HMV 1416 Radiogram (Actually a 1618A) - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Dr-Watts · 5th Feb 2009, 7:19 pm

Hi all,
This is a bit late coming but here goes anyways.

Just before xmas I was asked if I could look at an old HMV Radiogram, of course I said yes

I don't know what it is but I really like working on radiogram's, and before we moved to Milton Keynes I had quite an extensive collection.
Sadly this house is just too small so we kept just one and that lives on the landing.

Anyways, this radiogram came from the Army barraks that the guy worked at, apparently it'd had been there since new !
When I picked it up I knew it well, I'd done 2 over the years for other people.
It basically worked but sounded rather quiet and distorted.

So the PSU / Amp was removed and looked at.
This is not the nicest thing to work on, you have to unsolder a few wires to gain access to the amplifier which lives on spacers atop of the Power Supply.
I think all the resistors had to be changed and certainly all those horrible drippy wax/paper Hunts caps were all totally

Next the record deck, siezed solid, everywhere and to make it far worse the part of the mechanism that the idler lives on was broken !
After a plee on the 'Wanted' page on this superb website I had another deck.
(My appologies but I've deleted the guy's name so I can't thank him here, anyway, you know who you are ~ In Peterborough

)

After the rebuild, I stuck 'Reet Petite' on a 78 on it and it sounded OK ~ for a bit, then the sound faded into a nasty 'thin' distorted mess.
Checking the Grid's on the N78's showed that one was leaking really badly at 10 Volts

So, a drive to see my old mate Mike Lewis was fruitfull and the new N78's were fitted, the thing was then faultless and played for many hours until the owner came back from holiday.

Before the owner came back to get it I gave the cabinet a 'touch up' and polish, it came up really well, after all, not many scratches and no worm holes.

SO that's it for the HMV, it's back in Ampthill getting played a lot.
The guy's a massive Rock 'n Roll fan and plays in a local Rockabilly group and he wanted to use this to play his 78's on.

Hope you enjoyed reading this.

Dr. Dave

Steve_P · 6th Feb 2009, 12:37 am

And a great machine for that it is too. The N78 can sometimes be hard to get hold of.

Cheers,

Steve P.

Tim · 6th Feb 2009, 10:17 am

Another one cured Doctor!
In my experience the N78 isn't that great a valve. You were lucky yours actually had emission! Unfortunately no equivalents either.

Mach One · 11th Feb 2009, 1:18 pm

Quick question: Sorry for the cheek...

Are you sure that the model number is 1416?

Dr-Watts · 14th Feb 2009, 2:24 pm

A picture paints a thousand words...

Click image for larger version

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Thanks for reading the thread and pointing out my boo boo, I blame working on vintage TV sets with high voltage and X rays

Dr. Dave

5th Feb 2009, 7:19 pm	#1
Dr-Watts Heptode Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, UK. Posts: 696	HMV 1416 Radiogram (Actually a 1618A) Hi all, This is a bit late coming but here goes anyways. Just before xmas I was asked if I could look at an old HMV Radiogram, of course I said yes I don't know what it is but I really like working on radiogram's, and before we moved to Milton Keynes I had quite an extensive collection. Sadly this house is just too small so we kept just one and that lives on the landing. Anyways, this radiogram came from the Army barraks that the guy worked at, apparently it'd had been there since new ! When I picked it up I knew it well, I'd done 2 over the years for other people. It basically worked but sounded rather quiet and distorted. So the PSU / Amp was removed and looked at. This is not the nicest thing to work on, you have to unsolder a few wires to gain access to the amplifier which lives on spacers atop of the Power Supply. I think all the resistors had to be changed and certainly all those horrible drippy wax/paper Hunts caps were all totally Next the record deck, siezed solid, everywhere and to make it far worse the part of the mechanism that the idler lives on was broken ! After a plee on the 'Wanted' page on this superb website I had another deck. (My appologies but I've deleted the guy's name so I can't thank him here, anyway, you know who you are ~ In Peterborough ) After the rebuild, I stuck 'Reet Petite' on a 78 on it and it sounded OK ~ for a bit, then the sound faded into a nasty 'thin' distorted mess. Checking the Grid's on the N78's showed that one was leaking really badly at 10 Volts So, a drive to see my old mate Mike Lewis was fruitfull and the new N78's were fitted, the thing was then faultless and played for many hours until the owner came back from holiday. Before the owner came back to get it I gave the cabinet a 'touch up' and polish, it came up really well, after all, not many scratches and no worm holes. SO that's it for the HMV, it's back in Ampthill getting played a lot. The guy's a massive Rock 'n Roll fan and plays in a local Rockabilly group and he wanted to use this to play his 78's on. Hope you enjoyed reading this. Dr. Dave Attached Thumbnails __________________ Do you have the scope to be a TV repair man

6th Feb 2009, 12:37 am	#2
Steve_P Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Bolton, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 6,644	Re: HMV 1416 Radiogram And a great machine for that it is too. The N78 can sometimes be hard to get hold of. Cheers, Steve P. __________________ If we've always had it, why is the Car Boot open? You're not sneaking another Old TV in are you...?

6th Feb 2009, 10:17 am	#3
Tim Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 3,310	Re: HMV 1416 Radiogram Another one cured Doctor! In my experience the N78 isn't that great a valve. You were lucky yours actually had emission! Unfortunately no equivalents either. __________________ "Nothing is as dangerous as being too modern;one is apt to grow old fashioned quite suddenly."

11th Feb 2009, 1:18 pm	#4
Mach One Heptode Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, UK. Posts: 611	Re: HMV 1416 Radiogram Quick question: Sorry for the cheek... Are you sure that the model number is 1416?

14th Feb 2009, 2:24 pm	#5
Dr-Watts Heptode Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, UK. Posts: 696	Re: HMV 1416 Radiogram A picture paints a thousand words... Thanks for reading the thread and pointing out my boo boo, I blame working on vintage TV sets with high voltage and X rays Dr. Dave __________________ Do you have the scope to be a TV repair man