Fitting an aux cable to an Ekco ARG134 radiogram - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Uncleboobuk · 26th Jun 2016, 11:04 pm

Evening all! I've just picked up an old Ekco ARG134 and want to fit an aux cable to allow access to more modern means of listening to music!
Would it be possible to splice this into the record record player output? If not what's the best way? Cheers h

Edward Huggins · 27th Jun 2016, 11:09 am

Your EKCO radiogram is Mono only, so you will not be able to hear your digital content in stereo as intended. I take it you are not interested in listening to records (i.e. Vinyl) so disconnect the cartridge/pick up input at the back of the radio chassis and plug your new connecting lead into this - one side is live, the other is to earth. You will need to modifiy your 3.5mm connector lead (to your ipad/ipod/streamer/pc) and join together the LH and RH channel wiring so as to combine your stereo signal into mono where it plugs into the radio chassis. The chassis on this radiogram is mains isolated so all should be safe. BUT it may not sound as your might have expected it to sound as there will be no stereo soundstage......Edward

'LIVEWIRE?' · 27th Jun 2016, 11:34 am

I would suggest fitting a resistor of somewhere between 1 and 10K in series with each output from the Ipod or other device, with the 'remote' ends of the two resistors joined together and connected to the live terminal of the EKCO. This can be done in the plug used to connect the external device ot the radiogram. Posts in the 'sticky' thread 'Adding Aux-in to vintage car radios' go into some detail about this, and why it is at least desirable to include the resistors

bikerhifinut · 27th Jun 2016, 2:27 pm

Seconded, I found out the hard way and it was this forum that eventually nailed the problem I was having.
It isn't necessary for all portable devices to have this buffering, but if you do buffer your aux input then ALL devices connected to it should work without issue.
A.

Uncleboobuk · 27th Jun 2016, 7:15 pm

Thanks guys, the advice is much appreciated. I did figure it would be mono, you can configure iPods to mono, so thought that would address sound issues. I do hope to use the record played which is why I thought of splicing into the wire further along the output...Im not sure why but the record player starts and then immediately stops at the moment- something else to look at!...I did something similar before with an old coomber and a stripped down iPod to aux connector. I'll have a look at it at the weekend I reckon and will let you know how I get on.

bikerhifinut · 28th Jun 2016, 1:16 pm

If I was adding an additional input to any sort of old gramophone or radio I'd be very inclined to also incorporating a coupling capacitor in the input, particularly if the audio feed is direct to the grid of an input valve from the potentiometer etc. Just to eliminate any possibility of DC offset on the output of your source device upsetting the bias etc of the input valve.
Incidentally, would using a pair of capacitors rather than resistors to buffer a paralleled output be as effective in this situation?

A.

Edward Huggins · 28th Jun 2016, 2:05 pm

If you are thinking of using your Garrard RC72, although this is a (very early) 3 speed autochanger, remember you should not attempt to play stereo LP records on this i.e. from about the late 1960s onwards. Edward

26th Jun 2016, 11:04 pm	#1
Uncleboobuk Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: West Midlands, UK. Posts: 2	Fitting an aux cable to an Ekco ARG134 radiogram Evening all! I've just picked up an old Ekco ARG134 and want to fit an aux cable to allow access to more modern means of listening to music! Would it be possible to splice this into the record record player output? If not what's the best way? Cheers h

27th Jun 2016, 11:09 am	#2
Edward Huggins Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 8,336	Re: Fitting an aux cable to an Ekco ARG134 radiogram Your EKCO radiogram is Mono only, so you will not be able to hear your digital content in stereo as intended. I take it you are not interested in listening to records (i.e. Vinyl) so disconnect the cartridge/pick up input at the back of the radio chassis and plug your new connecting lead into this - one side is live, the other is to earth. You will need to modifiy your 3.5mm connector lead (to your ipad/ipod/streamer/pc) and join together the LH and RH channel wiring so as to combine your stereo signal into mono where it plugs into the radio chassis. The chassis on this radiogram is mains isolated so all should be safe. BUT it may not sound as your might have expected it to sound as there will be no stereo soundstage......Edward

27th Jun 2016, 11:34 am	#3
'LIVEWIRE?' Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton) Posts: 7,306	Re: Fitting an aux cable to an Ekco ARG134 radiogram I would suggest fitting a resistor of somewhere between 1 and 10K in series with each output from the Ipod or other device, with the 'remote' ends of the two resistors joined together and connected to the live terminal of the EKCO. This can be done in the plug used to connect the external device ot the radiogram. Posts in the 'sticky' thread 'Adding Aux-in to vintage car radios' go into some detail about this, and why it is at least desirable to include the resistors

27th Jun 2016, 2:27 pm	#4
bikerhifinut Octode Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Penrith, Cumbria, UK Posts: 1,993	Re: Fitting an aux cable to an Ekco ARG134 radiogram Seconded, I found out the hard way and it was this forum that eventually nailed the problem I was having. It isn't necessary for all portable devices to have this buffering, but if you do buffer your aux input then ALL devices connected to it should work without issue. A.

27th Jun 2016, 7:15 pm	#5
Uncleboobuk Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: West Midlands, UK. Posts: 2	Re: Fitting an aux cable to an Ekco ARG134 radiogram Thanks guys, the advice is much appreciated. I did figure it would be mono, you can configure iPods to mono, so thought that would address sound issues. I do hope to use the record played which is why I thought of splicing into the wire further along the output...Im not sure why but the record player starts and then immediately stops at the moment- something else to look at!...I did something similar before with an old coomber and a stripped down iPod to aux connector. I'll have a look at it at the weekend I reckon and will let you know how I get on.

28th Jun 2016, 1:16 pm	#6
bikerhifinut Octode Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Penrith, Cumbria, UK Posts: 1,993	Re: Fitting an aux cable to an Ekco ARG134 radiogram If I was adding an additional input to any sort of old gramophone or radio I'd be very inclined to also incorporating a coupling capacitor in the input, particularly if the audio feed is direct to the grid of an input valve from the potentiometer etc. Just to eliminate any possibility of DC offset on the output of your source device upsetting the bias etc of the input valve. Incidentally, would using a pair of capacitors rather than resistors to buffer a paralleled output be as effective in this situation? A.

28th Jun 2016, 2:05 pm	#7
Edward Huggins Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 8,336	Re: Fitting an aux cable to an Ekco ARG134 radiogram If you are thinking of using your Garrard RC72, although this is a (very early) 3 speed autochanger, remember you should not attempt to play stereo LP records on this i.e. from about the late 1960s onwards. Edward