Meltrope III ball bearing size

[Ahmed]

Are you using standard 3mm gaskets? The Meltrope III uses 3.2mm gaskets, so a smaller gasket could cause the needle bar to rest at an angle

Another possible cause is the needle bar is is bent where it meets the diaphragm. Easily corrected by bending it back to shape, but that could end up breaking the whole thing if you're not careful.

If you're not getting much treble, I would think the faceplate is on too tight. Try easing off the bottom two screws just a hair and see how that performs. Perhaps replace the felt washers you've put in with something thinner and see if that does the trick? Lack of treble could also be caused by that odd angle of the needle bar, exerting pressure on the diaphragm at rest, which seriously affects how it sounds

Hope this helps

[Inigo]

Thanks for your advice.
I suppose that at a given moment I will come back to the Meltrope and try to do something about it.

[contessa]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Meltrope-111 ... SwnEtbM1SF

I greatly appreciate your help, but please read my OP!

[leels1]

Are you using standard 3mm gaskets? The Meltrope III uses 3.2mm gaskets, so a smaller gasket could cause the needle bar to rest at an angle

Another possible cause is the needle bar is is bent where it meets the diaphragm. Easily corrected by bending it back to shape, but that could end up breaking the whole thing if you're not careful.

If you're not getting much treble, I would think the faceplate is on too tight. Try easing off the bottom two screws just a hair and see how that performs. Perhaps replace the felt washers you've put in with something thinner and see if that does the trick? Lack of treble could also be caused by that odd angle of the needle bar, exerting pressure on the diaphragm at rest, which seriously affects how it sounds

Hope this helps

Interesting, I’ve used all sorts of different combos of gasket on some of my Meltrope IIIs. 4mm at the back and 3 at the front, 3.2 all round- also the inner diameter and wall thickness of the gasket material will make the compression different.

There’s some interesting combinations and sounds to be had!!

[Inigo]

Yes, yes... It seems there are infinite subtle changes that modify the arrangement and produce different sounds.
I complained to much about the lack of treble in my example. I removed all my tricky felt washers and things and reverted to the original assembly. I quit using it in the big hmv194, as the original 5a soundbox produced in that machine the best sound. Dulcetto, and others maybe, advised me on the issue of the matching of the soundbox with the sound system, and the fact that the Meltrope iii could maybe not be properly matched to the 194 sound conduit. I've lately been playing the Meltrope iii on a smaller system, that of the tabletop hmv127, and it sounds very very good. I adjusted the lid screws a bit tighter, and the sound of the Meltrope in this smaller horn is astonishing! Deep and warm. At times I revert to the 'tuned' hmv no4 soundbox in this machine, and it sounds very good too, but when I change to the Meltrope, the sound becomes much deeper and warm. Maybe too strong for that little machine, it seems that all the wood boards, needle tins, needle pots, etc vibrate with the music!
There the sound of the well 'tuned' hmv no4 gives a bit less bass, so the balance is more bright sound. The Meltrope gets it deeper and warmer, and higher power too... A different sound. I don't arrive at a definitive conclusion, so I swap soundboxes from time to time, and enjoy them both all the time!
It seems that the Meltrope tracks better on the highly modulated records of the 1940s, to which the no4 seems a bit surpassed...

[leels1]

I have mainly HMV machines, 145, 130 etc and 102s.

I have to say, I’m hardly using the 5a/b these days. Meltrope III mostly.

If you get your hands on a good Meltrope II that I think might be even better! I was super impressed with it on my HMV 152. I had to make an adapter but it works fine.

[Inigo]

Yes... I'm eager to find one of those. I bought my M3 years ago, from colleague Ken Priestley in Lancashire, I believe...