Falcon Radiogram BSR UA14 deck query - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Phil177 · 14th Jul 2019, 8:17 am

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.

Nuvistor · 14th Jul 2019, 8:21 am

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

Station X · 14th Jul 2019, 8:35 am

It says there that the deck is a BSR UA14.

Phil177 · 14th Jul 2019, 8:49 am

Yes I saw that, that's why I deleted the post. Cheers

Phil177 · 14th Jul 2019, 8:55 am

Can I edit the first post and title to amend the deck name?

Station X · 14th Jul 2019, 9:09 am

This may help. It shows the arm height adjustment screw. Sorry about the poor quality.

Phil177 · 14th Jul 2019, 9:39 am

That's great thanks very much.

Phil177 · 14th Jul 2019, 9:42 am

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?

Nuvistor · 14th Jul 2019, 10:11 am

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.

Edward Huggins · 14th Jul 2019, 10:21 am

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.

Phil177 · 14th Jul 2019, 3:18 pm

Would replacing the speaker driver for something newer improve the sound quality or is it best left well alone?

PaulR · 14th Jul 2019, 3:31 pm

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.

Nuvistor · 14th Jul 2019, 4:09 pm

Just found this, perhaps worth more than I thought.

http://junktionantiques.co.uk/galler...ntage/DSC08502

Edward Huggins · 14th Jul 2019, 5:13 pm

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!

PaulR · 14th Jul 2019, 6:32 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nuvistor

Just found this, perhaps worth more than I thought.

http://junktionantiques.co.uk/galler...ntage/DSC08502

I would be very interested to know what that actually sells for. 1960s, "retro" stuff seems to be popular at the moment and so, of course is vinyl. The relatively small size and the fact that it appears to have FM might make it saleable.

Phil177 · 21st Jul 2019, 1:14 pm

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.

dazzlevision · 21st Jul 2019, 1:24 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil177

How can I improve the sound quality? Cheers.

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.

PaulR · 21st Jul 2019, 1:24 pm

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

PaulR · 21st Jul 2019, 1:46 pm

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.

Edward Huggins · 21st Jul 2019, 3:34 pm

Interesting to see Octal (GT) valves in a Radiogram as late as this - 1961/62.

14th Jul 2019, 8:17 am	#1
Phil177 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Coventry, Warwickshire, UK. Posts: 23	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. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Phil177; 14th Jul 2019 at 8:26 am. Reason: Add pictures

14th Jul 2019, 8:21 am	#2
Nuvistor Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 9,433	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 __________________ Frank

14th Jul 2019, 8:35 am	#3
Station X Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK. Posts: 21,288	Re: Falcon Radiogram Dansette deck query It says there that the deck is a BSR UA14. __________________ Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron.

14th Jul 2019, 8:49 am	#4
Phil177 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Coventry, Warwickshire, UK. Posts: 23	Re: Falcon Radiogram Dansette deck query Yes I saw that, that's why I deleted the post. Cheers

14th Jul 2019, 8:55 am	#5
Phil177 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Coventry, Warwickshire, UK. Posts: 23	Re: Falcon Radiogram Dansette deck query Can I edit the first post and title to amend the deck name?

14th Jul 2019, 9:09 am	#6
Station X Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK. Posts: 21,288	Re: Falcon Radiogram Dansette deck query This may help. It shows the arm height adjustment screw. Sorry about the poor quality. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron.

14th Jul 2019, 9:39 am	#7
Phil177 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Coventry, Warwickshire, UK. Posts: 23	Re: Falcon Radiogram Dansette deck query That's great thanks very much.

14th Jul 2019, 9:42 am	#8
Phil177 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Coventry, Warwickshire, UK. Posts: 23	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?

14th Jul 2019, 10:11 am	#9
Nuvistor Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 9,433	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. __________________ Frank

14th Jul 2019, 10:21 am	#10
Edward Huggins Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 8,327	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. __________________ Edward.

14th Jul 2019, 3:18 pm	#11
Phil177 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Coventry, Warwickshire, UK. Posts: 23	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?

14th Jul 2019, 3:31 pm	#12
PaulR Dekatron Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Southport Lancashire, UK. Posts: 3,233	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. __________________ Paul

14th Jul 2019, 4:09 pm	#13
Nuvistor Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 9,433	Re: Falcon Radiogram BSR UA14 deck query Just found this, perhaps worth more than I thought. http://junktionantiques.co.uk/galler...ntage/DSC08502 __________________ Frank

14th Jul 2019, 5:13 pm	#14
Edward Huggins Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 8,327	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! __________________ Edward.

21st Jul 2019, 1:14 pm	#16
Phil177 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Coventry, Warwickshire, UK. Posts: 23	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. Attached Thumbnails

21st Jul 2019, 1:24 pm	#18
PaulR Dekatron Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Southport Lancashire, UK. Posts: 3,233	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 __________________ Paul

21st Jul 2019, 1:46 pm	#19
PaulR Dekatron Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Southport Lancashire, UK. Posts: 3,233	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. __________________ Paul

21st Jul 2019, 3:34 pm	#20
Edward Huggins Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 8,327	Re: Falcon Radiogram BSR UA14 deck query Interesting to see Octal (GT) valves in a Radiogram as late as this - 1961/62. __________________ Edward.