MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS:
Speeds: 33, 45, 78 rpm; Pitch Control: Range of 6% at all speeds; Wow and Flutter: 0.1%; Rumble: -58 dB (ARLL); Tangential Tracking Error: 1.8 deg. max; Vertical Tracking Angle: Adjustable to 15 deg. for 1 to 8 records; Stylus Force: Adjustable from 0 to 6 gms; Cartridge Weight Range: 3 to 15 gms; Dimensions of chassis plate: 14x12 in.
Weight: 15-1/2 lbs.
Price: $145.00.
The PE-2040 is the successor to the earlier PE-2020 which was profiled in these pages in May, 1968, and in many respects is similar, but with a number of refinements and improvements that come in the normal course of manufacture. It still retains the unique ability to be adjustable for a 15-deg. vertical tracking angle for any particular record on a stack from one to eight, with a compromise setting of "4" when playing an entire stack automatically, thus ensuring an average variation in tracking angle for the first and last records, and a correct angle for the middle one.
The turntable operates at the three most common speeds, and this is one of the differences between the PE-2020 and the newer PE-2040. The older machine also operated at 16 2/3 rpm, but the only records we have encountered at this speed are "talking books"-none is apparently being released with musical content, to our knowledge.
The arm consists of an aluminum tube with the angled head at the forward end, a counterweight at the rear, the cross pivot being angled in the favored manner. Stylus force is set by a calibrated knob on the sturdy bearing structure, and covers the range from 0 to 6 grams. The counterweight is flexibly mounted on a nylon sleeve which is threaded to permit fine adjustment of balance for the particular cartridge in use-a set-up operation which is done with the stylus-force knob set at "0" on its range. The desired stylus force is then set by the knob.
Fig. 1--Showing head with Ortofon cartridge.
Anti-skating compensation is controlled by a knob at the left rear of the arm bearing as well as by the setting of the stylus-force control knob. If you are using a conical stylus with a radius between 0.6 and 0.7 mils, you simply set the anti-skating control to "4" and the proper compensation is applied regardless of the stylus-force selected. For other styli-both conical and elliptical-you consult a table in the Operating Instructions for the correct setting of the anti-skating knob. All anti-skating compensation can be removed by turning a screw in the center of the stylus-force knob to its maximum counter-clockwise position. The compensation is returned to normal by rotating the stylus-force control to "0" and then resetting it to the desired value.
The operation of the turntable has some interesting features. As in most automatics, the cycling is provided by a mechanism driven by a gear on the hub of the platter, and in the PE-2040 this gear is nylon. The cycling operation is inaugurated by the control lever, which has four positions-from left to right, they are MANUAL START, 0, AUTOMATIC STOP, and AUTOMATIC START. When this lever is moved to the AUTOMATIC START position, a linkage shifts a small segment of the gear on the main cam into engagement with the turntable gear, and as the cam is rotated, the various functions are performed. When the selected operation is completed, the control lever returns to "0" position.
The platter has a depression in the center large enough in diameter to accept a 7-in. record. If a 7-in. record is in place, it depresses a pin in the platter which causes the set down position of the arm to be at the proper place for the 7-in. record. If no record is on the platter, the arm will not set down on the rubber mat, thus avoiding possible damage to the stylus. This is a valuable protective feature.
If there is a 12-in. record on the platter, a sensing pin which rises from the chassis during the change cycle encounters the larger diameter of the record and "sends a message" to the arm to set down at the 11.5-in. diameter as required by the 12-in. record. A 10-in. record holds down the safety pin, but does not get scanned by the sensing pin, so the set-down position is correct for the 10-in. record. This function is in effect for the automatic operation only, since in the manual position, the arm is free to be lifted and set down on the record in the usual manner for manual tables-with the fingers-or by the "lift lever" located just behind the operating control lever. You can, however, place a single record on the platter and start the unit in the automatic mode and have the arm set down at the proper place without touching the arm or the lift lever. At the conclusion of play, the arm will lift and return to its rest, and the motor will stop. In addition, the idler is retracted from contact with platter and motor shaft.
In the MANUAL position, the unit can be used to cue a specific point in a record for such applications as dubbing onto tape to create a musical background. The cueing spot is found, and with the stylus left in the groove, the platter is stopped by moving the control lever to "0". Then the platter is rotated by hand about half a revolution backward-the stylus still in the groove. To cue in the desired music, the control lever is moved to MANUAL START, and the level control on the recorder turned up to the correct position for recording. This may sound complicated, but with a little practice you can make cues as effectively as anyone can with professional equipment.
The single-play spindle attaches firmly into the mechanism with a quarter-turn clockwise. A rotating sleeve on the spindle turns with the record and avoids the possibility of wearing the center hole.
The automatic spindle attaches in the same manner, and will hold a stack of ten records. By inserting the automatic spindle and not rotating it, the unit will play the record on the platter continuously over and over until stopped.
The motor is a dynamically balanced four-pole induction type, flexibly mounted to the chassis, which is a steel stamping with an attractive dress plate of grained aluminum. This plate is bonded to the chassis to avoid resonance. The motor pulley has three slightly tapered steps, with the speed changes resulting from the three steps, and the pitch-change feature is provided by moving the idler up and down slightly on the tapers by means of the lever at the left front corner of the chassis.
Fig 2--Showing anti-skate control.
Among the features we found most interesting are: the triple lead carrying the two shielded signal cables and the single third grounding wire; the jig for setting the stylus to the proper position for the 15-deg. vertical tracking angle, as well as for correct overhang; projections on the chassis to permit the unit to be used on the bench off its optional base without the possibility of damaging any of the mechanism; the dynamically balanced motor armature and the platter itself; the attractive appearance of the dress panel; and the overall ease of operation.
Performance
Wow and flutter measured .05% over the range from 6 to 250 Hz, with an increase to 0.11% in the ranges from 0.5 to 6.0 and 0.5 to 250 Hz. Since the motor is of the induction type, frequency variations in the supply caused no change in speed over the range from 40 to 80 Hz.
Reduction of supply voltage to 80 caused a decrease in speed of 5%; at 90 volts the unit was 1% slow, while from 100 to 135 volts there was no change in speed whatsoever. Arm resonance with the Ortofon cartridge used for the measurements was 9 Hz. Tracking was consistent down to 'z gram as far as tripping was concerned, although it is not likely that most cartridges would perform well at that value. Signal-to-noise measured 42 dB by the NAB method, which is from 10 to 20 dB less than the ARLL figure often employed. Cycling time was measured at 10 seconds at 33 1/3 rpm.
We have used the PE-2020 regularly for the past two years and found it completely satisfactory, even if a little slow in cycling. With the PE-2040, any question we may have had about the 2020 has been answered. The unit is very attractive, and an effective performer. Even the shipping carton, with its separation of components for their protection, is a good indication of the quality of manufacture.
-C.G. McP.
(Audio magazine, Dec. 1970)
Also see:
Elpa Model PE-2018 Automatic Turntable (Equip. Profile, Jan. 1970)
PE automatic turntables (ad, Mar. 1970)
ELAC/Miracord 760 Automatic Turntable (Equip. Profile, Aug. 1975)
= = = =