Just to put in my "two cents" I have restored probably 8 or 10 Vitaphones of various styles, both internal and external horn. My experience is that they can be made to sound just as good as a "conventional" disc talking machine, depending on many factors -- not the least of which is how messed up they have been made by previous owners trying to "patch them up." And whether they are the version withy the weight or version with the spring, etc. etc. etc. But, in short, I believe the system is a good one and a viable rival to any Victrola.
Best to all, Tim Fabrizio ---- Original Message ---- From: DanKj <ediso...@verizon.net> To: Antique Phonograph List <phono-l@oldcrank.org> Sent: Fri, Sep 13, 2013 11:03 pm Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Vitaphone acoustic machine Your 60 is almost identical to my 50; was 60 the Canadian version? I also see that yours lacks the big weight that mine has, on the business end of the 'tone arm' ; I wonder if that would explain why mine is loud & yours is anemic ... ----- Original Message ----- From: "Greg Bogantz" <gbogan...@charter.net> To: "Antique Phonograph List" <phono-l@oldcrank.org> Sent: Friday, September 13, 2013 9:51 PM Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Vitaphone acoustic machine > This topic of the Vitaphone had come up last year on the TMF forum. I > posted some pictures there then that showed the way the thread connected > the wooden needle bar to the reproducer diaphragm. I've added a few more > pictures there that show more of the model 60 machine. Here's the link to > that page for those who want to see the pictures: > > http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=11354 > > Greg Bogantz > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ron L'Herault" <lhera...@bu.edu> > To: "'Antique Phonograph List'" <phono-l@oldcrank.org> > Sent: Friday, September 13, 2013 8:42 PM > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Vitaphone acoustic machine > > >> Thanks for the detailed reply, Greg. I have seen pictures of this style >> already. Amazing. >> >> Ron >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: phono-l-boun...@oldcrank.org [mailto:phono-l-boun...@oldcrank.org] >> On >> Behalf Of Greg Bogantz >> Sent: Friday, September 13, 2013 3:59 PM >> To: Antique Phonograph List >> Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Vitaphone acoustic machine >> >> Hi Ron, >> >> I have a Vitaphone model 60 which is the consolette version of this >> machine. Yes, I'd say it is "anemic" compared with most other machines >> of >> this vintage. The reason is pretty obvious - the design of the acoustic >> system is pretty silly. What appears to be the "tonearm" is more easily >> understood as being actually a HUGE stylus bar. The long wooden piece >> has >> the needle attached at the front end and it is expected to transmit the >> needle vibrations along the length of this wooden bar to a string at the >> back end which is coupled under tension to the center of the reproducer >> diaphragm which is located at the back of the tonearm. The actual >> tonearm >> is a metal structure positioned under the wooden bar that has a vertical >> and >> lateral pivot near the front that supports the wooden needle bar and >> allows >> both vertical and lateral wiggling of the wooden bar. As you can >> suspect, >> the compliance of this arrangement is ridiculously poor with a HUGE >> amount >> of mass (the whole wooden bar) having to be moved by the needle. The >> string >> that couples the back of the wooden bar to the diaphragm can be strung >> over >> a metal hook at the back of the lateral tonearm pivot stanchion which >> causes >> the tension in the string to be directed kinda sorta laterally to the >> diaphragm. This is the way the system is supposed to be set to play >> lateral >> records. The more direct linkage of the string drawing down vertically >> from >> the diaphragm (not threaded over the metal hook) is the setup for playing >> vertical records. As you might expect, the vertical setup is more >> efficient >> and sensitive than the lateral setup. Consequently, I most often use my >> Vitaphone to play Pathe Sapphire discs with a sapphire ball stylus in the >> needle chuck. It sounds better playing Pathes than any lateral records. >> Theoretically, you could play Edison DDs by mounting an Edison diamond >> point >> in the needle chuck. But the tonearm friction is high enough that I >> haven't >> wanted to try playing DDs on the machine. In any case, the sound >> transmission thru the bizarre needle bar system is pretty inefficient and >> lossy which makes the Vitaphone have little volume compared with more >> conventional players, either Edisons, Pathes, or Victors. And the high >> moving mass of the wooden bar causes considerable loss of treble >> response, >> so the sound is pretty mellow compared with other machines. It's >> actually >> fairly pleasant and less honky than other acoustic players. >> >> The other weirdness of the model 60 is the complicated plumbing that >> connects the diaphragm output to the horn which is inside the LID of the >> player! So there are swivel joints that allow the horn to be tilted >> upward >> with the lid as it is raised, while still enabling the acoustic plumbing >> to >> remain intact and functional. So it will play through the horn with the >> lid >> either open or closed. Definitely different. Still, it's a neat looking >> piece that is seldom seen and it does work after a fashion. I have >> pictures >> of my model 60 if you would like to see them. >> >> Greg Bogantz >> >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Ron L'Herault" <lhera...@verizon.net> >> To: <phonol...@yahoogroups.com>; "'Antique Phonograph List'" >> <phono-l@oldcrank.org> >> Sent: Friday, September 13, 2013 1:44 PM >> Subject: [Phono-L] Vitaphone acoustic machine >> >> >>>A few MOCAPS members have been discussing the lateral/vertical Vitaphone >>> phono from the teens, early 20s. Only one member heard one 20 or more >>> years ago and that one may have been unrestored. He found it "anemic" >>> sounding. Soooo, I was wondering if any listmate(s) have a restored >>> Vitaphone (it has a wooden tone arm and connects to the diaphragm via a >>> string AFAIK). How does it sound compared to the Name brand machines >>> of >>> the same era? >>> >>> Thanks, >>> >>> >>> Ron L >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Phono-L mailing list >>> http://phono-l.org >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Phono-L mailing list >> http://phono-l.org >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Phono-L mailing list >> http://phono-l.org > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.org _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.org _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.org
