The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Boy, I am driving my self nuts here trying to get a diaphragm that displays no external noise what so ever into the recordings. But its becoming something that I really don't know if its possible? Even the original diaphragms I have can display that sort of rattling sound in the reproducer that is evident to a sensitive ear. Some records seemingly play almost totally free of it, but others have areas where the effect is noticeable. Some no doubt is due to wear and others its just the way it diaphragm is reacting to the input from the record. I just can't figure out how to know which is which, wear, normal sound or defective diaphragms? Do any of you real Edison Disc fans get totally rattle or distortion free sound on Opera Vocals and other hard to track things like high vibration sections of classics or pop pieces? I have some pop things that sound clear as a bell, yet others sound poor to me. What are you hearing on your end?
I have a record which evidently is an early Vocal recording, way too loud in the 52350 or so range, it just overwhelms the reproducers of the old and new diaphragm. The record appears to be good, but it doesn't sound it. Do these early electric things take on that over recorded sound or is it on my end?

Larry,
I wish you would try a sheet of graphite fiber. It is as strong as steel, air-tight, and dimensionally stable (not affected by temperature and humidity. It seems to me it may be an ideal diaphragm material. It comes in varying thicknesses as well.

John

Larry, My guess would be its the records that are recorded differently, with different materials and of varying quality.

I've got some 514xx-515xx record that look like NOS but sound very poor on an electric turntable while others sound great.

John,

that is on my list for the fall when I have nothing else to do but tend the fires.

Val

Thanks for the input, I am somewhat comforted that electric pick ups also render a similar sound.

Larry

I have reduced that kind of artifacting (i.e. introduction of noise by the reproducer) on Edisons, but never fully eliminated it.

The clearest I've got is using a non-waxed dental floss for the link. When I used a waxed floss it resonated on certain notes, but that disappeared when I changed the floss to non-waxed. Nothing else was changed, just that, and much of the artifacting disappeared.

Original links have metal-to-metal contact at both ends, and much of that can be eliminated by using a tiny amount of floss to secure the ends (f.i. the stylus bar hook and the link end get secured by passing floss through the eye and tying it below in the hook opening)

Then there's what can happen if the pivot pin for the needle bar is slightly loose; we're not talking about a whole lot, maybe 1/10,000 of an inch, to introduce buzzing at certain notes. I was lucky enough to have several weights to choose from, so I tried out several and found one with an imperceptible amount of slop where the pin goes through. The sound is much cleaner.

Robert,

Good tips. I may have to look for a non waxed floss to give a try as I think the one I am using has the wax coating.

Larry