Novice question on Victrola reproducers

Discussions on Talking Machines & Accessories
Post Reply
User avatar
mick_vt
Victor I
Posts: 167
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2019 1:09 pm
Personal Text: Foxtrotaholic
Location: Central Vermont

Novice question on Victrola reproducers

Post by mick_vt »

I have a 1913 XVI with an exhibition reproducer, will a #2 reproducer fit my arm, and if it does would it sound different? Inquisitive mind looking to be educated
Last edited by mick_vt on Wed Jan 09, 2019 8:55 am, edited 1 time in total.

AmberolaAndy
Victor V
Posts: 2417
Joined: Fri May 26, 2017 10:15 pm
Location: A small town near Omaha, Nebraska

Re: Novice question on Victorola reproducers

Post by AmberolaAndy »

mick_vt wrote:I have a 1913 XVI with an exhibition reproducer, will a #2 reproducer fit my arm, and if it does would it sound different? Inquisitive mind looking to be educated
Yes it certainly will! I don’t have a exhibition reproducer to compare but I think a #2 would have more volume.

zenith82
Victor II
Posts: 318
Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2013 1:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: Novice question on Victorola reproducers

Post by zenith82 »

A #2 will work, though it will no longer be "authentic" :D That said, I've seen a few Exhibition era machines over the years where the owners had upgraded their reproducer.

User avatar
mick_vt
Victor I
Posts: 167
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2019 1:09 pm
Personal Text: Foxtrotaholic
Location: Central Vermont

Re: Novice question on Victorola reproducers

Post by mick_vt »

Thanks guys, I have just had the original reproducer rebuilt, it will stay with the machine so long as I have it. I was just thinking it might be nice to mess with an alternate from time to time. I didn't want to bother buying one if it would not fit, or the sound would be weirdly off with it. I beieve they fitted them on later XVIs but the tone arm on those was a different shape too I think?

52089
Victor VI
Posts: 3745
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 7:54 pm

Re: Novice question on Victorola reproducers

Post by 52089 »

mick_vt wrote:Thanks guys, I have just had the original reproducer rebuilt, it will stay with the machine so long as I have it. I was just thinking it might be nice to mess with an alternate from time to time. I didn't want to bother buying one if it would not fit, or the sound would be weirdly off with it. I beieve they fitted them on later XVIs but the tone arm on those was a different shape too I think?
Any tonearm that accepts an Exhibition also accepts a No. 2. The inner diameters on both flanges is identical.

gramophone78
Victor VI
Posts: 3946
Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2009 9:42 am
Location: Western Canada

Re: Novice question on Victorola reproducers

Post by gramophone78 »

mick_vt wrote:Thanks guys, I have just had the original reproducer rebuilt, it will stay with the machine so long as I have it. I was just thinking it might be nice to mess with an alternate from time to time. I didn't want to bother buying one if it would not fit, or the sound would be weirdly off with it. I beieve they fitted them on later XVIs but the tone arm on those was a different shape too I think?
In order to achieve a proper comparison, you would also have to rebuild the #2. There are always many on Ebay for sale. A couple hours ago one was a BIN for $38 with box. The reproducer was nickel and the box was for a gold finish. Still, a very good deal and sold fast.

User avatar
jmad7474
Victor I
Posts: 114
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2018 10:46 pm
Personal Text: "Don't Deny Yourself the Sheer Joy of Orthophonic Music"
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Contact:

Re: Novice question on Victrola reproducers

Post by jmad7474 »

As the other posters have said, a No. 2 will fit on the tonearm as they both have the same rear flange opening despite having the diaphragms of different sizes. However, if you have a lot of 78 rpm discs recorded in the electrical era (after 1925), I would advise getting a rebuilt Victrola #4 reproducer and using that instead of a #2 reproducer. This way, you have the Exhibition reproducer (which is original to the machine) but can swap it out for the #4 reproducer as needed, since it plays both acoustic and electric records safely and is less heavy on the records than a #2.

User avatar
mick_vt
Victor I
Posts: 167
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2019 1:09 pm
Personal Text: Foxtrotaholic
Location: Central Vermont

Re: Novice question on Victrola reproducers

Post by mick_vt »

Cool - thanks I will keep an eye out for one

User avatar
AZ*
Victor IV
Posts: 1143
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 8:51 pm
Location: USA

Re: Novice question on Victrola reproducers

Post by AZ* »

mick_vt wrote:Cool - thanks I will keep an eye out for one
Just be careful. Try to find a Victrola #4, and not a #4A. The #4A is made from pot metal, and many have swollen and cracked -- much like the pot metal Orthophonics, so they are not easily overhauled. Unfortunately, the #4As are much more common than the brass #4s.
Best regards ... AZ*

Post Reply