UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > Specific Vintage Equipment > Vintage Tape (Audio), Cassette, Wire and Magnetic Disc Recorders and Players

Notices

Vintage Tape (Audio), Cassette, Wire and Magnetic Disc Recorders and Players Open-reel tape recorders, cassette recorders, 8-track players etc.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 5th Sep 2022, 11:58 pm   #1
martin.m
Hexode
 
martin.m's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Bishop Auckland, County Durham, UK.
Posts: 373
Default Fidelity Playmaster Major 4

There is one of these tape recorders for sale near me very cheap but in need of repair. Is this a transistorised model? I have never seen one before. It looks impressive but are they any good? I seem to recall that the Fidelity transistorised ones got bad technical reviews. The deck looks like a BSR TD10 so not all bad. I love fixing old tape recorders and for a tenner might take a chance. Has anyone got one in their collection?
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Playmaster Major 4.jpg
Views:	127
Size:	149.7 KB
ID:	264338  
__________________
Regards
Martin
martin.m is offline  
Old 6th Sep 2022, 9:40 am   #2
david freeman
Hexode
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Lincoln, Lincolnshire, UK.
Posts: 261
Default Re: Fidelity Playmaster Major 4

Hi
The Playmaster Major was reviewed by Alec Tutchings in Tape Recorder, and H Burrell-Hadden in Tape Recording Magazine. It received excellent reviews by both reviewers.
It had correct CCIR equalisation on each speed, very good frequency responses at all speeds, and was described as having a decent sound quality from its large internal speaker.
Overall, Alec Tutchings said it was an excellent design.
So, it begs the question, what happened when Fidelity produced the transistorised Playmaster?
david freeman is offline  
Old 6th Sep 2022, 9:42 am   #3
DMcMahon
Dekatron
 
DMcMahon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 6,587
Default Re: Fidelity Playmaster Major 4

Martin I have no experience with any of the many Fidelity models.

Looking at the service sheets for the Fidelity Playmaster Major I see there is a 2 track and a 4 track model so I assume the Playmaster Major 4 is the 4 track.

The service sheet shows it is a valve machine with a single transistor so technically it could be called "hybrid".

David
DMcMahon is offline  
Old 6th Sep 2022, 9:49 am   #4
Ted Kendall
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Kington, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 3,657
Default Re: Fidelity Playmaster Major 4

Quote:
Originally Posted by david freeman View Post
what happened when Fidelity produced the transistorised Playmaster?
Their designer evidently knew what he was doing with valves, but not transistors. Or maybe cost constraints prevented the use of enough transistors to give the necessary gain for proper equalisation. After the debacle of the transistorised Playmaster, Fidelity reverted to valves with the odd transistor here and there.
Ted Kendall is offline  
Old 6th Sep 2022, 9:49 am   #5
DMcMahon
Dekatron
 
DMcMahon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 6,587
Default Re: Fidelity Playmaster Major 4

I think David in post 3 is maybe referring to the Playmaster in this linked Thread, I do not know for sure but do not think it was the "Major" model.

https://www.google.com/url?client=in...Z7FD4P7hVCiI1S

David
DMcMahon is offline  
Old 6th Sep 2022, 9:50 am   #6
david freeman
Hexode
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Lincoln, Lincolnshire, UK.
Posts: 261
Default Re: Fidelity Playmaster Major 4

The Playmaster Major was only ever produced as a 4 track model. It isn’t strictly a transistor recorder. The single transistor was used as a low noise head amplifier in the playback circuit.
The valve lineup is EF86, ECC83, EL84, ECL86.
The single transistor is an AC107.
david freeman is offline  
Old 6th Sep 2022, 10:06 am   #7
Welsh Anorak
Dekatron
 
Welsh Anorak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: North Wales, UK.
Posts: 6,884
Default Re: Fidelity Playmaster Major 4

Well, for a tenner I'd go for it! As I'm sure you know, the TD10 is easy to service and the electronics shouldn't be too taxing. I like the VU meter as opposed to the more usual magic eye and the EL84 output stage should be plenty loud enough.
Go on - it'll soon be time for winter projects.
__________________
Glyn
www.gdelectronics.wales
Welsh Anorak is offline  
Old 6th Sep 2022, 10:08 am   #8
DMcMahon
Dekatron
 
DMcMahon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 6,587
Default Re: Fidelity Playmaster Major 4

Yes now after rechecking the service sheets can see it is only 4 Track, I think I must have been incorrectly looking at the Playmaster 2 while checking out various service sheets.

David
DMcMahon is offline  
Old 7th Sep 2022, 2:14 pm   #9
martin.m
Hexode
 
martin.m's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Bishop Auckland, County Durham, UK.
Posts: 373
Default Re: Fidelity Playmaster Major 4

Thank you all for your replies, I didn't know it was a valve model. Unfortunately when I made enquiries, someone had beaten me to it. The seller had forgotten to cancel the advert. If another one comes up (unlikely), I will grab it straight away. Nice that this model received good technical reviews, Fidelity products have usually been bargain basement.
__________________
Regards
Martin
martin.m is offline  
Old 7th Sep 2022, 6:51 pm   #10
ben
Dekatron
 
ben's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK
Posts: 7,484
Default Re: Fidelity Playmaster Major 4

The TD10 was more versatile than the TD2, but still suffered from noisy idler and slow winding speed. I think the heads were not particularly good either and prone to wear.

Fine for the price but there are far better machines out there IMO.
__________________
Regards,
Ben.
ben is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:05 am.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.