Edison C, H & K Reproducers Compared

[New Sterling]

My Edison 2/4 minute Home Phonograph has both the Model C and H reproducers. How does the sound quality of these compare to a model K reproducer, which can be switched for either 2 or 4 minute cylinders?

[FellowCollector]

Sound should be the same (all things considered: good styli, good diaphragms, etc.) since the diaphragms, tops, styli are the same.

Doug

[New Sterling]

What is a fair price for a good model K reproducer these days?

[Jerry B.]

I agree with Doug. With all three reproducers in good shape they should sound terrific. But remember that the K was standard equipment on the lowest priced Edisons, the Model D Gem and the Fireside A. It cost less to make one K compared to the total cost of a C and H which were standard equipment on the Standard and better Edison models. There must have been a reason. Maybe it was more difficult to keep the K properly adjusted. Maybe under laboratory conditions the C and H performed a click better but there must be a reason.

Jerry B.

[phonogfp]

I agree with Doug. With all three reproducers in good shape they should sound terrific. But remember that the K was standard equipment on the lowest priced Edisons, the Model D Gem and the Fireside A. It cost less to make one K compared to the total cost of a C and H which were standard equipment on the Standard and better Edison models. There must have been a reason. Maybe it was more difficult to keep the K properly adjusted. Maybe under laboratory conditions the C and H performed a click better but there must be a reason.

Jerry B.

I'd hazard a guess that the reason the Model K was less expensive was because it used only one tube plate, one weight, one hinge, and required about half the labor to manufacture.

George P.

[Jerry B.]

I'd hazard a guess that the reason the Model K was less expensive was because it used only one tube plate, one weight, one hinge, and required about half the labor to manufacture.

I agree completely but if everything is totally equal why not make it standard equipment on all Edison models? Manufacturing costs could have been reduced as well as retail machine prices or increases in profit margins.

Jerry B.

[Valecnik]

I don't think that the K is fully comparable in quality with the C & H. I would say close but not equal. On the K, the stylus bars are more prone to misalignment causing record damage, especially on wax records. The K is also less tolerant of slightly out of round records than the H and a little more prone to skipping. Over time you may notice a few records which do not play properly with the K but will play okay with the C or H. Even a perfectly adjusted K on a perfectly shaped record does not sound quite as good as the C or H. It's not a big difference but if you do a side by side comparison of the same record you will notice a slight difference.

[fran604g]

I don't think that the K is fully comparable in quality with the C & H. I would say close but not equal. On the K, the stylus bars are more prone to misalignment causing record damage, especially on wax records. The K is also less tolerant of slightly out of round records than the H and a little more prone to skipping. Over time you may notice a few records which do not play properly with the K but will play okay with the C or H. Even a perfectly adjusted K on a perfectly shaped record does not sound quite as good as the C or H. It's not a big difference but if you do a side by side comparison of the same record you will notice a slight difference.

I agree completely. In my very limited experience, the difference in SQ was immediately noticeable for me when I swapped out a C and H for a K (all 3 impeccably rebuilt).

[phonogfp]

I'd hazard a guess that the reason the Model K was less expensive was because it used only one tube plate, one weight, one hinge, and required about half the labor to manufacture.

I agree completely but if everything is totally equal why not make it standard equipment on all Edison models? Manufacturing costs could have been reduced as well as retail machine prices or increases in profit margins.

Jerry B.

Now I see your point.

Since the Model K didn't appear until mid-1909, and the larger-diameter reproducers (the N and the O) were introduced soon thereafter, there may have been the belief in West Orange that the smaller-diameter reproducers should be phased out altogether without more widespread use of the Model K. The larger-diameter Model S (which uses the same dual stylus bar/styli of the K) was briefly supplied with the Standard, which suggests that the folks at Edison didn't think the design was substandard (see what I did there?). In short, it may have been the larger-diameter reproducers that limited the Model K's application more than any inherent design flaws.

George P.

[Phonosteve]

I have found the clarity between the model K and model R reproduces to be almost identical. In my experience the overall volume is louder on the model R, which would be expected.

I haven't tried the model N out yet, keen to compare