01-27-2026, 11:14 AM
Hi Marsupial,
No, the 47-1230 would expect a much lower input voltage.
Crystal cartridges have an output of 1-3V, ceramic cartridges about 100-500mV, modern magnetic cartridges about 2-10 mV
Check the specs for the Phono input of the amp that you tested the turntable with. The Phono input on most "Modern HiFi" amps are designed for a magnetic cartridge which usually has an output in the order of 10 mV (millivolts). For example, a Fisher 400 receiver, the last tube Fisher, has an input sensitivity of 4mV for magnetic cartridges and for phono "hi", a sensitivity of 140mV. For a Heathkit WA-P2 preamp, the Phono input was for "less than 100mV", Aux inputs for more than 100 mV with gain pots for each input.
If you can, take a photo of the cartridge in your phono. The vast majority of V-M changers came with crystal or ceramic cartridges and were designed for "suitcase" phonos or radio-phono combos. These were good "salt of the earth" units, certainly not something that Toscanini, Bernstein or Von Karajan would have in their listening rooms. Most of these had rather simple 2 stage amplifiers or 3 stage push pull amps as I described.
Here is an example of a radio-phono very similar to yours, the Philco 47-1227. The main difference is that this unit uses the Philco D10 changer with a crystal cartridge as opposed to your radio which uses the D10A with the magnetic cartridge. The link to the documents from the Philco Library are here:
https://philcoradio.com/library/download...6-1947.pdf
Here is the manual for the D10 and D10A changers:
https://philcoradio.com/library/download...6-1947.pdf
A copy of the schematic of the Audio section is here. Note the lack of an extra preamp stage. The Radio and Phono input to the same stage:
Sorry, I currently do not have any turntable with a crystal or ceramic cartridge to run experiments with. The last tube console I had was a Magnavox, and I replaced the Collaro turntable with ceramic cartridges with a Garrard 40B with a Pickering P-ATE3 magnetic cartridge and a Radio Shack tin box Phono amp to convert ceramic inputs to magnetic inputs.
Honestly, I think that the cartridge is going sour on you.
To be sure, take a pic of the cartridge.
No, the 47-1230 would expect a much lower input voltage.
Crystal cartridges have an output of 1-3V, ceramic cartridges about 100-500mV, modern magnetic cartridges about 2-10 mV
Check the specs for the Phono input of the amp that you tested the turntable with. The Phono input on most "Modern HiFi" amps are designed for a magnetic cartridge which usually has an output in the order of 10 mV (millivolts). For example, a Fisher 400 receiver, the last tube Fisher, has an input sensitivity of 4mV for magnetic cartridges and for phono "hi", a sensitivity of 140mV. For a Heathkit WA-P2 preamp, the Phono input was for "less than 100mV", Aux inputs for more than 100 mV with gain pots for each input.
If you can, take a photo of the cartridge in your phono. The vast majority of V-M changers came with crystal or ceramic cartridges and were designed for "suitcase" phonos or radio-phono combos. These were good "salt of the earth" units, certainly not something that Toscanini, Bernstein or Von Karajan would have in their listening rooms. Most of these had rather simple 2 stage amplifiers or 3 stage push pull amps as I described.
Here is an example of a radio-phono very similar to yours, the Philco 47-1227. The main difference is that this unit uses the Philco D10 changer with a crystal cartridge as opposed to your radio which uses the D10A with the magnetic cartridge. The link to the documents from the Philco Library are here:
https://philcoradio.com/library/download...6-1947.pdf
Here is the manual for the D10 and D10A changers:
https://philcoradio.com/library/download...6-1947.pdf
A copy of the schematic of the Audio section is here. Note the lack of an extra preamp stage. The Radio and Phono input to the same stage:
Sorry, I currently do not have any turntable with a crystal or ceramic cartridge to run experiments with. The last tube console I had was a Magnavox, and I replaced the Collaro turntable with ceramic cartridges with a Garrard 40B with a Pickering P-ATE3 magnetic cartridge and a Radio Shack tin box Phono amp to convert ceramic inputs to magnetic inputs.
Honestly, I think that the cartridge is going sour on you.
To be sure, take a pic of the cartridge.
"Do Justly, love Mercy and walk humbly with your God"- Micah 6:8
"Let us begin to do good"- St. Francis
Best Regards,
MrFixr55




