Sonora Orthophonic

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travisgreyfox
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Sonora Orthophonic

Post by travisgreyfox »

Seen this on ebay. Anybody know how these things sound? At $150 it seems like a decent deal to me.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/SONORA-ORTHOPH ... SwMxxc~SBY
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stetam
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Re: Sonora Orthophonic

Post by stetam »

Check out his youtube link. The machine sounds real nice.

Stetam

VanEpsFan1914
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Re: Sonora Orthophonic

Post by VanEpsFan1914 »

The condition is amazing and would be a good buy even if it were equipped with conventional pre-'25 tonearm.

OrthoFan
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Re: Sonora Orthophonic

Post by OrthoFan »

Is the "Super Fine" sound box equipped with the mica diaphragm original to this model, or is it a replacement, culled from an earlier model, for the Sonora "Tonalic" sound box? According to Joe Wakeman's Sonora book, it should have the new style reproducer equipped with an aluminum diaphragm, etc..

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AZ*
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Re: Sonora Orthophonic

Post by AZ* »

The soundbox is a Super Fine and has a mica diaphragm as shown in ebay listing.
Best regards ... AZ*

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Re: Sonora Orthophonic

Post by OrthoFan »

AZ* wrote:The soundbox is a Super Fine and has a mica diaphragm as shown in ebay listing.
I looked over my question and see I didn't word it very well. What I was wondering was, is the Super Fine sound box the correct one for this model, or should it have a Tonalic sound box like the larger Tonalic models?

I haven't come across very many Sonora Phonographs from the late 1920s, and most of those I've seen did not have their original reproducers. Apparently, as with other pot metal sound boxes, they were prone to disintegrate with time.

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BillH_NJ
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Re: Sonora Orthophonic

Post by BillH_NJ »

I acquired this machine from the eBay auction. It did have the Super Fine soundbox but I replaced it with a No. 5 that I have. The gasket on the No. 5 is new and not an exact match to the original, but the tonearm does appear to be designed to mount the Tonalic reproducer. The result can be heard here — https://youtu.be/opInGRD0yW4.

Bill

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Re: Sonora Orthophonic

Post by OrthoFan »

BillH_NJ wrote:I acquired this machine from the eBay auction. It did have the Super Fine soundbox but I replaced it with a No. 5 that I have. The gasket on the No. 5 is new and not an exact match to the original, but the tonearm does appear to be designed to mount the Tonalic reproducer. The result can be heard here — https://youtu.be/opInGRD0yW4.

Bill
No. 5, as in Sonora No. 5? -- http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... =2&t=13601

Judging from the video, it sounds pretty good; similar to a Victor Consolette.

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BillH_NJ
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Re: Sonora Orthophonic

Post by BillH_NJ »

Yes, a Sonora No. 5. Pot metal back is in decent shape although the diaphragm has a couple of dents.

VanEpsFan1914
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Re: Sonora Orthophonic

Post by VanEpsFan1914 »

The machine sounds very nice--still has the mica-diaphragm sound that we associate with a 1920s phonograph but with the lid closed it really does put out. A nicely designed phonograph, and worthy of any collection--well worth shoehorning in there behind that Grafonola, like you did!

I love the test record too. Wouldn't it be nice if Gilbert & Sullivan records were more common?

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