Zenith Allegro Stereo Console b966 Refurbish/Remodel

[Wunderkid]

Hi all. I just bought a Zenith Allegro Solid State Stereo, b966. The whole thing turns on immediately when it's plugged in, regardless of if the 'on' switch is flipped or not. The radio/stereo receiver lights up and works, but when the radio plays through the speakers, it sounds tinny, and is much stronger in the right speaker and sometimes doesn't even play through the left speaker. The 8-track player doesn't work at all, neither does the record player. The speakers make all types of noise each time I move the volume knob or slide the other knobs (bass, treble, left-right, etc.).

I plan to try and fix and keep the record player, just swap the needle/cartridge out, although I may just replace the turntable with a new one. The 8-track is coming out, and I'd like to put something modern there in its place, like a Bluetooth doohicky. The stereo receiver is pretty cool and I'd like to keep that, too.

My questions are, (1)can those speakers be fixed? I've read on this site that this model of Zenith stereo system had great speakers, so I'd like to save them if possible. Even slight moving of those knobs makes the speakers spit and crackle something fierce, sometimes even shaking the whole console. I imagine that means that they pack a punch when they work right! I'll get new ones if I have to though.

(2) Is it possible to hook up new equipment to the stereo receiver? Like if I took that tape player out, could I hook something else to the spot it was in? Same with a new record player

(3) Is it worth saving the record player (no adjustable tracking mechanism) or should I just replace it?

I'm a college student who isn't very well-versed in vintage electronics, so you may have to simplify some of your tech jargon! Thanks!

 

[Katalyst]

Start here. http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/in...diots-guide-to-using-deoxit-revisited.207005/ Unplug the console and wait till the next day to do any cleaning. Blow out all dust and post some pictures.

 

[OMGCat!]

Definitely read the deoxit thread, that should get your imbalance and crackly speakers taken care of.
You can hook other things to this. There should be RCA plugs somewhere on the amp that you can plug a RCA to 3.5mm headphone cable (available on Amazon for a few $). You can then listen to music from your phone. You might have to unplug the 8 track if there are no free inputs but no loss there.
You can clean up the turntable and use it. I think a lot of them had adjustable tracking force with a spring that was set in the rear of the tonearm. I'm no pro but if you get the model number I'm sure someone here can tell you exactly how to get it up and running again.

 

[Wunderkid]

Thanks for the information. Just turned the thing on again, and there was crackles and static even without touching the knobs. Hopefully the deoxit will take care of that. I was def going to lose the 8-track player, so that's an idea. Once I open the back up, I'll take some pictures. As for the record player, I'd like to save it, since it has four speeds on it as opposed to the normal 2 or 3.

 

[Wunderkid]

After a lot of work and exploration, I managed to take the receiver out the cabinet. To better access the screws to get it out, I took out cardboard ventilation barrier, which didn't look too vital and necessary. I plan to use my Deoxit D5 and DeOxit Faderlube on both the pots on the receiver and other parts/connectors as per the Idiot's Guide to DeOxit (thanks again!). I'm also thinking about buying new handles and knobs for the front of the cabinet, as the handles currently on it are extremely 1970's, and not in a good way. The 8-track player's days are also numbered, as I plan to put a Bluetooth receiver there in its place. The issue with that will be trying to figure out how to fill the literal void when the bulky 8-track player is gone, as the Bluetooth receiver I'm looking at is quite small in comparison. I discovered that the turntable was unplugged when I took the back off the cabinet, so hopefully that's the only major reason why it wasn't working. I probably should hit it with some lube or something, and after snooping around numerous threads on here and other places, I'll be ordering replacement needles/cartridges from VM. Apparently, the Micro-touch 2gram thing was and is something special, so I'll be keeping the turntable in the cabinet after all. The speakers are pretty big at 15 inches. I also discovered that this is a Zenith Allegro Solid State D966. This is turning into a fun and exciting project. Also, I was surprised at how much 'JAPAN' and 'TAWAIN' on some of the parts. Who knew? Well, I didn't, anyhow.
Some questions:
Can I use DeOxit on the turntable switches, slides, and machinery?
What/how should I fill the space that will appear when I take the 8-track player out?
Is it possible to put a newer magnetic cartridge on the record player?