Electrola C106U, new acquisition questions.

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Hoodoo
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Electrola C106U, new acquisition questions.

Post by Hoodoo »

These photos did not attach in the order I thought they would, dang!
Anyway, I got this at a local auction yesterday and did some research on it and learned a thing or two, but also have some questions someone may be able to answer.
The motor is a Dual, it is a spring-driven AND electric, all in one motor. It is, in fact, the motor that gave the Dual company its name.
There is one flyball governor that regulates both the electric and the spring drives.
What is more, it is a universal electric motor that can run on either AC or DC current, AND there is a five position voltage selector, so one can set the machine to run on whatever power is available.
The cover for my selector is missing but I found a picture on the web and it has me a bit puzzled.
The bottom two positions show AC current ranges (~ symbol) which is pretty straight forward (in Canada I would use the bottom one, 100~120~), the top one shows DC curent (200=250=), but the other two seem to show both AC and DC (230~150= and 220~100=). What is going on there?
Does the U in the model number stand for universal, or is the U there because there is a half-wave rectifier in the system? Or both?? Or am I missing something completely?
I have not tried the electric motor yet, but the spring motor works.
Also, if the C in C106U stands for Canada, why is all the text in German and not English and French?
There is a hole marked “erde” (earth or ground in German), so if I am going to run the electric motor should I be plugging a ground wire in there and running it to earth?
The ID tag under the turntable says “fur ersatzteile bitte anzugeben (for spare parts please indicate) modell C106U app nr 3510 (the serial number, I think).
My reproducer is missing, but from what I have read, it should be the German equivalent of a victor 4.
The reproducer mount fits a Victor Orthophonic, but the tonearm itself is very narrow. The inner diameter at the reproducer end is just 11mm (7/16”), but there is a collar which fits the Orthophonic (and I suppose a no.4), which has an i.d. of 11/16”, I think.
I do have a Wyatt Markus rebuilt Orthophonic I can try on it once I get it running and am looking forward to that.
Cheers, all!
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Nat
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Re: Electrola C106U, new acquisition questions.

Post by Nat »

You seem to speak German, so this might be of help: https://grammophon-platten.de/e107_plug ... php?376.45
Electrola was a German brand, built near Berlin; the "u" must mean universal?

Sidewinder
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Re: Electrola C106U, new acquisition questions.

Post by Sidewinder »

In case you think that Electrola machines look quite similar to HMV models....

On 8 May 1925 the British “Gramophone Company” (HMV) founded Electrola GmbH in Nowawes (City near Berlin). In March 1931, HMV merged with Lindström's parent Columbia Gramophone Company to form EMI, Electrola being therefore the merged entity's German subsidiary.
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Hoodoo
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Re: Electrola C106U, new acquisition questions.

Post by Hoodoo »

Nat wrote: Sat Jul 27, 2024 7:14 pm You seem to speak German, so this might be of help: https://grammophon-platten.de/e107_plug ... php?376.45
Electrola was a German brand, built near Berlin; the "u" must mean universal?
I do not speak German, I just use google or my German/English dictionary, do I will see what I can glean from your link,
Thanks

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epigramophone
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Re: Electrola C106U, new acquisition questions.

Post by epigramophone »

The Electrola 106 used the HMV102 case, but was fitted with the 101 acoustic system. The reason for this was that the Dual motor would not fit inside the 102 horn.
The 106 was available with either dual or just spring power. My 106R, since sold, was spring powered.
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Electrola 106R.jpg

Oedipus
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Re: Electrola C106U, new acquisition questions.

Post by Oedipus »

'C' is nothing to do with Canada, it simply means the case is covered in black Cloth!

Hoodoo
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Re: Electrola C106U, new acquisition questions.

Post by Hoodoo »

Oedipus wrote: Sun Jul 28, 2024 9:53 am 'C' is nothing to do with Canada, it simply means the case is covered in black Cloth!
Aha! Thank you.

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epigramophone
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Re: Electrola C106U, new acquisition questions.

Post by epigramophone »

This R106UP has just appeared on eBay :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/405129404217 ... p_homepage

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