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 Audio (record players, hi-fi etc)

Notices

Vintage Audio (record players, hi-fi etc) Amplifiers, speakers, gramophones and other audio equipment.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 2nd Oct 2019, 6:47 pm   #21
'LIVEWIRE?'
Rest in Peace
 
'LIVEWIRE?''s Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton)
Posts: 7,306
Default Re: Dansette Conquest Auto Mk1

I've now reassembled and tested the player-at the moment only with one 1959 45. On that basis it's working very well, except that I'd connected the leads to the cartridge incorrectly, assuming that the two channels connectors were above one another, but it seems they're side by side-no markings on the cartridge body. I need to check and adjust the tracking weight, which given the fact that the original TC8 Mono cart was there, may be a tad high. John I'm (semi)retired, too, but as I rent a workshop and have a separate phone line there, will have to charge for some of the time I've spent.
'LIVEWIRE?' is offline  
Old 2nd Oct 2019, 6:51 pm   #22
John10b
Nonode
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Aberaeron, Ceredigion, Wales, UK.
Posts: 2,869
Default Re: Dansette Conquest Auto Mk1

I understand Livewire, I use my shed so I only have very small overheads.
It’s been interesting following this thread.
Cheers
John
John10b is offline  
Old 3rd Oct 2019, 6:38 pm   #23
'LIVEWIRE?'
Rest in Peace
 
'LIVEWIRE?''s Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton)
Posts: 7,306
Default Re: Dansette Conquest Auto Mk1

Further to the above, I have now set the tracking weight for the cartridge to 4.5G, as measured on my trusty Garrard Pressure Gauge (bought many moons ago for 18/6d (92.5p) incidentally), and have played a mixture of mono & stereo 45s, a 7" 33, and even a 78 on the Dansette (Whether the 0.1 diameter stylus should be used for 78s is a moot point), and all sound good with plenty of volume and at constant speed. On the basis of this admittedly brief test, lasting maybe 40 minutes at most, I have to say that the Ronette 105 clone has coped very well with various kinds of music, without any sign of the problems mentioned on the forum from time to time.
'LIVEWIRE?' is offline  
Old 3rd Oct 2019, 8:10 pm   #24
Techman
Dekatron
 
Techman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Lincolnshire, UK.
Posts: 4,985
Default Re: Dansette Conquest Auto Mk1

Surely that cartridge is a turnover type with one stylus for vinyl 33 and 45 rpm records and another stylus for playing 78s only, so no need to play 78s with the wrong stylus, or am I missing something?
Techman is offline  
Old 3rd Oct 2019, 9:31 pm   #25
electrogram
Heptode
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Hereford, UK.
Posts: 719
Default Re: Dansette Conquest Auto Mk1

Is it definitely a clone, not a real one ? The main problem with the clones is that the stylus assembly is made of metal that is of a heavier gauge than the original stylus assembly so it doesn't move as freely as it should. Maybe a replacement 'real' stylus has been fitted to a clone cartridge.
electrogram is online now  
Old 3rd Oct 2019, 11:17 pm   #26
'LIVEWIRE?'
Rest in Peace
 
'LIVEWIRE?''s Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton)
Posts: 7,306
Default Re: Dansette Conquest Auto Mk1

I assume it's a clone, since the only markings on it are in Italian. Unfortunately it, and the Dansette, are in my workshop abut 2/3 mile from here, so I can't take a photo, though I may do tomorrow and post it on here. It's a long time since I've seen an original Ronette 105, so I doubt if I'd know the difference by visual inspection. Although the cartridge was unpacked when the player was brought to me, it looks brand new, which is why I also assumed it to be a clone. In addition the two sides of the turnover knob are marked 'S' & 'M' (Stereo & Mono) whereas I'd have expected the original to have been market 'LP' & '78'.
'LIVEWIRE?' is offline  
Old 3rd Oct 2019, 11:54 pm   #27
Techman
Dekatron
 
Techman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Lincolnshire, UK.
Posts: 4,985
Default Re: Dansette Conquest Auto Mk1

S & M = S, standard (78), and M, microgroove (vinyl 33/45).

All those all metal shank stylus types have very little compliance, they're like the BSR TC8 which are the same in that respect. There was a Vaco Luxor(?) - (I think it was) version of the TC8 stylus that had the metal shank broken with a 'soft' suspension type material in the middle, giving it much better compliance.
Techman is offline  
Old 4th Oct 2019, 7:41 am   #28
Edward Huggins
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK.
Posts: 8,302
Default Re: Dansette Conquest Auto Mk1

(MODS: If this is becoming off-thread then I will understand)

Aren't those S and M designations in Post #27 confusing?
One would normally assume S = Stereo and M = Mono.
Even worse, on some versions of the Mono Ronette clone, only one side of the turnover knob is marked "M" and the other side is Blank. And the side that displays "M" is in the usual 78 position!
__________________
Edward.
Edward Huggins is offline  
Old 4th Oct 2019, 8:59 am   #29
'LIVEWIRE?'
Rest in Peace
 
'LIVEWIRE?''s Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton)
Posts: 7,306
Default Re: Dansette Conquest Auto Mk1

Techman- According to the specification published by Musonic, the 'S' on the Turnover knob indicates the stylus is for Stereo records and is 0.5mil diameter, whilst the 'M' indicates Mono, the tip in this case being 1.0mil diameter. I have no means to check such small dimensions, so have to accept their data. As noted earlier, I have played a couple of 78s with the 'M' tip, plus a few mono 45s, though I'll probably advise the owner not to play 78s, and to use the 'S' tip for all LPs & 45s.
'LIVEWIRE?' is offline  
Old 4th Oct 2019, 9:07 am   #30
vidjoman
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 3,315
Default Re: Dansette Conquest Auto Mk1

A stylus for 78's was 2.5mil radius as far as I recall. 1mil was for MONO 33 and 45 discs. A compromise often fitted was a .75 which was supposed to be alright with Mono or Stereo LP's and 45's.
vidjoman is offline  
Old 7th Oct 2019, 1:07 am   #31
Techman
Dekatron
 
Techman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Lincolnshire, UK.
Posts: 4,985
Default Re: Dansette Conquest Auto Mk1

It was always 'N' and 'M' standing for 'normal' (78), and 'microgroove' (33/45 vinyl only). If the cartridge supplier say it's a double LP cartridge, then I guess it is, but I'm very dubious about the stereo/mono thing. If it were me I'd be phoning them up and asking someone who (hopefully) knows what's what and if I wasn't satisfied with the immediate answer then I'd be questioning it. However, I'm sure the person you're repairing the player for will be perfectly happy with it, but if one of the stylus tips is for playing 78s, then it's not going to do microgroove records a lot of good and I'd be looking at them both under a microscope to see if there's a difference between them if I couldn't get a satisfactory answer from the supplier.
Techman is offline  
Old 7th Oct 2019, 8:29 am   #32
regentone001
Heptode
 
regentone001's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Coventry, West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 518
Default Re: Dansette Conquest Auto Mk1

the stylus used in the PYE Butterfly cartridge is also marked with S and M and it says in the instructions that the S is for stereo records and the M for mono there is no 78 stylus for them
Steve
regentone001 is offline  
Old 7th Oct 2019, 9:19 am   #33
'LIVEWIRE?'
Rest in Peace
 
'LIVEWIRE?''s Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton)
Posts: 7,306
Default Re: Dansette Conquest Auto Mk1

Sound advice, Techman, but, as I noted earlier, the specification in Musonic's listing states 'S' = Stereo. tip 0.5mil & 'M' = Mono with a 1.0mm diameter tip. Having played a few old mono 45s, using the 'M' tip. I can confirm in practice this to be O.K. The only caveat I'll pass on to the owner is never play stereo records with the 'M' stylus. I don't know from where the player's owner obtained the new cartridge, but as I'm 99.5% certain it's a Ronette 105 copy, I'm equally certain the specification applies to it.
'LIVEWIRE?' is offline  
Old 7th Oct 2019, 10:34 am   #34
Vintage Engr
Heptode
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK.
Posts: 824
Default Re: Dansette Conquest Auto Mk1

Most of my customers still think that the parts are at 1960's prices!

David.
Vintage Engr is offline  
Old 7th Oct 2019, 10:42 am   #35
Herald1360
Dekatron
 
Herald1360's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 16,528
Default Re: Dansette Conquest Auto Mk1

Adjust them for inflation and watch them blench
__________________
....__________
....|____||__|__\_____
.=.| _---\__|__|_---_|.
.........O..Chris....O
Herald1360 is offline  
Old 9th Oct 2019, 11:18 am   #36
'LIVEWIRE?'
Rest in Peace
 
'LIVEWIRE?''s Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton)
Posts: 7,306
Default Re: Dansette Conquest Auto Mk1

Because the switches in the phono sockets were/are intermittent at best, I've bypassed the 'Ext. L/S. switch and wired the two internal speakers in Parallel, which is how the switch was wired. My only concern is that the load presented to the o/p transformer is now only 2 ohms. The player works well and produces plenty of volume & clarity wired this way, but I can't find a diagram anywhere to check how it was originally wired. My collection of R&TV Servicing books doesn't go back far enough to include the volume which included the Conquest Auto Mk1. The oly other niggle is that whilst on 7" records the autochanger works perfectly, on the two LPs I've tried so far, the stylus skids onto the first track, rather than following the lead-in groove, so maybe a judicious tweak of the set-down position is required.
'LIVEWIRE?' is offline  
Old 9th Oct 2019, 12:32 pm   #37
Edward Huggins
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK.
Posts: 8,302
Default Re: Dansette Conquest Auto Mk1

These speakers were wired in parallel at the factory and so should work fine as intended. In terms of the pick up set down postion, there is ample adjustment under the end of the tone arm for this. It is ideally set up on a 10" discc. That should then mean the 7" and 12" set downs should be fine. Also your arm on the BSR autochanger may well be tracking too lightly - 5 grams is a good compromise.
__________________
Edward.
Edward Huggins is offline  
Old 9th Oct 2019, 1:16 pm   #38
'LIVEWIRE?'
Rest in Peace
 
'LIVEWIRE?''s Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton)
Posts: 7,306
Default Re: Dansette Conquest Auto Mk1

Thanks for confirming that the speakers were wired in parallel, Edward. As to the set-down position, I haven't checked it in detail, but it was OK on the two 10" 78s and all the 7" 33 &45rpm records I tried, so maybe I should increase the tracking weight a little., though, having just checked the specification of the cartridge, 4.5g is roughly midway between the 3 and 6 gram minimum & maximum specified.
'LIVEWIRE?' is offline  
Old 9th Oct 2019, 4:59 pm   #39
Edward Huggins
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK.
Posts: 8,302
Default Re: Dansette Conquest Auto Mk1

In terms of tracking weight you need to take into account the limitations of that BSR metal autochanger tone arm, however lightly the cartridge might optimally track.
__________________
Edward.
Edward Huggins is offline  
Old 9th Oct 2019, 6:22 pm   #40
'LIVEWIRE?'
Rest in Peace
 
'LIVEWIRE?''s Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton)
Posts: 7,306
Default Re: Dansette Conquest Auto Mk1

I think I may have found the cause. The original BSR Turntable mat was missing, and all I had handy was an old Garrard Autoslim mat, which I placed on the turntable upside down, since it's tabs don't align with the holes in the BSR Platter. Anyhow I tried the player this afternoon without a TT mat, and the stylus sets down perfectly.
'LIVEWIRE?' is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:24 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.