Power on the Treble control instead of the Volume is typical for these Astrosonics. Also, it is normal for the tone arm to tap the edge of the record before it drops; this is how the record size is determined.
I picked up one of these (a slightly newer model I think with a different style cabinet) from a moving sale for 15 bucks when I was in highschool. Works great and I use it to listen to the radio and play my vinyls. Would love to tear it down and clean it up someday, but for the time being I don’t see any reason to mess with it. Great video!
I have a similar system that I use which needs the radio cord replaced...along with general cleaning and checkup. Wish there were more people interested in repairing these, they are a piece of nostalgia I hope never goes away. The speakers on mine alone are amazing. Record player still working as well. Love my vinyl.
I'm picking up the same exact model this Friday! So anxious can't wait to play my records on it!!! I wonder how clear and loud the speakers are!!!!?!!?!!
@@Mrpachuko13 if it's the original four speakers and they are all working it will blow you out of the house! What I post is muted because of fb regulations. Actually in real time the windows are rattling! Good Luck and ENJOY!
Twenty-some years ago while browsing around at a local Salvation Army thrift shop, I saw a beautiful Magnavox like this one except it was the smaller unit (looks exactly the same except does not have the storage space on the left). I had one of the guys plug it in and sounded great. Radio and turntable worked perfectly. The manager told me that it had belonged to an elderly lady that had passed away and the heirs gave her furniture to SA. The cabinet was (and still is) in perfect condition, not a scratch or dent on it, and as of today still works great. I don't use it very often, but occasionally play some of my old LP's...still have all my original Beatles albums. I took the back panel off once to check out the wiring and tubes, and was very clean, there wasn't any dust or debris like the one you repaired. The needle for the turntable was in great condition, I don't think the lady used it that much. I did find someone on Ebay that sells needles for my model Magnavox so got several. The sound is great as of now, my unit apparently from what I've read on it has six speakers (front and back total). It also can definitely blast some noise when turned up. Anyway, I really love it...was a great buy for $25.00.
I've still got all my old Beatles records too! If it is tube based, you might want to replace the electrolytic capacitors because if,when, they get leaky they can reduce the life of your tubes. Although it is tough to mess with something that is working. It's an easy diy job.
Thank you for sharing. The bulb in the front of the cabinet is called the "pilot light" to alert you when the unit is on (powered up), but not necessary playing anything. This was a feature for tube type units and eventually went away in the early 70's as transistors replaced tube types.
I'm under the impression these are really just worthwhile for the cabinets. That is, the electronics are just not worth the work to fix (for those that are not educated and with the proper tools that you have). I just picked up an old RCA a little bigger than that one and there is a terrible hum that makes the radio unusable though the turntable sounds pretty good. But the turntable has to be hand spun for about 30 seconds before it will lock on to a useable speed. The power supply has a couple of extremely large electrolytic caps that probably need to go (hence the hum), but when I can just throw in some modern electronics and a nice turntable, completely refinish the cabinet and put in good speaker components, It can become something truly hi-fi by today's standards, but still give the original look. That said, I'd love to have one that sounded just like new. They were never that good by today's standards (usually thumpy bass heavy, I actually remember that sound), but then, an MG TC doesn't handle like a modern sports car. It would still be a lot of fun to drive. :) But I don't have the equipment or knowledge (not to mention time) to refurbish the guts. So I go for the cabinet. :)
Hello the Stereo is a classic gem of yesterday. I enjoyed watching the entire video. But i was disappointed that you didn't repair the turntable. I have watched other videos where the turntable was being repaired & restored. & very well worth fixing it. With the other side of the cabinet for records it's only half done. Wow how I miss my old DELMONICO console The Dino it was nicknamed that old brown turntable was junk However i replaced it with a newer model years later. Meanwhile it was educational experience to view. ✅
My grandmother had one of these units and for 35 years she had a a couple of vases and 2 pictures of her father in the Lebanese army, but never as children did we know it was a record player. So after she passed away 10 years ago I went with my mother to clear out all the furniture and only then did I know it was a beautiful record player. So I took it home and now play my record on it. It powered up and worked perfect. All I’ve done is to have the pots cleaned with deoxit.
@@RobsFixitShop I have this old suitcase unit and when I turn it on it has this s reach from the speakers and when I turn the volume for either left or right I get intermittent noise from them. Now I tested the pots with a multimeter and got a reading of 0.390 for a A500k, when I touched the left with middle and right with middle. I used the 2000k ohm setting. And also did the same with my cartridge and get no reading at all on all of them. What do you think.
@@RobsFixitShop is it ok to use B500k as replacement because I can’t seem to find any A500 in the size I need. I need a volume pot and a switch power / right speaker volume pot too.
Rob, I have a Magnavox 1P3605 Phonograph and Stereo. The radio will turn on but when I turn the tuner nothing will come on, not even static. The light comes on. The phonograph works beautiful. Any suggestions. No one around Eugene, OR fixes older units like mine. The insides look pretty much the same as the one you fixed.
Great, but the Astro-Sonic amps lost a lot of percussion response that the tube-types had. What tool is needed to get the Astro-Sonic unified chassis out of the cabinet? I heard something about PAL screws.
Hi! I have a nearly identical Magnavox console, just a bit smaller. Its in great condition, but I have a problem I can't figure out. Loud and clear as day when playing AM/FM, yet muffled and only plays out of one side of speakers at very low volume when playing records. Any idea what might cause that? Thanks!
This one had a broken wire going to the phono head. I had to put in a new set of wires. The phono had a set of RCA Jack's on the underside. You could try putting some line level audio into the cable just to see if it is the phono or the amp.
Hi Rob I have a similar magnavox that I am trying to get working. Right now only one drum speaker pushes any sound. I have tested the speakers and they are in working order. I’ve pulled out the main board and can’t see anything wrong but I don’t have the diagnostic equipment like you have. Any ideas on how or where I could get my board tested. I’m in Ga.
Hi Rob! A couple months ago I acquired nearly the exact same model cabinet; works fantastic! Receives AM/FM clearly, plays records like a champ, speakers sound great! I just want to do restoration work on the cabinet itself - fix a dent in the frame, replace a torn speaker cover, apply new stain & varnish. Some of this work would of course require removing electronic components and then reinstalling them when the cabinet restore is complete. The problem is, I know zero about radio electronics and do not have confidence I could put everything back where it goes! I've tried finding resources to learn about these old radios so I can go in to the project armed with as much knowledge as possible, but everything I can find online seems to assume the reader already has a good understanding of radio construction & repair. How would you recommend a complete novice learn enough of the basics to do an otherwise simple restoration project without completely destroying the working electronics?
I wouldn't sweat it, the console probably has a wiring diagram inside on the floor of the console. Take a bunch of pictures of the current wiring locations. I was able to disconnect everything without desoldering anything. If you are worried about getting things back in the right place, label them with masking tape. Good Luck!
@@RobsFixitShop I'm in a similar situation to @paperip. I have this Maggie and got her a few years ago. I'm wanting to restore, clean, and do some upgrades like bluetooth. I would love some guides to those things, but it seems those things don't exist. Thanks for your video.
Can you share what schematics you used? I'm looking to repair one that's very similar (and transistor as well). Yours is the closest I've found so far and would appreciate any info you have on the schematics.
DIY Magnavox wrench- some of you may be familiar with Magnavox's practice of mounting the faceplate with upside down PAL nuts. They provided their dealers with the proprietary "handi-tool" to allow easy disassembly. In my console one nut came out easily with pliers, but the other absolutely refused to budge. After several failed attempts, I came up with a sure fire DIY tool. Get your hands on a 1/4-20 x 1 3/4" coupling nut (such as Grainger #41JZ35). Make certain that it measures 7/16 (.438) across the hex flats, some providers have other sizes here. Drill our the threads to 3/8 inch. I don't have a machine shop, so I had to do it a little at a time with successively larger drills from 1/4". When you are done you will have your own Magnavox wrench.
I have another Astro-Sonic that had the PAL nuts and they really threw me for a loop. Like you, I ended up fabricating a tool but it was pretty rough. Go to 6:50 to see what I did. My suspicion is that you found a much better way:-) ua-cam.com/video/A4Pyvu0NtNk/v-deo.html
Magnavox is awesome we had a 1972e high astrosonic speakers were encased in styrofoam back then strong bass from 8” woofers and horn tweeters for the high end down to the floor style.
Hey Hey! Thanks for your video, very fun to watch. I recently picked up a vintage Magnavox entertainment center, but the Turntable was not included... The new turntable is connected to phono, but it fades out whenever it's turned on, and the power and amp go out. In other forums, they said it was due to the phono connection expecting the turntable and thinking there are no records to play and shuts off the system- they also suggest soldering a jumper between the "hot" and return wires of the turntable power harness. I'd love to know your thoughts on that and if you can do a demo of the soldering needed to make it work. I do not have the old Turntable and wondering if its the right solution because one end of the harness won't be connected to anything...
It's been awhile since I worked on it, but when phono is selected it expects the turntable to turn the amp on and off. You can make a jumper wire from automotive connectors and jump the bottom 2 wires on connector shown here: 1drv.ms/i/s!AgRy1tCE6lTdgv9ASoAqC5xi_o_pKA?e=WuufOj
A lesson learned by me on a 1969 Magnavox console with a similar amp. Replace ALL !!! of the electrolytic coupling capacitors. If not, you will chase cap failures throughout the amp
Howdy Rob! I have a 60s magnavox hifi cabinet that’s been in the family since new. It’s in need of restoring or good for parts. Not interested in making money, just can’t stand the idea of it going into landfill. If you have any thoughts on where I might find an interested party I’d love to hear. Thanks!
i just picked up this EXACT model at a local garage sale for $25, came with several boxes of records. I apologize because I'm still watching the video but I wanted to ask about the tuner mechanism. This one is frozen and stuck on one frequency and even if you take off the knob it cant be moved with pliers. Whats the best way to loosen this? are there replacement parts available for it?
Hello, I have a Magnavox that is just about the same as yours. It worked great until about a year ago. We loved listening to our records on it. But now for some reason the record player no longer spins fast. I thought it would be a belt. Opened up the back and there was no belt. It looks like the gears are just running incredibly slow. Any suggestions on how to get the gears going smoothly again? I would LOVE to be able to listen to the records at the correct speed again! Great video by the way!
Most likely the grease in the mechanism has dried out; it's a common problem with older record players. The solution is to pull the changer out, clean out all the old grease, and re-lube everything. Do NOT use WD40 or 'red can' 3-in-1 oil. Those are penetrating oils and dry out pretty quick, you want something along the lines of light machine oil (sewing machine oil works well, or blue can 3-in-1; I like to mix a little spray-can lithium grease in as well). While you're in there, get a replacement idler wheel (the big rubber wheel he discusses in the video). There are services who rebuild them. Changers are complex mechanisms (MicroMatics especially so!); so if you have to actually disassemble something, take photos and be careful, there are some very small parts. Don't forget to lube the motor. You do NOT want to try to find a replacement for one of those.
Interesting to see the insides of one of these old radio/phono consoles. I remember when they were the cat's meow. They really sounded pretty good. But now you can't give them away. They take up a lot of valuable floor space.
Too bad because I think its cool how you can blend in with other furniture and you can have a tv above it on the wall with the console hooked up for sound which is better than a sound bar.
I am working on a similar stereo, and I can’t find the Sam’s publication for it. Which Sam’s number did you use for reference on this stereo? I believe it will be close enough for the one I am trying to repair. Thank you for the video.
I’m noticing the Gophers t-shirt and wondering if you are in Minnesota? And if so, do you do repairs for others? I have my grandparents console from the 60s (estimated). The radio works but I think one of the speakers might be blown. The turntable turns but no sound. I would love to have it refurbished. Is that something you do or any recommendations in the mn area?
I just bought this almost same unit… AM works fine but can’t get FM to work at all. Anyway we can hook up and maybe you can help me understand the issue? All the tubes are working. All lights work… player works. Would appreciate any feedback or maybe we could connect through Facebook. 👍🏼🤷🏽♂️🙏🏼
I have a Magnavox 1P3426 and would like to get it going again. Having a bit of a tough time finding someone in the Long Island area willing to try to repair it. Suggestions welcome! Thanks.
You're just going to have to use your knowledgement for my question. I got a zenith record player with am/FM Everything works fine for the most part. now the sound! Lol the sound works on both sides,one side is normal the other side is next to nothing like only the highs are working and I tested the speaker with another speaker so it's not bad speaker.
You might want to check if you have audio coming out of the back of the chassis. If so you might want to check out the crossover. If it in the chassis you can try cleaning the pots and checking for cold solder joints and then moving on to checking the audio path for bad caps. Good luck!
I own the 1967 Magnavox Astro Sonic 4ST686 Collaro Record Player/ Radio Console Stereo Hi-Fi Turntable-Aux Input. HOWEVER, I can not find the input for auxiliary anywhere. Maybe you can help?
This version has four germanium output transistors (2 per channel). These most likely are similar to 2N2147 or 2N2148's. Typical RMS power output of this configuration is 15-20 watts rms/ch.
If I remember right I replaced the caps 1 to 1. If it is not tube based then it shouldn't be hard to find a generic transformer. You'll need 2 windings one for the rails with a center tap and also a 6v winding. Be careful, mine had a different voltage than the schematic. You could get 2 transformers, 1 for the rails and 1 for the 6v. Or just get one for the rails, replace the lights with leds, and power them with one of the rails (some math required).
I was hoping to see something that would help me figure out why my turntable won't spin. I inherited one of these pieces of furniture, the radio works, the record player arm moves. But the turntable does not spin.
Can you please respond if possible? I have a similar stereo console and it won’t spin at the proper speed? It works (except the 8track) but the turntable does drop records and does what it’s supposed to but it won’t play at the proper speed at 45RPM
the rubber wheel that is beneath the record platter probably rubber that has hardened. Pull the platter by taking the clip off the center spindle and take a look. I don't have a source for the wheels. Good luck!
I recently bought a 60's astro sonic console stereo. When I plug it in there is no power to anything as far as I can tell. Besides the power cord, where do I begin?
did you ever think of changing the turntable for one with the same features three speed and automatic maybe he wants to have a turntable just the type that is curious some like records and many people like the vintage usage i think it was a great video i just ask questions to find things out and i myself happen to like things as is but a little updating to add to everything that it has is a nice touch all the best be safe and happy holiday season
Hi Monica. So I took a look at the one I have in the shop now, which is from 1968ish and it has a woofer and a tweeter on both sides. The greens connect to the woofer + and the whites connect to the tweeter +. black to the negatives. For connecting the two green wires to the woofer I would cut the clips off, twist them together and crimp on a new single clip. I took some pictures and drew some stuff out here: 1drv.ms/u/s!AgRy1tCE6lTdgbRdeC7w80Z8UfdYOw?e=lg54QD Ignore the stuff about the single speaker if it doesn't apply
That turntable is easy to rebuild, yes you will most likely need a new idler wheel, stylus, and maybe a power switch, but the rest is cleaning up old grease and relubing. I’m in the middle of my first VM 1297 right now and with any mechanical inclination, it’s pretty simple. Make you a deal, I’ll ship you my radio to fix, you ship me your turntable to fix! Lol
Hi rob! I got an old chicago webster stereo a while ago. I think it's from 1949\1950. Model 100-18.(turntable) Everything works except the sound for my turntable, it's weird cause i have sound from am\fm radio. I just changed the needle.Can i get some tips\advice? Thanks
Touch your finger to the needle, if it makes decent noise then it could be the needle. If it makes no or little noise then though the contacts on the back of the cartridge. If you hear noise the it's probably the cartridge. If there is no noise then it is probably the wiring to the cartridge. The needle is probably not the issue.
The turntable on this stereo had the same problem that I later fixed. The white was broken between the bottom of the turntable and the cartridge. I replaced it with a wire I bought on eBay that was specifically for this application
@@RobsFixitShop finaly, it does make sounds when i touch the contact on the back of the cartridge. It means that i need a new cartridge? Right? Does anyone has recommendation to where i could find one? I've only saw one at 94$ (Ceramic Astatic 460)
I have a magnavox and I took the pictures of the speakers wiring but didn’t take a pic of the connections to the other speakers could you help me out if I was to send you the pictures?
a wire from the preamp on my 204 chassis broke off at the other end but i'm having a very hard time , finding what it goes to the schematic is too hard to understand
For me, the record player is the most important part. I owned 3 of these in the 60 s to 70's I'm considering trying to find a nice one now, but if the changer doesn't work, I'm probably wasting my time.
@@RobsFixitShop I jus got mine back from the shop yesterday and it needs to go back. The changer is jamming in cycle at times and playing a bit slow at times. Also a lot of noise from the tone arm that is audible above quiet passages of music. Surprisingly, left channel output is still very weak, right channel blasts. He said I didn't tell him. He is 86 and has been doing this stuff since 1957, so I didn't argue. He said no problem, bring it back. It's a 5 foot monster to haul in my SUV.
Hey Rob, I have a Magnavox 1P3712 model and the the broke where it goes into the wall socket, I cut and rewired it but now the sound is high pitch and a little faster, any help would be great. I subscribed as well!
Model number:R20409-00 Chassis: 530432. I never did find a schematic that exactly matched. I even sent an email to SAMS. Good luck getting it up and running! On another stereo I fixed up from the early sixties I replaced the bad geranium transistors with Russian equivalents and it worked pretty well. Shango066 goes into quite a bit of detail on these replacements.
A red wire broke on my astro sonic 204 but i'm not having any luck tracing where it broke off .all i know is it comes up from under the stereo fm board
Magnavox micromatic Many ebayers collect These heavy weight Mechanisms so Are in some demand To be repaired/ restored. Ebay prices for these can be up to $200.00 or more just for the Changer,
The stylus Box I have with mine says genuine diamond needle transcriber is I'm assuming the label for the manufacturer it says PS111 stereo diamond replacement needle I hope this helps. BTW mine is inherited from my mom, the numbers on the receipt are RP630.
Power on the Treble control instead of the Volume is typical for these Astrosonics. Also, it is normal for the tone arm to tap the edge of the record before it drops; this is how the record size is determined.
I picked up one of these (a slightly newer model I think with a different style cabinet) from a moving sale for 15 bucks when I was in highschool. Works great and I use it to listen to the radio and play my vinyls. Would love to tear it down and clean it up someday, but for the time being I don’t see any reason to mess with it.
Great video!
Dude, this is exactly what my Grandpa used to do with EVERYTHING. It's not an age joke. Thank you for this.
I have a similar system that I use which needs the radio cord replaced...along with general cleaning and checkup. Wish there were more people interested in repairing these, they are a piece of nostalgia I hope never goes away. The speakers on mine alone are amazing. Record player still working as well. Love my vinyl.
I'm picking up the same exact model this Friday! So anxious can't wait to play my records on it!!! I wonder how clear and loud the speakers are!!!!?!!?!!
@@Mrpachuko13 if it's the original four speakers and they are all working it will blow you out of the house! What I post is muted because of fb regulations. Actually in real time the windows are rattling! Good Luck and ENJOY!
@@debbier1061 thank you! Great information!
Twenty-some years ago while browsing around at a local Salvation Army thrift shop, I saw a beautiful Magnavox like this one except it was the smaller unit (looks exactly the same except does not have the storage space on the left). I had one of the guys plug it in and sounded great. Radio and turntable worked perfectly. The manager told me that it had belonged to an elderly lady that had passed away and the heirs gave her furniture to SA. The cabinet was (and still is) in perfect condition, not a scratch or dent on it, and as of today still works great. I don't use it very often, but occasionally play some of my old LP's...still have all my original Beatles albums. I took the back panel off once to check out the wiring and tubes, and was very clean, there wasn't any dust or debris like the one you repaired. The needle for the turntable was in great condition, I don't think the lady used it that much. I did find someone on Ebay that sells needles for my model Magnavox so got several. The sound is great as of now, my unit apparently from what I've read on it has six speakers (front and back total). It also can definitely blast some noise when turned up. Anyway, I really love it...was a great buy for $25.00.
I've still got all my old Beatles records too! If it is tube based, you might want to replace the electrolytic capacitors because if,when, they get leaky they can reduce the life of your tubes. Although it is tough to mess with something that is working. It's an easy diy job.
Would love to see you fix the record player, would love to follow. thank you.
My grandma has this exact audio system. She says I can have it but have no idea how to fix it, but this video helps a lot.
Thank you for sharing. The bulb in the front of the cabinet is called the "pilot light" to alert you when the unit is on (powered up), but not necessary playing anything. This was a feature for tube type units and eventually went away in the early 70's as transistors replaced tube types.
Interesting, thanks for the info!
You have fixed this console as good as it is going to get! Nice job!
I'm under the impression these are really just worthwhile for the cabinets. That is, the electronics are just not worth the work to fix (for those that are not educated and with the proper tools that you have). I just picked up an old RCA a little bigger than that one and there is a terrible hum that makes the radio unusable though the turntable sounds pretty good. But the turntable has to be hand spun for about 30 seconds before it will lock on to a useable speed. The power supply has a couple of extremely large electrolytic caps that probably need to go (hence the hum), but when I can just throw in some modern electronics and a nice turntable, completely refinish the cabinet and put in good speaker components, It can become something truly hi-fi by today's standards, but still give the original look.
That said, I'd love to have one that sounded just like new. They were never that good by today's standards (usually thumpy bass heavy, I actually remember that sound), but then, an MG TC doesn't handle like a modern sports car. It would still be a lot of fun to drive. :)
But I don't have the equipment or knowledge (not to mention time) to refurbish the guts. So I go for the cabinet. :)
Hello the Stereo is a classic gem of yesterday. I enjoyed watching the entire video. But i was disappointed that you didn't repair the turntable. I have watched other videos where the turntable was being repaired & restored. & very well worth fixing it. With the other side of the cabinet for records it's only half done. Wow how I miss my old DELMONICO console The Dino it was nicknamed that old brown turntable was junk However i replaced it with a newer model years later. Meanwhile it was educational experience to view. ✅
I know, it drove me nuts not being able to fix it.
You one it's in amazing condition for it's age,haven't been plugged up in years@@RobsFixitShop
My mom had one just like that. I remember playing my Christmas music on it.i was born in 63
1963 was year I was born too! I hope it brought back some good memories.
My grandmother had one of these units and for 35 years she had a a couple of vases and 2 pictures of her father in the Lebanese army, but never as children did we know it was a record player. So after she passed away 10 years ago I went with my mother to clear out all the furniture and only then did I know it was a beautiful record player. So I took it home and now play my record on it. It powered up and worked perfect. All I’ve done is to have the pots cleaned with deoxit.
Wow, great memories!
@@RobsFixitShop I have this old suitcase unit and when I turn it on it has this s reach from the speakers and when I turn the volume for either left or right I get intermittent noise from them. Now I tested the pots with a multimeter and got a reading of 0.390 for a A500k, when I touched the left with middle and right with middle. I used the 2000k ohm setting. And also did the same with my cartridge and get no reading at all on all of them. What do you think.
@@RobsFixitShop is it ok to use B500k as replacement because I can’t seem to find any A500 in the size I need. I need a volume pot and a switch power / right speaker volume pot too.
I like your adjustable chassis holder, I just have two upside-down T shaped pieces that don’t clamp down. It works but you have a good idea.
Rob, I have a Magnavox 1P3605 Phonograph and Stereo. The radio will turn on but when I turn the tuner nothing will come on, not even static. The light comes on. The phonograph works beautiful. Any suggestions. No one around Eugene, OR fixes older units like mine. The insides look pretty much the same as the one you fixed.
I would definitely clean the tone controls and switches. The signal path goes right through them and if they are not conducting, nothing.
Great, but the Astro-Sonic amps lost a lot of percussion response that the tube-types had. What tool is needed to get the Astro-Sonic unified chassis out of the cabinet? I heard something about PAL screws.
Hi! I have a nearly identical Magnavox console, just a bit smaller. Its in great condition, but I have a problem I can't figure out. Loud and clear as day when playing AM/FM, yet muffled and only plays out of one side of speakers at very low volume when playing records. Any idea what might cause that?
Thanks!
This one had a broken wire going to the phono head. I had to put in a new set of wires. The phono had a set of RCA Jack's on the underside. You could try putting some line level audio into the cable just to see if it is the phono or the amp.
I have what I am guessing a late 70s or 80s consul cassette/radio/record player. Any idea where to get repair manuals? Parts lists?
Hi Rob I have a similar magnavox that I am trying to get working. Right now only one drum speaker pushes any sound. I have tested the speakers and they are in working order. I’ve pulled out the main board and can’t see anything wrong but I don’t have the diagnostic equipment like you have. Any ideas on how or where I could get my board tested. I’m in Ga.
I am not sure where you could take it but I would clean the controls with some electronic contact cleaner before anything else.
Hi Rob! A couple months ago I acquired nearly the exact same model cabinet; works fantastic! Receives AM/FM clearly, plays records like a champ, speakers sound great! I just want to do restoration work on the cabinet itself - fix a dent in the frame, replace a torn speaker cover, apply new stain & varnish. Some of this work would of course require removing electronic components and then reinstalling them when the cabinet restore is complete. The problem is, I know zero about radio electronics and do not have confidence I could put everything back where it goes!
I've tried finding resources to learn about these old radios so I can go in to the project armed with as much knowledge as possible, but everything I can find online seems to assume the reader already has a good understanding of radio construction & repair. How would you recommend a complete novice learn enough of the basics to do an otherwise simple restoration project without completely destroying the working electronics?
I wouldn't sweat it, the console probably has a wiring diagram inside on the floor of the console. Take a bunch of pictures of the current wiring locations. I was able to disconnect everything without desoldering anything. If you are worried about getting things back in the right place, label them with masking tape. Good Luck!
@@RobsFixitShop I'm in a similar situation to @paperip. I have this Maggie and got her a few years ago. I'm wanting to restore, clean, and do some upgrades like bluetooth. I would love some guides to those things, but it seems those things don't exist. Thanks for your video.
Can you share what schematics you used? I'm looking to repair one that's very similar (and transistor as well). Yours is the closest I've found so far and would appreciate any info you have on the schematics.
Do you do troubleshooting for people who have problems with their vintage stereos?
Great idea to work over one of those consoles. Especially if the cabinetry is worth it.
DIY Magnavox wrench- some of you may be familiar with Magnavox's practice of mounting the faceplate with upside down PAL nuts. They provided their dealers with the proprietary "handi-tool" to allow easy disassembly. In my console one nut came out easily with pliers, but the other absolutely refused to budge. After several failed attempts, I came up with a sure fire DIY tool. Get your hands on a 1/4-20 x 1 3/4" coupling nut (such as Grainger #41JZ35). Make certain that it measures 7/16 (.438) across the hex flats, some providers have other sizes here. Drill our the threads to 3/8 inch. I don't have a machine shop, so I had to do it a little at a time with successively larger drills from 1/4". When you are done you will have your own Magnavox wrench.
I have another Astro-Sonic that had the PAL nuts and they really threw me for a loop. Like you, I ended up fabricating a tool but it was pretty rough. Go to 6:50 to see what I did. My suspicion is that you found a much better way:-) ua-cam.com/video/A4Pyvu0NtNk/v-deo.html
who is your tester made by i need one that will test capacitors but can't spend much
Do have a video on how to make the dial strings work? Mine came un done and I can’t figure out how to re-string it.
Magnavox is awesome we had a 1972e high astrosonic speakers were encased in styrofoam back then strong bass from 8” woofers and horn tweeters for the high end down to the floor style.
Where did you find the schematic? I'm having trouble finding it
Hey Hey! Thanks for your video, very fun to watch. I recently picked up a vintage Magnavox entertainment center, but the Turntable was not included... The new turntable is connected to phono, but it fades out whenever it's turned on, and the power and amp go out. In other forums, they said it was due to the phono connection expecting the turntable and thinking there are no records to play and shuts off the system- they also suggest soldering a jumper between the "hot" and return wires of the turntable power harness. I'd love to know your thoughts on that and if you can do a demo of the soldering needed to make it work. I do not have the old Turntable and wondering if its the right solution because one end of the harness won't be connected to anything...
It's been awhile since I worked on it, but when phono is selected it expects the turntable to turn the amp on and off. You can make a jumper wire from automotive connectors and jump the bottom 2 wires on connector shown here: 1drv.ms/i/s!AgRy1tCE6lTdgv9ASoAqC5xi_o_pKA?e=WuufOj
A lesson learned by me on a 1969 Magnavox console with a similar amp. Replace ALL !!! of the electrolytic coupling capacitors. If not, you will chase cap failures throughout the amp
I couldn't agree more. I just worked on another one. I diagnosed it for the fun of the chase, but it was all bad caps.
I just got one of these but a different style radio works but the record player doesn’t spin is there a way to fix that
Howdy Rob! I have a 60s magnavox hifi cabinet that’s been in the family since new. It’s in need of restoring or good for parts. Not interested in making money, just can’t stand the idea of it going into landfill. If you have any thoughts on where I might find an interested party I’d love to hear. Thanks!
you used fishing line as tuning dial cord? i'll have to remember that
i've got one like that and one channel is noisy could some capacitors be the cause?
i just picked up this EXACT model at a local garage sale for $25, came with several boxes of records. I apologize because I'm still watching the video but I wanted to ask about the tuner mechanism. This one is frozen and stuck on one frequency and even if you take off the knob it cant be moved with pliers. Whats the best way to loosen this? are there replacement parts available for it?
I would pull out the chassis and oil the shaft and just gently work it.
Hello, I have a Magnavox that is just about the same as yours. It worked great until about a year ago. We loved listening to our records on it.
But now for some reason the record player no longer spins fast. I thought it would be a belt. Opened up the back and there was no belt. It looks like the gears are just running incredibly slow. Any suggestions on how to get the gears going smoothly again? I would LOVE to be able to listen to the records at the correct speed again!
Great video by the way!
I wish I could help. I have yet to get a a record player working right. For a guy like me that loves to get stuff working it is really frustrating.
Most likely the grease in the mechanism has dried out; it's a common problem with older record players. The solution is to pull the changer out, clean out all the old grease, and re-lube everything. Do NOT use WD40 or 'red can' 3-in-1 oil. Those are penetrating oils and dry out pretty quick, you want something along the lines of light machine oil (sewing machine oil works well, or blue can 3-in-1; I like to mix a little spray-can lithium grease in as well).
While you're in there, get a replacement idler wheel (the big rubber wheel he discusses in the video). There are services who rebuild them.
Changers are complex mechanisms (MicroMatics especially so!); so if you have to actually disassemble something, take photos and be careful, there are some very small parts.
Don't forget to lube the motor. You do NOT want to try to find a replacement for one of those.
Interesting to see the insides of one of these old radio/phono consoles. I remember when they were the cat's meow. They really sounded pretty good. But now you can't give them away. They take up a lot of valuable floor space.
Too bad because I think its cool how you can blend in with other furniture and you can have a tv above it on the wall with the console hooked up for sound which is better than a sound bar.
Not anymore. If in decent shape and works, they can bring upwords from a couple hundred.
did you build the thing you tested the capacitors with?
I am working on a similar stereo, and I can’t find the Sam’s publication for it. Which Sam’s number did you use for reference on this stereo? I believe it will be close enough for the one I am trying to repair. Thank you for the video.
I’m noticing the Gophers t-shirt and wondering if you are in Minnesota? And if so, do you do repairs for others? I have my grandparents console from the 60s (estimated). The radio works but I think one of the speakers might be blown. The turntable turns but no sound. I would love to have it refurbished. Is that something you do or any recommendations in the mn area?
I'd like to know, too. Have a similar Astrosonic here in Minneapolis that could use some going through.
My astro sonic looks exactly like that. the stereo fm works great
I just bought this almost same unit… AM works fine but can’t get FM to work at all. Anyway we can hook up and maybe you can help me understand the issue? All the tubes are working. All lights work… player works. Would appreciate any feedback or maybe we could connect through Facebook. 👍🏼🤷🏽♂️🙏🏼
I have a Magnavox 1P3426 and would like to get it going again. Having a bit of a tough time finding someone in the Long Island area willing to try to repair it. Suggestions welcome! Thanks.
I have an identical one except for the styling. Want to do another one?
Is there a reason you wouldn’t replace it with a 3 prong cord? I apologize if I missed it.
It goes right into a transformer so it is isolated, although it would be even safer with a 3 wire
Why was the record player not worth fixing? Just preference or was the wheel you needed to fix not going to be the key to fix it all
I think it is worth fixing, I have just had bad luck working on them. It's one of those rare times I pay attention to my lack of experience :-)
Are you located in MN? I have a Magnavox Micromatic from the early 60s as well. One speaker & sub cuts in and out. Would love to have it serviced.
Hello! I recently acquired this exact same model magnavox -would you recommend putting new thermal grease on the output transistors?
I didn't, it is kind of a low wattage model and it didn't seem to be putting out a lot of heat but if it looks crusty then the less heat the better.
It wouldn't hurt, but what smokes components are defective power supply electrolytic capacitors.
the 6422 on the changer sticker means it was made in the first half of 1964
You're just going to have to use your knowledgement for my question.
I got a zenith record player with am/FM
Everything works fine for the most part. now the sound! Lol the sound works on both sides,one side is normal the other side is next to nothing like only the highs are working and I tested the speaker with another speaker so it's not bad speaker.
You might want to check if you have audio coming out of the back of the chassis. If so you might want to check out the crossover. If it in the chassis you can try cleaning the pots and checking for cold solder joints and then moving on to checking the audio path for bad caps. Good luck!
I own the 1967 Magnavox Astro Sonic 4ST686 Collaro Record Player/ Radio Console Stereo Hi-Fi Turntable-Aux Input. HOWEVER, I can not find the input for auxiliary anywhere. Maybe you can help?
what did you clean the dial glass with? you did a great job
What size are the bulbs that light up dials and meter
my astro sonic quit on me this morning and doesn't seem to power up. can you give me an idea of what to look at?
This version has four germanium output transistors (2 per channel). These most likely are similar to 2N2147 or 2N2148's. Typical RMS power output of this configuration is 15-20 watts rms/ch.
I couldn't believe how out of alignment that thing was.... was someone in there before you?
Magnavox's first three years of
solid
state used alot of large electrolytic caps
did you replace the filter capacitor with separate capacitors? i need a new transformer for my astro-sonic but don't know where
If I remember right I replaced the caps 1 to 1. If it is not tube based then it shouldn't be hard to find a generic transformer. You'll need 2 windings one for the rails with a center tap and also a 6v winding. Be careful, mine had a different voltage than the schematic. You could get 2 transformers, 1 for the rails and 1 for the 6v. Or just get one for the rails, replace the lights with leds, and power them with one of the rails (some math required).
@@RobsFixitShop i found another astro sonic with a 204 chassis so i can use the one i mentioned above as a donor
Are the capacitors you put in intended to replace the filter capacitor in the power supply
Hello would you like to tune mine, I have the same one. It is in working condition at the moment
when you outside of the rectifier do you mean the negative side?
Are you located near Baltimore md. I need someone's to fix my magnavox stereo console
I just found this same record player but I can't get records to play, it will start to spin and then stop please help!
I was hoping to see something that would help me figure out why my turntable won't spin. I inherited one of these pieces of furniture, the radio works, the record player arm moves. But the turntable does not spin.
Broken teeth on gears possibly
Hi. Where can I purchase a new mirror for my 63 Motorola. Or other record players that i own ?
I meant needles
Can you please respond if possible? I have a similar stereo console and it won’t spin at the proper speed? It works (except the 8track) but the turntable does drop records and does what it’s supposed to but it won’t play at the proper speed at 45RPM
the rubber wheel that is beneath the record platter probably rubber that has hardened. Pull the platter by taking the clip off the center spindle and take a look. I don't have a source for the wheels. Good luck!
that stereo was made a while after they started making solid state.the turntable is usually a good clue
I recently bought a 60's astro sonic console stereo. When I plug it in there is no power to anything as far as I can tell. Besides the power cord, where do I begin?
Test the power supply.
did you ever think of changing the turntable for one with the same features three speed and automatic maybe he wants to have a turntable just the type that is curious some like records and many people like the vintage usage i think it was a great video i just ask questions to find things out and i myself happen to like things as is but a little updating to add to everything that it has is a nice touch all the best be safe and happy holiday season
that resistor is the 2.2meg. what does the 2.2meg resistor do?
... enjoy the video very much 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Glad you enjoyed it
I wanna have a stereo console like that...with tube amps...and a BSR, Dual or Garrard turntable....
I wanted to replace the speakers and the ones I got don’t have enough terminals coming out of them any way to go around that?
Hi Monica. So I took a look at the one I have in the shop now, which is from 1968ish and it has a woofer and a tweeter on both sides. The greens connect to the woofer + and the whites connect to the tweeter +. black to the negatives. For connecting the two green wires to the woofer I would cut the clips off, twist them together and crimp on a new single clip. I took some pictures and drew some stuff out here: 1drv.ms/u/s!AgRy1tCE6lTdgbRdeC7w80Z8UfdYOw?e=lg54QD
Ignore the stuff about the single speaker if it doesn't apply
@@RobsFixitShop thank you!!
Will changing the caps fix a no sound issue
it very well could
I just got a garrard synchro lab 55 b it’s making a noise but can’t get it to work
That turntable is easy to rebuild, yes you will most likely need a new idler wheel, stylus, and maybe a power switch, but the rest is cleaning up old grease and relubing. I’m in the middle of my first VM 1297 right now and with any mechanical inclination, it’s pretty simple. Make you a deal, I’ll ship you my radio to fix, you ship me your turntable to fix! Lol
I have a one of these turn tables that I have been having a hard time getting to work. Would you be interested in helping me?
Hi rob! I got an old chicago webster stereo a while ago. I think it's from 1949\1950. Model 100-18.(turntable) Everything works except the sound for my turntable, it's weird cause i have sound from am\fm radio. I just changed the needle.Can i get some tips\advice? Thanks
Touch your finger to the needle, if it makes decent noise then it could be the needle. If it makes no or little noise then though the contacts on the back of the cartridge. If you hear noise the it's probably the cartridge. If there is no noise then it is probably the wiring to the cartridge. The needle is probably not the issue.
@@RobsFixitShop i only hear noise when i touch the cartridge wire under the turntable. It doesn't make noise anywhere else 🤔
The turntable on this stereo had the same problem that I later fixed. The white was broken between the bottom of the turntable and the cartridge. I replaced it with a wire I bought on eBay that was specifically for this application
@@RobsFixitShop finaly, it does make sounds when i touch the contact on the back of the cartridge. It means that i need a new cartridge? Right? Does anyone has recommendation to where i could find one? I've only saw one at 94$ (Ceramic Astatic 460)
I have a magnavox and I took the pictures of the speakers wiring but didn’t take a pic of the connections to the other speakers could you help me out if I was to send you the pictures?
I have one from 1969 in my shop, I'll put some pictures up in the next couple of days.
@@RobsFixitShop thank you!!!!
a wire from the preamp on my 204 chassis broke off at the other end but i'm having a very hard time , finding what it goes to the schematic is too hard to understand
For me, the record player is the most important part. I owned 3 of these in the 60
s to 70's I'm considering trying to find a nice one now, but if the changer doesn't work, I'm probably wasting my time.
You are not alone. People don't like that I didn't fix the turntable.
@@RobsFixitShop I jus got mine back from the shop yesterday and it needs to go back. The changer is jamming in cycle at times and playing a bit slow at times. Also a lot of noise from the tone arm that is audible above quiet passages of music. Surprisingly, left channel output is still very weak, right channel blasts. He said I didn't tell him. He is 86 and has been doing this stuff since 1957, so I didn't argue. He said no problem, bring it back. It's a 5 foot monster to haul in my SUV.
Where are you located? I have the same one, it needs work.
Hey Rob, I have a Magnavox 1P3712 model and the the broke where it goes into the wall socket, I cut and rewired it but now the sound is high pitch and a little faster, any help would be great. I subscribed as well!
Try reversing the plug if it goes away add a polarized plug.
@@RobsFixitShop I did reverse it and it continued to do the same thing.
is that a 204 chassis?
I remember the days of knobs and dials. They were killed by remote control.
i have a receiver exactly like that,which i'm going to re-cap very soon
is that a desoldering tool ?
i found a place in Jacksonville fl called bulbtown and got the 2 volt bulbs foe the stereo fm indicator
How has the restoration been going?
@@RobsFixitShop haven't done anything in awhile
I would have fixed the turntable.
I like the Bluetooth idea,
But I would change the internal speakers as well as using external speakers.
Does that have a 204 chassis? my astro has and my fm doesn't work, i found which transistor may be bad
Model number:R20409-00 Chassis: 530432. I never did find a schematic that exactly matched. I even sent an email to SAMS. Good luck getting it up and running! On another stereo I fixed up from the early sixties I replaced the bad geranium transistors with Russian equivalents and it worked pretty well. Shango066 goes into quite a bit of detail on these replacements.
@@RobsFixitShop i found and fixed the problem . a couple lumps of solder shorted something but no permanent damage
A red wire broke on my astro sonic 204 but i'm not having any luck tracing where it broke off .all i know is it comes up from under the stereo fm board
Can you help diagnose mine?
Magnavox micromatic
Many ebayers collect
These heavy weight
Mechanisms so
Are in some demand
To be repaired/ restored.
Ebay prices for these can be up to $200.00 or more just for the
Changer,
That's all fastina I be go set up an you got there.
was looking for help with the turntable you just added some blue tooth something in
Is this the 2ST671?
If so, what stylus should I buy?
I can't really help you, I don't know that much about the phonographs.
I have the original book with mine i will look and get back to you .
The stylus Box I have with mine says genuine diamond needle transcriber is I'm assuming the label for the manufacturer it says PS111 stereo diamond replacement needle I hope this helps. BTW mine is inherited from my mom, the numbers on the receipt are RP630.
Nice job.
Do you make house calls
Ski u mah my friend!
i think i figured out where the wire broke off, luckily i already have decent wire to replace it
i got my first 2-volt bulbs from bulbtown in jacksonville fla