I have been working on this slot load radio phono for a while, finally got the turntable working, new cartridge, recapped, but still have relatively low volume and distorted audio. I substituted tubes, to no avail, how likely is it that the 3 square mica caps are responsible? I never replaced resistors before, can anyone tell me which area to check these? Thanks in advance for any help.

:I have been working on this slot load radio phono for a while, finally got the turntable working, new cartridge, recapped, but still have relatively low volume and distorted audio. I substituted tubes, to no avail, how likely is it that the 3 square mica caps are responsible? I never replaced resistors before, can anyone tell me which area to check these? Thanks in advance for any help. Model is 46-1201

::I have been working on this slot load radio phono for a while, finally got the turntable working, new cartridge, recapped, but still have relatively low volume and distorted audio. I substituted tubes, to no avail, how likely is it that the 3 square mica caps are responsible? I never replaced resistors before, can anyone tell me which area to check these? Thanks in advance for any help. Model is 46-1201
DaveF,
There is a capacitor that's on the output tube. It connects to two of the pins on that same socket. What happens if you remove that one?
Which 1201 do you have? There's a 46-1201 and a 48-1201 and there are 3 code numbers for each. 121, 122, 123. Two have voltage doubler circuits and one is an ordinary hot chassis set. It's important to know.

Dave

::I have been working on this slot load radio phono for a while, finally got the turntable working, new cartridge, recapped, but still have relatively low volume and distorted audio. I substituted tubes, to no avail, how likely is it that the 3 square mica caps are responsible? I never replaced resistors before, can anyone tell me which area to check these? Thanks in advance for any help. Model is 46-1201

David:
This guy is a little bit of an oddball in that the volume control is centertapped to ground, and the middle of its rotation is lowest volume, and one way is radio and the other is phonograph, if I read the drawing correctly. Is the volume low on both phono and radio? How are your plate and screen Voltages? I haven't found out what the "3 square mica caps" do, but I dont think weneed to worry about them right now, maybe later. I'll study this some more and get back to you later.

Lewis

:::I have been working on this slot load radio phono for a while, finally got the turntable working, new cartridge, recapped, but still have relatively low volume and distorted audio. I substituted tubes, to no avail, how likely is it that the 3 square mica caps are responsible? I never replaced resistors before, can anyone tell me which area to check these? Thanks in advance for any help. Model is 46-1201
:
:David:
:This guy is a little bit of an oddball in that the volume control is centertapped to ground, and the middle of its rotation is lowest volume, and one way is radio and the other is phonograph, if I read the drawing correctly. Is the volume low on both phono and radio? How are your plate and screen Voltages? I haven't found out what the "3 square mica caps" do, but I dont think weneed to worry about them right now, maybe later. I'll study this some more and get back to you later.
:
:Lewis
:The model run is 46-1201-T27, it has the 5Y4 Rectifier. The speaker had a tear and apparently that was the cause of the raspy distortion, however, the volume is still low on both radio and phono, the loweest on the phono, and I have a new cartridge, I am going to test the phono leads next for voltages. The radio does get louder if I hold on to the loop antenna that is on the back. Dave

The model run is 46-1201-T27, it has the 5Y4 Rectifier. The speaker had a tear and apparently that was the cause of the raspy distortion, however, the volume is still low on both radio and phono, the loweest on the phono, and I have a new cartridge, I am going to test the phono leads next for voltages. The radio does get louder if I hold on to the loop antenna that is on the back. Dave

Hummmmm....
Audio low on phono and radio. Radio audio increases as you touch loop antenna. Sounds like two different problems to me. Try tweaking the capacitor that trims the antenna (large) section of the varible capacitor. Tune for max on the high end of the band. Try another speaker altogether. No magic light bulb has lit over my head just now, but I am still thinking.
Lewis

:I have been working on this slot load radio phono for a while, finally got the turntable working, new cartridge, recapped, but still have relatively low volume and distorted audio.

If you have low volume and distortion with the phono only, the cartridge is in fault.

If so, where did you have it rebuilt ?

::I have been working on this slot load radio phono for a while, finally got the turntable working, new cartridge, recapped, but still have relatively low volume and distorted audio.
:
:If you have low volume and distortion with the phono only, the cartridge is in fault.
:
:If so, where did you have it rebuilt ?I replaced the cartridge with a newer one from another pnono from the 60"s, it wasnt actually the correct one but the volume was definitely louder than it is currently, and there is no distortion since I repaired the speaker tear and the output tube. I would get the old cartridge replaced, however, when I remove the new cartridge and touch the wires together, the hum is not as loud as it should be so I know it is not just the cartridge that is at fault.

Dave,
When you touch the 2 cartridge wires together, you're actually grounding the input, so I wouldn't be surprised that you get little or no hum. Try touching just 1 wire at a time and see if you get a lot of hum on at least 1 of them.

marv

:::I have been working on this slot load radio phono for a while, finally got the turntable working, new cartridge, recapped, but still have relatively low volume and distorted audio.
::
::If you have low volume and distortion with the phono only, the cartridge is in fault.
::
::If so, where did you have it rebuilt ?I replaced the cartridge with a newer one from another pnono from the 60"s, it wasnt actually the correct one but the volume was definitely louder than it is currently, and there is no distortion since I repaired the speaker tear and the output tube. I would get the old cartridge replaced, however, when I remove the new cartridge and touch the wires together, the hum is not as loud as it should be so I know it is not just the cartridge that is at fault.

:I replaced the cartridge with a newer one from another pnono from the 60"s, it wasnt actually the correct one but the volume was definitely louder than it is currently,

Aside from the exception, cartridges from the 60ies often are ceramic and not crystal meaning a much lower output.

Easiest way to test the phono side is to inject audio right at the cartridge's wiring using a portable CD player. Turn volume 3/4 way up. There should be plenty of audio from the unit. If not, the phono amplifier is in fault.

You can't get hum from touching both wires together. You are supposed to touch only one wire at a time. Do not ground yourself by touching the phono with the other hand.

::I replaced the cartridge with a newer one from another pnono from the 60"s, it wasnt actually the correct one but the volume was definitely louder than it is currently,
:
:
:Aside from the exception, cartridges from the 60ies often are ceramic and not crystal meaning a much lower output.
:
:Easiest way to test the phono side is to inject audio right at the cartridge's wiring using a portable CD player. Turn volume 3/4 way up. There should be plenty of audio from the unit. If not, the phono amplifier is in fault.
:
:You can't get hum from touching both wires together. You are supposed to touch only one wire at a time. Do not ground yourself by touching the phono with the other hand.
:
I think there is a short somewhere in the wire that goes from the chassis on the top of the lid to a tapping area behind the phono below, there are 2 small resistors there also, as I move this little tapping plate, there is a noticable hum and the volume changes as I move it also. Dave

Dave,
These are typically 2 very small wires with aged insulation that meander from the tone arm through a maze of slots, holes, tunnels, around corners, springs, levers etc, and down to egress out the bottom of the player to the radio. It wouldn't be unusual to have a wire shorted to chassis through all its travel. A quick test with DMM in hand might help.

marv

:::I replaced the cartridge with a newer one from another pnono from the 60"s, it wasnt actually the correct one but the volume was definitely louder than it is currently,
::
::
::Aside from the exception, cartridges from the 60ies often are ceramic and not crystal meaning a much lower output.
::
::Easiest way to test the phono side is to inject audio right at the cartridge's wiring using a portable CD player. Turn volume 3/4 way up. There should be plenty of audio from the unit. If not, the phono amplifier is in fault.
::
::You can't get hum from touching both wires together. You are supposed to touch only one wire at a time. Do not ground yourself by touching the phono with the other hand.
::
:I think there is a short somewhere in the wire that goes from the chassis on the top of the lid to a tapping area behind the phono below, there are 2 small resistors there also, as I move this little tapping plate, there is a noticable hum and the volume changes as I move it also. Dave

:Dave,
:These are typically 2 very small wires with aged insulation that meander from the tone arm through a maze of slots, holes, tunnels, around corners, springs, levers etc, and down to egress out the bottom of the player to the radio. It wouldn't be unusual to have a wire shorted to chassis through all its travel. A quick test with DMM in hand might help.
:
:marv
:
::::I replaced the cartridge with a newer one from another pnono from the 60"s, it wasnt actually the correct one but the volume was definitely louder than it is currently,
:::
:::
:::Aside from the exception, cartridges from the 60ies often are ceramic and not crystal meaning a much lower output.
:::
:::Easiest way to test the phono side is to inject audio right at the cartridge's wiring using a portable CD player. Turn volume 3/4 way up. There should be plenty of audio from the unit. If not, the phono amplifier is in fault.
:::
:::You can't get hum from touching both wires together. You are supposed to touch only one wire at a time. Do not ground yourself by touching the phono with the other hand.
:::
::I think there is a short somewhere in the wire that goes from the chassis on the top of the lid to a tapping area behind the phono below, there are 2 small resistors there also, as I move this little tapping plate, there is a noticable hum and the volume changes as I move it also. Dave
What is a DMM, excuse my ignorance, i suspect I will remove those 2 wires and restring them and see if that solves the grounding hum and low volume

Dave,
DMM = Digital Multi Meter. Measures Ohms, volts amps/milliamps, has digital readout LCD screen, and replaces many older VOMs (volt/ohm meters) of yesteryear. Although the older VOMs still have their place on an antique radio rebuilders bench.

marv

::Dave,
::These are typically 2 very small wires with aged insulation that meander from the tone arm through a maze of slots, holes, tunnels, around corners, springs, levers etc, and down to egress out the bottom of the player to the radio. It wouldn't be unusual to have a wire shorted to chassis through all its travel. A quick test with DMM in hand might help.
::
::marv
::
:::::I replaced the cartridge with a newer one from another pnono from the 60"s, it wasnt actually the correct one but the volume was definitely louder than it is currently,
::::
::::
::::Aside from the exception, cartridges from the 60ies often are ceramic and not crystal meaning a much lower output.
::::
::::Easiest way to test the phono side is to inject audio right at the cartridge's wiring using a portable CD player. Turn volume 3/4 way up. There should be plenty of audio from the unit. If not, the phono amplifier is in fault.
::::
::::You can't get hum from touching both wires together. You are supposed to touch only one wire at a time. Do not ground yourself by touching the phono with the other hand.
::::
:::I think there is a short somewhere in the wire that goes from the chassis on the top of the lid to a tapping area behind the phono below, there are 2 small resistors there also, as I move this little tapping plate, there is a noticable hum and the volume changes as I move it also. Dave
:What is a DMM, excuse my ignorance, i suspect I will remove those 2 wires and restring them and see if that solves the grounding hum and low volume

Marv; I just realized that the cartridge I installed is a stereo one and I probably dont have the wires right, as there is a black, a red, and a ground, I probably should have put the black and red together? Dave F
:DMM = Digital Multi Meter. Measures Ohms, volts amps/milliamps, has digital readout LCD screen, and replaces many older VOMs (volt/ohm meters) of yesteryear. Although the older VOMs still have their place on an antique radio rebuilders bench.
:
:marv
:
:::Dave,
:::These are typically 2 very small wires with aged insulation that meander from the tone arm through a maze of slots, holes, tunnels, around corners, springs, levers etc, and down to egress out the bottom of the player to the radio. It wouldn't be unusual to have a wire shorted to chassis through all its travel. A quick test with DMM in hand might help.
:::
:::marv
:::
::::::I replaced the cartridge with a newer one from another pnono from the 60"s, it wasnt actually the correct one but the volume was definitely louder than it is currently,
:::::
:::::
:::::Aside from the exception, cartridges from the 60ies often are ceramic and not crystal meaning a much lower output.
:::::
:::::Easiest way to test the phono side is to inject audio right at the cartridge's wiring using a portable CD player. Turn volume 3/4 way up. There should be plenty of audio from the unit. If not, the phono amplifier is in fault.
:::::
:::::You can't get hum from touching both wires together. You are supposed to touch only one wire at a time. Do not ground yourself by touching the phono with the other hand.
:::::
::::I think there is a short somewhere in the wire that goes from the chassis on the top of the lid to a tapping area behind the phono below, there are 2 small resistors there also, as I move this little tapping plate, there is a noticable hum and the volume changes as I move it also. Dave
::What is a DMM, excuse my ignorance, i suspect I will remove those 2 wires and restring them and see if that solves the grounding hum and low volume