I was cruising the posts on Nextdoor and up came a vintage Admiral Playmate portable record player for free and just a few blocks from me, so I went over and got it. Judging from the needle it appears to be mid '60s, or maybe a little later since the case is plastic.
I knew it would be a fluke if it worked. I plugged it in and the turntable functions as it should, but the only sound it produces is a loud hum. Volume level makes no difference. I didn't even try to play a record on it. I ran my finger under the needle and heard nothing besides the constant hum. My '40s GE clock radio suddenly started doing this same thing several years ago and it required a recap.
I know tubes are rarely the culprits on vintage electronics, but am wondering if the sole tube, a 25EH5, could be bad. I don't have a replacement to try, and I did some research on substitute tubes and I don't have any of them in my stash (6, 12, and 50 EH5). If this thing needs a recap I'll donate it. I'm just curious about whether the 25EH5 and others like it are failure-prone. I'd take a $3 gamble on a new tube, but that's as far as I'll go with this.
I noticed a file tab sticker that was used as a price tag on this unit. It was hand written as if from an estate sale or antique shop, and the price on it was $59 ("works great," it also said)! No way did it cost anywhere near that when new. I got a similar but smaller portable changer new from Wards around 1970, and while I don't remember the cost, I know that since I was using my own money, it wasn't anywhere near $59 and it was stereo to boot.



I knew it would be a fluke if it worked. I plugged it in and the turntable functions as it should, but the only sound it produces is a loud hum. Volume level makes no difference. I didn't even try to play a record on it. I ran my finger under the needle and heard nothing besides the constant hum. My '40s GE clock radio suddenly started doing this same thing several years ago and it required a recap.
I know tubes are rarely the culprits on vintage electronics, but am wondering if the sole tube, a 25EH5, could be bad. I don't have a replacement to try, and I did some research on substitute tubes and I don't have any of them in my stash (6, 12, and 50 EH5). If this thing needs a recap I'll donate it. I'm just curious about whether the 25EH5 and others like it are failure-prone. I'd take a $3 gamble on a new tube, but that's as far as I'll go with this.
I noticed a file tab sticker that was used as a price tag on this unit. It was hand written as if from an estate sale or antique shop, and the price on it was $59 ("works great," it also said)! No way did it cost anywhere near that when new. I got a similar but smaller portable changer new from Wards around 1970, and while I don't remember the cost, I know that since I was using my own money, it wasn't anywhere near $59 and it was stereo to boot.


