Phonoland

OK, this is my first post here so Hi all!

I hate being "that guy" that just barges in looking for info without first contributing anything, but I'm on a quest, hopefully to save a piece of audio history.


Here is the deal. My grandmother fell recently and is unable to walk or live without medical assistance anymore. Unfortunately, we had to have her placed in a nursing home due to her physical handicaps. It is unfortunate but necessary for her well-being. It kills me to see her there but there is no other way, especially with the Medicaid restrictions. Needless to say, she has a house full of stuff that now has to be gone through and decided on.

In this house is a very old but in excellent condition RCA console stereo. This is a New Vista range and it has a phonograph and a tuner with a fairly stout amplifier. It has a 60's "mod style" to it and while it is a little garish for modern decor, it is preserved quite well. Even the speaker grille cloth is relatively undamaged aside from some obvious aging. The best thing about the whole deal is IT WORKS!

Here is what I know about it.
Model #: VGT 84 WK
Plays 16, 32, 45 and 78 RPM records (I think those are the speeds)
Has both an FM and AM tuner in a shared amplification unit
Has external speaker outputs on the back
Has 6 drivers, two are massive 15 inch drivers
All drivers work, none are blown
Tuner works like a champ
Contacts and potentiometers are dirty and need to be cleaned but fully operational
It has a changer arm that works
The rubber pad is still soft and supple, hasn't dried out at all.
Even the console light inside still works!
Record player works but sound is horrendous


My dilemma is that while I am capable of servicing this unit and I have plans to clean it up if I can, I need parts that are quite elusive. I have fond memories of this unit when my grandmother would listen to the Polish American radio programming and my grandfather and I would listen to Philadelphia Phillies broadcasts with Harry Kalas booming through the speakers or his old jazz LP's that seem to be quite coveted by collectors. I would like to hold on to this but my mother and aunts would rather get rid of it if it doesn't work properly.

Nearest I can tell is that this unit only needs a new cartridge for the turntable. It has the flipping cartridge for all speeds and 78 RPM on the other side. I've been scouring the Intarweb here looking for a replacement cartridge and I have had no luck in finding even just basic info on the console let alone a cartridge. That is what led me here. A friend of mine from another audio forum gave me a few sites to start pestering people about this and this site was one of them. Is there any help/advice/leads anyone can give me on finding this cartridge? I realize that it might not be cheap but this is worth saving to me and if all I need is a cartridge then I'll get a cartridge.

Any help would be appreciated.

If I remember correctly, the G would
place it at about 1966 and being an 84 series would make it one of the top of the line units.
Does the radio sound ok? Have you
tried connecting a Cd player to the tape inputs to check sound?
If only the phono sounds bad it may just be the stylus, i would replace that first. Those rca ceramic cartridges rarely go bad , but they come up on ebay from time to time if it is bad.
This model may or may not have the
integrated circuit cartridge ( I think they started with that in '67 on top models), it does if the tonearm head
has a round silver button that bobs up and down. These cartidges have a preamp under the turntable platter that may need recapping.
It would be wise to recap the amp
and relube the turntable.
These models are not valuable at this time but can be great performers with the right servicing.
i would keep it , fix it and enjoy it.

Hi! I have a New Vista as well - Model VHT75 - "The Finlandia" I'm in the process if fixing it up and thanks to some "fixing" by the previous owner I am trying to find a schematic. I believe they may have rewired one of the speakers and crossed a wire somewhere - the right speaker is a much lower volume than the left. It has some other little kinks to fix as well - any idea where I can find a schematic or manual?
I did find a SAMS manual here:http://www.samswebsite.com/photofact/pf_search.asp?MOD=vht75&KIND=LIKE&Search=Search
Has anyone used a SAMS manual before? Just wondering how helpful they may be for a noob

The finlandia was RCA's top of the line
model for '66-'67 and was the first RCA console to use an Air Suspension
speaker system.
I believe your low volume on one channel indicates that the amp and
preamp need to be recapped.
The Sams will have the schmatics
and are very helpful.
I have the original RCA service lit
for it, the schematics would be the same as the sams but the RCA manual adds a brief overall circuit
description.

I just overhaulled an RCA Victor VFT44W for a customer.
It's his father's, and he wanted to get it working again for the father to enjoy his old records on. Eventually the son wants to keep it in the family, and I appreciate that.

I can tell you this..
to keep it "running" you'll most likely have to have it gone over and serviced, most of the one's I've done are in bad need of re-capping, plus the turntable will need a good overhaul too.

To jstas, I'd gladly go over it for you if you like, since I do stock most of the parts needed, and can get what I need to make my customers smile.
These things are treasures and will last a long time if done right... and I love doing them.

Matt - Mayfair Electonics Service - Philly Pa. (northeast/Mayfair)

MattTech wrote:I just overhaulled an RCA Victor VFT44W for a customer.
It's his father's, and he wanted to get it working again for the father to enjoy his old records on. Eventually the son wants to keep it in the family, and I appreciate that.

I can tell you this..
to keep it "running" you'll most likely have to have it gone over and serviced, most of the one's I've done are in bad need of re-capping, plus the turntable will need a good overhaul too.

To jstas, I'd gladly go over it for you if you like, since I do stock most of the parts needed, and can get what I need to make my customers smile.
These things are treasures and will last a long time if done right... and I love doing them.

Matt - Mayfair Electronics Service - Philly Pa. (northeast/Mayfair)

Are you guys at:

3628 Rhawn St
Philadelphia, PA 19136

If so, I might take you up on that offer.

As far as operation goes, like I stated in my original post, everything plays sound. The turntable is seriously degraded but the tuner section plays without issue. I have not hooked up any external devices to it because the Tape input usually have a different level of resistance to them and I am fearful of burning out the inputs.

The only issue with sound is dirty potentiometers. Everything else seems to be in excellent condition and all functions are there. The only issue I can see is the needle being bad. I think the needle is bad because it doesn't track well and the sound reminds me of my old Realistic turntable when the cartridge in that went bad or was corroded. It may be something else too, I dunno. I do know that the amplification stage works fine and the tuner is, as with most older RCA products, top notch.

Correct, we are located there, nice Googling by the way

Now in reply, I cannot stress enough that a good overhaul will prolong the life of that console.
Keep reading.....

I've had lots of customers insist "it only needs a teeny part".
And yes, being frank, everybody wants to keep repair costs at a minium.
I'm the same way about things as a consumer, not just about electronics.
Money's sometimes tight.

It's most likely your console's cartridge is probably shot, I've seen them deteriorate plenty, the years take its toll on them, and the original fidelity or trackability isn't there..... but...
That changer's gonna need a complete overhaul, flush, lube and maybe even an idler wheel, since they get worn and hardened from age. It's 40 years old and the rubber motor mounts get hard and crack, and cause the speed to vary and the motor will sound like an old truck. I can make that thing play PROPERLY again... to MY tight specs. Old records are worth gold too, and I'd hate to see them get ruined by a bad operating record changer. Don't laugh, I still treasure my mom's old Connie Francis records, and my dad's old Polka albums.

You wouldn't drive an old car on 40 year old tires would you? Rubber dryrots.

The early New Vista series consoles were a hybrid design, and used a transisitor amp section, with a tube type tuner. The one I just did for the guy in Chester County Pa was that way. His came in "dead" because they used the radio when the record changer didn't work, and eventually it popped and smoked.
I warn everyone not to push these things by ignoring the fact they they're over 30 years old. Get 'em done over before they die and need major parts.
The old capacitors get aged and dried out, causing eventual stress in the circuits that ruins the transistors and tubes. The caps that go bad are on both the tuner and the amp in those Vista sets. It's a slow death, most people don't notice it.. Sometimes a teltale hum starts... trouble's on the horizon. I know what parts will fail in short order. I've done enough of those RCA's to know.
Then you're talking mucho money for repairs. I'd rather save you the heartache and cash of lugging it back in in a truck/van for other problems later.
I even replace the dial lamps because their old filaments will fail from just the vibration of moving the set around. I like to be thorough.

The guy came in and was floored by the way it sounded, so excited he left me a special note of thanks, because that day I was out of the shop on a call.
That's the best part of my job, knowing I made someone smile, and that his dad could hear his records again.
By the way, the tape inputs on those RCA's.... you can hook up a CD player and they sound great.

It's like driving a car with "quick fix" repair, and then breaking down later or getting into an accident from cutting corners. I won't do it.
I don't like doing crappy work for my customers.... so far I've got 100% satisfaction, referals, and regular customers bringing in other work for me because of my high-quality service. They trust me, and I feel good knowing my reputation in this field is spotless.
I also try to educate my customers to help them understand these precious old pieces will last for decades more and stay in the family, or with collectors that know the value of good American Products.

God knows I've blasted the imported junk that comes into this country on websites all over the net.
Nothing compares to American stuff!
I wanna help to keep these vintage pieces alive. I love each and every one I repair like it's part of my vintage collection at home. At home I have a wall of old radios and phonos that I've restored back to glory. But I don't do crappy work.
I'm not tooting my own horn, I just know that I've seen some bad unexperienced work done by others who should never pick up a soldering iron or screwdriver.
These things should be done right.

Ok, I'm done off the soapbox......LOL
Bring it in!

Didn't use Google.

Used one of those things they call a phonebook. Works like a champ!

That and I've lived in the area all my life (Camden, NJ and then further out in Camden County) and I know Philly and it's surrounding areas well enough.

But I got busy the past couple of weeks and it doesn't look to be lightening up for another couple of weeks now. But I will give you a call soon and find out when I can haul this beast up there.

The cabinet and essentially everything else is in spectacular condition. Even the electronics look good. So it's worth it to go through it. But I know that older stuff tends to go south but honestly, after all the stuff I've looked at on online forums and flea markets, ebay and such, this is in almost new condition comparatively.

One thing I am concerned about though is surrounds on the speakers. If they are typical RCA from the 50's and 60's, they should have cloth surrounds and be fine. But if they are foam, they are likely toast and I have to find repair surrounds for them.

As far as the speakers, they're fine, trust me, unless some kid poked holes in the grilles.
RCA console speakers are not "cloth" surround.
They're all accordian paper cones, and hold up very well over time.
When you get the time, haul it in... I've got 3 vintage consoles in the shop right now to work on, and another one on the way in, so it'll be weeks before I can get to more.

I just finished up a fabulous old 1942 Zenith radio/78rpm phono for a guy in Germantown. It's the third set he's brought in over the year... he loved it!