Dynatron vintage turntable and speakers

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Went past a closed charity shop today, and in their window they had a nice looking vintage Dynatron turntable and speaker set. The turntable and speakers were both white, and the only information I could read was LS 1734 on the back of one of the speakers.

I've got a photo, though it's not the clearest. https://www.flickr.com/photos/bigbernardbresslaw/22440035628/in/dateposted/

I'd appreciate any info before tomorrow late morning, as I'm planning on returning.

 

[Freddy58]

Why would you want it? Other than that, for what it is, seems like a good buy. I've been thinking about getting an old record player for the few singles I have.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Wife likes it, Freddy. She fancies it for the spare (her) room.

 

[Freddy58]

Wife likes it, Freddy. She fancies it for the spare (her) room.

From memory, and based on impressions, they were an OK brand, not great, not rubbish. As long as it works, can't go wrong really.

 

[Freddy58]

Hopefully you're under no illusions about the sound quality?

 

[MajorFubar]

Dynatron were basically furniture manufacturers, the electronics and hardware were nearly always bought in. My dad's HFC101 music centre that he bought when I was a baby had a GL75 turntable, I'm not sure who made the receiver section, but the Dynatron-branded speakers were Wharfedale Unit 5s. The top of the range model, the HFC103, had a Dynatron-branded cassette recorder built in, which was basically a re-badged Philips N2506. That said, their valve amps from the 60s are often offered at silly money, I don't know whether they used bought-in parts.

The unit in BBB's photo has an SP25 mkIII by the looks of it, probably with a ceramic cartridge. Providing everything works I'd say £50 is an ok price, though I'd try to waggle them down, I know it's a charity shop but that's top price really and at the end of the day they've got it for nothing. The weakest link will be the speakers, likely enough.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Thanks MF for the info. I've been been back there today, and you're exactly right, it did have a Garrard SP25 mkIII turntable, but unfortunately it didn't have a working cartridge, so we decided not to buy it.

Thanks also to Freddy for his input.

 

[MajorFubar]

Cheap fix if it was just the cartridge, but I guess unless you could absolutely guarantee that was the problem, it's not worth the risk.

With sufficient bartering, for someone it could be an inexpensive way to acquire a tidy-looking SP25; cheap decks in their day but these days in a world where belt-drive turntables made from chipboard are swooned over, they're an inexpensive route to idler-drive, and are all-metal construction other than the headshell.

 

[Freddy58]

One quite nifty thing (I thought) was the slide-out cartridge mount. Made fitting cartridges a piece of cake.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Cheap fix if it was just the cartridge, but I guess unless you could absolutely guarantee that was the problem, it's not worth the risk.

With sufficient bartering, for someone it could be an inexpensive way to acquire a tidy-looking SP25; cheap decks in their day but these days in a world where belt-drive turntables made from chipboard are swooned over, they're an inexpensive route to idler-drive, and are all-metal construction other than the headshell.

I just thought any kind of reasonable cartridge would double or triple the outlay, and then there's still no guarantee it would work.

To be honest, my wife was a lot keener than me, as I've already got a Dual 1224, 2 Pioneer PL-12Ds, and a Sharp RP-1144 lying around the house awaiting a bit of loving care.

 

[MajorFubar]

I just thought any kind of reasonable cartridge would double or triple the outlay, and then there's still no guarantee it would work.

Yeah that's the issue. If it's just the cartridge, and if it's a ceramic, you can get a Sonotone quite cheap, or if it's magnetic, a period G800e would go down nice. But not worth it if you've got other turntables knocking around.

 

[Freddy58]

This would do Bernie...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Goldring-G800-Moving-Magnet-Cartridge-/262126378824?hash=item3d07f31f48:g:A4QAAOSw14xWOQHo