Description: Two speed record player with radio.
Manufacturer: TESLA Bratislava, k.p.
Made in year(s): 1983-1985
Country of origin: Czechoslovakia
Status: Working
The Moderato 1037A is a combined record player with radio, made by the former Czechoslovak electrotechnical conglomerate TESLA in the early 1980s. The radio part can receive FM stereo broadcast with automatic frequency control (AFC) for both western CCIR 88-108MHz and eastern, now-obsolete OIRT 66-73MHz frequency bands. Up to 5 mechanical presets for quick tuning of favorite FM stations are supported. The receiver can also tune longwave (150-285kHz), medium wave (525-1605kHz) and two shortwave bands (5.95-11.075MHz and 11.975-21.75MHz). For FM broadcast there’s a three LED tuning/signal strength indicator and for AM we have an internal ferrite antenna switch.
My machine is equipped with an HC-16 semi automatic chassis with a crystal pickup equaling circa 50mN tracking force; the original 1037A model had an HC-15. The differences between these two chassis are negligible; both are two-speed, the tonearm has a functional damping system (even after 3 decades) and both offer automatic shut off at the end of the record.
Support for a magnetodynamic (moving magnet) cartridge was prepared inside the machine, for the user to drop in an RIAA compensation curve preamplifier.
The audio part of this rig sounds very good even after 30 years, with no “foreign intervention” to internal assembly (no renovation of electronic parts), except replacing the pickup. Just the pushbuttons, volume and stereo balance controls crackle a bit. Anyways, it blasts with 10 watt RMS audio output and the wooden, 2-band loudspeakers add some nifty bass to the sound.
The machine is powered from a 220V 50Hz mains and the total weight excluding the speakers is 13.6 kg.
With original 25 year old pickup…
A Boney M classic, with pickup replaced