Phonoland

I have a 2504S that is suffering from motor/turntable rumble. It was suggested that I replace the cartridge. The one in the machine is not original due to the fact that it sports a "flip-over" stylus. Is there anywhere I can see pictures on how to replace the cartridge. If I can see how it's done, I can do it. Thanks.

I seriously doubt that changing the cartridge will make any difference--but it's fairly easy--Un-plug the cart,at the "horseshoe",--slip the wire CAREFULLY, through the hole, unscrew the two Phillips screws holding the arm to the wall -- compress the spring and slide the arm out. I would change the motor mounts and drive belt first, using the correct ones for that model--not the "fitz all type", sold by some !----also be sure to properly, oil the motor, and drive train, with 20 wt ND oil-- Ron Rich

Ron covered most of it, but there are a few additional points;

-Look at this shot of the backside of the arch:
http://s1192.photobucket.com/user/Rob-N ... ort=2&o=70

-When removing the tonearm be careful not to damage the trip switch whisker. The tonearm reset cam (the dark metal 'finger) must be as shown when the tonearm is reinstalled. I made some additional suggestions in the pic caption.

-The wires from the pickup must be dressed so as to not interfere with the tonearm movement.

From what I recall, Wurlitzer was still using the Sonotone 8T. The cart has lower output than many of the popular replacements used today and may result in overloading the input. This won't cause damage, but distortion may result. Wurlitzer used a version of the 8T w/three terminals instead of the usual four. The common terminals are tied together in the cart. this means you'll need an additional clip and tiny length of wire to jump the added fourth terminal to the existing ground wire.

From a personal standpoint, I couldn't see the point is staying with a ceramic cart and always upgraded to a Pickering magnetic with a preamp.
http://s1192.photobucket.com/user/Rob-N ... rt=2&o=210
http://s1192.photobucket.com/user/Rob-N ... rt=2&o=211

Unfortunately, the cart that I have used is no longer being produced though a later model my still be available. The body of the Stanton 500 series appears to be the same and would fit the arm:
http://www.stantondj.com/stanton-cartridges/500v3.html
A magnetic is slightly heavier than the ceramic so re-balancing the arm is necessary -NBD.

Rob-NYC

Hi Rob,
Won't installing a mag cart/pre amp., increase the chances of "getting rumble" ?-- I would think so--
Ron Rich

Ron, if he follows your suggestions re; motor mounts, and careful lubrication of both motor -and- turntable bearing, that will reduce rumble. Added to that I suggest paralleling the input to make the sound mono as a final step in reducing noise. Stereo is pointless with the speakers being less than a foot apart.

As a practical matter, these machines are never really free of rumble and wow, but a magnetic cart and a true tweeter will improve the sound quality dramatically. A speaker crossover to get the highs out of the 12" speakers would help a lot as well.

I've owned these Wurlitzer's:
1700
1800 (3)
2100
2150
2304 (Stereo converted)
2300 (orig stereo)
2300 (Stereo converted to 3100 mech FrankenJuke)
2300 Left mono amp, mag pickup)
2400 (mono w/mag conv)
2400 (Stereo)
2600
2710 (100 sel)
2810
2900
3000
3110 (100 sel)

Every one of them got a magnetic cart and tweeter added. It takes these things from being noise makers in gin mills or greasy spoons to being something enjoyable at home.

Rob

Rob,
Aw, come on now--stereo is pointless with the speakers less the a foot apart ?? Not if you jam the pointy part of your head into the center of the grill--'course, you will need to remove any "monoralizer" used, first-- Ron Rich

I tend to agree - the jukebox I'm designing has a stereo 100w/100w amp, but I've fed it with a mono preamp because from 10 feet away who the heck can hear "stereo" from a box 27 inches wide?

Guyz,
This thread just reminded me of a great memory--THANKS !
When I was a kid, I used to ride my bike to my Grandpa/Ma's house on Sundays and visit with them. If there was a "band concert" in the (SF, Golden Gate) Park, ( we could hear it from their front window), my Grandpa and I would make the short walk from his house to the open air concert hall. There were varied "bands" preforming--I really enjoyed the "big ones", Brass, and "Marching" ( which did not "march" in this case)--sometimes ( in my estimate), about 50 or so musicians--Now THAT was "Stereo"--long before Stereo-- (or maybe "quadraphonic" ?) was invented ! The Mexican ones were also fun--only time I did not like it was when a (die-) aria was presented ! I had a difficult time waiting for the fat lady to -- sing ?? Ron Rich

Rob,

I guess a magnetic cartridge and tweeter would be a difficult job to install in a 1700?
Regards

Gordon..

Gordo,
I saw it done on a 1900--should be exactly the same--guy milled out the "head of the Cobra" and used new "L brackets" to mount the mag cart. You do realize doing this also involves amplifier modifications -- Ron Rich

Gordo wrote:Rob,
I guess a magnetic cartridge and tweeter would be a difficult job to install in a 1700?
Regards
Gordon..

Gordon, yes, it is a lot more work, especially if you want it to be solidly mounted and keep the tracking accurate (to the extent possible in that crude arm).

This was the way I mounted a Pickering V-15 cart in the 1700 and three 1800's I've owned: http://s1192.photobucket.com/user/Rob-N ... ort=2&o=19

The procedure is to remove all traces of the Cobra socket and cabling. The cobra rivet tab closest to the pivot must be carefully filed away to a point near the screw that secures the fork at the rear of the arm.

Two holes at the top and bottom of the tonearm head are -precisely- drilled and screws and bolts are secured.

The wires and clips are attached to the cart before it is mounted. Channels are parallel.

The mounting ears of the cart are carefully bent backwards so as to press slightly outwards against the bolts. The ears are then soldered to the bolts. All surfaces that receive solder must be absolutely clean and slightly scraped to assure that solder will adhere and flow with minimum heat to avoid damaging the plastic insides of the cart.

As Ron mentioned, the amp is modded to accept an external preamp. In the 1700- and one 1800 I rewired the oscillator socket to use a 6SL7 as a preamp. After those two, I got lazy and simply used an external preamp.

Surprisingly, the tweeters in 1700-1800 are OK as-is and I didn't add anything more.

Rob

Rob-NYC wrote:

Gordo wrote:Rob,
I guess a magnetic cartridge and tweeter would be a difficult job to install in a 1700?
Regards
Gordon..

The mounting ears of the cart are carefully bent backwards so as to press slightly outwards against the bolts. The ears are then soldered to the bolts.
Rob

Hmmm?
Soldered?
I'd avoid any heat like that near any cartridge.
Safer to use 5 minute epoxy, sparingly.

Hmmmmmm-
(sound of my wheels turning !)
Thinking--maybe what I was thinking I saw, was "new L brackets", or, just the cart's mounting "ears", bent back and held in place ( I know it was) by small screws ??? Ron Rich