Re: [Harp-L] How did i do it?Just lucky?

[Ralf Kapp <truebe_zitrone-aroma@xxxxxxxx>]

My favorite amp is the valve amp of a portable recordplayer from 1956.
I play it stock, mic plugged to the phono in. Back in those days most 
pickups were crystal, so i guess they match with many mics. The dynamic 
element of my mic was intended for use with those old valve audio tapes 
(you know, the  ones that weighed about a ton). Those early tapes often 
had only one input for both microphone and phono, so I guess my mic is 
hi-z. It has a little transformer built in.

I tried a bunch of different record players of different brands and 
sizes and even some radios and radiograms, all in perfect working order. 
Not all worked well with my mic and harp. I guess it depends on the 
amp's circuitry. One radio clipped badly, one radiogram had a nice and 
clean sound but no volume, one recordplayer hummed like mad and was very 
shrill. I own 3 different amps of my favourite amp's brand. All have 
different valves but all for the exact same pickup. Only one works 
great, one clips like hell and one gives no volume.

If you're lucky the preamp has enough headroom for the higher level of 
your mic and has enough gain to saturate the output valve. That adds 
compression and if that valve is not overdriven too much it should 
result in a really nice and warm tone.

grüßle
r

hazcon schrieb:
> ... So what I did is buy an 
> cheap old second hand Valve Radiogram* take the amp out of it and (heres 
> the odd bit) in my ignorance of all things electronic I ditched the 
> turntable pickup and then I hardwired my mike to the pickup leads.(Mike 
> was,is, a CM 520 bullet)
>   It worked!
>               This thing had huge old valves in it and for a year or so 
> gave me good service and a real nice tone.
> Now was I just lucky here or is this a feasible option on just about any 
> old valve radio amp?
>              Reason I ask is that a friends granddad has an old 
> Radiogram for sale and id like,out of curiosity, to try the same thing 
> again.Trouble is they are no longer cheap so i'd like some idea of my 
> chances of success if possible.