looked up the VM Changer part number in his build literature. Shows that this changer was used by Symphonic during a period that they made consoles for other brands. So changes are the chassis is a Symphonic.

WTG dieseljeep!!!!!!!!! :thmbsp:

I went by memory, regarding the US designation. It's actually a dual EF95, which was a common output tube in the smaller German table radios. It was about the size of a 6AU6 or similar tube.
Admiral used a similar tube, in some of their sets, a 6GZ5, or in their series string B/W portables, a 4GZ5. The tube appeared to be a Tung-Sol sourced tube. Don't know the relationship. :boring:

It's really a EL95! :thmbsp: