HMV 2353 - Crackly and muffled right channel - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

DaveCook · 26th Mar 2020, 1:03 am

After spending about a year collecting dust, the lockdown has given me time to work on my HMV 2353.

The original turntable was dead so I replaced it with a Garrard 2025. After enjoying Dark Side Of The Moon, I noticed all was not well.

At low volumes, everything seems fine. On closer inspection, there is a lack of balance and the right channel is quieter than the left.

I have tested it on both turntable and the radio and the fault is consistent. I'm relatively competent with a soldering iron so I'm prepared to dig in and work out what is wrong.

Speakers are tested fine, the right channel remains crackly depending on the volume.

So....

Has anyone else had this issue?
Any idea where I can find a circuit diagram?

And finally... Any idea where I can get replacement button cover for the source selectors? I'm missing one of the aluminium caps and would rather replace with similar rather than improvising...

Many thanks in advance!

Edward Huggins · 26th Mar 2020, 3:34 pm

The HMV 2352 service sheet is available from this Site, see the link at the top RHS of this page. How this differs from yours I am not sure? It sounds like an amplifier fault in the RH channel. Unusual that the original BSR C series autochanger was "dead", these are usually fixable. What cartridge are you using, the original or one already fitted to the replacement Garrard deck?

DaveCook · 26th Mar 2020, 11:09 pm

The original turntable was in a sorry state, not worth its weight in scrap. The Garrard was spare from another project so it was a time friendly repair.

The cartridge is the original Garrard item so I may invest in a replacement stylus in the not too distant future.

Thanks for the heads up on the schematic, I'll take a look now!

ben · 28th Mar 2020, 1:55 am

You say this is same on radio and records. So no sense changing the stylus or cartridge yet!
I would give the vol, balance and source selectors a good dose or contact cleaner spray in the first instance. Then look at the preamp stage.

simpsons · 28th Mar 2020, 11:01 am

Looks like a B&O but costs a great deal less can't be bad but looking at your thread you say the sound is not only unbalanced but muffled.

I agree giving the controls a squirt is an option but first of all what happens when you adjust the balance control?

When you say muffled, do you mean distorted? If so at what volume? Which channel?

When you say the speakers tested fine, how did you test them?

It may seem pedantic to ask these questions but solving problems via this site is a little like Aussies "Flying Doctor" and taking the chassis out, I guess is no mean feat and then having to do it again because the recommendation didn't solve the problem can be very frustrating.

Chris

Silicon · 30th Mar 2020, 12:11 pm

The most unreliable components in an amplifier of this age are switches, connectors, potentiometers and electrolytic capacitors.

You can narrow down the fault by eliminating some of the circuitry.

There may be a 'Playback/Record' DIN socket with a connection to the volume control of the audio amplifier.

If you can inject a signal there you will bypass earlier stages such as the tone control stage and preamplifier stages.

If the sound from the speakers is clean when you do this, the main amplifier may be OK.

Michael Maurice · 30th Mar 2020, 1:12 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silicon

There may be a 'Playback/Record' DIN socket with a connection to the volume control of the audio amplifier.

If you can inject a signal there you will bypass earlier stages such as the tone control stage and preamplifier stages.

If the sound from the speakers is clean when you do this, the main amplifier may be OK.

No it wont, input from the tape socket goes through the tone controls.

26th Mar 2020, 1:03 am	#1
DaveCook Diode Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: Dromore, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK. Posts: 2	HMV 2353 - Crackly and muffled right channel After spending about a year collecting dust, the lockdown has given me time to work on my HMV 2353. The original turntable was dead so I replaced it with a Garrard 2025. After enjoying Dark Side Of The Moon, I noticed all was not well. At low volumes, everything seems fine. On closer inspection, there is a lack of balance and the right channel is quieter than the left. I have tested it on both turntable and the radio and the fault is consistent. I'm relatively competent with a soldering iron so I'm prepared to dig in and work out what is wrong. Speakers are tested fine, the right channel remains crackly depending on the volume. So.... Has anyone else had this issue? Any idea where I can find a circuit diagram? And finally... Any idea where I can get replacement button cover for the source selectors? I'm missing one of the aluminium caps and would rather replace with similar rather than improvising... Many thanks in advance!

26th Mar 2020, 3:34 pm	#2
Edward Huggins Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 8,338	Re: HMV 2353 - Crackly and muffled right channel The HMV 2352 service sheet is available from this Site, see the link at the top RHS of this page. How this differs from yours I am not sure? It sounds like an amplifier fault in the RH channel. Unusual that the original BSR C series autochanger was "dead", these are usually fixable. What cartridge are you using, the original or one already fitted to the replacement Garrard deck? __________________ Edward.

26th Mar 2020, 11:09 pm	#3
DaveCook Diode Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: Dromore, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK. Posts: 2	Re: HMV 2353 - Crackly and muffled right channel The original turntable was in a sorry state, not worth its weight in scrap. The Garrard was spare from another project so it was a time friendly repair. The cartridge is the original Garrard item so I may invest in a replacement stylus in the not too distant future. Thanks for the heads up on the schematic, I'll take a look now!

28th Mar 2020, 1:55 am	#4
ben Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK Posts: 7,498	Re: HMV 2353 - Crackly and muffled right channel You say this is same on radio and records. So no sense changing the stylus or cartridge yet! I would give the vol, balance and source selectors a good dose or contact cleaner spray in the first instance. Then look at the preamp stage. __________________ Regards, Ben.

28th Mar 2020, 11:01 am	#5
simpsons Octode Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Harrow, London, UK. Posts: 1,493	Re: HMV 2353 - Crackly and muffled right channel Looks like a B&O but costs a great deal less can't be bad but looking at your thread you say the sound is not only unbalanced but muffled. I agree giving the controls a squirt is an option but first of all what happens when you adjust the balance control? When you say muffled, do you mean distorted? If so at what volume? Which channel? When you say the speakers tested fine, how did you test them? It may seem pedantic to ask these questions but solving problems via this site is a little like Aussies "Flying Doctor" and taking the chassis out, I guess is no mean feat and then having to do it again because the recommendation didn't solve the problem can be very frustrating. Chris

30th Mar 2020, 12:11 pm	#6
Silicon Nonode Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Coulsdon, London, UK. Posts: 2,167	Re: HMV 2353 - Crackly and muffled right channel The most unreliable components in an amplifier of this age are switches, connectors, potentiometers and electrolytic capacitors. You can narrow down the fault by eliminating some of the circuitry. There may be a 'Playback/Record' DIN socket with a connection to the volume control of the audio amplifier. If you can inject a signal there you will bypass earlier stages such as the tone control stage and preamplifier stages. If the sound from the speakers is clean when you do this, the main amplifier may be OK.