Philips 4 Speed Record Player - AG2009 - Advice Please.

Discussions on Talking Machines of British or European Manufacture
User avatar
Orchorsol
Victor IV
Posts: 1622
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 9:03 am
Location: Dover, UK
Contact:

Re: Philips 4 Speed Record Player - AG2009 - Advice Please.

Post by Orchorsol »

Marco Gilardetti wrote:Dear Andy, I don't know if you're aware that not only rochelle salt was used in these cartridges, the latter ones were made with a ceramic crystal even though exteriorly they look nearly identical. Ceramic crystals are not as sensitive to humidity like rochelle salt was. I would say that rochelle salt pick-ups stood fairly well until the '80s, but on my experience their failure rate is at least 90% today, while the failure rate of ceramic pick-ups is nearly 0%, and the few that failed were basically broken due to mechanical reasons, not due to a failure of the crystal itself.

When I was younger and more spare parts were available and I used to do really crazy things in order to resurrect dead machines, I "implanted" a small crystal spare stylus inside a bigger dead cartridge. Quite amazingly the sound was pretty good. However, the crystal stylus proven to be very fragile and used to break whenever the arm fell accidentally (not such an unfrequent event with those records that don't feature a run-in groove).
I bow to your greater knowledge and experience Marco, many thanks! I guess I was assuming the head of the turntable in question was an early one, the type of which most are cream in colour and twist to change styli, as opposed to the later black/silver type with the flip-under styli - but I could be wrong - and I don't know whether the change coincided with the move from Rochelle salt to ceramic, but I suspect that might be the case.

I must say in the past I've been surprised several times by how good these little Philips players can sound. They seem to punch above their weight.
BCN thorn needles made to the original 1920s specifications: http://www.burmesecolourneedles.com

Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe4DNb ... TPE-zTAJGg?

User avatar
poodling around
Victor V
Posts: 2141
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:52 am

Re: Philips 4 Speed Record Player - AG2009 - Advice Please.

Post by poodling around »

Marco Gilardetti wrote:Dear Poodling, I see on the turntable a nice and very uncommon stroboscopic disc that also features the 16 RPM speed. You would do a great thing for mankind if you would find few minutes to scan it at high resolution and then post the image, so that other enthusiasts could print their own replica copies of it. I personally thank you in advance.
Orchorsol wrote:It's the crystal inside the cartridge head. If it's gone, you need to find another head - or, some people have devised ways of installing a piezo wafer into old crystal cartridges instead.
Dear Andy, I don't know if you're aware that not only rochelle salt was used in these cartridges, the latter ones were made with a ceramic crystal even though exteriorly they look nearly identical. Ceramic crystals are not as sensitive to humidity like rochelle salt was. I would say that rochelle salt pick-ups stood fairly well until the '80s, but on my experience their failure rate is at least 90% today, while the failure rate of ceramic pick-ups is nearly 0%, and the few that failed were basically broken due to mechanical reasons, not due to a failure of the crystal itself.

When I was younger and more spare parts were available and I used to do really crazy things in order to resurrect dead machines, I "implanted" a small crystal spare stylus inside a bigger dead cartridge. Quite amazingly the sound was pretty good. However, the crystal stylus proven to be very fragile and used to break whenever the arm fell accidentally (not such an unfrequent event with those records that don't feature a run-in groove).
Hi Marco,

I am sorry, as I have only just seen your comment re: the stroboscopic disc.

I don't have a scanner so will take a photo of it for tomorrow if that is any good ?

Also, it has a crease across it and is slightly 'warped' (does not lie flat) so I am unsure as to how useful the photo would be but I will post the photo tomorrow unless it is pointless under the circumstances. :(

Sadly by the way, I am unable to find a competent electrician to wire it up and test it for me.

User avatar
poodling around
Victor V
Posts: 2141
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:52 am

Re: Philips 4 Speed Record Player - AG2009 - Advice Please.

Post by poodling around »

Marco Gilardetti wrote:Dear Poodling, I see on the turntable a nice and very uncommon stroboscopic disc that also features the 16 RPM speed. You would do a great thing for mankind if you would find few minutes to scan it at high resolution and then post the image, so that other enthusiasts could print their own replica copies of it. I personally thank you in advance.
Orchorsol wrote:It's the crystal inside the cartridge head. If it's gone, you need to find another head - or, some people have devised ways of installing a piezo wafer into old crystal cartridges instead.
Dear Andy, I don't know if you're aware that not only rochelle salt was used in these cartridges, the latter ones were made with a ceramic crystal even though exteriorly they look nearly identical. Ceramic crystals are not as sensitive to humidity like rochelle salt was. I would say that rochelle salt pick-ups stood fairly well until the '80s, but on my experience their failure rate is at least 90% today, while the failure rate of ceramic pick-ups is nearly 0%, and the few that failed were basically broken due to mechanical reasons, not due to a failure of the crystal itself.

When I was younger and more spare parts were available and I used to do really crazy things in order to resurrect dead machines, I "implanted" a small crystal spare stylus inside a bigger dead cartridge. Quite amazingly the sound was pretty good. However, the crystal stylus proven to be very fragile and used to break whenever the arm fell accidentally (not such an unfrequent event with those records that don't feature a run-in groove).

Well, the good news is that I found a scanner hidden away.

The disc did not lay exactly flat and there is a crease.

I hope that these copies are of some use though.

The diameter (the length of the line through the centre and touching two points on its edge) of the disc is 10 cm.

Oh, the stroboscopic disc had two different sides - copied below.

I wonder what 60 and 50 c/s means ?
Attachments
img003.jpg
img002.jpg

User avatar
fran604g
Victor VI
Posts: 3988
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2013 2:22 pm
Personal Text: I'm Feeling Cranky
Location: Hemlock, NY

Re: Philips 4 Speed Record Player - AG2009 - Advice Please.

Post by fran604g »

C/S = cps = Hz = cycle per second; frequency. In this case of the mains voltage.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hertz

Fran
Francis; "i" for him, "e" for her
"Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while" - the unappreciative supervisor.

User avatar
poodling around
Victor V
Posts: 2141
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:52 am

Re: Philips 4 Speed Record Player - AG2009 - Advice Please.

Post by poodling around »

fran604g wrote:C/S = cps = Hz = cycle per second; frequency. In this case of the mains voltage.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hertz

Fran

Thank you very much Fran.

User avatar
fran604g
Victor VI
Posts: 3988
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2013 2:22 pm
Personal Text: I'm Feeling Cranky
Location: Hemlock, NY

Re: Philips 4 Speed Record Player - AG2009 - Advice Please.

Post by fran604g »

You're very welcome.
Francis; "i" for him, "e" for her
"Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while" - the unappreciative supervisor.

Post Reply