Philips autosonic disc jockey

[mark pirate]

Hi all, I don't usually restore record players, but saved this one from a skip
Mainly, i wanted it for the plug in cartridge as it fits my french philips table radiogram, but on running it up on my variac it sort of works! (apart from the main electrolitic) Valve lineup is el84,ez40 & ebc41, my questions are:
1, how easy is it to sort out the turntable mechanics?
2, can anyone put a date on it?
3, As it is a bit tatty, is it worth doing, or shall i use it as spares?

Mark

[Steve_P]

Tuntable Mechanics - easy just a good clean.
The electrolytics are easy to do - they do them at the BVWS now.
It's not in that bad a shape! Go on do it up!

Cheers,

Steve P.

[Darren-UK]

What's wrong with the main electrolytic if it powered-up ok on the Variac?

Before you make any further decisions, electrolytics or not, I'd make 100% sure that pickup head is in GWO (it looks like a 3016?) as these are now almost impossible to replace.

Despite searching I can't (yet) find a precise date for it, but it'll be from around 1959/60.

[mark pirate]

Hi all,

Tuntable Mechanics - easy just a good clean.

Firstly, i should point out that although the turntable is running, it seems to be stuck on a 'return & stop' cycle, the mechanics (being philips) look a bit unusual, has anyone fixed one before?

What's wrong with the main electrolytic if it powered-up ok on the Variac?

After powering up, the amp is working, albeit with dreadful mains hum, the smoothing cap is totally shot, i dont have any 50 + 50uF handy at present,
Will put in a 32+32uF this evening as a temperary fix.
On the up side, the plug in cartridge works well, it is the same as my 1954
philips table radiogram, the original in that had leaked out a load of green gunge, so i gutted it & fitted a modern ceramic cartridge inside the original.

Mark

[mark pirate]

Just a quick update, have fitted new electrolitics & cleaned the pots, now the amp is running well with no trace of hum
The turntable is now capable of playing a record, if a tad slowly, but the auto
modes are putting up a fight!
See pics of strange corkscrew turntable etc.
I am determined to get this to work though, so will strip & clean one bit at a time, as this is not a familiar (garrard, bsr etc) type of deck i will take photos
so i can see how it goes back together!

Mark

[Darren-UK]

See pics of strange corkscrew turntable etc.

Well it is Philips, hence it's strange . The worm and wheel arrangement is part of the auto mechanism, as you've obviously deduced, and is prone to wear and becoming gummed-up.

Incidentally, the 3016 head is long since obsolete as I said earlier - but you can still obtain the GP235 head which is a direct replacement, albeit with a flipover stylus and thus non-rocking.

[paolo]

Good work on getting the unit up and running again (mostly). I agree with others comments here. Philips approach to engineering is often idiosyncratic to say the least. "Let's take a relatively simple concept and turn it into something really difficult" could be their slogan

Keep us updated on progress.

Paul

[Steve_P]

Clean and re-grease/oil everything in sight. Even the tower behind the pick-up with that arm sticking out to pick up the size of a record.

Cheers,

Steve P.

[mark pirate]

Hi darren, thanks for the info on the heads, the one fitted to this is a
22GP316, i have just checked the one fitted to my radiogram, it is a
AG3016LF, oddly enough they look identical!
i have found this site selling the heads you mention, and the older stili.
http://www.jvanschaikconsultancy.nl/naald.html

Mark

[Darren-UK]

They're rather expensive from that Dutch site, considering the exchange rate at present.

I've just checked and Musonic still do the 235 for £35 including UK postage. I raised the subject as you'd said you needed a head for your radiogram. Meantime, keep us up to date on progress with the Disc Jockey .

[Don Brown]

Can anyone tell me what the model number was for this Disc Jockey, my late uncle had one in the mid to late 50's which he let me play his Elvis
78 rpm collection and his first LP Rock around the Clock.


Regards

Don

[mark pirate]

Hi all, just a quick update, i have managed to strip down & clean the motor/idler assembly, the motor has been de-fluffed & oiled and is now running a bit closer to the proper speed
The auto bits are now undergoing the same treatment, so hope to report success here soon
Don, i think mid to late 50's is about right age wise, unless anybody knows different.

Mark

[Darren-UK]

How close is "a bit closer to the proper speed"?

Having had a clean and relube, I'm wondering if the tracking weight is too heavy. A drop in speed of a mere three or four RPM is noticeable to the ear. In saying that, I can't remember if these Philips contraptions had a means of adjustment - I don't think they did .

Have a look here. If you don't have a stroboscopic speed checker you can knock one up for yourself. Always handy to have.

[mark pirate]

Hi Darren,

How close is "a bit closer to the proper speed"?

I think the motor is fine now, but there is a slight rumble from the turntable,
it may be dry bearings or part of the auto mech sticking that is slowing it down, (also using the 245v setting at present) will check the tracking weight as well, i have not had a chance to find out this evening, as have repaired a pals dac90
Will get back to the philips tommorow...

Mark

[Darren-UK]

These Disc Jockey things do tend to suffer turntable rumble; a spot of grease will help but may not eliminate it altogether.

The speed problem won't be caused by a sticking auto-mechanism as that disengages totally until the end of the record (well it does on other record-players anyway, but this is Philips ).

Give it an aural test followed by a stroboscope test and see what the outcome is.

[Audio1950]

Just a thought.... Are all the ball bearings still under the turntable? I only ask because I've taken the t/table off one of these, then tipped it up, and it took me about an hour to find all the bearings. they are not held captive in a race, but loose in a plastic ring that has alternate plastic dimples and holes for the bearings on it.

Audio1950