Phonoland

Hello,
I have just acquired a Magnavox Astro-Sonic tuner/turntable console. I know absolutely nothing about turntables. The console was my grandparents, and before I grabbed it, my uncle had showed me the basic functionality of it. The unit is not in perfect condition, when I turn the turntable to auto, it makes a very loud static noise, and my uncle told me it makes static with certain levels of volume selected with the loudness knob. While at my grandparents, we were intermittently having issues playing records, where when we switched it to auto, the tone arm would tap the side of the record, drop the record, then touch the record to start playing, then the tone arm would lift and reset back to the off position. My uncle had suggested working around this by holding the switch at the on position after switching it to auto, once the unit started playing the music, then the switch could be released. This worked fine for the few more more records we played that day. Well, then I brought it home... I played a few more records like this, then my wife tried playing some, now no matter how I try to start playing records, the tone arm resets to the off position before playing anything. I can tell it'll reset because as soon as the needle touches the record, I hear a mechanism click, then it resets.

So... I wanted to see if:
A) anyone knows of a good repair place in the Rochester, NY area
And/Or
B) what is involved to get this working well again.

It is a very nice piece of furniture, but I would like to see it work as it should.

Thank you

After 40 years, all these Micromatic changers require a mandatory overhauling.
Age & neglect take their toll.
Attempting to "over-ride" and force them to operate will only cause damage if continued.
Indeed, it's time for professional service.

Thank you. I found a local shop in East Rochester. Dropping unit off now.

zride91 wrote:Thank you. I found a local shop in East Rochester. Dropping unit off now.

If it's Audio Sound Solutions, I've just Googled & read some disturbing reviews about them.
Good luck though.

Ulgh... Thanks for the heads up... I'm going to have to research these reviews to see what I am in for.

Check to see if the transit locks are still engaged. Your uncle probably locked them for shipping (to keep the turntable from bouncing). But you have to unlock them before the unit plays properly. A locked transit can cause the change cycle to repeat on certain Collaro/Magnavox units. Holding the knob was a clue.

Thanks Record-changer. My Uncle didn't do anything to prep the transit. The guy at Audio Sound Solutions duds how me how to lock the Tonearm for transit (basically, just pushpin on it to snap it into the lock), I am assuming that is the transit lock you are referring to. This wasn't the case. I did end up having Audio Sound Solutions provide an overhaul to the unit. While I did not get any details on what was done from the guy, even when I asked, it does play much better now. No more static pop when turning it on, and no more holding the switch to Auto when starting the records. The guy also showed me that it could hold and play multiple records (my uncle didn't show me that, had no idea). None the less, been enjoying the unit and starting a small vinyl collection now. The FM receiver even works better than the one in my entertainment system...
Sorry for not ending this thread earlier, I appreciate all the input!

I was referring to the parts that lock the springs that float the entire record changer assembly so it doesn't bounce around on its floating springs.

Between the record changer itself and the base or record player cabinet it is mounted in is a spring suspension. Push down on the edge of the changer and the changer should bounce up and down if the locks are off (in the playing position). If the locks are on (in the shipping pos8ition), the record changer will be firmly locked to the base or record player cabinet. It will not bounce when you touch the edge of the changer.

When the locks are on, some of the parts of the record-changing mechanism may be trapped against the base or the record player cabinet.

The little rectangular object in the upper left corner is one of the the transit locks on this changer. Another one appears between the pickup cartridge and the turntable. These particular transit locks slide to lock or unlock the changer's suspension. Others changers have locks in the form of screws.