MBLE bbo 846 tube amp phono cartridge Question

[Devo]

I am building  a set up for playing 78 rpm records via a Mono tube amplifier and a mono loudspeaker and i came across a MBLE bbo 846 amplifier (philips) which was sold in the early days as a DIY set and consist off Philips components.

The photo's are not from the actual amplifier but from the internet.

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The person who sells it lives not so far away from me and did almost his whole live restoring old audio equipment as a hobby and he also renovated this amp.


Now my question:  the amplifier is made to work with a crystal or MD cartridge so i assume it has a build in phono amp for these carts, but since i have bought an original 78 rpm pickering stylus from Werner to use with a pickering xv-15 cartridge,  is it then still possible to use it with this amplifier?



Hope you can help me with this.

[Chris65]

Not sure what you mean by ‘MD’ cartridge, but this amplifier can accept Magnetic pick-ups or Crystal pick-ups.
So, yes any moving magnet/moving iron cartridge can be used.

It is an integrated amplifier containing a phono section, preamp & power amplifier. Presumably it uses RIAA standard for the phono stage (no EQ for 78rpm discs).
Very attractive unit.

[Devo]

Thank you Chris, when i saw it i fell in love with it and they made all kinds off amps and tuners that looks like this one.

 i  thought that it was a Magnetic Dynamic cartridge but you are wright it is also for a magnetic cartridge.

I have some crystal cartridges from which you can turn the needle for 33 or 78 rpm records so i hope that the internal EQ for chrystal cartridges also works for the 78 needle.

Now i think the pickering XV-15 is a MI (moving iron) cartridge, do you think i can can connect it to the amp or does magnetic  means that i can only connect MM cartridges to it.

[Chris65]

As I mentioned:

So, yes any moving magnet/moving iron cartridge can be used.

The operating principle of the cartridge does not matter to an amplifier, the input is designed around the nominal output level of cartridges. Magnetic input generally accepts cartridges with an output around 5mV.
Obviously crystal cartridges output is much higher, so the different input.

[Devo]

Sorry Chris, i must have overlooked that

I looked at the specs from the amplifier and it says: sensitivity manetic cart 10MV and Crystal cart 130 MV at 10 watts,1000 hz

[JacquesD]

Dennis,

The BBO846 amplifier has a phono preamp section using a single EF86, not uncommon in 1962. Look at the schematic as shown in the kit building instructions, you'll find them under the Audio section here: http://users.skynet.be/fc664814/andere-bouwkits.html -- a lot of links to Google Drive documents.

The Crystal PU and the AUX signal go through a in-series resistor (at least the Crystal PU does) to the same preamp section, curious how all that sounds.

Enjoy your tube amp!

[Devo]

Hello Jacques, thanks for your reply.

I see you live in Belgium and i have read that these amplifiers mainly been sold in Belgium, i already have looked on google and also found te building instructions you are talking about.

Now i have to find the matching radio to make the set complete, they sometimes show up for sale on auction sites and i have to find a good full range speaker, probably an old philips to let it sing

[Carlos5302]

Current offers on www.2dehands.be:

• https://www.2dehands.be/a/antiek-en-kunst/antiek-tv-s-en-audio/m1704549333-mble-847-fm-tuner-versterker.html?previousPage=lr
• https://www.2dehands.be/a/audio-tv-en-foto/buizenversterker/m1698764011-2-amplis-mono-mble-bbo-846-et-un-tuner-bbo840.html?previousPage=lr
• https://www.2dehands.be/a/antiek-en-kunst/antiek-tv-s-en-audio/m1698245556-mble-fm-tuner-bbo-840.html?previousPage=lr
• https://www.2dehands.be/a/audio-tv-en-foto/versterkers-en-ontvangers/m1700714597-mble-bbo-845-stereo-buizenversterker-philips.html?previousPage=lr

Or seach for MBLE for other products of the same company.

Regards,
Karel

[Marc VdM]

Hello Jacques, thanks for your reply.

I see you live in Belgium and i have read that these amplifiers mainly been sold in Belgium, i already have looked on google and also found te building instructions you are talking about.

Now i have to find the matching radio to make the set complete, they sometimes show up for sale on auction sites and i have to find a good full range speaker, probably an old philips to let it sing

These tuners do turn up from time to time on this Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/vintageaudiovlaanderen/
You might pose a question there!

Marc

[Devo]

Thank you for the tips Karel & Marc

[Devo]

Today i picked it up it looks very good with some age related marks and the former owner gived me the original assembly catalog since this was a DIY kit tube amplifier.







The amp. is rated at 12 watts and this amplifier works with loudspeakers that are 5-7 ohms  or 15 ohms , so the next thing i have to find is a high efficiency mono loudspeaker that i can use with this amp. or only a driver so that i can build my own cabinet for it.

[JacquesD]

These tuners do turn up from time to time on this Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/vintageaudiovlaanderen/
You might pose a question there!

Marc

We might if it wasn't Faecebook