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Line out / Line in to Rockola 440

Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 6:26 pm
by sread2013
I just got my Rockola 440 in great working order - it sounds amazing! I had the idea to run a line out to our back porch so that when we have a party, folks out on the porch can hear the juke as well. The line out would go to a mini shelf system with an amp and speakers.

I have looked for the remote speakers that Rockola sold for the 440 on eBay and there are none to be found.

Has anyone ever done this? Is it possible? I was thinking I could possibly use the lines to the woofers for the signal.

Also, another idea was to put a "line in" to the amplifier so I could install a Bluetooth receiver and play music through the jukebox via a Bluetooth device. Has anyone ever done this?
Thanks!

Re: Line out / Line in to Rockola 440

Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 6:52 pm
by MattTech
Go over the service schematic and determine if and where there are suitable points to install such connections.
Any lethal voltages or bias levels should be addressed and an isolation method implimented, such as using a blocking capacitor to prevent leakages between equipment.
As always, using some common sense is mandatory.

Re: Line out / Line in to Rockola 440

Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 8:26 pm
by Ron Rich
My advise to you on the addition of speakers, would be, Purchase the Service Manual Package ( see above--where to find), and read it--most jukeboxes have provisions for several different types of additional speakers to be added.
As for the "in line"--contact "Mr. Grumpy"--yea, ask for him by name ! - as he probably has built the adapter for that purpose.
Ron Rich
908-362-6299

Re: Line out / Line in to Rockola 440

Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 8:50 pm
by Rob-NYC
I don't believe R-O provided a "line out" on their machines. But they did use a 25K volume pot back then, and that is the easiest place to take your external feed.

When looking at the amp from the rear, the volume control is in the upper right corner. Remove it's bracket and look for three connection all in a row on the control. Each channel will have a section.

One solder tab will be ground -that is the one closest to where the moving arm is when volume is at minimum. The center one is the arm. The last one is the 'high side" this is the signal from the preamp and AGC stages. You want to connect the shield of the cable that will go to an external amp to the ground connection and the signal for the external feed comes from the third tab. Ignore the arm (middle) contact unless you want the juke's volume control to regulate the external amp as well.

The output from the juke should be adequate to drive any AUX-VIDEO_Tape or CD input on an average amp.

Be sure to tie-off any cable coming from the machine so that it doesn't rip out the connections inside of the machine gets moved and pulls the new line.

As Ron suggested, a manual is a good idea if you are at all unfamiliar with these machines. Unfortunately, R-O didn't seem to ever discuss such things as line outs.

Rob/NYC

Re: Line out / Line in to Rockola 440

Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2013 4:16 am
by sread2013
Thanks for the info. I am going to look into all of these suggestions.