A domestic audio installation

Submitted By Member: Nuvistor

Trade Tale Content: We had a customer buy an audio unit with a Goldring Lenco GL75 record deck and told us he had a collection of 78 rpm records he wanted to play as well has stereo LP’s. The cartridge was a Goldring, probably a G800 or similar, the stylus assembly was not really made for constant change over from LP to 78, a bit fiddly and one slip and the expensive stylus would be ruined. We showed him the problem and suggested a separate headshell with another cartridge and dedicated either LP or 78 stylus which he agreed was by far the easiest if more expensive way forward.

So on the designated install day I went with the equipment and set it all up, I should have tested the system with a 78 rpm record but hind site is wonderful. The output from the cartridge just overloaded the amplifier on 78 records, the system had to work to the customers satisfaction so what to do.

The separate headshell allowed me to fit a some very small resistors inside the shell to attenuate the signal, luckily it didn’t affect the weight by any amount. I couldn’t do much about the different recording curves that were used, but the customer said his collection used various ones and he would use the tone controls.

He then showed me why he wanted the facility to play 78 rpm records, he had a room about 3 metres square and the walls were lined with shelves that had row upon row of 78rpm records, box sets 78rpm records, hundreds of them in excellent condition he had collected over the years. He had a smaller but still substantial library of Stereo LP’s.

One of the joys of working at that very small company was the ability to do something different from time to time and the customer was pleased with the result we obtained.
Frank