Edison Diamond diaphragm ..Testing over Production next

[Herman]

I have devoted some time in developing a high-quality diaphragm for the Edison Diamond series B C A reproducers. Simple but effective. I believe this diaphragm processes the higher frequencies well while lowering surface noise.
I believe what I have is now as close as you can get to the perfect diaphragm.
This diaphragm has been tested by the Reproducer guru (You know who I am talking about)

I have invested in tools and machined jigs to ensure that each diaphragm are an exact copy in the process.

I need four testers and here is my offer.

I will mail the diaphragm with a pair of gaskets (also from my production) for free to four takers USA only, who are willing to test and report their findings.

My conditions are simple for the 4 chosen.

1: You have experience in replacing your own diaphragms and confident that your stylus is in good shape.

2: You agree to install and test the diaphragm within 1 week of receiving the diaphragm and you send a PM or email when you receive.

3: Ensure you test on a cylinder or cylinders that you are familiar with the sound reproduction before and after using my diaphragm.

4: Post your unbiased results of your tests positive neutral or negative on the open forum here.

Any suggestions as to improving the design are welcome.

Send me a PM of your interest and a simple sentence as to why I should select you.
I will post when they are all taken.

Thanks
Herman

[Mormon S]

I would love to take this offer if I had a diamond B at the moment

Martin

[VanEpsFan1914]

I sent a PM. If it can make an Amberola 30 sound good, it can make anything sound good!

[Herman]

I sent a PM. If it can make an Amberola 30 sound good, it can make anything sound good!

Check your PM

[barnettrp21122]

I accepted one of Herman's new Diamond A_B_C diaphragms for testing and have just pm'd him the results. He asked that I might post my impressions here:

Hello again Herman:
I've had a good time making up comparisons between an original Edison diaphragm in good condition with new gaskets, and your new diaphragm with your own new gaskets.
I set up a digital recorder with a Neumann TLM 103 microphone about 3 feet in front of my Edison Opera machine and recorded several excerpts of Blue Amberol cylinders, all directly recorded pre-2500 series. I recorded male and female solo voices, a string and piano trio, bells with orchestra, and dance and military bands.

The microphone wasn't moved nor the recording volume changed between comparison recordings. The recording volume was manually set and no auto-level control was engaged.
I suggest listening to these files on a good audio setup or with good headphones if possible. The differences will otherwise be less apparent.

Here is a link to my Dropbox folder with the comparison files:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/erg7wi31kdan ... 3bg4a?dl=0

You'll notice in the upper right-hand corner the "download" button you can use to download these video files.

The video files of each title are labeled "A-B labeling" and "described labeling." The audio of each title is exactly the same. You will notice when listening across different selections that "A" is not always the same diaphragm, and similarly with "B".
The "described labeling" files will tell which diaphragm is which in each selection.
I'd suggest playing each A-B file first, listening to decide which diaphragm is which, and then playing the "described labeling" file to see how your guesses came out. I think you will understand all this after you play a couple files!

Here are my impressions:
The original Edison diaphragm seemed louder, but measuring decibal output the peaks of the loudest music were really only about
1 db louder than your diaphragm. The original had more high-end hiss and crackle, which is most apparent in the "Gavotte"
selection, a softer recording of a string and piano trio.
Your diaphragm seems to de-emphasize a good deal of useless high-frequency surface noise without muddying up the middle and low-end frequencies, such as they are with a good Edison recording.
I did not take apart one of Steve Medved's rebuilds (I didn't want to mess anything up with it!) and my impression with his is that the volume was very slightly lower than yours, but with about the same overall sound otherwise.
I've experimented in the past swapping out good and not-so-good styli across different diaphragms of different materials, and in my opinion a good stylus will make any diaphragm sound better, mainly in regards to distortion and volume.
To sum it up, I've very happy with your diaphragm and will keep it installed for future listening! Good luck with your research!
Best regards
Bob Barnett

[wjw]

Bob, I gotta say that microphone really likes music. The drop box presentation is very ably done and entertaining. I wish I could put together stuff like that. Herman, the diaphragm linkage is very nice work! It's reproduction seems smoother across its range than the original but I think the treble should be extended just a little. As a disclaimer, my hearing drops off badly above 9,000 Hz, so I have a built in hiss filter while enjoying the higher frequencies of the old recordings.
-bill

[VanEpsFan1914]

Charles here...also testing the new diaphragm. I am using an Edison Amberola 30 serial 229834--which has had its moments of internet fame as a test dummy for new veneer, a possible candidate for latest surviving Amberola 30, and now as a diaphragm tester.

The diaphragm is of excellent workmanship. I believe it will give the clarity of mica but without the metallic bark of a Victor machine. Installation was twice as easy as installing the True-Tone diaphragm. Rather than a figure eight of thread to hook over the stylus bar, Herman's new diaphragm has only a double loop soaked in cyanoacrylicate cement.

Unfortunately, this is the Achilles' heel of the diaphragm. The linkage would offer a wonderful transfer of sound but there is no provision for adjusting length--only the size of the hole. I installed it and the phonograph produced only a faint, faraway sound like the clucking of distant chickens . The test cylinder was Blue Amberol 4827 Samuel Johnson (Get Thee Gone From Here).

I will attempt to repair the diaphragm while staying true to Herman's original innovative design, and am looking forward very much to the results! Stay tuned...


UPDATE: After evicting a third gasket from the reproducer (part of my hot-rodding which I had forgotten about and thought would still work) the reproducer was now complete enough to play two cylinders. I played Edisonia Records' re-release of Stars, by B. A. Rolfe's Orch., and an original Blue Amberol of "The Battle of the Marne," a descriptive piece for concert band.

"Stars" sounded nice, as always. It is a difficult recording for any small cylinder phonograph, and I was fairly surprised at the sound but found it not too different from my November 2017 TrueTone to make a big comparison.

"The Battle of the Marne" was a nice surprise, being much clearer in certain parts and showcasing more of the individual instruments. No mean feat, that, especially considering how a phonograph sends all these sounds through a tiny metal throat and dumps them headlong down a metal horn. I was disappointed in the way it started "breaking up" like a cassette tape which is beginning to wear...but on the whole, I would rate it the same as the TrueTone, an adequate one...

Or so I thought. My opinion was about to be changed.

The machine then broke down when the linkage (being very stiff) slipped off the stylus bar hook. A quick adjustment and a cleaning of the needle and the old Model 30 whizzed back to life.

Next record--Vulcan Records' No. 404, "Down South" by B. A. Rolfe & Orch., re-released from what I believe was a 1929 recording on the Edison label. This is one of my favorite cylinders of all time and I am finding elements of its smooth jazzy harmonies I had no idea existed. My original Edison diaphragm barely played it. The True-Tone really did a marvelous job, but tended to distortion with some of the mid-range notes. This weird-looking new diaphragm lacks the volume of the TrueTone, approximating more the softness of an original Edison product. However, the banjo solo was crisp, almost as if the fingers of the musician were plucking the stylus linkage itself. No more rolled-off notes, nor fuzziness--not to mention, surface noise (the plague of modern cylinders, which are a bit swishier than a well-preserved original in my inexpert opinion) was greatly diminished, improving signal to noise ratios.

This is a listener's diaphragm. I was playing that record on a late-production Amberola 30 with a grill cloth on and the lid hanging wide open. If it can boost the performance of that, I would say

THIS is going to be the Next Big Thing in cylinder record diaphragms, and I certainly hope that they are made available for the smaller reproducers. If there was one available for the Model K Combination, then the future of the Edison Fireside would be changed immensely.

Great work, Herman! We're loving that sound--

Verdict:

It's as good as the TrueTone on some records, and on a lot of other records it's even better.

[Herman]

Working on the Model C-H-K

I did do some work on a Model R and had great results.

Stay tuned. Also will be working on my version of an electric pickup that attaches to the reproducer. My design will be different from anything out there.
It will have a built in amplifier that will power a stand alone speaker. I plan to have 2 outputs. 1 High level to power a speaker and 2 low level output to connect to your PC/Laptop or external stereo system.

[Canuk Phonographs]

Wow, not much I can say after the previous extensive testing reports that have been done. I can add that I found it extremely easy to install.
I used Wyatt's installation guidelines and dusted the rubber gaskets with talcum powder and I only tightened sufficiently to get a proper air seal.
The link itself was very easy to install. An easy and quick repair.

Good luck Herman,

Blain

[VanEpsFan1914]

After a few weeks of simple enjoyment I must say that Herman's new diaphragm is as good as Larry H's famous TrueTone, even squeezing sound from a nice Edisonia reprint of "I'm Gonna Bring a Watermelon To My Girl To-Night." These mid-1920s dubbed titles are very fun to listen to but are not quite the thing for critical listening, as the Edison works was phasing the technology out...

But I must say that the good work done by Rob making crisp replica records combined with the excellent tone-grabbing qualities of the new diaphragm. The midrange was, as usual, solid, and the treble was nice and crisp, highlighting the tenor voice.

An excellent effort to upgrade our aging phonographs and keep them motoring along into the future. As cylinder records continue to be manufactured and sold, these are remarkably functional little pieces of audio gear to be had for a small sum--if you own an Edison Diamond cylinder reproducer or any Amberola at all, try one. You will like the sound!