Magnavox record player. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

leontager · 18th Jan 2017, 7:21 pm

Hi guys,

I bought a record player about a year ago and it was working perfectly fine. However recently something must have broken and I cannot get any proper sound out of it. Instead I hear the song but it's very very quiet even at maximum volume.

Interestingly, if I switch it over to radio, it sounds just fine. This seems to indicate my speakers are working well.

I opened the back and tried cleaning out the connection with a bit of rubbing alcohol but it didn't seem to help.

I am not experienced with these so I recorded a quick video of what I am seeing and I hope someone could give me a few ideas on what to try next.

Thanks a lot for any advice!

https://goo.gl/photos/N7474NoCZT2DB4MU6

RojDW48 · 18th Jan 2017, 8:25 pm

Hello and welcome. The first thing to do is to check for continuity. Pull the tags off the rear of the cartridge - take care, maybe use pliers to get a controlled pull. with the unit switched to gramophone touch the metal ends of the tags - you should get a distinct hum at half volume - if you do - you have a dead cartridge - if not, check the wiring all the way through to the amp.

RojDW48 · 19th Jan 2017, 12:39 am

Afterthought - only one (or 2 if it's stereo - can't tell from the vid) of the tags should produce the distinct hum. The other(s) are ground connections.

Edward Huggins · 19th Jan 2017, 11:58 am

The OP said "speakers" and from the number of controls and the late model Collaro/Magnavox deck, it may well be. If so, replacement stereo cartridges (if needed after further testing) for this will be available in the US especially from that nice helpful Lady in Kreps, Oklahoma. Even so, a lot of younger people today use the word "speakers" as a kind of generic, even if they are referring to a mono record player with only the one speaker in it.

18th Jan 2017, 7:21 pm	#1
leontager Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Seattle, Washington State, USA. Posts: 1	Magnavox record player. Hi guys, I bought a record player about a year ago and it was working perfectly fine. However recently something must have broken and I cannot get any proper sound out of it. Instead I hear the song but it's very very quiet even at maximum volume. Interestingly, if I switch it over to radio, it sounds just fine. This seems to indicate my speakers are working well. I opened the back and tried cleaning out the connection with a bit of rubbing alcohol but it didn't seem to help. I am not experienced with these so I recorded a quick video of what I am seeing and I hope someone could give me a few ideas on what to try next. Thanks a lot for any advice! https://goo.gl/photos/N7474NoCZT2DB4MU6

18th Jan 2017, 8:25 pm	#2
RojDW48 Nonode Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Bristol, UK. Posts: 2,074	Re: Magnavox record player. Hello and welcome. The first thing to do is to check for continuity. Pull the tags off the rear of the cartridge - take care, maybe use pliers to get a controlled pull. with the unit switched to gramophone touch the metal ends of the tags - you should get a distinct hum at half volume - if you do - you have a dead cartridge - if not, check the wiring all the way through to the amp. __________________ '....don't go mistaking Paradise for that home across the road!' (Bob Dylan)

19th Jan 2017, 12:39 am	#3
RojDW48 Nonode Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Bristol, UK. Posts: 2,074	Re: Magnavox record player. Afterthought - only one (or 2 if it's stereo - can't tell from the vid) of the tags should produce the distinct hum. The other(s) are ground connections. __________________ '....don't go mistaking Paradise for that home across the road!' (Bob Dylan)

19th Jan 2017, 11:58 am	#4
Edward Huggins Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 8,328	Re: Magnavox record player. The OP said "speakers" and from the number of controls and the late model Collaro/Magnavox deck, it may well be. If so, replacement stereo cartridges (if needed after further testing) for this will be available in the US especially from that nice helpful Lady in Kreps, Oklahoma. Even so, a lot of younger people today use the word "speakers" as a kind of generic, even if they are referring to a mono record player with only the one speaker in it. __________________ Edward.