Classic Hifi Care

When did Magnavox switch over from the older black arm to the grey arm changers?... my astrosonic imperial has the newer grey arm TT. but if you look at the number underneath it says it is a 600 series changer... it does have the separate idler for the changing operation .. I thought only the older black arm changers were in the 600 series? And another question, how does the tone arm come off on the newer changer?, I see a screw on the inside but hesitate to touch it as it looks like it has been tampered with as the screw head looks stripped... the cartridge has become intermittent and needs to be changed , but the arm barely lifts 3 or 4 " above the platter .
Thanks
Elton

I believe the change to the gray tone started about 1966. The early Astro-Sonic models had 600 series changers with a larger platter than the one in your post.

Sorry for the double post. I was on my phone at work. Old fingers on little buttons.....

the small one is out of my imperial tube set from 63.... the grey is in my SS imperial astro sonic...

Hello all. Not wanting to hijack a post. I could start a new one. What i am wondering is the differences in the 600 series by model and year. i have several different changers with the different consoles . Possibly create a database. But in my case the earliest is late 57 to a early 61. but it would be good to know when the 'hole in the arm' one ended. Hydro

That would be nice the models confuse me as well... like my pictures show both, changers are 600 series models but look completely different on top...

Generally, the 600 series Collaro like pictured above, the bottom one, started with the 1961 models. The late-1958 stereo and the 1959-''60 stereo changers were the F-200 series "Conquest" changers. Mechanically, the Conquest and the 600 series were very similar. The earlier mono series was called the 56 series, IIRC. Bill is lots more up on the mono Collaros than I am, since he owns some of them. Maybe he'll put in his two cents and help you out with those. The Conquest and the 600 series were generally equipped with Electro-Voice ceramic, .5 volt cartridges, both the model 26 and the model 132. The EV 26 may be one of the best early stereo cartridges there was. Euphonics E-1 and U-1 cartridges were also used, but they aren't anywhere near as good as the EV cartridges were. The bridge in the Euphonics would turn to goo so you couldn't change the needle.

Sorry, but the only mono Collaro changer I have is the one in my Magnavox Berkshire. It's the Conquest RC-456. It's built like a tank, very heavy, big 4 pole motor, and it has a removable head shell. All I have really done to mine was take the motor apart, clean it up, and then fresh lube. I also installed new motor mounts, and did a light cleaning on the changer mechanism. Unfortunately, it has a problem I have not yet addressed. For some reason, when the tonearm reaches the last track of the record it just sits there, kind of like a tone arm being stuck in a bad spot on a record. Repeating, repeating, repeating! It's a one of these days projects to figure out. In the mean time I have install a more modern stereo Collaro in its place.

Pretty much all of my mono record players have VM 1200 series changers. Actually, pretty much everything I own have VM changers with the exception of a couple of RCA units and one very old Webcor.

Bill

Thanks, Bill. I had it messed up.

Perhaps somebody has a suggestion on how to get your Collaro sorted.

I would love any suggestions someone has. It kind of has me stumped.

Bill

I'd probably squirt it with WD 40 then swear at it......

William wrote: ↑Sun Aug 08, 2021 1:26 pm I would love any suggestions someone has. It kind of has me stumped.
Bill

Hi Bill,
This UK website might be a resource for you,
as the origin country of all Collaros.

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/index.php?

I found several nice service pictorials on some of the Collaros.

I know its another site to have to join, but it seems to have
a well of information and nice folks, too.

Now, back to my regularly scheduled program of RCA
3 tube amp troubleshooting with you guys, ha ha !

Electra .... that is my usual go to service!... lol... seriously though , Bill, it sounds like the tone arm travel is misadjusted, or something is blocking its range of travel to stop it near the end like that?... does it only do it on auto? will it play manually? I had that problem on a 1009 dual... the clutch under the tone arm was way off causing the same issue you describe the arm to just stop at the same spot ...

Elton, It does it either in mono or auto, but it does not do it all the time. Probably 80% of the time, but not always. It has one more issue. If you stack more than two records, keeping in mind you need to manually reject because it won't do that at the end of a record, it will scrap across the record as the tone are returns. It's like it won't pickup the tone arm high enough. Two records you are good, three, nope!

hi-fi-mogal, I will check out the site you suggested. Thanks!