Hotogy Soundbox

[CarlosV]

On the subject of newly-made soundboxes, I stumbled on a couple of videos of a Japanese manufactured soundbox that is very impressive. The comment on the video states that the soundbox even went in commercial production by a company called Shellman (one of the videos is by such company). Unfortunately the designer died and the soundbox seems to have vanished. The video itself is from 2012. I could not find any other reference over the internet. There is a couple of old postings in this forum that mention the Hotogy gramophone, which is shown in the last video below: it is an EMG with a newly-made horn, apparently made of leather, but no indication that it actually utilizes the Hotogy soundbox.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGsoo4U ... &index=971

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZMwi0HHndE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLMTfDqc9KU

[poodling around]

On the subject of newly-made soundboxes, I stumbled on a couple of videos of a Japanese manufactured soundbox that is very impressive. The comment on the video states that the soundbox even went in commercial production by a company called Shellman (one of the videos is by such company). Unfortunately the designer died and the soundbox seems to have vanished. The video itself is from 2012. I could not find any other reference over the internet. There is a couple of old postings in this forum that mention the Hotogy gramophone, which is shown in the last video below: it is an EMG with a newly-made horn, apparently made of leather, but no indication that it actually utilizes the Hotogy soundbox.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGsoo4U ... &index=971

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZMwi0HHndE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLMTfDqc9KU

Wow ! The Hotogy soundbox sounds so much better than the EMG one - it just blew it away ! Glad you posted the link.

[dzavracky]

wow that was awesome! Thanks for posting.

I wonder how many were made?

David

[CharliePhono]

wow that was awesome! Thanks for posting.

I wonder how many were made?

David

Yes indeed! I thoroughly enjoyed the videos as well.

The soundboxes are a wonder, and I'd wager they're made of unobtanium.

[chunnybh]

I’ve been lucky enough to hear the Hotogy 95 in person, albeit with an EMG soundbox and mounted on a HMV case. It certainly is the most freakishly gaudy gramophones I have ever seen. The sound is simply wonderful.
I’ve only heard the Hotogy soundboxes on YouTube, so can only go by the comparison videos with the HMV and EMG soundboxes. In the videos it outperforms both of them in clarity and definition.
To me the EMG soundbox in this video, compared to other YouTube videos, sounds muffled.

Here are some pictures of the Hotogy III and the Hotogy V. They are based on the orthophonic diaphragm with a progression of improvements. The unique stylus bar looks most intriguing. It just goes to show there really can be improvements made with acoustic soundboxes.

There have been several attempts by various companies at transcribing 78’s directly from acoustic gramophones, resulting in various degrees of success. Nimbus in the UK comes to mind. Their setup was most impressive but the CD’s released were disappointing. One thing I can vouch for is the excellent quality of the CD’s recorded on the Hotogy 95 and released on Shellman.

[Inigo]

Next door to Shellman clockmaker is the Acoustic Gramophone Museum, probably run by the shellmans too... See

https://en.japantravel.com/tokyo/acoust ... lery/29229

I also came across this years ago, and even I remember that they (or maybe another similar store) even still sell gramophones and 78s. The gramophones are high standard machines, and the newly made Hotogy gramophones.

[CarlosV]

Here are some pictures of the Hotogy III and the Hotogy V. They are based on the orthophonic diaphragm with a progression of improvements. The unique stylus bar looks most intriguing. It just goes to show there really can be improvements made with acoustic soundboxes.

Thanks for posting the photos, Chunny. The Hotogy gramophone looks weird with its strangely-shaped wavy reddish horn, but on the other hand these soundboxes look like an industrial product, but I suspect the production was very small, if indeed there was such production. Have you ever seen one for sale?

Inigo, you are probably correct about Shelman the dealer being the owner of the Gramophone Museum. Tha Shelman you tube site has several videos of many kinds of different gramophones, and also some public exhibitions of an EMG playing records in front of an audience. In a way it is a similar scheme to the Phonogalerie in Paris, a combination of museum and shop. Unfortunately you cannot get to the Prado and buy a couple of Goyas in the gift shop. Maybe in some not so distant future when reproductions will be so perfect that nobody will be able to distinguish them from the originals.

[Inigo]

The correct address for shellman Art Works Co is in this website

http://www.shellman-aw.co.jp/Site/HOME.html

I was somewhat incorrect addressing the clock maker. Maybe they are related, but I'm not sure. This Shellman Art Works Co are the makers of the Hotogy 95 EMG-like gramophone.

[OrthoFan]

...

[chunnybh]

I suspect the production was very small, if indeed there was such production. Have you ever seen one for sale?

At the very beginning of the video comparing the Hotogy and EMG soundboxes, you can see the Hotogy box is marked No45. I would assume at least that many were made. These are obviously handmade for a limited clientele. The pictures I posted of the Hotogy V are from a Japanese auction site, so they do turn up for sale but I imagine fetch silly prices.