Show us your phonographs

[Bill Cahill]

My feeling is Astatic 86T. These machines are not HI FI, though.
They played talking books, and, as such, had to play at very high frequencies.
Bill Cahill

[radiotvnut]

Thanks for the information!

I guess I'm probably one of the few that collects these old "talking book" players.

If anyone has any of these types of players in their collection, I'd like to see them.

[Bill Cahill]

Actually, I have 3 myself.
I'm trying to convert an old 8 rpm to 78.
I have one two speed, and, one SS brown plastic SS toy made in 70's.
Bill Cahill

[radiotvnut]

When I was a kid during the '80's, the main ones I remember being in circulation at the time were the models in a colored plastic case from the '70's. The beige one (A77) and green ones (A79) were most common around here. I think those stayed in production until the A1 (one I have pictured) came out. There's actually a couple of those plastic ones on ebay right now. The only solid state model that I'd like to find is the AE5. I think that was the first SS model and was in a large two-tone blue case.

I know a lady who lost her eyesight back in the '60's and she said she had one of the old wooden cased models and she kept it well into the plastic solid state era because she said she didn't care for the plastic models. She said that when records became obsolete, she tried to return it to the library; but, they told her that it was too old and for her to do as she pleased with it. Then, she was going to give it to me and couldn't find it (she probably tossed it and forgot doing so).

Someone told me that the two speed models actually used a 4 speed mechanism that had a plastic stop on the speed control lever, preventing the lever from being moved to the 45 or 78 positions. The person who was telling me this said the stop could be broken off with a pair of pliers and the machine would play the other two speeds.

[radiotvnut]

Here's my RCA 45HY4 that's currently apart for restoration.





My '49 Admiral phonograph/radio/TV combo.



My '60 Magnavox stereo.







The last of my talking book players, a modified version of the popular Philco radio with slide in 78 rpm phono. This one has been modified to play 33 and 78, has a lever to raise the tonearm, and a device to move the tonearm to the desired position on the record. The metal tag on the rear of the machine reads "talking book reproducer, model AC-47, American foundation for the blind". Here are several pictures of it taken apart. I really need to get back on this one.

[radiotvnut]

Here are a few more.

Ambassador tube type mono unit from around 1960. Uses a Telefunken changer.



Cheap Lafayette stereo portable from the early '60's. Has a BSR changer and it's one of those cheap models with seperate L and R volume.



Early '50's Silvertone manual player in need of much TLC.


'59 Silvertone "syntronic" hi-fi phonograph. Changer built by Crescent and the amp was built by Warwick Electronics.

[reelman1968]

watch out for those 1960's bsr decks. they are very hard on records. the 70's bsrs are somewhat gentler.

[radiotvnut]

'40's GE 78 rpm childs phonograph. Needs a cartridge and drive mechanism repair.


Early '60's Arvin w/ AM radio. VM built changer.


Dynavox 16" transcription player. Very cheaply made. While rebuilding the amp, I managed to break one of the tube sockets. Like I said, this is a very cheaply built player.


Trav-Ler mid '50's hi-fi w/ BSR changer. This one had a squealing amp that a recap didn't fix; so, I got mad and stripped the chassis down. With the aid of a schematic, I plan to rebuild the amp from the ground up.



'40's Crosley radio/78 rpm phonograph. Someone, who bought this at a yard sale, brought it to me for repair. When I gave them an estimate, they couldn't decide if they wanted it fixed and said they'd get back with me. I offered to buy it from them if they decided not to fix it, which they said they'd probably take me up on. Then, they dropped off the face of the Earth. That was over 5 years ago; so, I guess it's mine now (for free).

[Bill Cahill]

OMG!
I have that exact model Dynavox!
You are right. What a piece of junk!
I installed a 35Z5 rectifier in place of selenium where they had old paper filter can.
I put in a pair of 35C5 audio outs in place of the 50 volt tubes.
Are you aware those are NOT wired in PP? They are in almost exact parallel.
The output transformer is not center tapped. It's tapped near the bottomfor the other output tube, and, mis matched.
The 12AX7 tubes aren't wired correctly, and, they put resistors accross volume controls because resistance was wrong, then, they put a resistor in series with hot wire of cartridge.
It doesn't get louder. Just more distorted.
What a piece of junk!
I think I'll have to re design amp just to make it usable....
Bill Cahill

[radiotvnut]

Originally Posted by Bill Cahill

OMG!
I have that exact model Dynavox!
You are right. What a piece of junk!
I installed a 35Z5 rectifier in place of selenium where they had old paper filter can.
I put in a pair of 35C5 audio outs in place of the 50 volt tubes.
Are you aware those are NOT wired in PP? They are in almost exact parallel.
The output transformer is not center tapped. It's tapped near the bottomfor the other output tube, and, mis matched.
The 12AX7 tubes aren't wired correctly, and, they put resistors accross volume controls because resistance was wrong, then, they put a resistor in series with hot wire of cartridge.
It doesn't get louder. Just more distorted.
What a piece of junk!
I think I'll have to re design amp just to make it usable....
Bill Cahill

I actually never made it to any sort of circuit analysis before breaking a terminal off of one of the ultra cheap tube sockets. That little set-back PO'ed me to the point of just putting it away for another day. I'll probably end up doing to mine what you may do to yours and redesign the amp for better performance. Most of these cheap players have a schematic pasted inside the cabinet. Not this one! Had I known how cheap it was, I would have never bought it off ebay. This was obviously a model that was geared towards people who could not afford a Newcomb.

[radiotvnut]

Here's an early '50's Zenith AM radio/cobramatic record changer.



Here's a late '40's Silvertone console radio/78 rpm record player/wire recorder. Yes, I know I should have gotten the broom out of the way before taking the picture.



Next, is a circa '57 Philco mono console record player. The amp is a PP-6V6 design. The original changer was a Philco branded Webcor; but, it was destroyed by the time I got this player and I substituted a VM changer. Fortunately, the hole was cut to accept a VM or a Webcor changer without modification; so, I suspect some of these units may have come with VM changers. One day, I hope to find the correct Philco branded Webcor to stick back in this player.

[AUdubon5425]

I have the Sams for that Philco/Webcor changer somewhere - model M37 I think

[Bill Cahill]

That doesn't look like a Webcor changer to me. Looks like a VM 1200 series.....
Bill Cahill

[radiotvnut]

Here's a Webcor Musicale that uses a PP-6V6 amp and a GE variable reluctance magnetic cartridge.


Next, is an early '50's RCA.


Last, is a rather unusual institutional phonograph. It is a Benjamin/Lenco and uses a stereo magnetic cartridge with the two channels tied together for mono and a lightweight tonearm. The amp is solid state and it also has a microphone input. This is the first institutional player that I've owned that had what would be considered a hi-fi turntable attached to it. I have seen some pictures of some older Bogen tube units that used a Lenco TT with a GE variable reluctance cartridge; but, have never actually had my hands on one of these players.

[perchdog]

Ok,

I do like to post pictures...

Picked this up off the bay a few months ago. Mid-1950's D & R turntable made in Santa Barbara California. Not to many arouund, pretty unique all the way around. I need to get a cartridge yet and preamp, probably start ramping this project up as the tempeture falls...

I shot these pics while unpacking, the motor is hanging from isolators as it must of shifted in transport. I will replace the gromets but I was able to reassemble so all is fine for now.