• Please note that there are a few updates and clarifications made in the Audiokarma Rules, mostly relating to advertising and the addition of the new "Paying it Forward" & "Giving back" forums in the AudioKarma Audio Marketplace section.

Happy new ELAC Miracord 50H owner!

jhoyt

jhoyt

Incomprehensible space llama
At a BIG rummage sale yesterday I picked up a beautiful ELAC Miracord 50H turntable. It even came with accessories--the original record duster "arm" that mounts on a spindle opposite the tonearm. The cartridge is also original, the ELAC D344-17. The plinth is the good wood one, with adjustable feet. Unfortunately, the dust cover is just a lift-off type, not the wood-sided hinge-up.

Now, here's the best part--it's nearly flawless! It was very nearly "plug and play", there was almost no twiddling to make it work. I lubed the motor and platter spindles, checked tracking pressure and cartridge alignment, and bammo. Music. :music:

Obviously, a 40-year old cart isn't going to sound as good as a modern one, or even my B&O (not much can touch that...), but man, it sure is an impressive TT. The automatic action is smooth and precise. I love German engineering!!! :yippy:

Oh, and the idler wheel is still soft!
 
Last edited:
Register to hide this ad
Congrats! It is a very nice turntable. I picked one up for $3 at a thrift shop several years ago. Aside from a bit of cleaning, I did nothing to it and it plays just fine.
 
A question about the 50H: the manual says the hystersis motor is very stable, and no speed adjustment is necessary. HOWEVER, How true is this? In the several records I've played, I haven't noticed any speed variation during playback, and I'm usually pretty sensitive to that.

Is there anything that can be done to calibrate or stabilize the speed any further?
 
I'm Listening to the Modern Jazz Quartet European concert on my 50H and I have to say its a very nice table and sounds wonderful
 
jhoyt said:
A question about the 50H: the manual says the hystersis motor is very stable, and no speed adjustment is necessary. HOWEVER, How true is this? In the several records I've played, I haven't noticed any speed variation during playback, and I'm usually pretty sensitive to that.

Is there anything that can be done to calibrate or stabilize the speed any further?
Click to expand...

Hystersis motors are controlled by the frequency of the AC line voltage driving them - it's intrinsic to their design. Absent some gross mechanical failure, they should be dead accurate.

See also: http://www.answers.com/topic/hysteresis-motor
 
The motor on the 50H is not only a hysteresis-synchronous motor but is a Pabst motor in which the rotor is on the outside, along with the cast case, acting as a flywheel and vastly reducing "cogging" that is noticeable on other H-S motors that require a belt drive to reduce flutter.
 
Miracord motor conversion to 3 phase?

Manfromporlock, I referred to your link on the hysteresis motor. The site notes that this type of motor is often single and 3-phase.

Do you, or anyone, know whether the motor can be converted to 3 phase? If so, it seems that a VFD could be used to precisely set the motor to 33.3 rpm.
 
The Mark II version of the Miracord 50H has a speed adjustment (as does the 770H; their highest end turntable)--just like the one on Dual turntables.
Rick
 
redglobe said:
Manfromporlock, I referred to your link on the hysteresis motor. The site notes that this type of motor is often single and 3-phase.

Do you, or anyone, know whether the motor can be converted to 3 phase? If so, it seems that a VFD could be used to precisely set the motor to 33.3 rpm.
Click to expand...

That's outside my expertise, but I kinda doubt it.
 
Excellent find!

My first decent record changer was a Miracord XA-100 back in the mid 60's. It was already considered "old" even then. But I put a brand new Shure M3D in it and my first LPs like the Byrds, Beach Boys, Yardbirds, Animals, and more sounded great to me.
I first had a Knight 15 watt integrated tube amp and some 8" full range speakers in corner baffles for speakers. My first "upgrade" was to an integrated Olson 30 watt/channel tube amp and some Utah 10" 2-way speakers. The Olson was my first "restore". The plates on the outputs were glowing red when I got it. I bought a complete set of Sprague "Orange Drop" coupling capacitors and a few new tubes. That thing had some decent bass. . . especially after upping the value in a couple of the capacitors I replaced. ;)

Sorry. .. . fond memories.

Enjoy the Miracord! They are well built and keep running with good care.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom