https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/ Mon, 20 Apr 2026 03:04:50 +0000 MyBB https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9535 Sun, 23 Nov 2025 22:10:15 +0000 gary_crutchley]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9535  
I have a Technics stack system which I think dates to the late 1980s, the twin tape deck unit is a RS-X101. Both decks work but recently the left hand one started making a clicking noise which online information appears to suggest is due to a drive gear cog losing some of its teeth. I understand this issue is seen in a number of Technics tape units of this age.
 
I know that replacement gears are available, however, I am wondering if anyone has experience with replacing them, and therefore how difficult a task this is please?
 
Thanks in advance.]]>  
I have a Technics stack system which I think dates to the late 1980s, the twin tape deck unit is a RS-X101. Both decks work but recently the left hand one started making a clicking noise which online information appears to suggest is due to a drive gear cog losing some of its teeth. I understand this issue is seen in a number of Technics tape units of this age.
 
I know that replacement gears are available, however, I am wondering if anyone has experience with replacing them, and therefore how difficult a task this is please?
 
Thanks in advance.]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9532 Wed, 19 Nov 2025 11:37:43 +0000 JCB]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9532 Does anybody know the release dates for these two models?]]> Does anybody know the release dates for these two models?]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9531 Sun, 16 Nov 2025 12:38:27 +0000 boater sam]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9531 My hand tools, cutters, pliers, nut runners etc. were on wall racks.
Now here is a word of caution for anyone else doing this.

Thinking I was being clever I bought several magnetic racks from Lidl on the premise that normal slotted and holed racks never would give me the multiple positions required for the wide size and shape of the tools.

Now I have a full set of tools that have become magnetised and are unsuitable for any work on tape recorders.
Silly me.

Sam.]]> My hand tools, cutters, pliers, nut runners etc. were on wall racks.
Now here is a word of caution for anyone else doing this.

Thinking I was being clever I bought several magnetic racks from Lidl on the premise that normal slotted and holed racks never would give me the multiple positions required for the wide size and shape of the tools.

Now I have a full set of tools that have become magnetised and are unsuitable for any work on tape recorders.
Silly me.

Sam.]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9513 Sun, 19 Oct 2025 11:44:24 +0000 JCB]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9513 I have a Sanyo G-2615N briefcase style music centre that needs some attention to the record player, I have noticed that it is not playing at the right speeds according to the dial. On opening it up I have found the motor is quite loose, is it supposed to have rubber mountings? If so does anybody know if these are still available or can be replaced with anything similar.]]> I have a Sanyo G-2615N briefcase style music centre that needs some attention to the record player, I have noticed that it is not playing at the right speeds according to the dial. On opening it up I have found the motor is quite loose, is it supposed to have rubber mountings? If so does anybody know if these are still available or can be replaced with anything similar.]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9481 Fri, 08 Aug 2025 16:47:43 +0000 ppppenguin]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9481
The SRP31 data is in R&TVS 1959-60. A pair of ECL83 pentodes in push-pull with the triodes acting as pre-amp and phase splitter. A note in R&TVS 1961-62 says the SRP31C adds a facility to connect and external amp for stereo which I can also see on my SRP31D. The Radiomuseum site says that the SRP31D uses a pair of ECL86. I can't see the SRP31D data in R&TVS or Trader but guess that the circuit is very similar but beefed up for the extra power. I hope that the ECL86s are OK as they're a bit scarce and expensive these days. The get-out is a pair of PCL86 (I have several NOS) and a small heater transformer.

Does this model have an electrostatic tweeter which I guess is unlikely to work any more?

I haven't touched a gram like this in many years so any helpful hints please. The amp looks easy enough. Bring it up on a lamp limiter and change the coupling caps to the output stage regardless. Buzz test at the input.]]>
The SRP31 data is in R&TVS 1959-60. A pair of ECL83 pentodes in push-pull with the triodes acting as pre-amp and phase splitter. A note in R&TVS 1961-62 says the SRP31C adds a facility to connect and external amp for stereo which I can also see on my SRP31D. The Radiomuseum site says that the SRP31D uses a pair of ECL86. I can't see the SRP31D data in R&TVS or Trader but guess that the circuit is very similar but beefed up for the extra power. I hope that the ECL86s are OK as they're a bit scarce and expensive these days. The get-out is a pair of PCL86 (I have several NOS) and a small heater transformer.

Does this model have an electrostatic tweeter which I guess is unlikely to work any more?

I haven't touched a gram like this in many years so any helpful hints please. The amp looks easy enough. Bring it up on a lamp limiter and change the coupling caps to the output stage regardless. Buzz test at the input.]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9473 Mon, 28 Jul 2025 13:06:11 +0000 Mike Watterson]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9473 https://transdiffusion.org/2025/07/28/be...he-avatar/

Maybe 1958]]> https://transdiffusion.org/2025/07/28/be...he-avatar/

Maybe 1958]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9442 Mon, 28 Apr 2025 14:29:52 +0000 ppppenguin]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9442
There's a review here, in Tape Recording magazine: https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Tap...968-11.pdf (pp34-38, internal pages 474-477) which places it slightly earlier than I thought.

Apparently OTTO stands for "orthophonic transistorised technical operation"

Does anyone know anything about this unit?

  sanyo3.resized.jpg (Size: 72 KB / Downloads: 18)

  sanyo2.resized.jpg (Size: 60.86 KB / Downloads: 18)

  sanyo1.resized.jpg (Size: 25.92 KB / Downloads: 18) ]]>
There's a review here, in Tape Recording magazine: https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Tap...968-11.pdf (pp34-38, internal pages 474-477) which places it slightly earlier than I thought.

Apparently OTTO stands for "orthophonic transistorised technical operation"

Does anyone know anything about this unit?

  sanyo3.resized.jpg (Size: 72 KB / Downloads: 18)

  sanyo2.resized.jpg (Size: 60.86 KB / Downloads: 18)

  sanyo1.resized.jpg (Size: 25.92 KB / Downloads: 18) ]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9437 Fri, 18 Apr 2025 16:35:59 +0000 catch29]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9437 I have taken the power pcb out and removed all the cap's. The electrolytics are not original (the amp is about 65 years old) made by D.C.C., they are all out of spec by about 40%!. I have taken the lower value 'Hunts' out and a few 'Dublilier', again all out 40/50%.
I will be replacing these with the 'cheapo' black and white & red one's available on mass from Ebay etc. This may horrify the purists but I have always used these and they 'sound' fine (this is the 6th S-99 I have done).
I have generally ignored resistors unless they show signs of heat damage and rarely had to open up again to replace one. However with the pcb out, this time I have measured all the resistors with the following results=
Of the 32 on the board excluding the wire wound which are all good, 13 are within 20%, 10 20-30%, 5 30-40% and 4 way out.
I don't want to 'poke' this board about too much because it's old and I worry about lifting tracks etc. I will replace the one's 40%plus
but what about the others?.
The pre-amp board will be next, that looks a mess, the big plessy cap has split in two!.
An interesting observation is the big 60+75uf cap from the tranny, the previous owner replaced it with a 75+100+100, so he must of, some how wired the 100's in series? but I can't see how he could of done it from the same pot. ( I can't check how he wired it as I've ripped it all out with the power board).
I have a S-99 in daily use for the last couple of years, never replaced a resistor just all the cap's and it sounds a treat!.]]> I have taken the power pcb out and removed all the cap's. The electrolytics are not original (the amp is about 65 years old) made by D.C.C., they are all out of spec by about 40%!. I have taken the lower value 'Hunts' out and a few 'Dublilier', again all out 40/50%.
I will be replacing these with the 'cheapo' black and white & red one's available on mass from Ebay etc. This may horrify the purists but I have always used these and they 'sound' fine (this is the 6th S-99 I have done).
I have generally ignored resistors unless they show signs of heat damage and rarely had to open up again to replace one. However with the pcb out, this time I have measured all the resistors with the following results=
Of the 32 on the board excluding the wire wound which are all good, 13 are within 20%, 10 20-30%, 5 30-40% and 4 way out.
I don't want to 'poke' this board about too much because it's old and I worry about lifting tracks etc. I will replace the one's 40%plus
but what about the others?.
The pre-amp board will be next, that looks a mess, the big plessy cap has split in two!.
An interesting observation is the big 60+75uf cap from the tranny, the previous owner replaced it with a 75+100+100, so he must of, some how wired the 100's in series? but I can't see how he could of done it from the same pot. ( I can't check how he wired it as I've ripped it all out with the power board).
I have a S-99 in daily use for the last couple of years, never replaced a resistor just all the cap's and it sounds a treat!.]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9431 Sat, 05 Apr 2025 21:56:27 +0000 DrStrangelove]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9431
I suppose I'll have to get a round tuit.

But first I'll have to find the Powertran build instructions that are "here somewhere or other" in one or other of the piles of paper.

It's not the one in the Powertran case but a second one that I built in a RS case with very large heatsinks on the back.

Ho hum.

The last time it went wrong it was the curse of the Red Tants (100uF 10V gone open) after which it went downhill rapidly with the wind behind it.]]>
I suppose I'll have to get a round tuit.

But first I'll have to find the Powertran build instructions that are "here somewhere or other" in one or other of the piles of paper.

It's not the one in the Powertran case but a second one that I built in a RS case with very large heatsinks on the back.

Ho hum.

The last time it went wrong it was the curse of the Red Tants (100uF 10V gone open) after which it went downhill rapidly with the wind behind it.]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9374 Tue, 10 Dec 2024 04:48:50 +0000 boater sam]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9374
The take down has been pilloried on the web.
 
The owner of the £25,000 high end preamp, for which some very wild makers claims are made,  was aware of some ripple in the output. 
The maker, Tom Evans, either refused to repair, was unable to repair or the damage the unit sustained in the post made it unrepairable in his view.

So it was sent to Mark with the challenge that he would not be able to repair it.  Wrong, Mark fixed it, without any help, wrote up his own reverse engineering hand book and uploaded the repair to his website.

The video was soon taken down.

For those still interested the original video is available here,   https://archive.org/details/the-gbp-25-0...bp-fsfzi-i
 It is a cracking video, well worth watching and passing on to others.

Posted out of interest, no connection with Mark, Tom Evans or anyone else on You Tube.

Released here in the interes of fair play.
 Sam.]]>
The take down has been pilloried on the web.
 
The owner of the £25,000 high end preamp, for which some very wild makers claims are made,  was aware of some ripple in the output. 
The maker, Tom Evans, either refused to repair, was unable to repair or the damage the unit sustained in the post made it unrepairable in his view.

So it was sent to Mark with the challenge that he would not be able to repair it.  Wrong, Mark fixed it, without any help, wrote up his own reverse engineering hand book and uploaded the repair to his website.

The video was soon taken down.

For those still interested the original video is available here,   https://archive.org/details/the-gbp-25-0...bp-fsfzi-i
 It is a cracking video, well worth watching and passing on to others.

Posted out of interest, no connection with Mark, Tom Evans or anyone else on You Tube.

Released here in the interes of fair play.
 Sam.]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9347 Thu, 10 Oct 2024 23:39:51 +0000 signalman4]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9347
I have just acquired a Columbia 229B 78 rpm turntable and looking for some advice and help in restoring it to working order.

Inside the base, I found a large grommet that has obviously come off something. Does anyone have any idea where it is supposed to be?

The motor makes a buzzing noise and the auto stop mechanism appears to be worn away and doesn't work but that's not a problem at the moment. I guess the buzzing might be due to a lack of oil in the bearings and also the suspension rubber bushes gone hard.

The coil in the pickup head seems to be intact but I'm puzzling over a little tag board that is providing a junction point for the pickup wiring from the head and the outgoing signal cable. The tagboard also carries a couple of resistors but what is the purpose of these?
Underneath the turntable there is a screw and washer that appears to connect these resistors but can some somebody tell me what they are used for?

I have seen it mentioned that the rubber suspension in the pickup head goes hard causing a very low output.

How does the pick up head come apart. There are some hard bits of filler that could hide screw heads. Do I just dig these out?

Having got it apart, what is best type of rubber to use to replace the old hard pieces.

Does anyone know if there is any official service data or any help and hints from the very experienced members on here would be most welcome.


Cheers.]]>
I have just acquired a Columbia 229B 78 rpm turntable and looking for some advice and help in restoring it to working order.

Inside the base, I found a large grommet that has obviously come off something. Does anyone have any idea where it is supposed to be?

The motor makes a buzzing noise and the auto stop mechanism appears to be worn away and doesn't work but that's not a problem at the moment. I guess the buzzing might be due to a lack of oil in the bearings and also the suspension rubber bushes gone hard.

The coil in the pickup head seems to be intact but I'm puzzling over a little tag board that is providing a junction point for the pickup wiring from the head and the outgoing signal cable. The tagboard also carries a couple of resistors but what is the purpose of these?
Underneath the turntable there is a screw and washer that appears to connect these resistors but can some somebody tell me what they are used for?

I have seen it mentioned that the rubber suspension in the pickup head goes hard causing a very low output.

How does the pick up head come apart. There are some hard bits of filler that could hide screw heads. Do I just dig these out?

Having got it apart, what is best type of rubber to use to replace the old hard pieces.

Does anyone know if there is any official service data or any help and hints from the very experienced members on here would be most welcome.


Cheers.]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9344 Mon, 07 Oct 2024 13:43:10 +0000 Valeman13]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9344 https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9305 Sat, 20 Jul 2024 11:38:52 +0000 SeanRegan]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9305
Of the four electric motors, the one that turns the record carousel was running slow. This would frequently activate one of the three trip switches that protect different parts of the machine, this one's the mechanical. 
It was just a question of pushing in the re-set button when it stopped, but it might trip out again at any time. I was concerned that perhaps one day it wouldn't trip out and I'd be facing an ever bigger problem.

This motor is a complete pain to access.



The front of the machine has to be taken off to get some light in there.


  P1010211.JPG (Size: 274.86 KB / Downloads: 26)


A question of removing the small panel at the bottom of the back of the machine, then lying full length on my side and with a spinner, to feel around for the three bolts that secure the motor to the chassis. These are impossible to see.





  P1010213.JPG (Size: 385.64 KB / Downloads: 25)


There's no way you could get any sort of conventional spanner on many of the bolts in a jukebox, so a set of "spinners" in your toolbox is essential.


This is all you can see of the motor.



  P1010212.JPG (Size: 198.43 KB / Downloads: 20)


They were very well, built nearly fifty years ago, as they were subjected to heavy use.

But now they are made of "unobtainium."



  P1010214.JPG (Size: 429.4 KB / Downloads: 24)

This is the usual problem with slow running motors. The commutator gets scored over decades by dirt getting between it and the brushes.



  P1010215.JPG (Size: 549.82 KB / Downloads: 26)


This can be hard to remove. "But there's a way."

I put the spindle in my electric drill and locked that in the vice on my workbench.

Then I wound a thin strip of emery paper lengthways around half a pencil. Turned on the drill and held the pencil against the commutator as it turned. A few changes of paper and all scoring was removed in a couple of minutes.  I scored the insulating dividers between the segments of the commutator with the tip of a Stanley knife. They must not be proud of them.

A bit of "a lube job" and it was ready to go back in (after I had tested it!).

Putting it back was a bigger pain than taking it out. Particularly when you are eighty-four!

A question of sticking the bolts on the end of the spinner with some Blue-tac, (they still fell off a few times).

Anyway, job done!

The nearest jukebox servicing company is about 50 miles away. They would have wanted to take it back to their workshop and raise it to a "workable height." I believe this would have cost me well over £200.  
In the end, it cost me 59p for the sheet of emery paper.


Quite pleased with my work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgENyDZ5ags]]>
Of the four electric motors, the one that turns the record carousel was running slow. This would frequently activate one of the three trip switches that protect different parts of the machine, this one's the mechanical. 
It was just a question of pushing in the re-set button when it stopped, but it might trip out again at any time. I was concerned that perhaps one day it wouldn't trip out and I'd be facing an ever bigger problem.

This motor is a complete pain to access.



The front of the machine has to be taken off to get some light in there.


  P1010211.JPG (Size: 274.86 KB / Downloads: 26)


A question of removing the small panel at the bottom of the back of the machine, then lying full length on my side and with a spinner, to feel around for the three bolts that secure the motor to the chassis. These are impossible to see.





  P1010213.JPG (Size: 385.64 KB / Downloads: 25)


There's no way you could get any sort of conventional spanner on many of the bolts in a jukebox, so a set of "spinners" in your toolbox is essential.


This is all you can see of the motor.



  P1010212.JPG (Size: 198.43 KB / Downloads: 20)


They were very well, built nearly fifty years ago, as they were subjected to heavy use.

But now they are made of "unobtainium."



  P1010214.JPG (Size: 429.4 KB / Downloads: 24)

This is the usual problem with slow running motors. The commutator gets scored over decades by dirt getting between it and the brushes.



  P1010215.JPG (Size: 549.82 KB / Downloads: 26)


This can be hard to remove. "But there's a way."

I put the spindle in my electric drill and locked that in the vice on my workbench.

Then I wound a thin strip of emery paper lengthways around half a pencil. Turned on the drill and held the pencil against the commutator as it turned. A few changes of paper and all scoring was removed in a couple of minutes.  I scored the insulating dividers between the segments of the commutator with the tip of a Stanley knife. They must not be proud of them.

A bit of "a lube job" and it was ready to go back in (after I had tested it!).

Putting it back was a bigger pain than taking it out. Particularly when you are eighty-four!

A question of sticking the bolts on the end of the spinner with some Blue-tac, (they still fell off a few times).

Anyway, job done!

The nearest jukebox servicing company is about 50 miles away. They would have wanted to take it back to their workshop and raise it to a "workable height." I believe this would have cost me well over £200.  
In the end, it cost me 59p for the sheet of emery paper.


Quite pleased with my work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgENyDZ5ags]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9264 Wed, 22 May 2024 16:19:52 +0000 Exiled Yorkshireman]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9264
I've been given a Bush RP40 to look at. It's fitted with a BSR UA25 slimline autochanger. On this unit the control arm ( the thing that sits on top of the stack of records to be played) is flapping in the breeze. When lifted up, the range of motion is limited as usual, but when it's down it can rotate such that if collides with the spindle. This can't be right. As I have all the mechanical aptitude of a small piece of putty, I can't make head nor tail of the exploded diagram in the service manual. 

Anyone got any ideas?

Thanks in advance,
Steve]]>
I've been given a Bush RP40 to look at. It's fitted with a BSR UA25 slimline autochanger. On this unit the control arm ( the thing that sits on top of the stack of records to be played) is flapping in the breeze. When lifted up, the range of motion is limited as usual, but when it's down it can rotate such that if collides with the spindle. This can't be right. As I have all the mechanical aptitude of a small piece of putty, I can't make head nor tail of the exploded diagram in the service manual. 

Anyone got any ideas?

Thanks in advance,
Steve]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9259 Mon, 20 May 2024 05:58:36 +0000 FIXITNOW]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9259
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