Dansette 50 HiFi r/player with Dansette HiFi Mark II amp for stereo, early 1960s

[antony07]

I've just bought my first ever Dansette hifi record player. I have some simple questions. Like I said I'm new so will no doubt ask questions that may have been asked before, so please be patient with me. The record player (this is a christmas present for my girlfriend) was working fine when I bought it. The guy I bought it from plugged in the matching external amp (exactly the same as the record player) and now the volume on the record player is really quiet, its got the good old hum that I expected, but the volume control no longer seems to have any control since the external matching amp was plugged in. I'm based in london (hackney) can anyone recommend simple things to check to rectify this, before I seek out a specialist to sort this please? thanks Antony

[leslie5555]

Hello Antony and welcome to the forum.
Which Dansette model is it?
Can you post some pictures of it?
Does the volume control improve if you disconnect the external amp?
Les.

[Edward Huggins]

If the record player has been well maintained, there should be very little hum on a Dansette "Hi Fi" model, so don't regard any apparent hum as an added virtue.
I suspect the connecting lead to the external amp is shorting the main amplifier channel. Can we assume that when the stereo adaptor (i.e. the external amplifier/speaker) is disconnected, the amplifier in the main cabinet works OK.

[antony07]

Thanks Les. Its playing albeit it quietly now the valves have warmed up! Will upload some pics

thanks I will, just need to work how to post pics

[Michael Maurice]

Originally Posted by antony07

I've just bought my first ever Dansette hifi record player. I have some simple questions. Like I said I'm new so will no doubt ask questions that may have been asked before, so please be patient with me. The record player (this is a christmas present for my girlfriend) was working fine when I bought it. The guy I bought it from plugged in the matching external amp (exactly the same as the record player) and now the volume on the record player is really quiet, its got the good old hum that I expected, but the volume control no longer seems to have any control since the external matching amp was plugged in. I'm based in london (hackney) can anyone recommend simple things to check to rectify this, before I seek out a specialist to sort this please? thanks Antony

I'm a bit confused. Did everything work when you bought it or as I understand your post, the seller plugged the external speaker in and now its all playing quietly.

[Al (astral highway)]

Hi Antony,

We are neighbours and I’ve fixed a fair few Dansettes for a local vintage shop. If you’re stuck after a few posts on the forum, PM me and I’ll see what I can do although things are getting busy in the run up to Christmas ...

['LIVEWIRE?']

Antony-you can post pictures by clicking 'Go Advanced' under the 'Quick Reply' box, and following the instructions from there.

[antony07]

Thanks, I'll post some pics.

This is the Dansette hifi and external amp

[antony07]

Originally Posted by Michael Maurice

I'm a bit confused. Did everything work when you bought it or as I understand your post, the seller plugged the external speaker in and now its all playing quietly.

It was working fine, then the seller plugged in the external amp and now it plays quietly. After a while it played last night, but has gone quiet again. The external amp is no longer plugged in. Thanks

[Station X]

Circuit here:-

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=129365

I'd suspect the socket which the external amplifier plugs into. Unplugging and replugging the amp from the player a few times may fix it.

[antony07]

Originally Posted by leslie5555

Which Dansette model is it?...
Does the volume control improve if you disconnect the external amp?

Its a Dansette hifi with matching Amp, the sound worked briefly last night with the external amplifier disconnected but now it's gone back to being really quiet. Thanks

[antony07]

Originally Posted by Edward Huggins

If the record player has been well maintained, there should be very little hum on a Dansette "Hi Fi" model, so don't regard any apparent hum as an added virtue.
I suspect the connecting lead to the external amp is shorting the main amplifier channel. Can we assume that when the stereo adaptor (i.e. the external amplifier/speaker) is disconnected, the amplifier in the main cabinet works OK.

The amplifier in the main cabinet, doesn't play the music, it worked briefly last night, the speaker now just hums, the only music you can hear is what the stylus picks up. I haven't connected the add on since.

Ta

[antony07]

Originally Posted by Station X

Circuit here:-

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=129365

I'd suspect the socket which the external amplifier plugs into. Unplugging and replugging the amp from the player a few times may fix it.

Tried that, no joy

[antony07]

Originally Posted by leslie5555

Hello Antony and welcome to the forum.
Which Dansette model is it?
Can you post some pictures of it?
Does the volume control improve if you disconnect the external amp?
Les.

I've disconnected the external amp and there is no music coming through the main speaker, the volume only increases the sound of the hum, but sometimes touching the volume / on button makes it stop creating the humming noise. Thanks

[Station X]

Connect the external amplifier to the mains, but don't connect it to the player. Turn up the amp's volume and tone controls to max.

Now hold the amp's audio input plug in your hand making sure to touch the centre pin. If you hear a loud hum/buzz from the speaker, then the amp is OK.

[antony07]

Originally Posted by Station X

Connect the external amplifier to the mains, but don't connect it to the player. Turn up the amp's volume and tone controls to max.

Now hold the amp's audio input plug in your hand making sure to touch the centre pin. If you hear a loud hum/buzz from the speaker, then the amp is OK.

Thanks, there is no hum / buzz when I do that, so I guess the add on needs work. But the problem is with the main record player and lack of sound!

[Station X]

Looks like you have more than one fault then.

I suggest that you take up astral highway's offer or ask the seller for a refund.

[antony07]

Thanks

[antony07]

Originally Posted by antony07

Tried that, no joy

You were correct, I tried a final time connecting the external add on speaker and had a brief burst of sound from the record player speaker. Few twists, pushes and pulls and sound is restored, so the problem is with the stereo jack point. I do however have to have the none working additional speaker plugged in for the record player speaker to work, as soon as I pull the lead out, sound goes, but now at least I know what the cause of it is. Thanks for all the feedback.

Ta

Antony

[antony07]

Originally Posted by astral highway

We are neighbours and I’ve fixed a fair few Dansettes for a local vintage shop. If you’re stuck after a few posts on the forum, PM me and I’ll see what I can do although things are getting busy in the run up to Christmas ...

PM'd you