I have a 50s ish vintage RCA console that is stereo for records and mono for radio. I am planning on converting it to mono only system for playing 78s mostly. I will be changing the SE EL84 PA to PP and installing my Thorens 124 instead of the included changer. I will also be upgrading the speakers in the process.
Now the question of cartridge and pre-amplification comes into play. The control/preamp/tuner is of course designed for the cheap ceramic cartridge that came with it. If I use a MM cartridge with mono 78 stylus I would have to add a preamp. This is of course an expensive and time consuming approach but may be worth it.
Another option would be to use a ceramic cartridge and modify the existing circuitry only in converting it to mono. The thing is that I have heard that ceramic cartridges are hard on the records. Would this be true of the older 78s as well? Are there ceramic cartridges available that would not pose this problem?
In any case I would prefer using a mono cartridge so using the one in the unit now is not particularly exciting to me.
Input appreciated.
Now the question of cartridge and pre-amplification comes into play. The control/preamp/tuner is of course designed for the cheap ceramic cartridge that came with it. If I use a MM cartridge with mono 78 stylus I would have to add a preamp. This is of course an expensive and time consuming approach but may be worth it.
Another option would be to use a ceramic cartridge and modify the existing circuitry only in converting it to mono. The thing is that I have heard that ceramic cartridges are hard on the records. Would this be true of the older 78s as well? Are there ceramic cartridges available that would not pose this problem?
In any case I would prefer using a mono cartridge so using the one in the unit now is not particularly exciting to me.
Input appreciated.
/sreten.Thanks for the info Sreten.
No I don't. It was my Dad's and I have no intention of selling so never looked it up. The tone arm is a rather massive one with no anti-skate that doesn't work all that well with modern cartridges. I used it for quite a while as my main table but I now have a modern table (consumer grade) with a much lighter arm for the LPs.
Some day I may have the money for a second tonearm for the Thorens but that will have to wait.
No I don't. It was my Dad's and I have no intention of selling so never looked it up. The tone arm is a rather massive one with no anti-skate that doesn't work all that well with modern cartridges. I used it for quite a while as my main table but I now have a modern table (consumer grade) with a much lighter arm for the LPs.
Some day I may have the money for a second tonearm for the Thorens but that will have to wait.
Pictures of the tonearm are here...
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=58597&highlight=
From the help I got there I decided not to use it for LPs but it seems like I ought to be able to fix it up enough to use it for 78s.
It is no doubt far from best use of this turntable but at the moment I don't have the money to put a modern tonearm on it and get another table for 78s. I suppose I could just use the changer in the console for the 78s but that still wouldn't allow me to get an arm for the Thorens. I had thought to build my own arm but I have too many irons in the fire right now.
I suppose I could try to figure out how to put the arm from my current LP table on the Thorens... hmmm... would be another learning experience.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=58597&highlight=
From the help I got there I decided not to use it for LPs but it seems like I ought to be able to fix it up enough to use it for 78s.
It is no doubt far from best use of this turntable but at the moment I don't have the money to put a modern tonearm on it and get another table for 78s. I suppose I could just use the changer in the console for the 78s but that still wouldn't allow me to get an arm for the Thorens. I had thought to build my own arm but I have too many irons in the fire right now.
I suppose I could try to figure out how to put the arm from my current LP table on the Thorens... hmmm... would be another learning experience.
Kevin;
Do you have any pointers to information on how to make a properly aligned plinth for it? Maybe I can figure out a way to add a second plinth and use both arms, the old for 78s the new for LPs.
BTW my modern is this one only silver color instead of fake wood.
http://cgi.ebay.com/REALISTIC-LAB-4...62222655QQihZ015QQcategoryZ3283QQcmdZViewItem
Do you have any pointers to information on how to make a properly aligned plinth for it? Maybe I can figure out a way to add a second plinth and use both arms, the old for 78s the new for LPs.
BTW my modern is this one only silver color instead of fake wood.
http://cgi.ebay.com/REALISTIC-LAB-4...62222655QQihZ015QQcategoryZ3283QQcmdZViewItem
Actually I take that back. It is exactly like the one on ebay including the wood grain veneer. I had forgotten what it looks like because it is temporarily out of the system.
I had been using it and it was working fine. I came home one night to find that my wife had moved the stereo system!!! Ever since that unauthorized move the arm skips in the lead out grooves. I tried readjusting tracking force and checking that the table was level but nothing helped. Interestingly it never skips on the modulated grooves only the unmodulated ones at the end. And it doesn't matter where the lead out grooves start. Odd.
Anyway I have not gotten around to opening it up so if you have any ideas on what to look for please let me know.
I had been using it and it was working fine. I came home one night to find that my wife had moved the stereo system!!! Ever since that unauthorized move the arm skips in the lead out grooves. I tried readjusting tracking force and checking that the table was level but nothing helped. Interestingly it never skips on the modulated grooves only the unmodulated ones at the end. And it doesn't matter where the lead out grooves start. Odd.
Anyway I have not gotten around to opening it up so if you have any ideas on what to look for please let me know.
Played with the 440 a bit last night. I opened the bottom and watched as I moved the arm and the tension feels about the same all the way to when the return is triggered and beyond. It appears that it is either optical or magnetic sensor so that is not the problem.
There is however what looks like a small black brake shoe on the shaft which I am guessing is the anti-skate. I will check and see if I can tell anything tonight but it just may be that the mechanism for the anti skate got messed up in the move and is applying max force all the time or something like that. It feels like a fair amount (though not huge) of resistance but I have no other to compare it too as the tonearm on the Thorens had no anti-skate.
There is however what looks like a small black brake shoe on the shaft which I am guessing is the anti-skate. I will check and see if I can tell anything tonight but it just may be that the mechanism for the anti skate got messed up in the move and is applying max force all the time or something like that. It feels like a fair amount (though not huge) of resistance but I have no other to compare it too as the tonearm on the Thorens had no anti-skate.
I'd be looking for a better arm for the TD than that.
As your budget's limited, how about this:
Lenco turntables have become very popular in recent years, but most audiophile owners discard the original arms in favour of something more sophsticated. There are threfore a lot of these arms floating around very cheaply, which would be a decent start for your TD. You will probably have to replace the knife-edge bearings, as these are known to fail, but replacements are easily available. You will then have an arm with replacable headshells, so you could have an LP cart in one shell, and a 78 one in another (together with any additional weight required to save changing tracking force).
Just a thought, and the way I'd probably approach things.
As for the plinth, just make as solid and heavy a box structure as you can; you can always upgrade to something more esoteric later. You may well need to replace the Thorens' 'mushroom' suspension grommets, as they will probably have gone flat!
As your budget's limited, how about this:
Lenco turntables have become very popular in recent years, but most audiophile owners discard the original arms in favour of something more sophsticated. There are threfore a lot of these arms floating around very cheaply, which would be a decent start for your TD. You will probably have to replace the knife-edge bearings, as these are known to fail, but replacements are easily available. You will then have an arm with replacable headshells, so you could have an LP cart in one shell, and a 78 one in another (together with any additional weight required to save changing tracking force).
Just a thought, and the way I'd probably approach things.
As for the plinth, just make as solid and heavy a box structure as you can; you can always upgrade to something more esoteric later. You may well need to replace the Thorens' 'mushroom' suspension grommets, as they will probably have gone flat!
Actually I used the wrong terminology. What I meant was how to properly mount and align the arm on a new (or aux) arm board. With all the other projects on hand I will probably just have to get the 440 performing up to its potential and possibly scare up a 78 cartridge for the Thorens leaving the LP arm for later. To many projects... too little $$$... to little time. 
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