Newbie with an Odeon SIb

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Patrik_P
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Newbie with an Odeon SIb

Post by Patrik_P »

Good day I am new to the forum and to gramophones so i came here for advice and information.

I have recently got gramophones and 78rpm records stuck in my head after watching a Youtube video about wind-up acoustic gramophones and remembering that we have a portable one sitting in the basement. So I thought it would be fun to get a few records with classical music to enjoy in the evening.
Now the gramophone is an Odeon SIb and i have not been able to find much if any information about it. There is no model or production number on it, all it say is "Odeon SIb" on the "record loft" and a small painted on "Import" in the corner. The motor is simply stamped "26 S" and the reproducer says "Odeon 5301 made in Germany"

Does anyone know anything about the machine? I would like to know production years, quality if it was an expensive or cheap machine and what sound quality you can expect from a rebuilt unit.
As you can see on the last picture the reproducer is in a sorry state. The pot metal is swollen and cracked and has lost a good chunk, it buzzes on high pitched notes or louder sections of the record. I have seen new reproduction soundboxes on ebay with similar back plates in screw pattern and diameter, usually of HMV design. Could i use one of those to either put in my Odeon or bolt on the flange from the Odeon on to the new one? Or is there a vintage one from another brand, for a reasonable price, that would fit?

Thank you for your time and knowledge. Regards: Patrik
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Last edited by Patrik_P on Mon Apr 05, 2021 9:08 am, edited 1 time in total.

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nostalgia
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Re: Newbi with an Odeon SIb

Post by nostalgia »

Welcome to the forum, Patrik.
I have myself quite a few Odeon machines, portables and also a floor model, and some horn models. Odeon, under the Lindstrom umbrella, made a LOT of different gramophones, and many of them are not yet listed here on the forum, since unknown models ( to forum members) still show up from time to time. If you find a Parlophon soundbox out there, they are also compatible with Odeon machines, since Parlophon also was a Lindstrom company, and many of their machines/ soundboxes are exactly similar, only with different brand names on the end product.
I am sure many more in here can tell you much more about soundboxes, since my focus had been mainly on restoring machines since I re started the hobby around 2 years ago after a very long hiatus. I however know that both Odeon and Parlophon soundboxes will fit your machine. I actually uploaded photos of your Odeon SIb to the forum back in January this year. I started a thread last year trying to add German portables to the thread, and since then quite a few Odeon/ Parlophon portables have been added to the thread. You will see your machine on this page: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=46077&hilit=GERMAN ... S&start=10
I believe your machine is what we can maybe call an average machine, it bears resamblance to the excellent HMV 101, that many portables " borrowed" their look from, but I will not say the Odeon SIb is of the same quality, far from really. That being said, Odeon/Parlophon made some excellent portables, and some of them will be seen on the above link. There are also many other beautiful Odeon/Parlophon portables out there that are not listed, I have myself seen at least two different models the last year, that really were beautiful and rare models and were sold for really high prices on online auctions, and do not look to be inferior to some of the best UK made portables thinking of design and build quality ( not everyone may agree here, I know...)
Sound quailty and horn designs are a constant discussion though, and everyone seem to have their preferences...

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Re: Newbi with an Odeon SIb

Post by Inigo »

The pity with these Odeon soundboxes is the pot metal they were made of, which has aged very badly, judging by the examples I've seen. But they should have sounded great when new.
I would also add that a later Thorens or Paillard soundbox would be of similar good quality and maybe they also fit in the tonearm. And those are easy to find... Thorens Prismaphonic models or Paillard Maestrophone would sound very well on this machine. Don't know where you are, but these are pretty common in continental Europe.
Inigo

Patrik_P
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Re: Newbi with an Odeon SIb

Post by Patrik_P »

Thank you Nostalgia and Inigo for your replies they were very informative.

I did read that thread earlier last week and it was very interesting. I didn't expect this to be an expensive model but I hoped it wasn't the cheapest, that assures me that i will have a good sounding gramophone when i get a new soundbox and do some improvements that i have read about.

I'm from Sweden and there are four Paillard Maestrophonic reproducers on Ebay right now. One of them is a No 18 and is in Germany for 60 EUR and looks in fairly good nick, is that a high or reasonable price? The others are No 17 and also No 18 and they are all from India and around 40-45 EUR but in worse condition. No Odeon/Parlophone soundbox listed yet.

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nostalgia
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Re: Newbi with an Odeon SIb

Post by nostalgia »

Myself I would not advice you to buy soundboxes from India, I will send you a pm about how to possibly get hold of a soundbox for your gramophone in Sweden.

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Inigo
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Re: Newbie with an Odeon SIb

Post by Inigo »

It's a pity, but most soundboxes from Indian sellers on eBay seem to be rusted and in poor condition...
And very expensive!
Attach to the advice of nostalgia, or look in European eBay sources.
Inigo

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mrrgstuff
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Re: Newbie with an Odeon SIb

Post by mrrgstuff »

Inigo wrote: Mon Apr 05, 2021 9:29 am It's a pity, but most soundboxes from Indian sellers on eBay seem to be rusted and in poor condition...
And very expensive!
Attach to the advice of nostalgia, or look in European eBay sources.
I noticed that too. I always wondered why the fakes didn't also use the soundboxes that came off the portables the motors came from (though the modern ones contain no original parts). Maybe they were worth too much, or maybe they were already rusted? I guess various accumulations of soundboxes are getting put onto the market now. Maybe they are the remnants of stock held by gramophone repair shops.
I do remember seeing an article about one of the last old time gramophone repair shops in India, it looked like an absolutely fascinating place :D

Patrik_P
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Re: Newbie with an Odeon SIb

Post by Patrik_P »

Well an amazing turn of events occurred last week. Through a combination of freezing and penetrating oil I was able to get the soundbox apart, without breaking it (anymore than it already was). I made new paper gaskets for it. The diaphragm was dented which i managed to smooth out and remake to the correct shape.
I still plan on replacing it but for now I think it sounds pretty good!
Although i don't have a much of a reference yet. What do you think?

[YouTube]https://youtu.be/YsrWeP_AFrw[/YouTube]

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