Hey guys this is my first post. I just picked up a fisher 500c. So I hooked it up to my techics 1210 turntable and I got these kefs 102 speakers bookshelf. I got a denon 110 for cartridge on the turntable. I got cat scratching at low volume. I don’t have perfect yet. I switch wire from 8 ohms to 4 ohms on the back of fisher 500c, do I need a phono pre amp? If so which one? Or a better or different phono cartridge? Also when I run the aux to my phone for mp3 that sounds like crap too. Thanks for any info I’m brand new to tubes and this site so thanks for your time and knowledge
Need help 500c
- Thread starter A Raspa
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- fisher 500c 800c
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The 500c is a wonderfully pleasing instrument when it is in good working order. Expecting it to sound “right” like a plug and play device is unrealistically optimistic. After close to 60 years it needs attention, anything running from a thorough cleaning to a wholesale overhaul. What you are experiencing could be almost anything, from dirty contacts, to tired tubes, to operator error. The good news is that you are getting sound which, believe it or not, is 75% of the way there.
The best advice I could offer is to first read as much as possible on 500c restoration. And when you think you’re done, read s’more. That will give you a good foundation of information to make your journey more digestible and pleasant. Bringing your receiver up to snuff can be a very rewarding and satisfying experience. You’ve come to the right place as the many folk here will get you there for sure!!
The best advice I could offer is to first read as much as possible on 500c restoration. And when you think you’re done, read s’more. That will give you a good foundation of information to make your journey more digestible and pleasant. Bringing your receiver up to snuff can be a very rewarding and satisfying experience. You’ve come to the right place as the many folk here will get you there for sure!!
Also readup on 800c problems/rehabs/restores. The 500c is an 800c WITHOUT the AM band in the Radio tuner. Full resto parts wise can run from $200 to $400 depending on whether you need tubes or not and how many. Note that 7591's are increasing in price exponentially right now. My advice is stay away from JJ's. If your tubes are originals, have them checked out by someone with a tube tester at minimum. My 2 choices for Russian output tubes, and Dave Gillespies testing bears this out, are 1.) Tung-Sol 7591 ReIssues, and 2 EH7591's. If you are running it STOCK with absolutely no changes (safety and longevity enhancements) Switch the order. In any case it will require at minimum cathode resistors and screen stability resistors to run ANY TUBE without undo strain. We'll get into other items in a later post. But don't expect miracles overnight.
The Denon 110 is a Moving coil cartridge and outputs 1.6mv. Too low for the 500c in any input. You need a Moving coil to Moving magnet preamp. OR get a Moving Magnet cartridge, Audio Technica makes some decent stuff or find a Shure V-15-III or V-15-iv used. Your choice on the cartridge, but make sure the output is between 4mv to 8mv. Read the owners manual on the 500c or 800c to determine which phono input you'd use for a particular cartidge.
The Denon 110 is a Moving coil cartridge and outputs 1.6mv. Too low for the 500c in any input. You need a Moving coil to Moving magnet preamp. OR get a Moving Magnet cartridge, Audio Technica makes some decent stuff or find a Shure V-15-III or V-15-iv used. Your choice on the cartridge, but make sure the output is between 4mv to 8mv. Read the owners manual on the 500c or 800c to determine which phono input you'd use for a particular cartidge.
Do you know anyone that looks over the 500c it seems my volume comes on at half way raised and I’m not sure if the sound is right. I got it shipped from Michigan. I’m located in Brooklyn. And looking for a guy who knows these 500c’s. I had called this fisher guy in Long Island his name is AL. he canceled, retired but still wanted to look but has family to tend to. Any help be great thanks
JamesML
Well-Known Member
If your volume control is erratic and/or scratchy it might be a good idea to use deoxit to clean the volume control, and indeed all the main controls.
There's lots of info about this procedure here on the forum.
Please remember that if you open up The 500c it is still likely to be full of juice and highly dangerous even if switched off.
There are helpful tips here as to how to discharge dangerous components and other tips for your safety.
Apologies if you are already aware of these things. Thought it best to mention tho.
I restored my 500c and it's a beautiful piece of equipment to be treasured.
Jim
There's lots of info about this procedure here on the forum.
Please remember that if you open up The 500c it is still likely to be full of juice and highly dangerous even if switched off.
There are helpful tips here as to how to discharge dangerous components and other tips for your safety.
Apologies if you are already aware of these things. Thought it best to mention tho.
I restored my 500c and it's a beautiful piece of equipment to be treasured.
Jim
Tim D
Super Member
I run a Denon DL-110 on a Dual 604 with my Fisher 500B and KLH Six Speakers; and it works very well.
The DL-110 is a High Output Moving Coil (HOMC) and is intended to work with Moving Magnet (MM) pre-amps of which the Fisher 500C and 500B are one. The sound is fine, the noise level is normal, and the gain works fine. No problems with my combination.
The DL-110 is a High Output Moving Coil (HOMC) and is intended to work with Moving Magnet (MM) pre-amps of which the Fisher 500C and 500B are one. The sound is fine, the noise level is normal, and the gain works fine. No problems with my combination.