GRAMPIAN • GOTHAM

e~S~
 GRAMPIAN-GOT HAM
The GRAMPIAN -GOTHAM Feedback Recarding
System is a marvel of audio-engineerin g crea-
tiveness, producing the highest quality disc
recordings known to date . Complete in every
detail of equalization, pre-emphasis, and level
correction for all three speeds, this uniqu e sys-
tem comes ready for instant mounting , turn-on,
and operation without t he necessity of recali-
bration, experimentation, etc. To operate the
system requires only the sound source on one
end and the lathe on the other.
It features the GRAMPIAN B1/ AGU Feedback
Cutterhead made in london, England; an im -
proved version of the well-known BBC system.
This superb cutterhead embodies an internal
feedback winding which reduces di stortion, fl at-
tens frequency response, and stabilizes operation
over long periods of time and widely varyi ng
environmental conditions. Because it is damped FIG. Y Th is i s on unrelouched photograph of a compl et ely non -
through use of silicone damping fluid (Dow- pre-emphasized GRAMPIAN Cu lle rheod wit h standard RIAA low-e nd
droop. Buc hma nn -Me yer Patte rns may b e e va luated by kee ping in
Corning 200) with a leak-proof seal, tempera- mi nd th ol a patte rn .width ratio o f 2 :1 ind ico tes a level diffe re nce
ture and age will not affect it, thus ·assuring 0' 6 db.
constant performance.
THE RECORDING AMPLIFIER
The GOTHAM Recording Amplifier, PFB-150WA,
To loke full advantage of th e maximum potential feedback offe red
is designed specifically to complemen t t he
by th e culler, Gotham has incorpo rated th e feedback winding of the
GRAMPIAN Cutterhead in every respect . A GRAMP IAN Cullerhead in th e design of th e Recording Amplifier.
masterpiece of precision, it is push-pull throug h- A franl . lacated equ al iza tion canlral provides instant switching 10
out for lowest even harmonic distortion and uses an y standard sp eed equ alization . as we ll a s a "Flat" pasilion fo r
two 811 -A Tubes as output triodes in con ju nc- testing the syste m. Aha provided is individual screwdriver adjusl-
me nt in e a ch e qualizing position. enabling precise adju stmen t of
tion with a toroidal output transformer wh ich
all curves to conform to Ihe Standard RIAA curve (so adjusted at
provides for low -distortion and transients duri ng th e factory). or to meet th e in d ividua l requiremenh of the user.
operation. who prefers a slig hlly different eq ualization curve. The ran ge of
equalization adjustment is - 10 db 10 +6 d b at 15 K<;:. referring
to th e RIAA ." curve in 33V3 . 45 and 78 rpm positions (see Fig , XI .
Switching to the 78 rpm posit ion au tom atically raise s th e overall
leve l of the re cording to corre spond to present -da y practices. Th e
•.~----+----+----~----+----+----~----+----+--f-1 culterh e od' s practically unlimited drive make s pouible th e high est
level 78 rpm d iscs wi th full RIAA' pre -emphasis. con siste nt in every
~e-----~--+---~----4----+---1-----1----t_~ respect , and surpauing. th e qua lity of tada y 's top record manufac-
ture rs. Th e gain adjustment is a precision, detenled contro l directly
cal ibrate d in 2 db ste ps .
• ,~

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The frequency respon se o f th e system is within 2 db of the RIAA'
curve at a ll limes and all levels, e xcept in the " Flat " p os it ion
fiG. 0 BALANCED FM MODUlATOR·DISCRIMINATOR CALI BRATION where it is flat wilhin 2 db from 30 cycles to beyond 15 KC. Th e
CHART OF AVERAGE currE R PERFORMANCE IN AIR .
high -torsion. pivolleu. silicone-damped nature af the armat ure of
.n ~ ____ ~ __ ~ ____ ~ ____ ~ __ ~ ____. .____..,...__- .__, . , + n
the cutlerheod makes it insensitive to mechanica l loading so that the

+."'t==j==1==~C=1==-t--_=-~.~-. . . :~
-m. ~I:: :
frequency re spo nse in air d evia tes leu than 1 db from the fre ·
q uency response in acetate. (This is best seen b y observing th e
Ba lanced FM Modulator -Discriminator calibration chart of the culler
performance in a ir ( see Fig . D) and the Buchmann -Meyer light
pallern photo (sec Fig. VI of th e some cu lle rh e ad . This behavior
• •e-----+----+-----1e---4-~~~~+-----4----1--t_.
.J"' ....
of the cullerhead is of tremendous advantage beca use acetate load -
~ ~----+----+-----1~~4---_1----+-----4----1--+__ ~ ing at various surface speeds. 01 well 0 1 diffe rent stylus . burn is hing
and heat conditions , no longer change the leve l or frequen
-"e-----+----+-."'£.
k<"'
/ 4----1----+---+-------1I---+-+- -" response of the culle rhead . Of course . the playback loues dut.
-.. ~71 \ to small reco rd diameters still exist.

-~XI t ' \ 2
'" Recording Industry Association of America .
Th e standard equa liza tion to be used in dilC recording adapte d by
THIS CURVE ON 78 RPM POSITI O N. this organization, com prised of all th e maior Record ing Companies.
FIG. X RIAA CURVE ON 33 %. 45 AND 78 RPM POSITION, and Record Manufacturers, ha s becom e the one unified standard
to w hich almost everyon e is adh e ring today.
 THE CUTTE RHEA D :
Th e Cutte r is of th e iron van e , balanced armature typ e.
Simplicit.y of construction mak e s it a rugged d evice;
th e re are no springs nor balance s to get out of adjust-
me nt . Fig. 10 shows a cutaway view of the essential that it alon e ha s the prop e rty of ma intaining a constant
ports of the head . viscos ity o ve r a w id e te mperature varia tion and length
of se rvice . Tes ts condu cte d w it.h the cutter proved that
c th e chan ge in leve l cove ring a te mperatur e range of
6 0 ° F. to 110° F. is no more than 1 db . He at ing up of
E th e drive coil, a s well as heat transmission from a
Th e rmo·Stylus a ssembly. had little or no effect.

Th e he ad will fit any standard lathe and is lightw eight

to reduce cutt e r bounce (marbl e ized e ffect on discs ).
Th e front plate cover is tapped to accommodate an
adapter fo r use with heate d stylus ( sold as necessary)
and the chuck fits st.andard short· shan k styli.

TECHNICAL DATA
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
30 cycl es to 15,000 cycles ± 2 db. Down no
more than " db at 20 cycl es and 20,000 cycl es.
TOTAL RMS HARMONIC DISTORTION
Below 1 % at 1000, cycles measured at 7 cm/ sec.
pea k recorded velocity (NARTB Standard Levell .
MATCHING IMPEDANCE
16 ohms .
Fic. lO.-Cut-away view of cutter bead (mvert¢).
D.C. RESISTANCE
Reprinl c d by p e rm ission of B.B.C. Main w inding 3.7 ohms, Feedback winding 23
ohms.
INDUCTANCE
The ends of th e armature A (shown separat e ly in Fig. Main w inding 1.65 MH.
10 are clamped b e tween two U-shaped stee l yo kes
TURNS RATIO
" S", within w hich li e two Ticonel magn ets "e" and the
Main w ind ing to Feedbac k wi nd ing 2 :5 to 1.
laminated pole-pie ce s "0", with their brass clamping
blo cks " E". Th e metal at th e bottom of th e slots at " AUDIO POWER REQUIRED
e ithe r e nd of the armature is shaped to form torsion At 1000 cycles to re co rd 7 em/ p er sec. ( 2 5fe
bars whi ch support t.he acti ve cen te r po rtion of the in ches/ sec.) p e a k recorded ve locity '( NARTB Stand-
ard l eve ll . 1.26 w atts or ± 31 dbm .
armature in the gop between the pol e pieces . To avoid
trouble wi th non·c xial defl ec tion s, th ese tors ion bars STABILITY
are made as short as possible, consiste nt w ith reason · Cha ng e in leve l less than 1 db from 6 0 ° F. to
able stress at ma x imum e xcursion. Through th e center 110° F.
of one of th e torsion bars passes th e long pla in shank STYLUS
of the cutter clamping screw "Fit; the thread is carried Standard shor t s hank % inches long .
in an exte rnal block "Cit. The shan k has a high tor · DAMPING
sio nal comp liance so that the presence of th e clamping Oow · Corn ing Si lkon e Flu id.
screw does not add appreciably to the mechanical im·
pedance of the arma ture. The coil "Hit lies in the MOUNTING
slots in the fac e s of the pole·piece s, and within th e Uni vers al mo u nting for all lathes. Cover Plate
tapp ed for mounting Fairchild Hot Thermo·Stylus.
main winding is a second coil which is connected to
th e cathodes of th e second stage of the GOTHAM PFB · • Fre quency re s pon se me a s ure d ..... ith PFB · 150WA Amplifi er, balan(e d
FM Madulotar, ond Buc kmon -Meyer lig ht Patte rn ,
150 WA ampl i fi ~ r, so as to provide negative feedbac k.
FM Modula to r, and Bu chm a nn- Meyer li ght Patle rn .
The method of damping th e mechanical resonance of
the armature (around 10 KC) is to introduce a Silicone
Damping Fluid into the air gaps between the' armature
.. A" and the pole- pieces " 0". Silicone is unique in
 SPECIFICATIONS:
GOTHAM PFB-150WA
Power Amplifier
GRAMP IAN ·GOTHAM INPUT IMPEDANCE
150/ 600 ohm, balanced o r unbalanced.
5 ,000 o hm, bridging • unbalanced.
2,500/ 10,000 ohm. bridging . balanced.
INPUT LEVEL REQUIREMENT
16 d bm 10 +" db m lo r mo'ching In p uh
1150/ 600) .
o dbm to + 20 dbm 10' 2.500/ 5.000 ohm bridg- .....
ing.
+ 8 dbm 10 + 28 dbm for 10,000 o hm. bridging.
Th e above me nl ioned input ' evoh ore req uired
01 1000 cydu 10 obloln 7 em/ tile. peak recordl d
..eladly (NARTS Standord l evel, o n J3 'h and "5
rpm pOlitions, and approximately 15 em / sec. peo .
re co rd e d ve loci ty 01 78 rpm .
GAIN (600 ohm Input)
"6 db 01 1000 cyclos (Flot, JJ'h & H ,pm
po.i, loM.
52 db 0 1 1000 eye'" (78 rpm po.ilion) .
fREQUENCY R£SPONSE (Comple m ontlng Cutto meod
to (lchlove RIAA racordlng curv o ± 2 db).
RIAA Re cording Curve within I db from 30
16.000 cyclu in 33 %. ".5 and 78 posl!ion ••
" FlAT"' posl! ion obo~e 1000 cycles wilh in I db
10 "0,000 cyclel .
f lC' e wdri~er od jul lmenh (oun le rel otkwise) .
DAMP ING FACTOR
Be ll e r Ihon "0 ..
RMS HA RM ONIC DISTORTI O N
l e u Ihon O.7 Y. 'rom "0 . 15 ,000 cycles 01
150 well s.
l e u Ihon 0.1 Y. 0 1 1000 cyclu 0 1 20 wolli.
INTEAMODULATION
Leu Ihon I'/' 01 1.50 woll l oulpul 14 : 1 '01; 0
50/ 7 .0 0 0 ) .
SIGNAl·TO. NOISE RATIO
6 2 db below I wall (7 (m /s ec. 'e(orded ve loci ty)
B" db below 1.50 Walls.
POWER CONSUMPTION
11 5 val li st/ 60 cycl es ; ling'e phole; (220 ~ol ll
lupp lied on special orderl.

--
2.B amp s 0 1 zero ou lpu l; 5 . .5 amps 01 UO wo tll
ou l.
METERING
750 mo . direct· ind lco ling plo le · curren t mete r.
CONTROLS
3 · posilion plole·melering ,wilchl " · posi tion equa l.
lizo lion con tra il 2 db/ slep gain (antra l, power
swi 'ch , two line lusu.
TERMINALS
Two 7 . (onloct bort ier Itr ipS I inpu l ond ou lp ul.
TUBES
I 12A X7. 3 12BH7. 2 6B l 7, 2 811·A, 2 3B28
16Bl"l.
MOUNTING DIMENSIONS
Two 19 " Iiondord rock unilt , 10.5 " high eo(h,
moa imum dep lh 11 ".
WEIGHT
Am pliflc r uni t 39 Ibs, Powe r Supply 6 8 Ib,. ne •.
FINISH
light-grey 0011 "A" boked enamel I Cover Pan el,
ovoiloble in RCA umber·grey or block 0 1 desired.
Con l,ol panel. in nolural brushed and on od iud
oluminum l engraved.

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SCHE M AT IC DIAGRA M, PO WER A MPLIfiER PfB-150 -WA
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REEVES EQUIPMENT CORP.

10 East 52"d Street , N ew York 22, N . Y. • PLaza 9·7190
Cobl e address: Reevesquip