Connecting remote Volume Control to my Ami Continental 1

i think that when firts swiched on the amp tubes will get more bright to allow it fast warm up. am i right?

if yes so the solution to cut the power with tt motor might do it every time - fast warming

i am not an expert in tubes life cycle etc but turning on and off amp might be more problematic than just leaving the amp on for hours. it depends of course for how many hours.

i will put my ear on the amp to trace if the high voltage relay working on selection

eitan

Eitan, that is not how B+ switching works here. The tube heaters are on at all times when the machine is powered. However no dissipation takes place until B+ voltage is applied at the start of each record.

This switching of B+ at each record cycle was peculiar to AMI-Rowe and I regarded it as stupid and damaging to the filter capacitors.

I modded as follows:
1) Add an outlet controlled by a relay connected to the scan control. The amp is plugged into this outlet.

2) Bridge the B+ contacts on the mute relay in the amp. leave the mute and agc/squelch as-is.

In this as the amp is totally off except when a selection is made and remains full powered until the mach scans out after last selection.
In earlier AMI amps with AGC the inrush from the B+ at each record was used to hasten the release of the squelch voltage all allow the AGC to increase gain faster thus fading up the record until the records level takes over.

BTW: i meant to ask about what looks like a tube missing from that amp. That may be the AGC (automatic volume leveler) tube. If so you may be getting a lot of distortion from loud records as these circuits have a large amount of excess gain to allow the agc to bring up quiet records to the same relative level as loud ones.

Rob

Hi Rob
yes it was an old pic missing one tube

the other 'black hole' you see is mic inlet (so it says)
i think its quite unique amp as it also has fidelity equalizer, which is quite nice
it might be that its a french manufactured AMI (EDEN-AMI) so it has different Amp
eitan

Eitan, other than the size of the transformers that amp appears as the American version.

I noticed on the earlier pic that the pickup seemed to be plugged into the auxiliary amp plug and not into the 'phono" input. Was that how you received it? i ask because there is no way the original magnetic would work properly connected that way.

Rob

oh this was me almost ruining the machine when brought in...

just had strange experience with one record that the gripper was failing to lift

i almost lost breath but it turns that this particular one had a very thick center

it didn't come with a hole in the middle (juke-ready) so i had to dink it (i use a special tool still experimenting)

did you ever encountered such special records that are extra-center-thick and would stay in the tray ?

are there any kind of records that are known 'problematic'?

eitan

Ron, Rob
can you look at this cable?
i couldn't get too much choice here
none would include separate shielded couple, so:

this combo (for cameras they say) includes 2 separate shielded with 1 wire inside + extra one wire shielded

so, do you see any problem connecting the two similar ones and joining their shielding (as potentiometer cables)
and, using the other shielded single as cancel control ? (i.e. using its shield and its wire as to activate the cancel)

I think it looks ok right?

Also, where are the cancel terminals located, is this the terminal in the pics? near the fueses ?
eitan

Eitan, yes those cables can be used. Use the inner conductors for the signal and the shield for the chassis ground (obviously).

Rob

Hi Rob, Ron
connected the ami original remote (bought from ebay). a mono one.
it didnt work.
problem is original potentiometer would measure using ohms meter around 5.5 and the remote one will gets to 13.5.

were there two kinds of potentiometers made?? or somebody fooled me?

it looks totally original inside

can you tell me the exact replacement i should buy (potentiometer). I do think its a special one thought so i should better use the original...

appreciated
eitan

Hi Eitan,
Over the years, AMi used at least two different sized pots, mounted into the same plastic "remote control head" (with the cancel switch). If the original one mounted to the cabinet works, you have two choices--one, remover the original one from the cabinet, and place it inside the new head, or 2. measure the original one, purchase a new one of the same value, and place it into the remote head. Ron Rich

ok
im in the middle of operation here but it doesn't look good !!
help here, hopefully its simple

i disconnected original, replaced the 13.5 and got everything plugged
tried it but now i have no sound at all!

i doesn't make sense, i will do all reverse no

do you think the 15-20 seconds i did try to operate it with 13.5 (instead of 5.5) could have created some AMP damage ?

Ho no...
I hope the reverse no will work
eitan

Eitan,
By any chance, do you have both controls connected to the amp at the same time ? If so, that's incorrect--use only one control at a time ---
I doubt you did any damage ---
Ron Rich

no dont know what happened here
just one plugged of course
i hear no music (just the silent needle on the record)
will update soon
eitan

ok
for sure some damage was done
i reversed all back
the amp does seem to have some power and the volume does makes the hmmmm sound lower and higher (and reacts if i just press the microswitch where gears are) but no sound, and needle is not sensitive any more (before every touch of the tip i could hear)
checked the needle wires, they are connected

the AMP got some damage form the 13.5 potentiometer, this is the only thing i changed today

now i need an AMP expert who can tell me what went wron/what test can be done to eliminate simple thing (like bulb error - they all lit) etc

I hope i will solve this because i worked really hard to get here...
eitan