I wonder if anyone has an opinion about this soundbox in terms of how good it is ?
Also, does it have a different size tone-arm fitting to that of the No 4 and 5a soundboxes ?
Thanks for any help you can give.
(I couldn't find any previous threads about this soundbox incidentally).
HMV number 21 soundbox
-
- Victor VI
- Posts: 3463
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 3:21 pm
Re: HMV number 21 soundbox
I think they were a cheap soundbox for cheap machines.
They used pot metal in their construction, and one of mine has swollen enough to crack the chrome plated mask/front where it forms the narrow edge of the body.
Mine both sound fairly good in my opinion, but not as good as a 5a/b.
If I remember correctly they fit the same size tonearm as a No.4.
They used pot metal in their construction, and one of mine has swollen enough to crack the chrome plated mask/front where it forms the narrow edge of the body.
Mine both sound fairly good in my opinion, but not as good as a 5a/b.
If I remember correctly they fit the same size tonearm as a No.4.
-
- Victor II
- Posts: 346
- Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2011 8:50 pm
Re: HMV number 21 soundbox
You have a picture of it?
-
- Victor Monarch Special
- Posts: 5204
- Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2011 1:21 pm
- Personal Text: An analogue relic trapped in a digital world.
- Location: The Somerset Levels, UK.
Re: HMV number 21 soundbox
The HMV No.21 is a rebadged Columbia No.15, an excellent soundbox. The cheap HMV soundbox is the No.23.
- Attachments
-
- 21f.jpg (31.1 KiB) Viewed 498 times
-
- 21r.jpg (37.26 KiB) Viewed 498 times
- poodling around
- Victor V
- Posts: 2140
- Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:52 am
- poodling around
- Victor V
- Posts: 2140
- Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:52 am
Re: HMV number 21 soundbox
Thank you as always epigramophone.epigramophone wrote: ↑Thu Nov 17, 2022 3:43 am The HMV No.21 is a rebadged Columbia No.15, an excellent soundbox. The cheap HMV soundbox is the No.23.
I had the feeling that it may be a good soundbox as it is heavy and seems well constucted.
Two things puzzle me though. Firstly, the one I have has a different inscription on the reverse side - it only has the patent number and not the HMV model number. (I can't find the patent on-line either). Maybe this is an early one ?
The second thing is it is slightly too small to fit an HMV 101 tone-arm - which leads me to wonder if the fitting size is unique ?
-
- Victor IV
- Posts: 1313
- Joined: Sun May 27, 2012 2:38 pm
- Location: United Kingdom
Re: HMV number 21 soundbox
This excellent soundbox was fitted to the HMV 97, which has a smaller bore arm.poodling around wrote: ↑Thu Nov 17, 2022 5:33 am
The second thing is it is slightly too small to fit an HMV 101 tone-arm - which leads me to wonder if the fitting size is unique ?
Barry
- poodling around
- Victor V
- Posts: 2140
- Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:52 am
Re: HMV number 21 soundbox
Aha. Fantastic !Phono48 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 17, 2022 5:46 amThis excellent soundbox was fitted to the HMV 97, which has a smaller bore arm.poodling around wrote: ↑Thu Nov 17, 2022 5:33 am
The second thing is it is slightly too small to fit an HMV 101 tone-arm - which leads me to wonder if the fitting size is unique ?
Barry
Shame that I can't use this then unless I can make an adapter. (Or buy an HMV 97 - no room for that though tbh).
Thank you very much indeed Phono48.
-
- Victor IV
- Posts: 1313
- Joined: Sun May 27, 2012 2:38 pm
- Location: United Kingdom
Re: HMV number 21 soundbox
I have two HMV 97s, a green and a black. The green ones' 21 soundbox has simply "Made in England" on the back, and the black ones' has nothing at all, completely plain. As the 21s were also used on the Columbia 204 (numbered 15A) could it have been more logical to remove all markings on the backs so that they could be used for both machines? It would seem logical, as some of the 204s I have also have also have plain backs to the soundboxes. If so, then that would indicate that the one pictured by emigramophone (above) is an early version, and yours and mine are later.poodling around wrote: ↑Thu Nov 17, 2022 5:33 am Two things puzzle me though. Firstly, the one I have has a different inscription on the reverse side - it only has the patent number and not the HMV model number. (I can't find the patent on-line either). Maybe this is an early one ?
Barry
Last edited by Phono48 on Thu Nov 17, 2022 8:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
- poodling around
- Victor V
- Posts: 2140
- Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:52 am
Re: HMV number 21 soundbox
Maybe. But the HMV one has the dog and the columbia one the musical note. So, inter-changing would not have bothered them ?Phono48 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 17, 2022 8:39 amI have two HMV 97s, a green and a black. The green ones' 21 soundbox has simply "Made in England" on the back, and the black ones' has nothing at all, completely plain. As the 21s were also used on the Columbia 204s could it have been more logical to remove all markings on the backs so that they could be used for both machines? It would seem logical, as some of the 204s I have also have also have plain backs to the soundboxes. If so, then that would indicate that the one pictured by emigramophone (above) is an early version, and yours and mine are later.poodling around wrote: ↑Thu Nov 17, 2022 5:33 am Two things puzzle me though. Firstly, the one I have has a different inscription on the reverse side - it only has the patent number and not the HMV model number. (I can't find the patent on-line either). Maybe this is an early one ?
Barry