HMV Fiesta Popular Mono Record Player Circuit Diagram

[dr.partha]

I'm becoming optimistic after reading this. This means that's not an end soon.
Here I would like to ask another question. As it's a HMV thread, I think I can ask it here.

Recently I've changed all the pfs and electrolytics of one 666 model. Most of these caps were not working properly,especially electrolytes. But the problem started after this replacement. One channel (left) of this player sounds lower than the other. As I didn't change any transistor, neither wirings, I couldn't locate why this is happening. If the balance slider switch is pushed all the way to left, then only some sound comes. Otherwise, if it is kept in mid-position, only the right channels gives output loudly suppressing the left channel.
As HMV 666 diagram is available in this forum,I'm not attaching that. But I'll post few snaps of the interior tomorrow.
BTW, I've measured the voltages in b,e,c of transistors and they are showing correct values.
Any advice is highly appreciated.
Regards,

 

[reubensm]

Channel imbalance can be caused by many reasons, given that the amplifier was working before recapping and assuming that all the capacitors that you have used as replacements are good ones (this is an aspect often ignored and we assume all new caps are 100% working), it is likely that the bias calibration of the amp may be off (but your voltage readings are good too). In such cases, one has to isolate the problem. First start with the cartridge, flip the cartridge channels and ascertain if both are equal (you may want to check the cart wiring as well especially if you have completely disconnected everything before working on the board. The using an external amplifier, check whether the preamp section of the record player's amplifier is giving you 2 equal outputs. It yes, then its something to do with your poweramp. Hope you have connected back the volume controls, tone controls and balance control properly. If there is a break in the tone control wiring (or a faulty pot), or the volume control wiring, this can happen. If the centre tap of the balance control is not grounded, you will get mono sound. Assuming the caps are all fine and the transistors are all fine, it is likely to be a wiring issue. Also dont forget to flip the speaker connections over and check just to be sure that its not the speakers (not likely to be anyways).

 

[dr.partha]

Thanks .
Trying to follow these steps and giving the feedback shortly.

 

[dr.partha]

Update:
Sorry for my late reply.
When I opened the player first, I found a jungle of wires! I was confused to track these. Finally I could get the tracks which are coming from the pots (B+T).
Infact,after spending half an hour, I could understand the simple logic that HMV took. It was pretty simple but effective (not like Philips hi q).
Coming to the boards, I already found the voltages in pt4,pt6 pair was okay. But after rechecking, I found I was wrong. One pair of pt4,pt6 had very low voltage (around 4.5 volt) .
Then I measured the nearby components and found two resistors were open (pictures given) and one BC148 was short (C-E). Also AC128 showed short (C-E). Fortunately,after replacing all those, now the player is back in life..(picture given)
Fortunately,those vintage Germaniums didn't betrayed this time..
Thanks for your help again..
Thanks everybody.

 

[dr.partha]

I'm sorry. I can't understand why these pictures are not uploaded... trying..

 

[dr.partha]

yes, AC187 and AC188 can he used as direct replacements for AC127 and AC128. The AC187/188 pair will deliver 1 watt with a 9 volt power supply. Personally I have found the sound quality of the AC187/188 pair to be better than the 127/128 pair. Don't forget to slip on the heat sinks and if there is a thermistor, that should be in contact with the heat sink. or as in the existing installation.

In my junior school days, I had constructed a 4-transistor 1 watt amplifier with AC127/128 as output transistors and AC128 and AC127 in the driver and pre-driver stages, running on a 9v battery pack. Dad suggested that I swap all 4 with AC187/188 and when I did so, the amplifier sounded much better and louder I still have that amplifier board. All the very best.

I agree. In fact, I once changed AC 128/176 pair by AC 187/188 pair and the gain (also the quality) had increased a lot in this fiesta player.

 

[reubensm]

Fixing these small amplifier circuits, is actually very easy. All that is required is a box of old spares, about a couple of hours free time and a hot cup of coffee . Enjoy the music.

Q-> are you using the 666 with its original speakers or a pair of Hi-Qs?

 

[dr.partha]

Fixing these small amplifier circuits, is actually very easy. All that is required is a box of old spares, about a couple of hours free time and a hot cup of coffee . Enjoy the music.

Q-> are you using the 666 with its original speakers or a pair of Hi-Qs?

No. I couldn't manage 666 speakers. I am using hi q speakers.
After this state lock down in WB ends, I'll search for 666 speakers.
The gentleman who has given me this player, told me that the boxes had gone long ago. Only the player was dumped in his store room. He was about to sell it to the scrap collectors..

He gave me instead of selling to scrap collectors!

I tried to meke him realise what a precious thing he is just throwing out. But his phrases were " Those days have gone. Now I have hi-fi audio system. These record players are nothing but the scrap" !

'Pathetic'... this is only what I could say there.

 

[parthamukherjee76]

Thanks.

Hi,

I am restoring my first HMV Fiesta Record Player which was lying unused for more than 10 years now. The Platter is rotating at correct speeds but Amplifier Section is not working. It is only generating a "Hum" while playing. Attached is the photograph of the Amplifier Board. Suggestions requested from members how to proceed with repairing of this board.

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Suresh Babu

I Known repair

 

[Vintage Lover]

For what it's worth,here's the schematic formalised from a rough paper sketch done sometime back.

Hope you get the amp working.

What was the software used to draw this schematic?

 

[sashijoseph]

What was the software used to draw this schematic?

That was in Diptrace...

 

[Vintage Lover]

That was in Diptrace...

Thanks

 

[eunmook]

Hey, on a positive note, these transistors dont die overnight. It usually takes many many years. When I was upto all these experiments, it would have been the year 1980-81 and I was playing around with transistors salvaged from radios, etc from the 1960s. All my new transistors purchased from the stores in 1980-81 were all BEL (yes only BEL transistors were available in those times). I still have that 1 watt amp on which I conducted all these experiments and the BEL AC 187/188 pair on this which i bought new, is still working in the output stages. Mostly these leaky ones were from the 1960s and early to mid-70s. The BEL transistors in India at that time (including silicon BC147/148/149 abc) were all of very good quality. The AC 127/128 and AC 187/188 started disappearing from the market by the late 1990s. Chinese manufacturers are still producing these components so all is not lost. Regarding PT4 and PT6, they were the Philips versions of the AD161 and AD162. These metal cap low power transistors are still available abroad (mostly NoS). So in short, your old equipment can still keep going

Regarding equipment, I have played about with a lot of high end gear, especially in the turntable segment, costing lakhs of rupees. But if you have noticed, most of my comments on this forum are about the simple record players, amplifiers, etc. For our generation, those small moments spent with these old pieces of equipment were equally enjoyable and they have a lot of memories attached. For example, i still remember as a kid, sitting beside my aunt's radiogram listening to her husband playing 45s (circa 1974-75). I recall that radiogram had a peculiar smell when turned on, obviously the valves and some resistors, capacitors, etc inside were heating up (somewhat like the odor one gets when one irons a piece of paper with a electric iron). I have spent hours and hours with Dad, looking up brochures and discussing the various HMV models like Calypso, Fiesta (tube and SS), Popstar (anyone heard of this) 666, 1010, 1515, 2020, Super 20 and later on the EMI Sonic and hence seeing these still interest me and I am happy to help with whatever I know . When kids were into reading Phantom and Mandrake comics, I would sit and draw out circuits from books like Fun With Electronics by Gilbert Davey and so on so I am very familiar with small amp circuits from my kiddie days. That is a bygone era, and life has moved on. After our lifetimes, that era will fade into the annals of history (and probably rightly so).

I just inherited a Popstar (pretty red thing)! Very excited but also complete noob and non-techie, I've been trying to find information about it, and this is literally the first forum I've come across where someone even mentioned it at all. Any info or guidance about where I could get it repaired, or find the instructions (for idiots) on how to go about doing it myself would be deeply appreciated.