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Vintage Audio (record players, hi-fi etc) Amplifiers, speakers, gramophones and other audio equipment. |
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14th Jul 2019, 8:17 am | #1 |
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Falcon Radiogram BSR UA14 deck query
Hi just picked up a nice looking Falcon Radiogram with a Dansette deck. It all works apart from a slight problem with the tone arm. It doesn't quite lift high enough to clear the support pillar. There are a number of screws underneath, do one of these adjust the height, I'm dubious to mess with them as it plays fine if I just lift the arm manually.
Last edited by Phil177; 14th Jul 2019 at 8:26 am. Reason: Add pictures |
14th Jul 2019, 8:21 am | #2 |
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Re: Falcon Radiogram Dansette deck query
It won’t be a Dansette deck, it’s probably a BSR or Garrard, photos will determine which one and model.
There are height adjustments, type determined by the deck, the deck will probably require a full service. Worth a read. https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=75401
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14th Jul 2019, 8:35 am | #3 |
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Re: Falcon Radiogram Dansette deck query
It says there that the deck is a BSR UA14.
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14th Jul 2019, 8:49 am | #4 |
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Re: Falcon Radiogram Dansette deck query
Yes I saw that, that's why I deleted the post. Cheers
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14th Jul 2019, 8:55 am | #5 |
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Re: Falcon Radiogram Dansette deck query
Can I edit the first post and title to amend the deck name?
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14th Jul 2019, 9:09 am | #6 |
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Re: Falcon Radiogram Dansette deck query
This may help. It shows the arm height adjustment screw. Sorry about the poor quality.
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14th Jul 2019, 9:39 am | #7 |
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Re: Falcon Radiogram Dansette deck query
That's great thanks very much.
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14th Jul 2019, 9:42 am | #8 |
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Re: Falcon Radiogram Dansette deck query
Out of interest are these radiograms a bit of a rarity as I believe they were at the cheaper end of the scale when new. So to see one in this condition, could it be rare?
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14th Jul 2019, 10:11 am | #9 |
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Re: Falcon Radiogram Dansette deck query
Possibly rare but not usually worth a great deal of money.
Edit. Yes they were the cheaper end but I have no doubt they brought a lot of pleasure to those who owned them.
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14th Jul 2019, 10:21 am | #10 |
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Re: Falcon Radiogram Dansette deck query
These Falcon Radiograms were sold through Furniture stores and not via the usual Radio Dealerships. This is likely to be Mono only and with just the AM wavebands to save costs. It was made between 1961 and 1962. The good news it that yours has been fitted with a stereo-comptible cartridge and so is safe to play your Stereo LPs on.
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Edward. |
14th Jul 2019, 3:18 pm | #11 |
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Re: Falcon Radiogram BSR UA14 deck query
Would replacing the speaker driver for something newer improve the sound quality or is it best left well alone?
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14th Jul 2019, 3:31 pm | #12 |
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Re: Falcon Radiogram BSR UA14 deck query
I would leave the speaker alone, but if it is a valve set there are certain cheap components which need to be changed, in particular the audio grid coupling capacitor. There is lots of information on here about that.
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Paul |
14th Jul 2019, 4:09 pm | #13 |
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Re: Falcon Radiogram BSR UA14 deck query
Just found this, perhaps worth more than I thought.
http://junktionantiques.co.uk/galler...ntage/DSC08502
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14th Jul 2019, 5:13 pm | #14 |
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Re: Falcon Radiogram BSR UA14 deck query
Well Radiograms like these are sold at rather silly prices through Antique/Collectables shops and are for decorative ("statement piece") use only.
Right now there is an early 1960s Sobell Stereogram priced at £800.00 - and untested! Indeed there are a whole range of Radiograms for sale at between £200-£450 on auction sites now, unthinkable ten years ago!
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14th Jul 2019, 6:32 pm | #15 | |
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Re: Falcon Radiogram BSR UA14 deck query
Quote:
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21st Jul 2019, 1:14 pm | #16 |
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Re: Falcon Radiogram BSR UA14 deck query
Some more pictures of the internals. All looks very clean. Looks like somebody's already had a play. How can I improve the sound quality? Cheers.
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21st Jul 2019, 1:24 pm | #17 |
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Re: Falcon Radiogram BSR UA14 deck query
The speaker is made by Elac and side facing - not a good place for it. It is only a mono amplifier. Not much to be done to improve sound quality (assuming the stylus isn’t worn and the cartridge is OK), apart from replacing faulty parts in the electronics, such as leaky wax/Hunts moldseal capacitors and any circuit critical out of tolerance resistors.
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21st Jul 2019, 1:24 pm | #18 |
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Re: Falcon Radiogram BSR UA14 deck query
It does look clean but you really need to know whether certain capacitors have been replaced. To do that you need to see/post a photograph of the underside of the chassis. Until this has been ascertained it is best not to use it. It would also be interesting to see the cartridge if you can post a photograph of that
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21st Jul 2019, 1:46 pm | #19 |
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Re: Falcon Radiogram BSR UA14 deck query
As Dazzlevision says there isn't really anything you can do to improve the sound beyond its original specification. You can really just get it to work as well as it did originally. It was never Hi-Fi and never will be, but it should sound acceptable.
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Paul |
21st Jul 2019, 3:34 pm | #20 |
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Re: Falcon Radiogram BSR UA14 deck query
Interesting to see Octal (GT) valves in a Radiogram as late as this - 1961/62.
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