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Re: Good phonograph for newbies?

Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:11 am
by OrthoFan
m1tch wrote:Anyone got a photo of a 102 opened up at all?
I found a parts list brochure on eBay that shows the inside from the HMV-102D:
HMV Parts.JPG
From: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0408398389
(Click on Image to make it full size.)

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(I wonder if the Col. has a copy of this brochure?)

Re: Good phonograph for newbies?

Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 1:47 pm
by Steve
Ortho_Fan, I reckon most of us UK collectors have a copy of that somewhere, especially those of us with 102's. I don't recall it being much use because it simply tells you what everything does and what it's called.

Re: Good phonograph for newbies?

Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 2:42 pm
by estott
Those sheets were for dealers / repairman. If you broke something you'd look up what it was and order a new one.

Re: Good phonograph for newbies?

Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 2:46 pm
by howerd
This is a most interesting leaflet, 102's are very fine machines and well worth having. The rarer ones have 7 screws on the motorboard although a Lumiere with Celluloid Diaphragm (smillers Patent) is better.

Bless

Howard

Re: Good phonograph for newbies?

Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 2:55 pm
by OrthoFan
Steve wrote:... it simply tells you what everything does and what it's called.
Something like this, then, should be especially useful to a newbie.

I remember seeing some detailed online photos of the HMV 102's innards, but can't find them now. I suspect they may have been posted on an old (now defunct) forum and no longer exist, or perhaps they were used to illustrate an eBay auction for an HMV 102--don't remember which.

Re: Good phonograph for newbies?

Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 6:47 pm
by Steve
Helpful or potentially dangerous?

I have a vision of a newcomer armed with screwdriver and instructions attacking the soundbox to replace the gaskets. Two minutes later, a pile of broken pot metal fragments are being swept up and the newbie asks "Anyone got a spare soundbox they can sell me?" :lol:

The 102 is a pretty robust machine and shouldn't need much in the way of work. I've had 7 102's and I've never been under the motorboard of any of them. They've all played perfectly. The most I've ever done to a 102 is dust it!

Re: Good phonograph for newbies?

Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 5:43 am
by m1tch
Wow, thanks for all these posts guys! Im now feeling much happier with getting a 102 :)

How easy would it be to change those rubber gaskets if I were to get an earlier model? Are there any 'experimental' diaphragm using something other than aluminium/mica and rubber? Could something stronger and thinner materials such as carbon fibre?

I was just thinking that if the diaphragm was thinner and stronger (I'm guessing that's why they changed to aluminium) it would produce a better sound? I saw that on cylinder.de they are selling ultra thin glass diaphragms for the cylinder machines for a better response.

Would that work on a 102? or would it be better to stay with the stock components?

Re: Good phonograph for newbies?

Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 6:08 am
by Steve
I'd stick to the original if I were you. The diaphragms on the 5a/5b's were aluminium for a good reason and they use a Bettini styled 'spider' connection from the stylus bar. They're not designed for conventional flat diaphragms really.

You could experiment with the No. 4 soundbox though. There are some new micas available which are so thin, you have to be careful not to sneeze within earshot of them! ;) Mind you, I've found these do work better than the original mica ones - more volume!

Re: Good phonograph for newbies?

Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 1:39 pm
by Howard
Why not try a 102 with an EMG soundbox - or any machines with such a box - they are the best but are very underrated and cheap in Europe

Gott Gruss

Howerd

Re: Good phonograph for newbies?

Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 3:47 pm
by m1tch
How easy is it to change over the diaphragms? I'm brand new to all this :lol: