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Old 24th Mar 2015, 5:05 pm   #1
FERNSEH
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Default Another EMI RS101 stereo record player.

This EMI made RS101 has a rather strange record deck. It's a type that is unfamiliar to me. Should I remove it and fit something like a Garrard SP25 in it's place?
Also, that pick-up cartridge can't be kind to modern records.

DFWB.
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Old 24th Mar 2015, 5:35 pm   #2
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Default Re: Another EMI RS101 stereo record player.

It looks quite good, & the cartridge is a stereo one, it certainly will be no worse to your records than any comparable aged deck & better than a lot!
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Old 24th Mar 2015, 5:38 pm   #3
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Default Re: Another EMI RS101 stereo record player.

The deck is a "Triotrak", and is unusual in that is has a variable speed control. If it's working well, I'd leave it well alone.
The cartridge is a Ronette BF40, which was, in it's day, considered a very good one, not least by the "Gramophone" magazine. Given the price of cartridges these days, I'd go for leaving everything original. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Barry
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Old 24th Mar 2015, 5:38 pm   #4
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Default Re: Another EMI RS101 stereo record player.

The deck's a Danish one, something like Triotrack?

Has a lot in common with some later B&O ones i.e. idler and belt drive plus fine speed control concentric with speed selector.

EDIT: Crossed with Barry, whose spelling is better than mine!
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Old 24th Mar 2015, 5:55 pm   #5
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Default Re: Another EMI RS101 stereo record player.

Good afternoon Gentlemen,
Thank you for your responses. So it will be better just to leave the existing record deck in this unit. It's a good one and quite rare.
Evidently, this is a very good record player, it has push-pull output stages and independent bass and treble controls.
Interestly to note that the RS101 was made in 1958 by EMI a year after the company had licensed the HMV and Marconi brands to Thorn Ltd.

DFWB.
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Old 24th Mar 2015, 8:21 pm   #6
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Default Re: Another EMI RS101 stereo record player.

Originally, there would have been a seperate headshell and cartridge for 78s. The little well in the front left hand corner is where it was stored.

Barry
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Old 24th Mar 2015, 8:56 pm   #7
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Default Re: Another EMI RS101 stereo record player.

I restored a Capitol branded version a few years ago, the amplifier sounds a lot better than you would expect of it.
The original speakers also sounded good. Sadly my example had been (badly) fitted with a plasticky 70's BSR.
I fitted an SP25 mk1, just because it was the only spare deck I had to hand!

Mark
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Old 24th Mar 2015, 10:37 pm   #8
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Default Re: Another EMI RS101 stereo record player.

Unfortunately the 78rpm head shell is missing. Information for the EMI RS101 can be found on page 88 of the 1959/60 Radio and Television servicing book.
The amplifier uses two ECL83 triode-pentodes. An EF86 is employed as the first amplifier stage.
Hi Mark,
The SP25 Mk1 is an excellent choice of record player deck for this unit.
I do not have the original loudspeakers but judging from the pictures I've seen of them it is likely they would be capable of excellent performance.

DFWB.
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Old 25th Mar 2015, 10:10 am   #9
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Default Re: Another EMI RS101 stereo record player.

Seeing that other surviving Capitol/EMI stereo record players utilise Garrard decks this example featuring the Triotrack deck must be extremely rare, so for this reason alone I would leave it as it is myself.

When I last tried it it worked perfectly. To activate the motor the arm has to be moved from its rest to the right, it stops automatically at the end of the record. Like some other valved decks I could mention the turntable can get hot from the valves below which could fatally warp a 12" record if not removed from the turntable quickly enough after playing!

The Ronette cartridge is also in working order but were some intermittent problems I think from the headshell contacts which may respond to cleaning. Yes it is a shame the 78 RPM headshell and cartridge is missing. I never got round to trying the unit with speakers.

Cheers,
Brian

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Old 25th Mar 2015, 6:00 pm   #10
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Default Re: Another EMI RS101 stereo record player.

Quote:
I do not have the original loudspeakers but judging from the pictures I've seen of them it is likely they would be capable of excellent performance.
Hi David, I have seen two types of speakers with these units, the ones I had were triangular shaped cabinets on 3 legs.
I wish I had opened them up to see what drivers were fitted.

Mark
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Old 25th Mar 2015, 6:56 pm   #11
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Default Re: Another EMI RS101 stereo record player.

Hi Mark,
A picture posted by another Forum member some time ago of one of the loudspeakers made for the EMI RS101.

DFWB.
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Old 25th Mar 2015, 7:06 pm   #12
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Default Re: Another EMI RS101 stereo record player.

The speakers that went with this unit contained EMI 13"x8" bass speakers with the red alnico magnet and if memory serves a 3" tweeter, possibly 2 of.

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Paul
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Old 25th Mar 2015, 7:19 pm   #13
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Default Re: Another EMI RS101 stereo record player.

The picture in post 11 is an original cabinet but not the correct speakers. These are much newer drivers.
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Old 25th Mar 2015, 8:14 pm   #14
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Default Re: Another EMI RS101 stereo record player.

Yep, someones turned them into disco speakers! Ugh!

Correct ones look like this: http://thumbs1.ebaystatic.com/d/l225...TTNn6LGHvg.jpg
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Old 25th Mar 2015, 9:34 pm   #15
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Default Re: Another EMI RS101 stereo record player.

Hi Nick, The originals look a lot better!

DFWB.
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Old 25th Mar 2015, 9:42 pm   #16
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Default Re: Another EMI RS101 stereo record player.

The driver would have been the EMI 13(and a half) inch by 8 inch elliptical one. These were available with dual cones, or a pair of small cone tweeters on a bar across the short diameter. In this case, I think the cone tweeter was separate.

The EMI 13.5x8 drivers were fairly low cost and plastered across all the electronics magazines of the mid sixties.

David
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Old 27th Mar 2015, 2:44 am   #17
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Default Re: Another EMI RS101 stereo record player.

Interesting deck but the arm looks pretty crude. I would leave it original, but if you intend to use it for playing anything half decent, then an old SP25 would probably be a better bet IMHO.
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