Difference Between Edison Home and Standard Phonographs

[holmes54]

I was wondering what the differences are between Edison standard and Edison Home phonographs? I've been looking online but I haven't been able to find somewhere that explained the differences between the two. Thanks!

[52089]

The Home is the larger of the 2 and uses a combined feedscrew and mandrel. The Standard is narrower and has a separate feedscrew behind and parallel to the mandrel.

You should be able to find pictures of these online very easily.

[De Soto Frank]

Is one model better than the other for playing 4 minute cylinders, or other advantages ?

[holmes54]

I was wondering the same sort of thing since I know that they were sold at the same time but for very different prices.

[estott]

I think they both play equally well, but the Home had a more powerful motor and had a shaver - if you wanted to record your own cylinders you'd need a Home. Attachments such as a repeater weren't offered for the Standard.

[martinola]

The Home was introduced first and owes much of its design to the earlier "Spring Motor" (later called the Triumph). As has been said before, the Home's mandrel is on the same shaft as its feedscrew, while the Standard has a more compact design with the feedscrew behind the mandrel shaft and driven by a gear train.

My main collecting focus is the Standard model, so I'm slightly biased. Both the Standard and the Home are single spring machines, (while the Triumph is a powerful 3 spring motor). The Home's mainspring is a bit beefier than the Standard. Theoretically the Home should out-perform the Standard in power and duration. In practice, I don't know if the performance is that much better. I had a Home A with the 2&4 minute attachment that didn't play as well as my Standard A, B, D or E. Even after a motor overhaul and lots of tweaking, I was never able to get much extra power or the very, very slight warble out of the machine. It did play better than many other machines I've heard, but still not what my Standards could do.

On the Home, the feedscrew has much finer threads that are more prone to damage from rust and mishap, also the 2&4 minute gearing is achieved through a planetary gear in the mandrel pulley. Those gears are pretty small and my guess is that they are more prone to wear. Homes are neat machines and if my finances and space would allow, I'd collect them as well. I'm even quite sure that Homes can be made to play well. However if it's just a matter of having a good cylinder player for the least money, I'd probably get a Standard D (or E if all you want to play are 4 minute records).

That's my 2 cents. In any case, good luck on your research!

Martin

[phonogfp]

I think they both play equally well, but the Home had a more powerful motor and had a shaver - if you wanted to record your own cylinders you'd need a Home. Attachments such as a repeater weren't offered for the Standard.

Actually, Standard As also had shavers. I agree that Standards and Homes play equally well in general. I believe the difference in models was all about price point. The Home was $30 for most of its life, and the Standard was $20. Columbia always had machines around $20, so Edison needed one as well.

I seem to remember the Standard/Home question being addressed in the Edison Phonograph Monthly, and the reply being something along the lines that some people preferred the single mainshaft/feedscrew/mandrel design of the Home as giving smoother reproduction. My ears aren't that good I guess! (I also remember a booklet transcribing an interview with ex-Edison dealer Clarence Ferguson wherein Ferguson claimed that the Fireside had a sweeter tone than any Standard. Explain that one to me, please! ) It just shows that people have preferences, and they're not always logical.

When it comes to playing 4 minute cylinders, I'd prefer a Standard over a Home because (as Martinola alluded) the 4 minute attachment on Homes can be slightly persnickity.

George P.

[VintageTechnologies]

My first Edison at age 13 was a Home, Model B, so I'm probably biased. I now have a number of each and do think the Homes generally run quieter. The Standards have a gear train on the topside that drives the feed screw at reduced speed, and with wear those gears can be a bit noisy. 2-minute Homes with an endgate are quiet, efficient machines.

[briankeith]

I kind of agree with Martin about the Standard. I personally feel my Standard performs slightly better than my Home with the exception of the Standards slight gear noise. I too am bias as I prefer to collect the crude machines like the "open works" Columbia AP. But my very favorite machines are the Edison Gem models. My "drip-pan" key wind Gem is my all-time favorite Edison machine. Most collectors want the Maroon & gold Gems. Like I stated in another older thread: I think all Gems are over-priced in the cdollecdtors market. I like simple and small - bookcase shelf phonographs, etc.

[Edisone]

Theory: The drag of the Standard's feedscrew geartrain may act as a flywheel, smoothing-out some speed flutter. Thoughts?

( I know of someone who has used sheets of lead on the underside of Victrola turntables, to achieve smoother speeds with the Induction Disc motors. Anyone ever try filling a hollow mandrel with lead, to see if it would act as a flywheel? Not on something like a Fireside, where the mandrel revolves on a stationary rod, obviously. )