I dug out something very old from the loft.

[BillShatnersToupee]

It's a Dynatron HFC101 that my dad bought new in circa 1972. It originally came with Dynatron LS4038 speakers which sadly are no longer with me. These were speakers built around the Wharfedale Unit 5 kits, in Dynatron cabinets. The speakers were also available as the Wharfedale Dovedale 3, but in Wharfedale cabinets.



After 20 years unused, it's remarkable that everything still seems to be fully functioning, other than the FM indicator, which had a habit of blowing its lamp every few hours even when the unit was new. I'm going to fit the GL75 with a suitable vintage cartridge, likely a Goldring G800, with an aftermarket elliptical stylus.

It would be nice to source some LS4038s or Wharfedale Dovedale 3's, but really I do not have the space.  

 

[plasticpenguin]

Oooo, vintage envy.

 

[BillShatnersToupee]

Oooo, vintage envy.

Dad used to have it on a home made wooden stand, and my two year old self used to kneel in front of it with headphones on watching the record go round. I became hooked on music at this very point, before I could even wipe my own backside.

 

[uzzy]

It's a Dynatron HFC101 that my dad bought new in circa 1972. It originally came with Dynatron LS4038 speakers which sadly are no longer with me. These were speakers built around the Wharfedale Unit 5 kits, in Dynatron cabinets. The speakers were also available as the Wharfedale Dovedale 3, but in Wharfedale cabinets.



After 20 years unused, it's remarkable that everything still seems to be fully functioning, other than the FM indicator, which had a habit of blowing its lamp every few hours even when the unit was new. I'm going to fit the GL75 with a suitable vintage cartridge, likely a Goldring G800, with an aftermarket elliptical stylus.

It would be nice to source some LS4038s or Wharfedale Dovedale 3's, but really I do not have the space.  

I always felt the G800 was far too compliant for the GL75 . treat yourself to a nice Audio Technica perhaps  

 

[plasticpenguin]

Dad used to have it on a home made wooden stand, and my two year old self used to kneel in front of it with headphones on watching the record go round. I became hooked on music at this very point, before I could even wipe my own backside.

I used to do the same with our old radiogram. Fascinated by the records clicking down on top of each other and hearing a bass clonk as the the stylus hit the record.

 

[Tarzan]

Retrotastic- looks cool! :^

 

[Ian]

I sometimes think there's a dimension to gear surrounding family, heritage, age, past, and appearance that is more rewarding to the soul than ultimate SQ and mere monetary worth and I'm guessing this is where you are with this lovely looking bit of kit. I love that dial !

 

[Nopiano]

I remember these for sale in Maxwells record and musical instrument shop, next door to my school.  A real luxury item in its day. 

Lovely to see one again.  

 

[greybeard]

and a dust bug  :^

 

[dave]

Yawn stretch, was looking forward to something like this.....

 

[Clubsport911]

That’s a nice post and kudos to you for keeping it alive. I wished I had 1% of the Heathkit, home made amps, speakers  and turntables my (late) father collected and used. He was a pretty practical chappie and I’m sure none of it counts as modern HiFi, but we loved the gear all the same. 

Showcase for him, were the 12” Fane speakers to which he added all sorts of tweeters in a home made cabinet...

Returning to the original post, you’ve got something nice to treasure - hope you enjoy !

 

[BillShatnersToupee]

I always felt the G800 was far too compliant for the GL75 . treat yourself to a nice Audio Technica perhaps  

Possibly but even Lenco themselves recommended the G800 in the L75's instruction manual. I don't fully know the history behind the tie-up with Goldring; I would be interested to hear it if anyone does know it. But in this country there seems to be more GL75's (Golding-Lenco) models, invariably sold with G800's, than L75's.

 

[uzzy]

Possibly but even Lenco themselves recommended the G800 in the L75's instruction manual. I don't fully know the history behind the tie-up with Goldring; I would be interested to hear it if anyone does know it. But in this country there seems to be more GL75's (Golding-Lenco) models, invariably sold with G800's, than L75's.

Sorry it was the G800E and Super E i was thinking of .. the G800 was just a cheapy with a conical stylus and a tracking weight up to 3.5 grams so was not too compliant in any way. 

If you think about it a manufacturer who makes cartridges as well as turntables is not likely to recommend another make methinks.

If you want to be kind to your records and your ears my recommendation would be to get a better cartridge than a G800. 

 

[BillShatnersToupee]

I remember these for sale in Maxwells record and musical instrument shop, next door to my school.  A real luxury item in its day. 

Lovely to see one again.  

Yeah they weren't cheap that's for sure. According to a C.C Goodwin's advert in the April '73 edition of Gramophone magazine, a HFC101 was £178.00 without speakers. I don't have a price for the Dynatron LS4038 speakers, but the same speakers sold as Wharfedale Dovedale 3's were £95 a pair, so I expect their Dynatron versions (same drivers and x-over, different cabinet) were at least the same or more. So that's £273 all in. According to www.thisismoney.co.uk that would be £3,246.48 now.

 

[BillShatnersToupee]

If you think about it a manufacturer who makes cartridges as well as turntables is not likely to recommend another make methinks.

Lenco didn't make the cartridge, Lenco was a Swiss company which made the turntable, and Goldring was/is an English company (founded in Germany) which made the cartridge. I don't fully know the history behind the tie-up between the two companies when it came to the GL75, though I would like to.

I have a G800 body (the turnable's original) and I've ordered an aftermarket elliptical stylus for it. Be interesting to see how it performs.

It's scary how cheap hifi has got these days, like you say the G800 was considered a budget MM cartridge even when new, but its 1974 retail price of £12.21 would translate to £145 now. The G800E would be £210.13 and the G800 Super E would be £276.49. Scary stuff. 

 

[uzzy]

Lenco didn't make the cartridge, Lenco was a Swiss company which made the turntable and and Goldring was an English company

Aye sorry I should have elucidated more namely, I thought Goldring was the company importing the Lenco turntables.  Also in many cases it had their name preceding Lenco.   So one would envisage them pushing their own cartridges to go in it.  Not that it matters a jot - but the TT definitely deserves better than a G800

 

[jamesp]

Just resurrecting this post because I've just started using my HFC 101 again and came across this thread in a search.

Mine came fitted with a Shure M55E when (which I think it had from new) which has a higher output than the G800. There's a slight hum on the output so I'll probably need to take a look at the power supply. I still have the LS4038 speakers which have a very warm sound but not particularly accurate. I always thought that they looked like they used Wharfedale drivers but hadn't realised that they were the same as the Unit 5 kits.

The only thing I can't remember is the difference between the Tape 1 and Tape 2 sockets and I can't find the manual at the moment (neither in real life nor online) so I don't know if anyone knows what the difference is?

 

[t1no]

One of the many horrors I think might still be up in my parents loft ... I seem to recall the speakers were dual concentric and the tape deck record button kept breaking ...



 

PS not my horrendous wallpaper ... but it gives you an idea of the vintage!