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Vintage Audio (record players, hi-fi etc) Amplifiers, speakers, gramophones and other audio equipment. |
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2nd Mar 2021, 6:40 pm | #1 |
Diode
Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: London, UK
Posts: 1
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Can anyone identify this record player please
Hi I have found this record player in my house - was among lots of inherited items. Can someone please provide some information on it please? E. G. How old is it? What was it used for? Is it a commercial piece? Is it valuable?
I have attached some photos. Thanks for your help in advance. Harry |
2nd Mar 2021, 7:48 pm | #2 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Whittlesey, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 3,757
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Re: Can anyone identify this record player please
Hi, and welcome,
What you have is a Dynatron radiogram with an added cassette tape recorder, from around 1970. They were expensive at the time, but are somewhat out of fashion at the moment. This one does have the advantage of being small, but of course the value depends on cabinet condition and whether or not it is fully working. If it is, I would suggest a Value of around £30 - 50, but others may disagree! |
2nd Mar 2021, 7:49 pm | #3 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 13,454
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Re: Can anyone identify this record player please
Dynatron HFC68 ?
Lawrence. |
2nd Mar 2021, 8:02 pm | #4 |
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
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Re: Can anyone identify this record player please
It is a radiogram, branded Dynatron. I'm not sure of the model number.
Back in the thirties, Dynatron were a very famous very up-market company. Their stuff was built like a battleship. By the fifties, the owners of Dynatron sold the firm to Pye, a much larger firm, making middle of the road stuff. They used the Dynatron name as a premium brand. By the sixties, Pye had become part of the Philips group. Pye as a brand was getting overtaken somewhat as people changed fro buying radiograms to buying hifi equipment. They still kept the Fynatron brand name going. The innards were pretty ordinary Philips/Pye stuff, as also sold in cheaper cabinets under Philips and Pye brands. But the Dynatron ones put the cheap workings in a posher looking cabinets. The solid wood cabinetry of their rarly years had sescended to veneered chipboard by this time. So what you have is a middle-range stereogram from about 1970. There is nothing special other than a poshed up cabinet. They sold for premium prices back in the day to people who liked the furniture aspect and weren't aware of the brand engineering aspect. So, no, it's not worth a lot. It was made by a commercial operation, but its users were domestic consumers. If you weren't in their target market, you'd think them a bit Hyacinth Bucket. It looks like one of the models where the speakers were in separate cabinets. So it represents pretty much the end of the radiogram era as the market shifted to hifi equipment, and it represents the end of what was left of a famous name. A few years ago, you couldn't give radiograms away. Now woith the resurgence in people wanting to play 'vinyl' prices have lifted from zero. Depending on condition £30 to 70. I'd guess. The automated record deck will likely benefit from a service to clear out hardened grease. The cassette tape unit has a few rubber belts in it which will likely need changing. Philips is notorious for rubber belts turning into weapons-grade sticky goo that is the very devil to get off. So although you haven't solved all your financial needs, you have a pleasantly cheerful player of records and the radio. A bit of maintenance like lubrication, those belts and perhaps a new stylus are advisable. It all depends on if ypu have the space and like the styling. David
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2nd Mar 2021, 8:29 pm | #5 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Lincolnshire, UK.
Posts: 4,985
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Re: Can anyone identify this record player please
There's a second pickup head slider with a flip under cartridge fitted, as can be seen in one of the pictures. The cartridge in the actual head would be a magnetic type and looks like a Shure, but could be a Goldring. It needs to be complete with its original separate cabinet speakers to work - hopefully you've got them with it just out of shot of your pictures, it's not a lot of good without them. There seems to be quite a lot of 'legs', so guessing that some (or all) of them are for the speakers and the gram itself is standing on its original longer legs. I'm tending to think those shown could be a little short for the main radiogram unit.
I agree regarding the value if it's complete and working, but you never know if you happen to find the right buyer and they're local, as you can't exactly send it through the post. If it's not complete and fully working, then the record deck with its two cartridges has some value on its own, but not a lot, and the separate speakers may have a bit of value to someone, but again not a lot. |
2nd Mar 2021, 9:52 pm | #6 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 7,548
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Re: Can anyone identify this record player please
To be honest, from what I remember seeing of these in the Philips workshop in the mid 70's, I don't think the radio/amplifier section was even made by Pye or Philips, it being heavily Japanese in origin. Just an outside chance it might have had something to do with Marantz (another Philips company but Japanese based) but was definitely at the budget end of the market. At least the one shown does have a Philips cassette deck fitted (an N2506 if I remember), Later ones had a cheaper Japanese deck which was inferior.
Made for looks rather than performance but they didn't sound too bad for what they were. The cabinet on the one shown looks a bit tatty which will detract further from any perceived value
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2nd Mar 2021, 10:41 pm | #7 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 9,427
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Re: Can anyone identify this record player please
The customers who bought them were very happy with them, fitted into the room decor nicely. The amplifiers were made by the Dynatron section of the company with standard parts, I think the radio may have used Mullard modules but not certain.
They worked as well as most mid range units but the quality was not of the original Dynatron products. They were sold to a niche market and the customer wanted the antique style cabinets. They filled that role very well.
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Frank |
2nd Mar 2021, 10:56 pm | #8 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 17,820
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Re: Can anyone identify this record player please
The record deck is a Garrard SP25 Mark 4. These are very reliable, but will ideally need a complete stripdown and service after 45-or so years. The greases go sticky and things which should be free to move get stuck. There's also a bit that comes unglued in the motor which will almost certainly need sticking back in the right place.
These Dynatron antique-style units from the 1970s come up for sale a lot currently. Presumably, the original purchasers are now passing away or downsizing. Have a look on eBay past sales for an idea of what they go for: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...diogram&_sop=2 £50-£100 seems realistic, if working. A bit more than I would have imagined. Good luck. Nick. |