KLH Model 24 Turntable - Receiver Repaired From No Power

[TheWindyCity]

I have a KLH Model 24 I use in the basement to play my LPs while busy on other projects. I never used the built in amp or receiver, but rather used its Record output wired into the Aux input of another, more powerful receiver.

One day, the unit did not power up. I found the 1/2 amp slo-blo fuse blown. I got a schematic, and started troubleshooting it. I found that the 2000 MFD cap in the power supply was open, and one of the rectifier diodes shorted. I replaced all of the large caps in the unit's multiple power supplies, as well as the main amplifier PCB after testing them and finding them all over the map in their capacitance.

On to the mechanicals.....The turntable did not drop a record, nor did it cue properly. I got a manual for the Garrard turntable on eBay, and was able to locate the binding levers in a aluminum cam that would trip to cause the record to drop onto the platter. I cleaned and re-lubed the whole turntable, and it works like new. Just a wonder to watch!

I refurbished the wooden base, and hand polished the dust cover. It turned out great! I then took the unit upstairs to connect to my KLH Model 5 speakers (which I have connected to my Kenwood 10000 II).

The KLH Model 24 sounded OK, but it is such a low power unit meant for small bookshelf speakers. I imagine this Model 24 was just a starter stereo for a studio apartment or dorm room. Still, I have respect for the design and appearance of this unit, but still will, for now, use it back in the basement as a turntable.

Finished unit

Ready to repair

Bad caps and diodes

Parts replaced

Working on the dustcover

Base refinished

Finished restoration

 

[rmoreau61]

Beautiful work! Beautiful results. Beautiful design.

 

[Looneytoons]

The sacrificial clothes pins supporting the plinth looks like something I'd do. LOL. Very nice job! A few more details on the dust cover polishing would be appreciated. I'd like to hand polish the DC on my Thorens TD-165.

 

[hornbostel]

That's a great looking 24. What did you use on the dustcover?
I've got 2 Model 20's sitting in my basement. I hope to get one functional unit out of the two later this fall. Both produce good sound and the tuners work but the turntable on one unit is in bad shape. I have two pairs of KLH model 20 speakers to go with these as well.

 

[gadget73]

I had one, it was in much worse physical shape though. I think it had been dropped in it's previous life, the wood case was cracked and had been glued and nailed back together. The damage was in the back though, so not terribly obvious. It was free to me, I found and replaced a couple bad caps on the FM MPX board but never went any further with it. The changer had been serviced before I got it. Ended up selling it to someone at work for the price of the stylus I had put on it, never got around to rebuilding it to see what it really could have sounded like. Only real complaint I had was the 2 pole motor used in the changer. It vibrated and the record player picked up and amplfied it. I always wanted to find one of the better motors from another changer in that family as an upgrade, but never did. I can tell you the 4 pole motor used on the AT6 and AT60 runs noticeably smoother.

Sticky changer mechanism is pretty much a hallmark of record changers. One of my own started acting up on me last night, one I had serviced years ago but let it sit in my shed for too long. Had to pull it apart and wipe a bit of excess grease that had gotten somewhere it didn't belong. My own fault, I put too much in there and some of it melted and migrated while sitting.

 

[B.J. Parker]

I know this is an old thread but looking for some insight on the klh turntable that is the same style you have but mine is mounted in a console called a Model 25, it will play a LP almost all the way through untill the last song where it seems to hit a stop and does and starts to skip and obviously needs an adjustment to let the tone arm advance to the trail off area and then return to arm rest. I notice a few screws on top and around the tone arm but before I start adjusting things, I would like to know what they do. Have you any experience with this issue or if anyone has some old documentation just laying around ?

 

[gadget73]

trip linkage is probably gummy. Pull the platter off and you'll find a gear underneath. On that gear is a little flappy paddle thing that a flat bar pushes on. If you move the arm, you'll see the flat bar move over to push the paddle. Likely either the paddle is stuck, or the flat bar has gunk on it. Clean both off with whatever solvent you like. They need to be clean and dry, no lube at all.

Garrard 3000 Stereo Record Playing Unit Manual | Vinyl Engine

is about as close as it gets for a service manual specific to this one, but the mechanism is the same as a lot of other models.


clean and re-oil the platter bearing while you're in there. A drop or two of oil in the motor and on the center shaft of the idler wheel won't hurt it either. Oil needs to go in the motor where the shaft comes out of it. Don't get any on the surfaces that the rubber tire touches. Cleaning the inside of the platter is also a useful thing.

 

[Artie]

Nice job. Those are cool little units. Love those knobs. Well done.

 

[B.J. Parker]

gadget, Thanks it was a klh changer (garrard 3000) which never got put into service still had original tags on the tone arm - someone mistreated the original one and found a replacement to drop into the model 25 cabinet.
Pulled the table completely out and yes I now see what your referring to and a few areas I missed with some old grease, cleaned it up and will be working on the rest of the electronics before i put it back together.

 

[Sam Cogley]

It was made to go with the KLH model 24 speakers.