Victor V-255 featuring the magic brain changer

[richardh]

Here is an interesting you tube video featuring the record changing of the Victor 255 radiogram. Interestingly this one can play both sides of the disk without turning the disk over I thought this was an intersting machine given it features the magic brain changer with the jewel light pick up.

RJ

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHIAa_J0Rqc[/youtube]

[OrthoSean]

I missed one of these semi-locally on ebay a couple of years ago. Went cheap, too, like $200. The changer seemed like it would have been a daunting task to rebuild since I've heard there are issues with the drive wheels and the changer mechanism itself can be tricky as I understand. I passed, but now in hindsight I sort of regret it, even though I have no room for a beast like this! Heck, I still don't know where I'm going to put my Seeburg Home Library when I get it up and running (this summer???)...

Sean

[Viva-Tonal]

I've never seen one of these 'for real'. Only the descriptions in the blurbs on the back side of a number of Victor 78 sleeves. Quite an amazing machine; pity there's no demonstration of the sound quality of it.

[OrthoSean]

Where's Greg Bogantz when we need him? I'm almost certain Greg or Fred Rice has worked on and heard these and can certainly say how they sound / work, etc. I'd imagine the tonearm would require some pretty heavy tracking force, especially for playing B-sides and probably to trip the mechanism...

Anyone?

Sean

[Silvertone]

I owned one of these years ago (perhaps this very one). It was in very nice condition when I got it, and the changer worked well without any adjustment or other fiddling. The problem is the pickups are crystal and none are good any more. My unit had a very low output, just like the one in the video. These are special RCA crystal cartridges that slide in and out of the tone arm, so a replacement would have to fit that special shell. I'm sure that someone has successfully installed a modern pickup into these shells.

With regard to the sound, I can offer the opinion that on radio broadcast, this set was only so-so. Even though it was RCA's top-of-the-line, it is only a nine tube set and I was not particularly impressed.

[Viva-Tonal]

Sounds like a job for Gib at West-Tech Services. He's known for re-building literally anything with crystal innards.

[phonophan79]

Own your own Magic Brain record sleeve
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0326268201

[gregbogantz]

Hi Sean, Yes, I have restored one of these record changers, model RP-151. And I have another one torn apart as we speak. It was used ONLY on this one model of RCA console, the V-255. It came out just before WWII (a late 1941 model actually), and RCA never did anything with the idea after the war. It was apparently RCA's answer to the Capehart flipover changers that were state-of-the-art designs at that time. But it is a poor design from many standpoints. The teensy turntable supports the record only at the label, and there is no record clamping means to steady the record as is used on the Seeburgs. The result is that the records have a tendency to wobble and slip. The "magic tone cell" cartridges are conventional crystal types that track at about 35 grams. This is just under the force that will pick up a shellac 10 inch record and tilt it. So this changer doesn't work well with postwar vinyls because they are too lightweight. The drive is via idler wheels from a 4-pole, split-phase induction motor. The split phase design is necessary to reverse the motor when playing the underside of the records. But the induction motor speed is very dependent on the value of the phasing capacitor, so these usually need to have the capacitors replaced with a selected value to get the platter speed correct. There is a separate cycle motor to run the automation. Both the platter motor and cycle drive are via idler wheels which do not have any means of releasing the tension on them when they are not operating (a typical prewar design). Consequently, these idlers get flats on them from sitting idle and the platter tends to have a lot of rumble because of the lumpy idler wheels.

After play, the record is dumped into the spent record chute by the platter tilting downward. Although this isn't a problem with the sturdy Victor records of the 1930s (the same system was used in the 10-50 and other Victor models), the later shellacs are a bit more brittle and more easily damaged by this treatment. The dropping of the record from the slicers during cycle is downright scary as the records hit the deck with a disturbing "clank". Then the platter is tilted up under the record with the pointy spindle attempting to find the hole as it returns to playing position - spindle tip scuffing of the label is unavoidable.

All in all, this is a good changer for "show and tell" meetings, but I won't be using mine for playing valuable records.