RCA VictrVLT72W

Cool site. First post.

Can anyone help ID this bad boy? According to the label, it's a VLT 72 W.

Thanks,

-Steve

Mid-late 60's model.
Be careful of that (floating) cartridge - it's a special version not made any more.

Thanks, Matt.

You know of anywhere on the internet I can find more info? I'm interested in having it restored, some of which I expect I'd be able to do myself.

Thanks,

-Steve

Sorry I can't help, but I was wondering if you could tell me the info you have found out about this model so far?
I have the same one I believe ... I posted a link to my flikr photos of mine below..

I was wondering if you know anything about changing the belt in this phonograph? Mine is playing a little slow at times and I am pretty sure the belt is too stiff (I think)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/93451344@N04/

Sam

schurch1992 wrote:Sorry I can't help, but I was wondering if you could tell me the info you have found out about this model so far?
I have the same one I believe ... I posted a link to my flikr photos of mine below..

I was wondering if you know anything about changing the belt in this phonograph? Mine is playing a little slow at times and I am pretty sure the belt is too stiff (I think)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/93451344@N04/

Sam

These changers do not use a belt drive.
They utilize an idler drive system.
Every one I've seviced by now needs a complete teardown, flushing, and relubrication, due to the 40+ year old lubricants drying out.
Have it done - I've got one in the shop that was never serviced, and now has a ruined motor, among other things, from lack of lubrication.

The synchronous motor they used in that model is near impossible to find, as well as that special electronic cartridge.

You have a 1968 top of the line model.

Follow Matt Tech's advice and have it serviced to enjoy another 40 years.

That special RCA floating cartridge has the preamp built into the cartridge itself, under the litlte silver button in the tonearm headshell

First of, thank you very much for your replies, you are a tremendous help. Is there anyway of knowing if it is too late to save? Learning more about it each day, but I am afraid to do the teardown and re lubrication myself. I am not sure if there would even be any place in my area which could help. I want to do everything I can to make this thing run perfectly, the rest of it is in impeccable shape.

I'd offer my professional services, but I'm booked for months with restoration requests.
Apparently, us resto-techs are scarce as winning the lottery.

The guy in Florida with a similar console really likes his (now that I serviced it) and sent me a nice email of how his wife loves it.
They DO require special treatment, after all, they're over 40 years old now.

No belt. Idler wheel.

These were made in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

I had to replace the motors in three of these in the mid 1970s. The bearings were shot, and they didn't sell those separately.

If this is the unit I think it is, the motor runs when the radio is on too, because the motor is also the power transformer that supplies the radio. This is why the bearings wore out quickly.

Record-changer wrote:If this is the unit I think it is, the motor runs when the radio is on too, because the motor is also the power transformer that supplies the radio. This is why the bearings wore out quickly.

Incorrect!
The motor has nothing to do with amplifier power at all.
This is a high-end 60's console, not some 1 tube wonder table phono.

MattTech wrote:

Record-changer wrote:If this is the unit I think it is, the motor runs when the radio is on too, because the motor is also the power transformer that supplies the radio. This is why the bearings wore out quickly.

Incorrect!
The motor has nothing to do with amplifier power at all.
This is a high-end 60's console, not some 1 tube wonder table phono.

The ones I had to replace the motors on were stereo compacts. That changer (or a modified version) was in these units. They were transistorized units from the late 1960s. I seem to remember the secondary was 16 volts, but that was 40 years ago. The motors were 2-pole.

Record-changer wrote:

MattTech wrote:

Record-changer wrote:If this is the unit I think it is, the motor runs when the radio is on too, because the motor is also the power transformer that supplies the radio. This is why the bearings wore out quickly.

Incorrect!
The motor has nothing to do with amplifier power at all.
This is a high-end 60's console, not some 1 tube wonder table phono.

The ones I had to replace the motors on were stereo compacts. That changer (or a modified version) was in these units. They were transistorized units from the late 1960s. I seem to remember the secondary was 16 volts, but that was 40 years ago. The motors were 2-pole.

The cheap portable record players did use a dual-wound motor to power the electronics.
And this changer also is dual-wound to provide 22 volts AC to the preamp inside the cartridge.
But the main 120 v motor winding and amp/tuner are switched seperately.
This is a console model. (see photos)

DOES ANYONE OUT THERE KNOW WHERE TO GET MORE INFO ON THIS UNIT? I HAVE ONE. WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MUCH IT IS WORTH....PLEASE

cindi wrote:DOES ANYONE OUT THERE KNOW WHERE TO GET MORE INFO ON THIS UNIT? I HAVE ONE. WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MUCH IT IS WORTH....PLEASE

Unrestored - it's all depending on overall condition.
Restored - substantially more.

IT'S IN VERY GOOD CONDITION. I JUST CAN'T SEAM TO FING ANSWERS ABOUT IT. CAN YOU HELP?