RCA 2-65

[Nat]

I just took delivery on an RCA-Victor 2-65. It's in wonderful shape, though it will need some cleaning, oiling and gluing some of the liner back in place. But what a beautiful machine. I gave it a spin last night with some early Victor Ortho records - and what sound! Eventually I'll have the reproducer built (ortho reproducers are the one thing in a machine I won't mess with), but it sounds very good with no work at all.

There's something special about portables - all that sound in a portable box.

Nat

[EdiBrunsVic]

Thanks for sharing the news. I have an orthophonic portable that plays well too. Those portables do produce a great sound!

[estott]

The 2-65 is an excellent portable, I enjoy mine very much. The only thing I have trouble with is the automatic start.

[Nat]

The start doesn't work on my new one, either. But a quick glance under the turntable shows a lot of dirt and congealed grease, so I hope for the best.

I just took it out on the open road with some symphonic records of the period. Those old portables are LOUD with a loud needle! It's going to sound and look great out on the lawn at the ranch. I'll post some photos once I get it polished up, if I can figure out how to post photos!

Nat

[estott]

The start doesn't work on my new one, either. But a quick glance under the turntable shows a lot of dirt and congealed grease, so I hope for the best.

I just took it out on the open road with some symphonic records of the period. Those old portables are LOUD with a loud needle! It's going to sound and look great out on the lawn at the ranch. I'll post some photos once I get it polished up, if I can figure out how to post photos!

Nat

My big problem was that the aluminum parts in the stop-start mechanism corroded. It now stops automatically but I can't get the start adjusted to work by swinging the arm

[syncopeter]

That's why HMV used nickeled (and later chromed) brass parts throughout. Even after 80 odd years they still work perfectly. No, or hardly any, pot metal, so no swelling either. More expensive, but also infinitively more durable.

[Nat]

My big problem was that the aluminum parts in the stop-start mechanism corroded. It now stops automatically but I can't get the start adjusted to work by swinging the arm

I haven't had time to burrow into the workings yet, so I may encounter the same issue. For now, I use the speed control to stop/start, and have marked the point on the speed control "read out" that my strobe says is 78.5 rpm (the extra .5 is for needle drag). Works fine, but I hope for better!

Meanwhile, two other machines are in my repair IN pile...

[estott]

I had to remove the stop-start from the motor board and with a little oil slowly and carefully move the frozen lever back and forth until it came free.

The only real design irritation I've found in this machine is that to do the simplest service to the motor you've got to remove a LOT of screws from the motor board and the gold plate shield in the back.

I wish I could find one of the record holders that sat on the turntable, but in contrast to the HMV product the RCA holder was rather flimsy and seems to have been discarded by most owners.

[estott]

That's why HMV used nickeled (and later chromed) brass parts throughout. Even after 80 odd years they still work perfectly. No, or hardly any, pot metal, so no swelling either. More expensive, but also infinitely more durable.

For the most part all the hardware in my machine is either steel or gold plated brass and survives in excellent shape. The auto stop is stamped from sheet aluminum and is the big exception. Once I freed up the frozen pivot it's working very well and unlike a pot metal casting it shows no sign of cracking. The soundbox on these late machines is made from a pot metal which shows no sign of cracking or warping. The 2-65 is in this respect a great improvement over the earlier Orthophonic portables.

[Nat]

The only real design irritation I've found in this machine is that to do the simplest service to the motor you've got to remove a LOT of screws from the motor board and the gold plate shield in the back.

Wow! Ain't that so! I think someone high up in Victor had a brother-in-law with a screw factory. The VV-2-55 is just as bad.

Nat