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Vintage Audio (record players, hi-fi etc) Amplifiers, speakers, gramophones and other audio equipment.

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Old 30th Mar 2008, 10:09 pm   #81
Tractorfan
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Default Re: Radiograms. Will they ever be wanted?

My parents had a "Beethoven" table radiogram with a Garrard RC110 autochanger. It arrived in the house about the same time as me (1954) and used B7G valves with (I think) a 150mA series heater chain but not a "live chassis". I grew up with this set and I have it still. The cabinet is that black "piano" veneered finish which is coming off around the edges.
About 18 months back I was given a KB LG40FM console radiogram (original cost 88gns) which I brought back here to France from Chester on a trailer with a load of other household stuff. After spending nearly half a century in the corner of a quiet suburban sitting room it was unceremoniously toted across half of europe and now sits in our hallway. My wife even likes it as she says it fits in with the "period" feel of our house. The radio side is very "deaf" now but the Garrard RC80M autochanger works well with the push-pull o/p & big speaker. I saved it from going to the tip because the old boy (he died at 97 years) who owned it said his nephew would "only dump it when I'm gone!" His favourite 78 record was "The Man From Larame" by Jimmy Young & I play it each year on the anniversary of his death, thanks Stan. So that's two 'grams that will still be wanted!
Cheers, Pete.
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Old 9th Jul 2008, 4:17 pm   #82
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Default Re: Radiograms. Will they ever be wanted?

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Originally Posted by Nickthedentist View Post
Very nice indeed! The non-radiogram versions of these are very sought-after because of their very good audio quality (4 speakers and loads of valves).

The RG version must sound even better; fewer but better speakers and more suitable cabinet for them. Paradoxically, it's almost certainly worth less though, due to its size.

Nick,
Thanks Nick,
It it s a lovely sound and very powerful .... even when using it regularly the volume was never turned up as it can be incredibly loud!! I turned it on again today just to check it still works ok & it does although no radio stations (probably because the arial isn't connected ...lol).

I do need to find a new home for it as I livei n a small flat now and would like it to go to a good home, but realise it's not worth a great deal and no idea what to ask for it!
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Old 10th Jul 2008, 11:22 am   #83
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Default Re: Radiograms. Will they ever be wanted?

Hi
You could try it on e bay, there are no Pye radiograms on there at the moment, that said the radiograms mostly have no bids, however you only need two people to want it and it could make reasonable money !
These Fenman grams do sound good hope you find it a good home.
as far as value is concerned I have three here at home, A 50s Bush which I paid £10 for , a 40s Etronic which I think cost me £25 last year and a 30s Atwater kent which I got for the reserve price of £80, I was the only bidder.
It is a real shame but it seems that radiograms are still unloved by the majority!

Rich.
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Old 10th Jul 2008, 12:02 pm   #84
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Default Re: Radiograms. Will they ever be wanted?

Hi all, i would love to have the room for a radiogram, but house is already full
of stuff i do however own two tabletop grams (see pics) one (french?) philips c1954 & a pye c1951
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Old 10th Jul 2008, 5:17 pm   #85
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Default Re: Radiograms. Will they ever be wanted?

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I turned it on again today just to check it still works ok & it does although no radio stations (probably because the aerial isn't connected ...lol).
Mmmm .... nice. I'd be wary of running it for very long as there are a few wax capacitors in the FenMan that will want replacing.
It's unlikely that you'll get any signals, even on FM, without some sort of an aerial.
I'll stop here before I get too tempted!
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Old 12th Jul 2008, 12:10 am   #86
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Default Re: Radiograms. Will they ever be wanted?

I recently picked up a Blaupunkt Arkansas gram, which after I tidied up and re-valved sounded very nice indeed, perched on the top with my ipod, it so impressed my girlfriend she asked me to get one for her also !

After a while I got in touch with a bloke who had one but just wanted rid, so was delighted to get it for free. Once home I discovered this one actually had A STEREO Radio also with a built in decoder unlike mine, but when I switch to VHF it only comes through one speaker unless I switch to mono. With an ipod fitted these machines sound great.

Since then I have changed the caps in the crossover with polyprops and to my ears the whole thing sounds a bit smoother. They are such lovely pieces of kit, my lady friend is now making room in her living room. Both are original regarding caps and resistors in the amps and seem fine.

Did the Germans use higher quality components ?

Last edited by Darren-UK; 12th Jul 2008 at 11:37 am. Reason: Converted to English and paragraphed.
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Old 15th Jul 2008, 4:58 pm   #87
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Default Re: Radiograms. Will they ever be wanted?

Yes they are, but please check the grid caps on the O/P valves. Any +ve volts on the grid, change these.

Read here: http://www.vintage-radio.com/repair-...ut-stages.html

Cheers,

Steve P.
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Old 16th Jul 2008, 2:15 pm   #88
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Default Re: Radiograms. Will they ever be wanted?

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Originally Posted by valve boy 5 View Post
I recently picked up a Blaupunkt Arkansas gram, which after I tidied up and re-valved sounded very nice indeed, ...
They are such lovely pieces of kit, my lady friend is now making room in her living room. Both are original regarding caps and resistors in the amps and seem fine.

Did the Germans use higher quality components ?
Germans seem to have got the idea of tailoring the audio amplifiers to give a good sound early on. They seem to have been quite hot on what became known as the "loudness" control, as it were (which boosts bass and treble frequencies at lower volume levels. Unfortunately, since the demise of Grundig in the late seventies, it's a lesson that they and a lot of other manufacturers have totally forgotten.
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Old 16th Jul 2008, 5:01 pm   #89
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Default Re: Radiograms. Will they ever be wanted?

There is a collector in Staplehurst - John Tyler - who has probably in excess of 40 (yes, forty) radiograms, mostly in very good and working condition. He also has a wealth of other audio memorabilia. We have one, in our dining room, but it's an old and not very pretty Ecko using (I think) an SE ECL86 amplifier. Bit of hum - porbably power supply caps going leaky after all this time, but a very nice sound - but no way is it hi-fi!
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Old 16th Jul 2008, 9:52 pm   #90
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Default Re: Radiograms. Will they ever be wanted?

Hi Do you still have the info on the HMV 520 you wrote about some time ago? Thanks RICKY
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Old 17th Jul 2008, 3:32 pm   #91
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Default Re: Radiograms. Will they ever be wanted?

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Originally Posted by Steve_P View Post
Yes they are, but please check the grid caps on the O/P valves. Any +ve volts on the grid, change these.

Read here: http://www.vintage-radio.com/repair-...ut-stages.html

Cheers,

Steve P.
HI Steve just dismantled my blaupunkt Arkansas to remove the amp/radio chassis to find the whole wooden board it is all bolted to is removable via 3 screws !! anyway got it out and it looks a bit daunting compared to the Leak and RCA /QUAD HI FI amps I have rebuilt there is one main pcb and 2 smaller ones bolted to the main chassis the grid caps appear to be 22n (does this sound about right ?) in value and near to the ecl 86 valves and compared to the rest of the amp fairly accesible ,I tried the trick of putting the radio on MW/AM FOR ABOUT 20 MINS AND SWITCHED OFF, the sound immediately dissapeared and the magic eye went off in about 1 second ,does this sound like the power caps are spent ? As it is ,it sounds lovely if a little bass heavy .If the whole thing is a bit to much can anyone reccomend a guy to repair/restore in the herts/london area?

Should point out the caps are those gold/yellow wima type not the wax or hunts ,all sounds ok but will take your advice if you feel these could become a problem

Last edited by valve boy 5; 17th Jul 2008 at 3:49 pm.
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Old 17th Jul 2008, 4:36 pm   #92
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Default Re: Radiograms. Will they ever be wanted?

Go to pin 8 of the ECL86. Measure the DC here. If 0v or slightly negative then you have no problem.

If it's Positive here, then the cap between the Pentode of the Triode (Pin 9) and the Grid of the Pentode (Pin 8) is the one to change.

Cheers,

Steve P.
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Old 17th Jul 2008, 8:06 pm   #93
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Default Re: Radiograms. Will they ever be wanted?

Hi steve just looked at schematic diagram it looks like the 22n cap has a 100k and 1k resisitor wired in series before it reachs pin 8 ,does that sound about right ?
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Old 17th Jul 2008, 9:56 pm   #94
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Default Re: Radiograms. Will they ever be wanted?

Guys,

This is meant to be a thread about the future, or otherwise, of radiograms. Repair questions and answers should be in the appropriate forum section.

Drifting OT may well result in one of the Moderators fingers drifting too.....onto the 'Close' button .
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Old 17th Jul 2008, 10:49 pm   #95
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Default Re: Radiograms. Will they ever be wanted?

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Originally Posted by mark pirate View Post
( i do however own two tabletop grams (see pics) one (french?) philips c1954 & a pye c1951
I really like the Philips table gram Mark! I have a Dansette table radiogram but its really just a conquest record player with a radio dial clagged on the front, not a work of art like your Philips
Maybe the subject for a new thread, but how about we all post pictures of radiograms in our collections, maybe we can stir up some interest? ( if only amongst ourselves) !
Rich.
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Old 21st Jul 2008, 5:48 pm   #96
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Default Re: Radiograms. Will they ever be wanted?

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Originally Posted by Mike Phelan View Post
Mmmm .... nice. I'd be wary of running it for very long as there are a few wax capacitors in the FenMan that will want replacing.
It's unlikely that you'll get any signals, even on FM, without some sort of an aerial.
I'll stop here before I get too tempted!
Hi Mike,

Yes I only turn it on briefly from time to time, just to keep the juices flowing lol..... I know the radio used to work, just no aerial plugged in atm ;-)

Cheers
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Old 22nd Jul 2008, 12:05 pm   #97
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Default Re: Radiograms. Will they ever be wanted?

The mods feel that this has reached the end of its usefull life.

Closed.

Please start new threads for problems with individual radiograms.

Regards,
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