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Westinghouse Console Problem (Right Channel)

artsybob

artsybob

Active Member
Hi Audiokarma. My recently restored Westinghouse HM-1411 stereo console was working fine until a little while ago the right channel started sounding quieter than the left channel. At first I thought it might be a phono cartridge issue but I played the radio and I played my iPod through the AUX jacks in the back and the same problem happened? Does anyone know what might be causing this to happen?
 
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Start with the easiest things. Maybe a dirty tube socket - gently rotate the preamp tubes and see if anything comes back. If no joy, swap the preamp tubes from one channel to the other and see if the low volume follows the tube or stays in the same channel.
Let us know what you find out before we jump to any next steps.
 
Dad worked at Westinghouse from 1970 to 1994 after he retired from the NAVY . The Marketing jingo at the time in the Early 70's was "You can be sure if it's Westinghouse". Dad would bring home small radios and other small house appliances that would crap out after a couple months. It ended up as a short lived running gag in the house when he'd bring something home that all 5 of us kids would line up and tell him as he walked by us "You can be sure if it's Westinghouse.......(Pause).....That it won't work!" It got old real fast after the 3rd time, and possibly injurious to our backsides from his belt! It's funny now but back then us kids were dead serious. Wasn't a pocket radio we all had, that worked after 6 weeks. I've got a small Stereo receiver from 1971 (something like 2w), that actually still works. Surprising as hell too.

Do what RWOOD said. He'll get you running.
 
I would suspect a weak tube in the channel that is affected. If all your tubes are old or originals, it might be time for some upgrades. Power tubes especially have a shorter lifespan than the preamp tubes. New tubes are not above reproach, since some brands have reliability issues.
 
So I switched the power tubes around, the right channel is louder than it was before but still doesn't sound as strong as the left channel. Could it still be the tubes or could it be a cap or resistor problem? Also, the tubes are new (when I bought them) Electro-Harmonix 7591's, so maybe I have to buy different tubes?
 
The power tubes will only put out what they are told to put out. If the output tubes are new swap the small tubes by pairs one pair at a time and listen, Then swap the next pair. 50+ year old equipment doesn't just magically heal itself with just tubes. Most likely capacitors underneath get electrically leaky (no visible signs in most cases, and resistors go high in value. This is something you have to look at. Tubes are only one part of the equation.

You don't do a tuneup on a 50 year old car by just changing the plugs. You change the points and gap them, change the condenser (a capacitor), and the cap and rotor, plug wires, and set timing and if it's adjustable valve lash, plus reset the idle speed and mixture. Today it's just swap in a set of plugs, supposedly every 100K miles. I've never seen a car yet that has good plugs or plug wires at 85K much less 100K. Just changing the plugs with the other sub-par parts only gets you a car that is running, and badly at that. Same thing with audio gear.
 
larryderouin said:
Dad worked at Westinghouse from 1970 to 1994 after he retired from the NAVY . The Marketing jingo at the time in the Early 70's was "You can be sure if it's Westinghouse". Dad would bring home small radios and other small house appliances that would crap out after a couple months. It ended up as a short lived running gag in the house when he'd bring something home that all 5 of us kids would line up and tell him as he walked by us "You can be sure if it's Westinghouse.......(Pause).....That it won't work!" It got old real fast after the 3rd time, and possibly injurious to our backsides from his belt! It's funny now but back then us kids were dead serious. Wasn't a pocket radio we all had, that worked after 6 weeks. I've got a small Stereo receiver from 1971 (something like 2w), that actually still works. Surprising as hell too.

Do what RWOOD said. He'll get you running.
Click to expand...

A woman opens up her Westinghouse refrigerator one day and is surprised to see a rabbit sitting on the bottom shelf munching on a carrot. The woman sternly looks at the rabbit and exclaims what are you doing in my refrigerator. The rabbit slowly looks up and then asks, isn't this a Westinghouse and to that the woman answers well yes. The rabbit smugly looks are her and says well I'm westing.

Yeah I know it's corny and I'll be sure not to quit my day job. Sorry I didn't add anything constructive to this thread.
 
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