Acoustic Phonograph for Playing Electric Recordings

[mattrx]

My daily player is a VE 8-35x and the exponential metal horn has great sound. Best I’ve heard, and I used to have a credenza for comparison.

Not sure where you are located but I have another 8-35 in need of a new home. Located near Memphis, TN.

Matt

[VictorVV-X]

That's certainly reasonable for the 4-4. looks like it would clean up nicely. If I had to choose from your list of inquiries, I'd be after the 8-4. Nice machines, large, yes, but they sound REALLY nice without being the size of a Credenza if space is a concern. I think you'd be far happier with it for sound, plus I like the 8-4's looks in general. At $300, I don't know that you're getting ripped off, mine was in the neighborhood of $250 and it needed a great deal of cleaning up, so I can't say $300 is terrible depending on everything else. The 4-4 takes up a larger footprint with a smaller horn, so IMO it would be a no-brainer.

Keep in mind I'm an orthophonic obsessive, so I AM a little biased

I own a Cortez, a VT 810 and several orthophonics of "larger" size up to the 10-50 and they're all space hogs, but I certainly do enjoy each one for it's own qualities.

Good luck!

Sean

Sean,
Thank you for your help. I was leaning toward the 8-4. My biggest concerns are with any pot metal issues, though, it does seem like many have overcome these issues in the past. I will have to take a look a the 8-4.

Thanks again. I greatly appreciate it!

[VictorVV-X]

My daily player is a VE 8-35x and the exponential metal horn has great sound. Best I’ve heard, and I used to have a credenza for comparison.

Not sure where you are located but I have another 8-35 in need of a new home. Located near Memphis, TN.

Matt

Matt,
That is an impressive machine! I greatly appreciate the offer, but I am all the way in Connecticut.
Thank you again!

[VictorVV-X]

I've also have been wondering, how loud are these Orthophonic phonographs? Does volume depend mostly on the type of needle used or is the user supposed to adjust the doors like on the earlier Victors?

Thanks in advance!

[bigshot]

I have two phonographs that do great with both acoustic and electricals... My Brunswick Cortez and the suitcase VV-2-65. They are both like swiss army knives playing everything from the early acoustics all the way through the 1950s. The Orthophonic Victrollas are good, but they are best with electricals. They don't play acoustics well.

Yes, volume is determined by the needle and doors.

[VictorVV-X]

I have two phonographs that do great with both acoustic and electricals... My Brunswick Cortez and the suitcase VV-2-65. They are both like swiss army knives playing everything from the early acoustics all the way through the 1950s. The Orthophonic Victrollas are good, but they are best with electricals. They don't play acoustics well.

Yes, volume is determined by the needle and doors.

bigshot,

Thank you for your help!

[Uncle Vanya]

That's certainly reasonable for the 4-4. looks like it would clean up nicely. If I had to choose from your list of inquiries, I'd be after the 8-4. Nice machines, large, yes, but they sound REALLY nice without being the size of a Credenza if space is a concern. I think you'd be far happier with it for sound, plus I like the 8-4's looks in general. At $300, I don't know that you're getting ripped off, mine was in the neighborhood of $250 and it needed a great deal of cleaning up, so I can't say $300 is terrible depending on everything else. The 4-4 takes up a larger footprint with a smaller horn, so IMO it would be a no-brainer.

Keep in mind I'm an orthophonic obsessive, so I AM a little biased

I own a Cortez, a VT 810 and several orthophonics of "larger" size up to the 10-50 and they're all space hogs, but I certainly do enjoy each one for it's own qualities.

Good luck!

Sean

The 8-4? Ah! The “bowling alley Victrola”. I call it such because every example that I’ve owned or heard has a pretty strong resonance at about 160 cycles, which makes the machine sound as if it is being played in a bowling alley. This resonance is largely eliminated if the reproducer is properly rebuilt with a soft rubber isolator. The 8-4 is fairly deep front to back, and wants a large room. It’s replacement in the product line, the 8-12, is far shallower, and is to my eye better proportioned.

What general part of the country are you in?

[VictorVV-X]

That's certainly reasonable for the 4-4. looks like it would clean up nicely. If I had to choose from your list of inquiries, I'd be after the 8-4. Nice machines, large, yes, but they sound REALLY nice without being the size of a Credenza if space is a concern. I think you'd be far happier with it for sound, plus I like the 8-4's looks in general. At $300, I don't know that you're getting ripped off, mine was in the neighborhood of $250 and it needed a great deal of cleaning up, so I can't say $300 is terrible depending on everything else. The 4-4 takes up a larger footprint with a smaller horn, so IMO it would be a no-brainer.

Keep in mind I'm an orthophonic obsessive, so I AM a little biased

I own a Cortez, a VT 810 and several orthophonics of "larger" size up to the 10-50 and they're all space hogs, but I certainly do enjoy each one for it's own qualities.

Good luck!

Sean

The 8-4? Ah! The “bowling alley Victrola”. I call it such because every example that I’ve owned or heard has a pretty strong resonance at about 160 cycles, which makes the machine sound as if it is being played in a bowling alley. This resonance is largely eliminated if the reproducer is properly rebuilt with a soft rubber isolator. The 8-4 is fairly deep front to back, and wants a large room. It’s replacement in the product line, the 8-12, is far shallower, and is to my eye better proportioned.

What general part of the country are you in?

Uncle Vanya,
I’m in Connecticut.

You’ve given me something to think about with the 8-4. Does anyone have the general dimensions of the 8-4?

Is the 8-4 louder than the 4-4 or 4-7 or are they about the same?
Thanks again for all your help.

[mattrx]

My daily player is a VE 8-35x and the exponential metal horn has great sound. Best I’ve heard, and I used to have a credenza for comparison.

Not sure where you are located but I have another 8-35 in need of a new home. Located near Memphis, TN.

Matt

Matt,
That is an impressive machine! I greatly appreciate the offer, but I am all the way in Connecticut.
Thank you again!

If you can find a 8-35 near you, you will NOT be disappointed. I also agree with the 8-12 suggestion. I’ve owned one and loved it. Not as good a player as the 8-35, but a very nice player and beautiful styling without being quite as large as a credenza.

Matt

[audiophile102]

I own a Victrola 8-12 and I'm very happy with it. I think that the 8-12 is the best looking of the Victrola orthophonics. I started using bamboo fiber needles, because my 8-12 is in a small room and even with a soft tone needle some records are quite loud. http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... =2&t=42888 I own three other antique phonographs, but it's the 8-12 that gets played the most. I had to replace the pot metal reproducer with one from a portable Victrola. Sounds great.

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