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MMD > Archives > May 1999 > 1999.05.30 > 11Prev  Next


Sound Scriber
By Michael Concordia

I realize this does not quite fit the Music part of MMD but I thought
it might overlap enough that someone may be able to help me out.  I
was recently given a 'Sound Scriber' (as-labeled) and it records via
microphone on thin plastic disks (7" dia.) in what appears to be a
crude record lathe-type of operation.  It also has a conventional
playback arm.  I cannot find a date of manufacture anywhere but the
tubes used are 35Z4GT, 35L6GT/G and 12SC7.  I would expect these would
put the date of manufacture within some range (I would guess it is from
the 40's).  It is a rather compact device, measuring only 13.5 x 9.5 x 9
and has a leather-like covering on the outer surface of the case.  I
would very much like to track down a schematic and any other information
for this device in order to attempt a repair (many leaky capacitors,
etc.).  If anyone can point me in the direction of someone who
specializes in this type of thing it would be greatly appreciated.

  [ My receiving tube manual(s) from that era are in storage at
  [ them moment, but I can tell from the tube numbers that this
  [ unit operated with its tube filaments strung in series, and most
  [ likely had no power transformer.  The 35Z4GT would be an "octal"
  [ based rectifier tube with a 35 volt filament.  The 35L6GT/G would
  [ be the power amplifier tube which drives the cutting head.  It
  [ also has an octal (8 pin, approx 1.25 inch in diameter) socket and
  [ operates with a 35 volt filament voltage.  The 12SC7 is the
  [ preamp tube.  I don't remember if that part would be octal or
  [ a 9 pin base.
  [
  [ When I was doing TV service work, I had very good
  [ luck replacing leaky paper capacitors with Mylar ones.  You
  [ can test for leaky capacitors with an ohmmeter, but I prefer
  [ an isolated power supply, a current limiting resistor, and
  [ a neon bulb, all connected in series.  You charge the capacitor
  [ in question through the neon bulb, and if the capacitor is leaky
  [ the bulb blinks at a rate determined by the leakage current.
  [ This can detect very small leakage currents that seem not to
  [ show up under the excitation of the battery in your Volt-Ohm
  [ Meter.
  [
  [ There are a number of dealers of used tubes on the 'Net.  I'll
  [ bet that the 35 volt filament tubes are going to be harder to
  [ find than their 6 volt counterparts.  Please let us know how
  [ you progress with this project.  There' plenty of EE's here.
  [ -- Jody


(Message sent Mon 31 May 1999, 03:24:17 GMT, from time zone GMT-0400.)

Key Words in Subject:  Scriber, Sound

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