Anyone ever work on the RCA Victor 65U table radio/phono?

Wow! Poor quality!

The GI record changer has excessive spring forces in the automation mechanism, and it relies on the kick-back of the record pusher mechanism spring to cue the tone arm. The record pusher assembly is prone to moving (as it can be spun from 10" to 12" settings), etc., and this causes inaccurate cuing. I'm sure something is loose or has slack, because I can't imagine anyone buying a record player new that played like this, but it really is crude.

The amplifier is also terrible. It's loaded with at least 4 tone muting capacitors that pretty much wipe out all treble. My 1939 Silvertone 5761 had better tone quality with factory circuitry and the original set-screw cartridge. The response of this 'Golden Throat' certified machine is all mid-range and upper bass. It's sad. They also mounted the speaker so that it doesn't touch the front of the cabinet.

Finally, there's only one dial light, and so the edge-lit dial only really lights at one end, even with reflective paint and careful bulb centering.

About the only good thing about this player is its decent looks. Otherwise, what a joke! Consumers got a far better deal fidelity-wise and record longevity-wise with the Zenith Cobra players of similar vintage.

Congrats!! You have an excellent example of an RCA radio/phono designed in part by the accounting department. We all like to look back at the good old days...but a lot of that stuff then wasn't well made, with many corners cut. RCA really got 'cheap' in the mid-fifties and onward products, especially with their 'Golden Throat' sound guarantee crap.

Funny how in my younger years (I'm now 33) I was so nostalgic about this stuff simply by the great image painted by various people who lived then, advertisements, etc. I thought that the 'Golden Throat' was something special, too, though it really wasn't all that much, although my RCA 56X actually does have remarkable tone quality.

This player is junk, though. I'm kinda sad that I bought it, though I did get it cheap. I liked its looks, but was just going to fix it up and sell it. Make it really nice, perhaps. Doesn't seem possible. I'm so disappointed that I'd almost like to throw it in the trash. I may have success, still, though it'll probably involve more labor than what I could ever get for it.

Eh. Whatev.

I have found, too, that most of the General Industries turntable set-ups are crude brute-force types. Take the record flinger, for instance. Scary! Many machines had straight tone arms which made for great tracking error. All of the tone arms were heavy units with stiff crystal pick-ups, but then so was just about everything back then. Zenith Cobra really was a break-through, but I just can't stand the styling of the table model phonographs (though I have one). They are also horrid acoustically. The lid must be closed for there to be any bass, and the speaker is of poor quality, though it may have been good when the paper was new.

After many years of repairing the 'old stuff' I've found that Zenith products, for the most part, were one of the best in quality and sound for the general consumer throughout their line. I do a lot of RCA 45 players, and by '56 they were down to a 1 tube amp, plastic cases that were soft and would mark easily, and minimal hardware to hold them together. You had to move to the top of the line to get anything of some quality.

A lot of years ago I was an RCA factory warranty service technician. No USA hand had ever touched any of the product except for the outside of the box. All of the components were from 3ed world countries and assembled in Mexico. Plenty of work I had repairing one of the worst electronics from disappointed customers.

I have to commend RCA for designing the last (and most popular) generation of 45 changer, though. It was remarkably simple and effective, and though the cartridge itself was rather stiff, the rest of it was pretty gentle to the records. I am amazed at the operation of this simple changer, though of course usually the rubber tires (including the changer cam) need resurfacing at this point.

Don't forget the crystal cartridges only lasted a few years, if that, on those 45 players. They finally started using ceramic ones late in the run. Judging from what I've seen, once the rubber parts wore on those 45 changers, people just mothballed them, instead of having them repaired, and probably didn't buy a new one, since the multi-speed units were more practical at that point. We also have to remember that in era, RCA was spending much of it's R&D money in the color TV arena..Big $$ were riding on who dominated that market. So I'm sure the consumer audio line wasn't their top priority then.

I certainly remember working on those RCA early color television sets. At one time I had the CTC-9 with the sulfide metal CRT. The picture quality and color was very good, even compared to the more modern CRT sets. On a cold day it would even warm your living for you. Do any remember the 6BK4 tube? Ha-Ha Knock you on your butt if you removed the huge plate cap even with the set off.

I have a 1968 portable Magnavox with a 6BK4 tube. ...a 'shunt regulator'. That set performs very well to this day. It has all of its original caps and most of its original tubes. It sat in my parents' attic for the last 10 years, but otherwise was used regularly. I powered it up about a month ago. Had some hum, and then once the electrolytics reformed, it performed just as it always has. All of the components are Japanese.

I'm going to get rid of it, either on Craigslist or eBay. Hopefully someone will want it and enjoy it. It has its original owner's manual, UHF antenna, and purchasing paperwork from when my grandparents purchased it.

My RCA 65U is starting to grow on me. I may just keep it! It looks very nice on the floor in the corner of my 1928 living room, next to the fire place (fake). Tonight I took a tin snips and butchered the other side of the dial back plate. With a spare socket and dud (weak) 35W4 stashed inside the chassis, I now have a dial with a light at each side. The filament tap of the 35W4 serves to increase the available voltage. The line cord and line cord end of the pilot lamp are lifted from pin 2 of the 35Z5, and are instead connected to one side of the lamp tap of the 35W4. The other side is of course connected to pin 2 of the 35Z5. Another pilot lamp is wired in series with the original lamp as well. Works great!

The record changer cuing behaved itself somewhat tonight. Too bad the pot metal tone arm talks A LOT. I'm going to mount the cartridge on a piece of rubber or something. It's unbearable with the amp turned down low.

I clipped every treble muting capacitor in the amp, and it's still incredibly muted. Not sure what's cutting it. Maybe it's the hum bucking output transformer. If the tap isn't carefully isolated from the electrolytics (reason for the 1.2k resistor), the electrolytics can actually pull down some of the treble. I'll have to look into it. The treble is almost acceptable if you don't want to hear any needle scratch. It's really cut hard.

T.

The machine is getting better. I did three things. One was regarding the cam that is inside of the record shelf that operates the record pusher, and is also what is pushed back during the tone arm cuing process. This is held to a shaft by two set screws that appear to be Allen screws, but are actually a cross screw. I tried using a small screw driver to tighten them well, but don't know where to get a cross driver. They came loose at any rate. ...So last night I decided to just solder the cam to the shaft. It can always be resoldered for adjustment. Seems to work well.

There is still another device that has slack or is broken, because the tone arm is somewhat random with cuing, especially when switching from automatic change to record reject. When the record reject button is pushed, an excessively strong spring (they're all excessively strong) forcefully kicks the cam assembly, which is also attached to the trip mechanism, fully to the trip position. When this happens, the tone arm cues further in than it ordinarily does. Grrr...

Second and third thing regarding random cuing is the rotatable record shelf/pusher thing. This has a detent spring to lock it either in the 10" or 12" position. The record pusher kept in its neutral position by two excessively strong springs. When the previously mentioned cam pushes against the record pusher and compresses these springs, the excessive tension of the springs rotates the record shelf assembly somewhat, and it doesn't always return to its proper position during needle-cue. First thing I did here was lubricate the rotatable part so that it would at least return to its proper position on its own. The second was to remove one of the record pusher return springs. With only one spring the record pusher still returns properly on its own. The spring also serves to cue the tone arm on kick-back (terrible design, I know....what were they thinking?), and this occurs properly even with only one spring. With only one spring there is less tension on the rotation of the record shelf, and so it rotates less during record 'push'.

...So I have to fix whatever else is loose/broken down inside, and also reduce the ridiculous tension on the reject spring. That thing SLAMS the trip mechanism into operation. The first thing I did when I got the player is stretch the automation cam spring so that it would exert far less force. The cam still pulls against the turntable hub drive surface, but doesn't exert so much force on the tone arm while it tracks across the record.

I think that this thing was designed to eat records, not play them.

:The machine is getting better. I did three things. One was regarding the cam that is inside of the record shelf that operates the record pusher, and is also what is pushed back during the tone arm cuing process. This is held to a shaft by two set screws that appear to be Allen screws, but are actually a cross screw. I tried using a small screw driver to tighten them well, but don't know where to get a cross driver. They came loose at any rate. ...So last night I decided to just solder the cam to the shaft. It can always be resoldered for adjustment. Seems to work well.
:
:There is still another device that has slack or is broken, because the tone arm is somewhat random with cuing, especially when switching from automatic change to record reject. When the record reject button is pushed, an excessively strong spring (they're all excessively strong) forcefully kicks the cam assembly, which is also attached to the trip mechanism, fully to the trip position. When this happens, the tone arm cues further in than it ordinarily does. Grrr...
:
:Second and third thing regarding random cuing is the rotatable record shelf/pusher thing. This has a detent spring to lock it either in the 10" or 12" position. The record pusher kept in its neutral position by two excessively strong springs. When the previously mentioned cam pushes against the record pusher and compresses these springs, the excessive tension of the springs rotates the record shelf assembly somewhat, and it doesn't always return to its proper position during needle-cue. First thing I did here was lubricate the rotatable part so that it would at least return to its proper position on its own. The second was to remove one of the record pusher return springs. With only one spring the record pusher still returns properly on its own. The spring also serves to cue the tone arm on kick-back (terrible design, I know....what were they thinking?), and this occurs properly even with only one spring. With only one spring there is less tension on the rotation of the record shelf, and so it rotates less during record 'push'.
:
:...So I have to fix whatever else is loose/broken down inside, and also reduce the ridiculous tension on the reject spring. That thing SLAMS the trip mechanism into operation. The first thing I did when I got the player is stretch the automation cam spring so that it would exert far less force. The cam still pulls against the turntable hub drive surface, but doesn't exert so much force on the tone arm while it tracks across the record.
:
:I think that this thing was designed to eat records, not play them.
:
I think that they served their intended purpose well, they were meant for general use and not very much HIFI involved, if that is what You wanted then it was very expensive equipment, good luck contacting customer service/complaint, lol.

:The machine is getting better. I did three things. One was regarding the cam that is inside of the record shelf that operates the record pusher, and is also what is pushed back during the tone arm cuing process. This is held to a shaft by two set screws that appear to be Allen screws, but are actually a cross screw. I tried using a small screw driver to tighten them well, but don't know where to get a cross driver. They came loose at any rate. ...So last night I decided to just solder the cam to the shaft. It can always be resoldered for adjustment. Seems to work well.
:
:There is still another device that has slack or is broken, because the tone arm is somewhat random with cuing, especially when switching from automatic change to record reject. When the record reject button is pushed, an excessively strong spring (they're all excessively strong) forcefully kicks the cam assembly, which is also attached to the trip mechanism, fully to the trip position. When this happens, the tone arm cues further in than it ordinarily does. Grrr...
:
:Second and third thing regarding random cuing is the rotatable record shelf/pusher thing. This has a detent spring to lock it either in the 10" or 12" position. The record pusher kept in its neutral position by two excessively strong springs. When the previously mentioned cam pushes against the record pusher and compresses these springs, the excessive tension of the springs rotates the record shelf assembly somewhat, and it doesn't always return to its proper position during needle-cue. First thing I did here was lubricate the rotatable part so that it would at least return to its proper position on its own. The second was to remove one of the record pusher return springs. With only one spring the record pusher still returns properly on its own. The spring also serves to cue the tone arm on kick-back (terrible design, I know....what were they thinking?), and this occurs properly even with only one spring. With only one spring there is less tension on the rotation of the record shelf, and so it rotates less during record 'push'.
:
:...So I have to fix whatever else is loose/broken down inside, and also reduce the ridiculous tension on the reject spring. That thing SLAMS the trip mechanism into operation. The first thing I did when I got the player is stretch the automation cam spring so that it would exert far less force. The cam still pulls against the turntable hub drive surface, but doesn't exert so much force on the tone arm while it tracks across the record.
:
:I think that this thing was designed to eat records, not play them.
:
ya de da de da. Don't you guys have anything better to do than just rattle on and on? Enough already! Fools names are like their faces - often seen in public places.

::The machine is getting better. I did three things. One was regarding the cam that is inside of the record shelf that operates the record pusher, and is also what is pushed back during the tone arm cuing process. This is held to a shaft by two set screws that appear to be Allen screws, but are actually a cross screw. I tried using a small screw driver to tighten them well, but don't know where to get a cross driver. They came loose at any rate. ...So last night I decided to just solder the cam to the shaft. It can always be resoldered for adjustment. Seems to work well.
::
::There is still another device that has slack or is broken, because the tone arm is somewhat random with cuing, especially when switching from automatic change to record reject. When the record reject button is pushed, an excessively strong spring (they're all excessively strong) forcefully kicks the cam assembly, which is also attached to the trip mechanism, fully to the trip position. When this happens, the tone arm cues further in than it ordinarily does. Grrr...
::
::Second and third thing regarding random cuing is the rotatable record shelf/pusher thing. This has a detent spring to lock it either in the 10" or 12" position. The record pusher kept in its neutral position by two excessively strong springs. When the previously mentioned cam pushes against the record pusher and compresses these springs, the excessive tension of the springs rotates the record shelf assembly somewhat, and it doesn't always return to its proper position during needle-cue. First thing I did here was lubricate the rotatable part so that it would at least return to its proper position on its own. The second was to remove one of the record pusher return springs. With only one spring the record pusher still returns properly on its own. The spring also serves to cue the tone arm on kick-back (terrible design, I know....what were they thinking?), and this occurs properly even with only one spring. With only one spring there is less tension on the rotation of the record shelf, and so it rotates less during record 'push'.
::
::...So I have to fix whatever else is loose/broken down inside, and also reduce the ridiculous tension on the reject spring. That thing SLAMS the trip mechanism into operation. The first thing I did when I got the player is stretch the automation cam spring so that it would exert far less force. The cam still pulls against the turntable hub drive surface, but doesn't exert so much force on the tone arm while it tracks across the record.
::
::I think that this thing was designed to eat records, not play them.
::
:ya de da de da. Don't you guys have anything better to do than just rattle on and on? Enough already! Fools names are like their faces - often seen in public places.
:
Grumpy much? are You being forced at gun point to read these forum?

LOL. True that!

I was originally posting my opinions on the machine's quality to see if anyone else had similar experiences, but am now posting resolutions to the encountered problems as an aid to anyone working on this model instrument in the future. After all, that is what this forum is for--to seek or give advice.