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 Radio (domestic)

Notices

Vintage Radio (domestic) Domestic vintage radio (wireless) receivers only.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 25th Aug 2019, 9:51 pm   #1
Arthur2075
Pentode
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 177
Default Regentone 115 Radio (Actually a Regentone 155).

I’m a Gramophone man really, but could not resist this radio. The elderly owner claimed it was his parents and he had been using it in his shed for a number of years. £15 bought it. Fairly nice cabinet, just needs some spit and polish. I’m assuming this is a set from 1954-57?

It’s fitted with a newish main cable. Not wanting to plug it in before it was checked out, I plugged it in and switched it on!! I did use a circuit breaker.

Within a minute or so it came to life, fm, mw, lw, sw all ok. Nice rich tone, very surprised at the quality.

Being a Gramophone man, I noticed this set has a ‘gram’ input. How practical would it me to use on of those 78rpm add on turntables with this radio? HMV produced some along with others. Not so sure that it would sound as good as my HMV 102 or 193. It does have external speaker output, assume this would need a 15ohm speaker?

Apologies for so many questions, vintage valve radio very new to me!

Roger
__________________
”From today everything is different”
Joseph Haydn on Beethoven’s third symphony

Last edited by Arthur2075; 25th Aug 2019 at 10:00 pm. Reason: Spelling
Arthur2075 is offline  
Old 25th Aug 2019, 10:22 pm   #2
Cobaltblue
Moderator
 
Cobaltblue's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Exeter, Devon and Poole, Dorset UK.
Posts: 6,823
Default Re: Regentone 115 Radio

Hi Roger

Did you mean 115 a model I am not familiar with or 155?

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/regentone_a155a_15.html

Most Valve radios tended to use 3 Ohm extension speaker and if its an A155 Thats what I would expect.

Cheers

Mike T
__________________
Invisible airwaves crackle with life or at least they used to
Mike T BVWS member.
www.cossor.co.uk
Cobaltblue is offline  
Old 26th Aug 2019, 1:23 am   #3
Arthur2075
Pentode
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 177
Default Re: Regentone 115 Radio

Yes Mike, my mistake it’s a 155. I have tried to upload pictures twice but does not seem to work!
__________________
”From today everything is different”
Joseph Haydn on Beethoven’s third symphony
Arthur2075 is offline  
Old 26th Aug 2019, 1:29 am   #4
Arthur2075
Pentode
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 177
Default Re: Regentone 115 Radio

Try to upload the pictures again. Ok got it!
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	0A6D0027-EA00-454E-80CE-6E6C8525D13F.jpg
Views:	159
Size:	117.9 KB
ID:	188927   Click image for larger version

Name:	0AD0E297-E53F-49DE-8830-D6B4C6291A40.jpg
Views:	164
Size:	107.2 KB
ID:	188928   Click image for larger version

Name:	09CFD853-825B-4EFD-9F6B-C8FAC9539359.jpg
Views:	131
Size:	104.2 KB
ID:	188929   Click image for larger version

Name:	603E8962-DD12-40A9-B78C-8C97FC78D242.jpg
Views:	123
Size:	112.5 KB
ID:	188930  
__________________
”From today everything is different”
Joseph Haydn on Beethoven’s third symphony
Arthur2075 is offline  
Old 26th Aug 2019, 8:32 am   #5
Heatercathodeshort
Dekatron
 
Heatercathodeshort's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING.
Posts: 9,145
Default Re: Regentone 115 Radio

It should sound very nice especially if an extension speaker is employed for gram reproduction.
The HMV/Marconi/Plus O Gram turntable units would be fine but it is getting difficult to find a decent EMI one. Either the 'Monkey Metal' turntable is distorted or the pickup coil is O/C. The damping rubbers will also need replacing. A high resistance coil is essential or you will have to employ a matching transformer, again not easy to locate and often O/C.
May be worth looking out for a 50's autochanger such as the BSR UA8 but here again you may find it expensive to source a pick up cartridge but if you only wish to play 78's a pick up cartridge might be easier to locate. John.
Heatercathodeshort is offline  
Old 26th Aug 2019, 12:05 pm   #6
Edward Huggins
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK.
Posts: 8,302
Default Re: Regentone 115 Radio

That looks a decent sized enough internal speaker. It's from 1955 - 1957.
This chassis was designed to be used with a medium-output, mono crystal cartridge, giving c.250/300 mV output - so not quite so sure how well they would perform with a 78rpm only MC pick up.
__________________
Edward.
Edward Huggins is offline  
Old 27th Aug 2019, 10:39 pm   #7
Arthur2075
Pentode
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 177
Default Re: Regentone 115 Radio (Actually a Regentone 155).

I don’t think I will bother trying to connect a turntable. I have looked at Plus-a-Gram turntables but they are all a bit long in the tooth now especially when it comes to the cartridges. Any way 78rpm records sound their best on an acoustic Gramophone.

The radio polished up really well and pulls in FM stations better than I would have thought. Even LW and MW sounds fine, particularly Radio 3 and 4.
__________________
”From today everything is different”
Joseph Haydn on Beethoven’s third symphony
Arthur2075 is offline  
Old 28th Aug 2019, 2:14 pm   #8
PaulR
Dekatron
 
PaulR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Southport Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 3,221
Default Re: Regentone 115 Radio (Actually a Regentone 155).

Regentone made some good sets in the 1950s .Just be aware that if the capacitors are original there are some that need to be changed or the set may not last long. Lots of threads about that on here together with the sticky above headed "That capacitor"
__________________
Paul
PaulR is offline  
Old 28th Aug 2019, 6:22 pm   #9
Arthur2075
Pentode
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 177
Default Re: Regentone 115 Radio (Actually a Regentone 155).

Thanks for the advice Paul. I am aware that these do need replacing after nearly 70 years. I am ok with the acoustic gramophones and phonographs, but not the radios. I would need to get someone with more skill and knowledge than myself. My limit is making and soldering din and phono audio cables!
__________________
”From today everything is different”
Joseph Haydn on Beethoven’s third symphony
Arthur2075 is offline  
Old 28th Aug 2019, 6:53 pm   #10
PaulR
Dekatron
 
PaulR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Southport Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 3,221
Default Re: Regentone 115 Radio (Actually a Regentone 155).

Quote:
Originally Posted by Arthur2075 View Post
I would need to get someone with more skill and knowledge than myself. My limit is making and soldering din and phono audio cables!
If you can do that I am sure that you can replace capacitors!
__________________
Paul
PaulR is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 1:22 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.