reactor
Well-known member
apologies
Sorry for the duplication, I was editing and somehow posted parts of the narrative twice.
Sorry for the duplication, I was editing and somehow posted parts of the narrative twice.
General Electric Stereo Console Questions
- Thread starter cg223710
- Start date
Help Support :
So i plan on running out today to get the electronics cleaner, precision oiler, and some rubbing alcohol, that i could’ve sworn i had at my house. I was looking at the photo fact and it has a huge list of capacitors. How would i know what to replace?
firedome
Well-known member
getting a professional refurb...
by an experienced audio technician can be pretty expensive, not so much the parts but the labor. Used to do a lot of that kind of restoration work myself as a sideline of being Editor/Writer for a vintage tube audio electronics magazine, but age and eyesight considerations make it more difficult to do now, so last year had a highly reputable outfit here in Binghamton refurbish our Scott stereo tube amp and it cost nearly $500. You might get a local ARRL HAM radio club member to help you out, check your local clubs at: http://www.arrl.org/clubs many helpful folks in these local clubs and a good source for advice.
We do have a Western Electric (Hickok) Cardmatic tube tester and am happy to help anyone with tube testing needs locally in Central NY. Most small signal front end and preamp type tubes as shown in the above schematic rarely need replacement, it's the output tubes (which this model doesn't have, the output stage being transistorized) which are the ones that generally wear out. A 12ax7 can be good for upwards of tens of thousands of hours. I wouldn't just preemptively replace them.
by an experienced audio technician can be pretty expensive, not so much the parts but the labor. Used to do a lot of that kind of restoration work myself as a sideline of being Editor/Writer for a vintage tube audio electronics magazine, but age and eyesight considerations make it more difficult to do now, so last year had a highly reputable outfit here in Binghamton refurbish our Scott stereo tube amp and it cost nearly $500. You might get a local ARRL HAM radio club member to help you out, check your local clubs at: http://www.arrl.org/clubs many helpful folks in these local clubs and a good source for advice.
We do have a Western Electric (Hickok) Cardmatic tube tester and am happy to help anyone with tube testing needs locally in Central NY. Most small signal front end and preamp type tubes as shown in the above schematic rarely need replacement, it's the output tubes (which this model doesn't have, the output stage being transistorized) which are the ones that generally wear out. A 12ax7 can be good for upwards of tens of thousands of hours. I wouldn't just preemptively replace them.
firedome
Well-known member
capacitors...
my old eyes can't read that fuzzy SAMS chart off the screen but it's generally the electrolytic filter/coupling caps that are the most trouble prone and can leak, needing replacement, damaged transformers can result: $$$. You wouldn't necessarily need to immediately replace everything - that's where the labor can really mount up! The caps themselves need not be expensive ones, the "boutique" caps aren't necessary. We typically use Illinois or Sprague "orange drops".
my old eyes can't read that fuzzy SAMS chart off the screen but it's generally the electrolytic filter/coupling caps that are the most trouble prone and can leak, needing replacement, damaged transformers can result: $$$. You wouldn't necessarily need to immediately replace everything - that's where the labor can really mount up! The caps themselves need not be expensive ones, the "boutique" caps aren't necessary. We typically use Illinois or Sprague "orange drops".
12ax7 can be good for upwards of tens of thousands of hours.
If that's the case why do I recall replacing tubes very frequently as a kid in our various tvs? I'm sure there were a few 12AX7's among them. At an early age I got to recognized exactly which tube went bad by what the TV was doing. Back then just about every drugstore had a tube tester and an assortment of tubes.
If that's the case why do I recall replacing tubes very frequently as a kid in our various tvs? I'm sure there were a few 12AX7's among them. At an early age I got to recognized exactly which tube went bad by what the TV was doing. Back then just about every drugstore had a tube tester and an assortment of tubes.
I can go along here-low level tubes can last for a few thousand hrs -not "tens of thousands of hrs".These low level audio tubes can get noisey,lose gain and get microphonic as they age.Didn't see these tubes in TV's- they were used in Hi-fi amps,G fiddle amps,some mixer consoles and other audio gear.
The tube checkers I like are the Hickok ones the best out there.Have some militarized ones here at the transmitter plant.Hickock testers are highly sought after by tube fans.The military grade ones came in heavy metal cases not the wood cases of the civilian models-both are excellent.
cfz2882
Well-known member
tube service life ...
..is affected by a long list of variables including the quality of the tube...Which capacitors to change in the subject GE console stereo depends on circuit position of the capacitor and capacitor construction-a unit made in 1964 could still have some(usually) troublesome paper capacitors,but 1964 is "new"enough that very reliable poly film capacitors may be in place-(beware of plastic case "paper" caps that look like polycaps but are just a 1930s paper cap underneath)same thing with the resistors
robably carbon resistors that can "drift"out of spec,but metal film and wirewound resistors also common in 1960s.
..is affected by a long list of variables including the quality of the tube...Which capacitors to change in the subject GE console stereo depends on circuit position of the capacitor and capacitor construction-a unit made in 1964 could still have some(usually) troublesome paper capacitors,but 1964 is "new"enough that very reliable poly film capacitors may be in place-(beware of plastic case "paper" caps that look like polycaps but are just a 1930s paper cap underneath)same thing with the resistors
robably carbon resistors that can "drift"out of spec,but metal film and wirewound resistors also common in 1960s.
firedome
Well-known member
my POINT was...
that tubes should not be replaced out of hand, many good tubes with plenty of useful life left are cavalierly and needlessly tossed away. Of course the best tester is often the circuit it is used in, and testers themselves can vary greatly in the quality and accuracy of tests performed, especially as they get older. Alan Douglas' (RIP) seminal volume ""Tube Testers and Classic Electronic Test Gear" is considered the first and last word on the subject.
There have been documented cases of Telefunken ECC81/82/83 (12A_7 series) tubes performing well at 100,000 hours in certain monitored military/commercial applications. Obviously, life span can vary by type; circuit and application are also variables. Our Hickok/WE KS-15874-L2 CardMatic is one of the best/most accurate testers ever, but it has it's limitations, and like all scientific instruments it must be calibrated every so many years to maintain accuracy. Here's one not working &/or currently out of calibration, which is pretty typical:
https://www.ebay.com/c/1018669263
The moral of the story is: Don't just throw tubes away, some types are not made any longer and never will be again. Diagnose with an accurate tester first.
that tubes should not be replaced out of hand, many good tubes with plenty of useful life left are cavalierly and needlessly tossed away. Of course the best tester is often the circuit it is used in, and testers themselves can vary greatly in the quality and accuracy of tests performed, especially as they get older. Alan Douglas' (RIP) seminal volume ""Tube Testers and Classic Electronic Test Gear" is considered the first and last word on the subject.
There have been documented cases of Telefunken ECC81/82/83 (12A_7 series) tubes performing well at 100,000 hours in certain monitored military/commercial applications. Obviously, life span can vary by type; circuit and application are also variables. Our Hickok/WE KS-15874-L2 CardMatic is one of the best/most accurate testers ever, but it has it's limitations, and like all scientific instruments it must be calibrated every so many years to maintain accuracy. Here's one not working &/or currently out of calibration, which is pretty typical:
https://www.ebay.com/c/1018669263
The moral of the story is: Don't just throw tubes away, some types are not made any longer and never will be again. Diagnose with an accurate tester first.
As an eBay Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Cleaning it out
So i grabbed the cleaner and sprayed out my pots, but i’m having trouble figuring out how to lubricate the turntable. All the videos i’ve found have shown the turntable popping off quite easy and I can’t even remotely figure mine out. Any suggestions ?
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So i grabbed the cleaner and sprayed out my pots, but i’m having trouble figuring out how to lubricate the turntable. All the videos i’ve found have shown the turntable popping off quite easy and I can’t even remotely figure mine out. Any suggestions ?
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cfz2882
Well-known member
looks like there is a white o-ring that needs removed from it's groove before the turntable can pull up.
Yes, the white o-ring on the spindle needs to come off.
For reference, that is a V-M (Voice of Music) 1200 series record changer, wearing a GE disguise.
For reference, that is a V-M (Voice of Music) 1200 series record changer, wearing a GE disguise.
Did you watch the videos I attached above? I read earlier about how the sound could be due to bad capacitors, but I just want to make sure!
Also, does that mean that someone switched out the turntable? Could that be causing me issues as well?
Thanks!
Also, does that mean that someone switched out the turntable? Could that be causing me issues as well?
Thanks!
That is a VM record changer made for GE with GE styling and a GE cartridge. GE used VM record changers, along with a few Garrard changers, until about 1964 when they began making their own.
reactor
Well-known member
changer lube
Hi Cara,
Yes, that is a VM changer as I had mentioned,previously. The next year GE began using Glasser-Steers designed changers, as they had purchased the company.
The white retainer ring around the spindle will move up on the spindle. Unlike most changers, that model of VM does not use a metal clip ring to hold the platter down.. This white ring does not need to be un-clipped from a groove. Simple take a small slotted screwdriver and CAREFULLY put it under the edge of the retainer and push upward. Once you get it up high enough, you can continue to push it up the spindle with your fingers, it will slide and roll its way up. It is a flexible polymer ring, that VM used so be careful not to cut in in half with the screw driver.
Then carefully take the platter in your fingers and move it up the spindle. It may take a little rocking back and forth before it will slide. Use caution as there is a metal washer and beneath that a ball bearing ring. They sometimes will stick to the bottom of the gear at the base of the platter, especially if the grease has hardened.
Hi Cara,
Yes, that is a VM changer as I had mentioned,previously. The next year GE began using Glasser-Steers designed changers, as they had purchased the company.
The white retainer ring around the spindle will move up on the spindle. Unlike most changers, that model of VM does not use a metal clip ring to hold the platter down.. This white ring does not need to be un-clipped from a groove. Simple take a small slotted screwdriver and CAREFULLY put it under the edge of the retainer and push upward. Once you get it up high enough, you can continue to push it up the spindle with your fingers, it will slide and roll its way up. It is a flexible polymer ring, that VM used so be careful not to cut in in half with the screw driver.
Then carefully take the platter in your fingers and move it up the spindle. It may take a little rocking back and forth before it will slide. Use caution as there is a metal washer and beneath that a ball bearing ring. They sometimes will stick to the bottom of the gear at the base of the platter, especially if the grease has hardened.
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