JH Reproducers/Audiolab turntable - servicing

[RC55]

Hi there, I've recently inherited a JH Reproducers/Audiolab turntable, with a Formula 4 tone arm and Garrott P-77 cartridge. The unit is in need of an overhaul, BUT it is in good condition. The tonearm does not have any fluid left in the damping unit, the cable/lanyard connecting the bias bucket to the arm has broken ( easy to fix I assume? ). I've purchased a replacement drive belt as it was missing when I got the unit. The motor does run, but it won't drive the platter unless the platter is given a spin first. From what I can gather, this unit has a manual change between 45 and 33 1/3 rpm? Beyond that I'm unsure what else may need doing. I'm wondering if anyone out there can recommend where to get it serviced in Melbourne?

[audiofeline]

Welcome to the SNA, RC55.

 

Most belt-drive turntables of this quality were a manual speed change. It's not unusual for tt's with a low-power motor to require a helping-hand to get the platter to spin, the important factor is that it gets to and maintains the speed.

 

A fine nylon thread is OK to hold the bias weight.

 

It may benefit from a drop of oil in the platter bearing, there are lots of threads about suitable oils for turntables on the internet.

 

There is information on cleaning and replacing the cue damping fluid (google is your friend), and you can buy a syringe of suitable replacement silicon oil for this job on ebay.

 

[mloutfie]

I used to have one. To be completely honest you have a great arm and cartridge combo there but the table is actually quite bad. The bearing is a really thin rod and platter is quite thin and prone to wobble because the thin rod bearing. My suggestion is fix the antiskate bucket and put oil on the bearing well other than that don't waste money on that table.keep the arm and look for a decent armless turntable

[Colin Rutter]

I completely agree
The JH is rubbish

I used to have one. To be completely honest you have a great arm and cartridge combo there but the table is actually quite bad. The bearing is a really thin rod and platter is quite thin and prone to wobble because the thin rod bearing. My suggestion is fix the antiskate bucket and put oil on the bearing well other than that don't waste money on that table.keep the arm and look for a decent armless turntable

[RC55]

Colin, I was asking for some assistance in getting the unit up and running as I’m a novice.  What I didn’t ask for was two lines canning the unit that I have. 

Everyone else, thanks for your positive input. I think I’ve got enough information to get started. Cheers!

Edited May 18, 2019 by RC55

[Colin Rutter]

Two lines to help you not to waste time.
I have worked on many of them
The bearing is as stated is too small in diameter the rumble is audible
The platter too thin
You can put the pickup on the platter and use it as a microphone
From memory the tone arm is an Hadcock (or copy) unipivot and is suitable for use
If you must use it isolate it from the listening area otherwise it will feed back with any reasonably high volume

Colin, I was asking for some assistance in getting the unit up and running as I’m a novice.  What I didn’t ask for was two lines canning the unit that I have. 

Everyone else, thanks for your positive input. I think I’ve got enough information to get started. Cheers!

[Paul R]

I've had this TT. With the JH arm. The arm is good but fragile and difficult to setup.

The bearings are rubbish. I used teflon plumbing tape and shoved some into the receptacle in the platter where the spindle goes in.

Also buy some plasticine and put same on the inside rim of the platter. Do this evenly. Increases weight of platter and reduces ringing.

A simple TT but with potential for playtime fun.

Paul

[Plattermatter08]

Your tt should be capable of making fine sounds. in good condition. The motor should spin platter easily due to the light weight design. Check bearing or did  someone put a resistor in line with motor. I think they were 240 volt.

The arm can sing when well set up

The plastic headshell and armlift

carier alway crack around grub screws. Attach nylon string to bias bucket and adjust pivot piont to same plane as bias weight. Fill dash pot with around 60 weight dampening fluid and release the angels

 

[peterpan]

1 hour ago, Plattermatter08 said:

our tt should be capable of making fine sounds. in good condition. The motor should spin platter easily due to the light weight design. Check bearing or did  someone put a resistor in line with motor. I think they were 240 volt.

The arm can sing when well set up

The plastic headshell and armlift

carier alway crack around grub screws. Attach nylon string to bias bucket and adjust pivot piont to same plane as bias weight. Fill dash pot with around 60 weight dampening fluid and release the angels

+1 

I built a few of these in the seventies as a budget t/t and they were very good, simple with little to go wrong with. enjoy and good luck with it

[aechmea]

Thread mining if that is OK.

 

I pulled out my JH that has been in the cupboard unused for 40+ years.  What spooked me was that the figure 8 power cord  has no earth and has a 2 parallel pin plug.  The parallel-pin plug used to be plugged into the back of an amp as was done in the day.

 

1.  This was assembled into a custom plinth and bought from a retailer in Australia in the early 70s but I am not sure whether the plug/motor is 240v.  It should be 240v, but how can I tell?

 

2.  If I put a 3 pin plug on it (rather than physically twist the pins) how do I know which is the active and which the neutral?  Maybe it doesn't matter being AC? 

 

3.  Has anyone bought a belt recently or know where to buy?

 

[Just getting it to work again in order to donate to someone.  But if it proves too hard or unsafe then it's a bin job.]

[audiofeline]

Some good questions, @aechmea.

 

1.  If purchased through an Australian retailer it should be 240V.  There should be a label on the back indicating the voltage.  If there isn't, you can remove the bottom of the turntable (make sure the arm is secure before you turn it over and have the stylus guard in place if you have one).  The voltage should be indicated on the motor. 

 

2.  Electrical devices have essentially two designs for safety, each with regulated specifications.  In general:

- Class I appliances have their chassis attached to the earth for safety, so they have 3-pin plugs.  These are typically fridges, washing machines, etc.

- Class II appliances are double-insulated.  Two layers of insulation protect the user - if one level of insulation fails, there is another in place to protect you.  These devices have 2-pin mains plugs, and are typically TVs, CD players, radios, etc.  It is dangerous and illegal to try to convert them into class I devices by attaching a 3-pin plug.  Modern regulations require Class II equipment to be identified with a sticker saying "Class II", or by the symbol of a square within a square.

 

So your turntable would be considered to be a Class II device.  Don't put a 3-pin plug on it.  As far as I'm aware, it doesn't matter which pin is active an neutral as you are using AC. 

 

3.  Belts are available online, I hope others will be able to supply more specific info for you. 

 

Although these turntables have limitations (as highlighted above), I think they would be much better quality as a starter turntable compared to the cheap Crossley and other turntables being sold now.  If you can't get it going, advertise it in the classifieds here as a restoration project, and I would hope that someone would be able to get it going. 

 

 

Edited December 27, 2019 by audiofeline

[audiofeline]

On 17/05/2019 at 3:05 PM, RC55 said:

Hi there, I've recently inherited a JH Reproducers/Audiolab turntable, with a Formula 4 tone arm and Garrott P-77 cartridge. The unit is in need of an overhaul, BUT it is in good condition. .... I'm wondering if anyone out there can recommend where to get it serviced in Melbourne?

@RC55, how has your restoration progressed?

 

Edited December 27, 2019 by audiofeline

[Colin Rutter]

I would put an earth on the TT as it is not "double earthed"

[aechmea]

46 minutes ago, Colin Rutter said:

I would put an earth on the TT as it is not "double earthed"

Yeah, looks like it isn't earthed.

 

The motor is "Made in USA".

The 2 pin plug is Japanese with "125v/15amp" stamped on it.

There is no voltage sticker or visible indication.

There is a "black" wire connected to the motor but not connected to anything ie hanging loose.

 

Seems like an bodgey eclectic mix of what the shop had lying around.  Weird though as it was bought retail just like this in the early 70s.  IIRC it was from the hifi shop in Rundle Street Adelaide at the entrance to an arcade/picture theatre;  Regent?

 

Might just give away the arm and toss the rest unless someone else has an idea.

[AvSat44]

G'day guys just picked up on this thread.

I recently had a JH turntable land in my lap. While these TT's get dumped on a bit, they are actually really great starter tables.

It is mounted in an beautiful timber plinth that only needs a polish and most importantly, it's also fitted with a Grace arm.

 

The only things missing are the drive belt which should be easy to find and the headshell for the arm which is a standard fitting. I have a few in the spare parts box. I can buy a new cart for under $50.00 and the belt for under $40.00. Once I've refurbished the main bearing and tightened up the gimble on the arm, I end up with an okay setup for under $100.00.

 

Also, I haven't used plasticine on the underside rim . I've used 2 layers of Blu Tack. It's added a small amount of weight to the platter but more importantly, it has gotten rid of the ringing. Because it's a flat strip, it's easy to get the balance pretty right.

 

By the way, with regard to the earthing issue, mine will have a three core cable with a three pin plug. The motor unit is bolted to the plinth with 4 screws and one of those will have an earth lug. From what I have seen, the motor unit does not appear to be double insulated so why take the risk. As an aside, a lot of earlier American made HiFi equipment used only a 2 pin power cord/plug and was not double insulated. The proof is in the pudding. Just lift the lid off say a 1960's or 70's Pioneer, Marantz, etc. and you'll see. I fit 3 pin IEC connectors and run earths to the buggers.

 

So if you haven't tossed it, persevere and you might be surprised at the result!

 

 

[Bert van Zyulen]

Please do post a picture of your JH/Sircon turntable

[carnicero]

currently have 4 turntables, an impressive array of cartridges and a hankering to build a player that will be decent to my ears, this will be playing through a Marantz 2275 and amw 440's and 340's. The tables are, pioneer SPL 100, trio 3022 and two JH labs from Melbourne with those awesome gyroscopic arms, the cartridges are Shure 97, Shure 75mb and adc 220x, audio tech green one. And others. I am willing to build a hardwood plinth, that will weigh a tonne. Which motor, platter and arm and cartridge would you all recommend?

 

•  

currently have 4 turntables, an impressive array of cartridges and a hankering to build a player that will be decent to my ears, this will be playing through a Marantz 2275 and amw 440's and 340's. The tables are, pioneer SPL 100, trio 3022 and two JH labs from Melbourne with those awesome gyroscopic arms, the cartridges are Shure 97, Shure 75mb and adc 220x, audio tech green one. And others. I am willing to build a hardwood plinth, that will weigh a tonne. Which motor, platter and arm and cartridge would you all recommend?

 

•  

[audiofeline]

On 28/12/2019 at 1:21 PM, Colin Rutter said:

I would put an earth on the TT as it is not "double earthed"

Not sure what you mean by "double earthed".  Did you mean "double-insulated" which is the term used in the electrical standards?

[southern_tango]

On 25/02/2021 at 9:37 AM, audiofeline said:

Not sure what you mean by "double earthed".  Did you mean "double-insulated" which is the term used in the electrical standards?

You are right , usually double insulated in small apliances  is achieved by two means , electrical parts are encased on insulated material (usually plastic chassis) and in some case earthed .

JH / Silcrom TTs are very simple ,they use a synchronous motor that runs from the mains ( 240 v. 50 Hz) with a lamp type switch ,option of neon indicator, change in speed is achieved by a double pulley again with the option of a seesaw type of lever.

I am not sure where I saw it but there was cases of user feeling a tingling sensation as the only insulation are the rubber spacers (again not 100% sure)

Remember they come from an era very close to tube amps...pretty riscky...

 

[audiofeline]

1 hour ago, southern_tango said:

... , usually double insulated in small apliances  is achieved by two means , electrical parts are encased on insulated material (usually plastic chassis) and in some case earthed ...

FYI, this is not a correct statement.  Electrical appliances are categorised into "Classes", the most common being Class I (earthed) and Class II (double-insulated). 

 

Class I

- must have their chassis connected to electrical earth. The earth connection is achieved with a 3-conductor mains cable, typically ending with 3-prong AC connector which plugs into a corresponding AC outlet. The basic requirement is that no single failure can result in dangerous voltage becoming exposed so that it might cause an electric shock.

A fault in the appliance which causes a live conductor to contact the casing will cause a current to flow in the earth conductor.

 

Class II

- A Class II or double insulated electrical appliance is one which has been designed in such a way that it does not require a safety connection to electrical earth (ground).

The basic requirement is that no single failure can result in dangerous voltage becoming exposed so that it might cause an electric shock and that this is achieved without relying on an earthed metal casing. This is usually achieved at least in part by having at least two layers of insulating material between live parts and the user, or by using reinforced insulation.

Modern double insulated appliances are labelled Class II or have the double insulation symbol: ⧈ (a square inside another square). 

 

Note that, contrary to your description, Class II devices are designed so that they are not connected to an earth/ground.  Class II devices generally have a two-pin mains plug.  They sometimes have a 3-pin plug, but the earth pin is not connected to the appliance and is redundant. 

 

The JH Reproducers turntable comes from an era before these electrical standards were introduced.  If it comes with a two-wire power cable, you can treat it like a class II device, perhaps installing some additional insulation inside to bring it to modern safety standards, but it is not designed to be connected to the earth. 

 

If it comes with a three-wire power cord, you can treat it like a Class I appliance, and ensure that the earth electrical wire is connected to the metal chassis.  Don't try to treat it like a double-insulated device. 

 

There is lots of info on this on the internet.  I hope this info helps.