phillips GA 212

honda cber

like this:


anyone have experience? what is it like? any and all info is appreciated.

a

ben62670

Well they are used to spin large diameter disc made of vinyl. These disc were used to record, and play audio over for over a century. The CD came out and all but wiped out the Record player. Some people believe that vinyl is still an active format to experience the high quality sound of HiFi.

honda cber

aw gee, you dont say? this POS doesnt play cds?





are you lumping me in with the lcd guy??

a

ben62670

Nah. Sorry dude. If I am not being a smart alic check my pulse. I may be dead. Hopefully someone who has a clue can actually help.
Ben

honda cber

thanks ben, now everyone thinks this thread is a joke.......:rolleyes:
a

tlainhart

Back in the day (late 70's, early 80's) it was a good turntable. Belt-driven, good suspension, tone-arm w/ bearings.

honda cber

i picked it up yesterday, but with no cartridge, so i cant yet audition it. this is my first suspended table ever, and i am excited at the proposition. i was recommended this one (below) but i am not sure if it is the right one for me or not. the price sure is right--- found one for about $55 shipped, from germany even. actually, the guy i got the table from turned me onto this cart, and the seller williamthakker_com on the 'bay.


at any rate, i am fairly stoked about this table. i have a couple of ho-hum used carts (a shure and an AT) that i will try before buying anything to get a feel for it.
a

George Grand

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Is this what playing freakin' video **** makes you talk and think like?

honda cber

i am assuming ive missed something here....................

a

mhardy6647

Ultra popular in the latter half of the 1970s were the 212 and the 312; the poor person's Thorens. Decent suspended subchassis tt with a low-mass albeit very simple arm. Always liked 'em; still do.
The lamps in the touch controls are part of the speed-selection circuit; if the lamp(s) burn out, the touch control(s) won't work. The push/push on-off switch is also quite prone to failure after all of these years.

You'll need a high compliance cartridge.





The only real difference between the 212 and 312 was that the latter had auto shut-off and arm lift. The 212 only shuts off at the end of the licorice pizza (LP). Later 312s had LEDs on the touch switches instead of the aforementioned, somewhat troublesome (but very attractive) incandescant lamps.

dcmeigs

I'm certainly not an expert on TTs but I'll kick in my 2 cents anyway cause I've owned and worn out several. There are a few things you want to listen and look for.

That strobe looking thing on the platter should be very steady and should not drift over time and the control should be easy to use.

Listen with the volume up between tracks for a rumble or hum. Cheap design, poor build quality or old age can cause this unacceptable problem.

The tone arm on this one look pretty good but it should not skitter across the platter when the weight is set at neutal. (Johnny Winter put out a killer three sided album with one side blank that was good for setting this up ) Get that set up correctly.

Be sure you ground the TT.

Listen to your cartridges before you throw them overboard. The line level should be the same from one channel to the other. Put on some headphones and listen for clipping and distortion at normal listening levels. Then when you get a better cartridge, you will know what you have gained.

Hope this is of some help.

ND13

Owned one for years. Hard to beat for the duckets. It went through a lot of **** and kept on ticking.

honda cber

thanks for the replies.
i am thinking now about getting a "super om 10". the compliance @ 25 µm/mN should be good with the tonearm, and it is easily upgraded by changing stylus. the om 40 stylus seems to be very nice, and a big upgrade (but costs over $200). the 10 is about $70 complete, the 20 about double that, and the 30 around $200. such a slippery slope!

any other recommendations? i am pretty strapped ATM, so even a $200 cart is out. i thought the super om's would be nice due to their upgradability, but i am open to suggestions.

incidentally, the switches *do* work if the lamps are out, and i can prove it since i have a couple of lamps out, . wonder what is involved in replacing them? i can solder but i am no EE. i figure that it cant be too complex inside, considering its age.....

a

Halli

I've had a GA-312 for the last 30+ years. After my father bought a GA-212 he encouraged me to buy one too, but the 312 was available and the 212 was discontinued. With the auto-lift and auto-stop, the 312 will treat your vinyl better and your cartridges than the 212 which will leave the needle sitting on the vinyl.

I have found it to be a remarkably quiet, very musical turntable, but I set it aside for a few years because I didn't want to mount it to the wall, and the floors in my house bounce a bit when you walk across them, causing the whole turntable suspension to start to oscillate, and this can throw the needle out of the track and certainly causes some unmusical variations due to the cartridge weighting and unweighting while the sub-chassis suspension springs settle down.
I've recently moved it into my new basement office, where I'm on a concrete floor, and really find this TT provides the kind of detail, solid deep bass and "air" even with non-audiophile cartridges that makes one think of way more expensive equipment.
I've been delighted with it, and won't part with it.
As long as it's solidly supported such that it can't bounce around, you'll find you've made a very good purchase. I hope you enjoy yours as much.
Halli

dcmeigs

Hello Halli, and welcome to the forum.

EFanning

I too have a GA 312. I corresponded with a customer service agent from the Needle Doctor who reccomended the Super OM10. I bought it and the turntable sounds very good with that cartridge.

I think GA 212 and 312 are great turntables for a budding vinyl enthusiast. Find one used for a cheap price or as a gift from a relative.

Also, I use my 312 to get my two young daughters interested in LPs. The light controls and other buttons are fun for them. (I'd never let them touch a high-end table.) The 2 year old hugged the speaker yesterday after she lowered the needle. The song opened with violins and she said, "violins."