Ultraphone

[briankeith]

Ultraphone built in Germany around 1920. This particular phonograph was sold under the brandname “ Ultraphone” with Miraphonic soundboxes. The weird thing about this machine is the design and the fact that it has 2 inside horns, 2 tone arms, and 2 sound boxes that play at the same time. Too bad the case is rather ugly,,, but unusual to say the least.

[emgcr]

What does it sound like ? Do you get an element of reverb' which would presumably be variable in degree depending upon when you introduce the second soundbox/needle ? Fascinating !

[briankeith]

Not mine - I just spotted it on the web while searching for off-brand machines.

[Sidewinder]

This one pictured above is one of the later models, from 1927 / 1928

The earlier standing model - as pictured below - with 2 speakers is the one to own. Also was available in a smaller tabletop version


- Earlier models used its own Soundboxes - not sure why they switched to a competitor brand?
- the 2 matching soundboxes differed only in so far that the needle screws were reversed - ie needles could be replaced from the same side when the soundboxes were in situ
- soundboxes were attached to each other so that they could be lowered onto the record (theoretically) simultaneously and pre-aligned.

(standing machine from the website of the Deutsches Museum)

[estott]

Same principle as the Polyphone attachment for cylinder machines. I rigged up a setup like this on a Victrola. Even with the needles very close together you get a doubling of sound- like two singers or musicians in unison. interesting, but after a while it could be annoying- I think that might be why Ultraphon switched to separate arms, so you could just use the one.

[Sidewinder]

The contraption that joined the 2 reproducers could be uncoupled. It does actually make a big difference using 1 or both reproducers. Together you get a surprisingly bigger volume and a sound far better than that with the polyphon attachment.

[emgcr]

Here's a link to a working machine I found on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FME32Ggh ... video_user

[estott]

Very effective- although the doubling effect gets more noticeable during the vocal.

[Andreas Gramophones]

I am restoring one of these, from scratch and soon it will be ready, I will post photos and video soon for you to enjoy

[bigshot]

Is the doubling different at the outer groove than the inner groove? It seems like it would get more separate as the record goes on.