BSR X5H wiring colours

[labratmike]

I have checked the FAQs, but although I can't find the answer I'm really sorry if this has been asked before.

I have just inherited a radiogram which belonged to my granfather for several decades prior to his death nearly twenty years ago. It has a Garrard turntable fitted with a BSR X5H cartridge. The arm has four wires in it and the radiogram itself has a stereo and mono button suggesting that it has the ability to play stereo music. The cartridge is obviously a mono cartridge, which I understand isn't unusual. At present the black and green wires are connected to the cartridge.

Am I correct in saying that the green would normally be right -ve, the black left -ve, the white left +ve and the red right +ve? I was told once but have forgotten. Aso, will it cause damage to the cartridge if the +ve and -ve wires are connecte the opposite way round.

Very sorry if this sounds daft. I hope someone can help.

Many thanks

Mike

[Nickthedentist]

Hello Mike and welcome! Before getting too deeply involved, I think we need to find out whether your radiogram really is adaptable to stereo just by changing the cartridge. You may find more is required. Could you post some pictures of it and/or give us the make and model please.

PS I work on Ladygrove.

[labratmike]

Thanks for your reply.

I'm really not worried about stereo sound to be honest, the speakers are only 18" apart, so I probably wouldn't notice the difference. I think the radiogram is a blaupunkt Arkansas or very similar, which has large white buttons on the front to opt between stereo or mono. So I sort of assumed that it could work as either.

I need to change the stylus, and the radiogram hums quite loudly when the turntable is selected rather than the radio, so I was initially keen to ensure that the BSR X5H cartridge is connected correctly, and not the cause of the hum. I'm aware that two wires are often tucked away in the arm behind the cartridge, but thought that if only two wires were used it would generally be the red and black, not green and black. The last thing I want to do is mess around changing connections and damage the cartridge. I hope that all makes sense.

The radiogram lived in Steventon for most of it's life. I work maybe a mile from you in Hawksworth Industrial estate near the huge Tesco warehouse. A small world.

I'll try to post pics by logging onto the forum with my phione.

Thanks again.

[Audio1950]

Originally Posted by labratmike

Aso, will it cause damage to the cartridge if the +ve and -ve wires are connecte the opposite way round.

No, it will cause no harm to the cartridge at all.

Barry

[Nickthedentist]

Originally Posted by labratmike

Thanks for your reply.

I'm really not worried about stereo sound to be honest, the speakers are only 18" apart, so I probably wouldn't notice the difference. I think the radiogram is a blaupunkt Arkansas or very similar, which has large white buttons on the front to opt between stereo or mono. So I sort of assumed that it could work as either.

I need to change the stylus, and the radiogram hums quite loudly when the turntable is selected rather than the radio, so I was initially keen to ensure that the BSR X5H cartridge is connected correctly, and not the cause of the hum. I'm aware that two wires are often tucked away in the arm behind the cartridge, but thought that if only two wires were used it would generally be the red and black, not green and black.

Can you take the back off and look under the turntable, to see how the coloured wires are connected at the tagstrip, and then to the screened leads to the amplifier?

The radiogram lived in Steventon for most of it's life. I work maybe a mile from you in Hawksworth Industrial estate near the huge Tesco warehouse. A small world.

I've got loads of patients from Steventon, and have just gone past Hawksworth on my way back from Long Wittenham along the Moor Ditch cycle path

[af024]

Hello Mike,

I don't know whether there is an official convention/standard, but looking at the sticker that's inside a Goldring Lenco GL75 headshell, it states the following (stereo):-

RIGHT CHANNEL - RED
RIGHT GROUND - GREEN
LEFT CHANNEL - WHITE
LEFT GROUND - BLUE

I also don't know whether there's an established convention/standard for mono. Taking a quick look at some mono players I have here, it's all seems to be a bit random in practice.

Maybe others will have the definitive answer (assuming that there is one)?

Regards,

Andy

[Nickthedentist]

Useful old post here regarding the colour codes of contemporary BSR decks:
https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...94&postcount=8

And three snippets from Garrard service manuals of the era...

As Andy implies, there's a lot of variation!

[Nickthedentist]

Originally Posted by Audio1950

No, it will cause no harm to the cartridge at all.

Barry

Agreed. But you can easily damage this kind of cartridge by pulling off the tags too roughly or with heat from a soldering iron. If you have to re-solder any connections, gently pull off the tag using small, fine-nose pliers, hold it steady by some means, solder the connection, then put it back on its terminal.

[labratmike]

Thanks for all the wonderful replies. I’m at the dentists in Didcot next month. ��

I’ll try to post some photos now, and will take the turntable apart tomorrow evening.

[Viscount]

can you post a pic of your gram ,i have an Arkansas but it it fitted with a stereo cartridge

[af024]

Mmmmm... the plot thickens.
One of my mono players has these colours (not in any particular order):-
RED, BLACK, YELLOW and BLUE, whereas the other has:-
RED, BLACK, WHITE and GREEN
Both are BSR decks (different models)
Oh what fun.

[labratmike]

Some photos. Having a bit of trouble posting them.

[labratmike]

Originally Posted by af024

Hello Mike,

I don't know whether there is an official convention/standard, but looking at the sticker that's inside a Goldring Lenco GL75 headshell, it states the following (stereo):-

RIGHT CHANNEL - RED
RIGHT GROUND - GREEN
LEFT CHANNEL - WHITE
LEFT GROUND - BLUE

I also don't know whether there's an established convention/standard for mono. Taking a quick look at some mono players I have here, it's all seems to be a bit random in practice.

Maybe others will have the definitive answer (assuming that there is one)?

Regards,

Andy

Pretty certain that's what I remember being told, but at the moment it's red and black on the cartridge. I might swap them about and see if the humming noise disappears and the sound quality improves. The connections are very easy to remove. No soldering needed.

[labratmike]

Originally Posted by af024

Mmmmm... the plot thickens.
One of my mono players has these colours (not in any particular order):-
RED, BLACK, YELLOW and BLUE, whereas the other has:-
RED, BLACK, WHITE and GREEN
Both are BSR decks (different models)
Oh what fun.

Just posted a few pictures. Thanks for everyone's help. Much appreciated. Would be lovely to know more about the machine.

My Grandad was a TV / radio engineer for maybe twenty years. Before that, as an amateur, he built what was said to be the first TV in the village of Steventon. It would be lovely to get this old machine sounding good again. At least it works.

[Viscount]

i would say that should have a stereo cart fitted,could be wrong of course just seems strange to have a stereo gram with a mono cart

[labratmike]

Sort of what I was thinking, but I'm not overly bothered. Would be nice to get rid of the loud hum though.

[paulsherwin]

Originally Posted by Viscount

i would say that should have a stereo cart fitted,could be wrong of course just seems strange to have a stereo gram with a mono cart

I'm not sure it is a stereogram. It appears to have been originally fitted with an Autoslim and a turnover mono crystal cartridge, and was then fitted with the current stereo compatible cartridge to allow stereo records to be played without damage, probably around 1970.

[labratmike]

Originally Posted by paulsherwin

I'm not sure it is a stereogram. It appears to have been originally fitted with an Autoslim and a turnover mono crystal cartridge, and was then fitted with the current stereo compatible cartridge to allow stereo records to be played without damage, probably around 1970.

It has 'stereo' and 'mono' piano style buttons on the front by the tuner, but this may not mean much. You guys would be far more likely to know than me. Also has 'Jazz' and 'Concert' buttons. I'll be fitting a new stylus because the LP one is broken. I have been using the 78 side on old / scratched records of low value just to check the the electrics work. It seems to play OK, even if everything sounds a little 'Hawaian'.

With it wired up correctly, and with a new stylus I hope I'll have the foundations to follow it up with a proper clean and then check the idler / belt.

[paulsherwin]

If it really is a stereogram, and some twit has fitted it with a mono cartridge, then it does indeed make sense to fit it with a stereo replacement. This shouldn't cost a lot more than buying a new stylus. You need to get to the bottom of this.

[John10b]

Can you take a look at the back to see if there is a model number etc.
John