Hi folks - an old timer needing help!
After the best part of 20 years finally decided to get up in the loft, open some cardboard boxes and see if i could coax my old system back to life. Heart missed a beat when I saw I hadn't removed the arm and cart when I last used it and the cradle hold had snapped leaving the cart sat on the mat. But, with the stylus protector still in place, hopefully no harm done.
Hooked up the table and amp, plugged in, switched on and...we have power lights!!
Now the table. Set in motion at 33 and looked slow. Only real test was to put on a disc and, after much moving of furniture, boxes and god knows what else, finally managed to get a couple of fingers on a disc and, almost double jointed, got it to hand and we have Steppenwolf. So, first test was going to be 'born to be wild' - as good a test as any.
So, on it goes, headphones on (B&W speakers, back of loft and weigh and absolute ton - back from the days of slate weights to reduce vibration - more later) and fingers crossed...
Well, you won't be suprised to learn its not a perfect ending.
Sound out of the right channel absolutely perfect but only hum from the left. Remembered the arm needed seperate earthing so, switched everything off and simply grabbed hold of the earth leads from the amp and table. Everything back on and no hum - but no sound either from the left channel.
Now bear in mind I'm half deaf - in no small way due to the system in question - and what hearing I have isn't the same either ear, called on daughter 1 to see what she could make out. After initial giggles from her on finding out what I was up to (and a gob full from me in reply) we played around with balance etc to see what we could find.
So this is where you come in please.
Normal play has perfect sound to right but very little to left - none to my hearing range. Reverse channels (as my amp can do) and the reverse applies although D1 said the sound was clearer when channeled to the left. Bear in mind we are talking about a CD child, I don't know what significance 'clearer' has. One odd thing, when playing around with balance and channel setting the results didn't quite match up. When balance all to left you'd get some background sound in the right ear but not visa versa - if this is important please let me know and we'll do some more tests.
As I can't remember playing around with anything before last packing it up - although I had just blown a woofer in one of my speakers and a replacemnt stylus was coming in at some ridiculous price so not eactly in best frame of mind, so must be a failure of something. Does anyone have any ideas on a solution or just as good, how I can narrow down the possibilities which currently include the cart, arm wiring, transfer to amp and amp itself.
Forgot to say what the set up is: Thorens TD160 Super with SME IIIS arm and dynavector 20A2 cart - hooked up to a Sugdens A48 II amp. Not the top of the market but a good (and expensive) system in its day (particularly hooked up to aforementioned B&W speakers and miles of 79 strand cable!).
Sorry its a long post - appreciate any help you can offer.
Cheers
After the best part of 20 years finally decided to get up in the loft, open some cardboard boxes and see if i could coax my old system back to life. Heart missed a beat when I saw I hadn't removed the arm and cart when I last used it and the cradle hold had snapped leaving the cart sat on the mat. But, with the stylus protector still in place, hopefully no harm done.
Hooked up the table and amp, plugged in, switched on and...we have power lights!!
Now the table. Set in motion at 33 and looked slow. Only real test was to put on a disc and, after much moving of furniture, boxes and god knows what else, finally managed to get a couple of fingers on a disc and, almost double jointed, got it to hand and we have Steppenwolf. So, first test was going to be 'born to be wild' - as good a test as any.
So, on it goes, headphones on (B&W speakers, back of loft and weigh and absolute ton - back from the days of slate weights to reduce vibration - more later) and fingers crossed...
Well, you won't be suprised to learn its not a perfect ending.
Sound out of the right channel absolutely perfect but only hum from the left. Remembered the arm needed seperate earthing so, switched everything off and simply grabbed hold of the earth leads from the amp and table. Everything back on and no hum - but no sound either from the left channel.
Now bear in mind I'm half deaf - in no small way due to the system in question - and what hearing I have isn't the same either ear, called on daughter 1 to see what she could make out. After initial giggles from her on finding out what I was up to (and a gob full from me in reply) we played around with balance etc to see what we could find.
So this is where you come in please.
Normal play has perfect sound to right but very little to left - none to my hearing range. Reverse channels (as my amp can do) and the reverse applies although D1 said the sound was clearer when channeled to the left. Bear in mind we are talking about a CD child, I don't know what significance 'clearer' has. One odd thing, when playing around with balance and channel setting the results didn't quite match up. When balance all to left you'd get some background sound in the right ear but not visa versa - if this is important please let me know and we'll do some more tests.
As I can't remember playing around with anything before last packing it up - although I had just blown a woofer in one of my speakers and a replacemnt stylus was coming in at some ridiculous price so not eactly in best frame of mind, so must be a failure of something. Does anyone have any ideas on a solution or just as good, how I can narrow down the possibilities which currently include the cart, arm wiring, transfer to amp and amp itself.
Forgot to say what the set up is: Thorens TD160 Super with SME IIIS arm and dynavector 20A2 cart - hooked up to a Sugdens A48 II amp. Not the top of the market but a good (and expensive) system in its day (particularly hooked up to aforementioned B&W speakers and miles of 79 strand cable!).
Sorry its a long post - appreciate any help you can offer.
Cheers
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