Fidelity HF42
 

Hi All, my first post....
I have an old Fidelity HF42 record player, producing no sound. Upon investigation I found a 330uF capacitor was duff, so replaced it (I only had a 220uF one) and now the speaker responds to me touching the cartridge input, i.e. I now hear mains hum. I figured that I had fixed it, but touching the stylus results in nothing, I expect a brushing sound. So, is the stylus duff or the amplifier not producing enough gain?
I don't know anything about ceramic cartridges, but would you expect to see a voltage spike being produced if you touch the stylus?
Any ideas please?
Thanks BB.

Re: Fidelity HF42
 

It sounds as if the cartridge is duff. It should produce some noise from the speaker if you stroke the stylus with a finger, even if the stylus is in bad condition. If you are getting crackles and buzzes when you touch the connections with a screwdriver, then that is pretty conclusive.

Re: Fidelity HF42
 

Many Thanks paulsherwin, I'll look into getting a replacement cartridge, not knowing about these things, the stylus plugs into the cartridge, it being screwed into the top shell on the arm?

Re: Fidelity HF42
 

When you remove the cartridge you should see the type number on the top of the cartridge. It is likely to be a BSR medium output stereo-compatible type.

Re: Fidelity HF42
 

Most likely a BSR X5M these are hard to find now and usually cost around 35 to 40 quid if you can find one.
However they can usually be brought back to life by very carefully opening them up and cleaning the contacts inside but as I say great care is needed to do this otherwise they can be damaged beyond repair.

Re: Fidelity HF42
 

Indeed they can, with a careful touch, be made to work again and I've done this myself. I will emphasise a VERY careful touch is needed though as the plastics are now of an age where they're going chalky and brittle, one I did recently has died again due to the plastic being too brittle and chunks lodging inside. (I may try and resurrect it again, but as it was for someone else's player I've replaced it with new old stock).

Re: Fidelity HF42
 

Thanks all, it's taken me a while to work out how to find my OP, a bit slow I am :-). I'll have a go at opening it up (the player), it is a relic from my wife's Mum's home, amongst other things such as a Bush VCR of no use now. I hate to see things being thrown away, I've just fixed an old Wharfdale flat screen, caps in the PSU, and have lined up a couple of Ghetto Blasters (is that allowed?) Bush & Panasonic, and more advanced an RA17 radio and a Studer-Revox G36 tape player.

Cheers and thanks again.