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Excelsior-Phonograph with spring motor, gold-plated de luxe version, manufactured in 1892 by Ludwig Loewe & Co., Berlin

52089 wrote:

gregbogantz wrote:Edison Amberola 1A, of course. Plays both 2 and 4 minute records (I'd want both the M and Diamond A reproducers). Has the BEST horn of any Edison machine and sounds the best of any original cylinder machine. Motor is a touch noisy, but the quieter 1B plays only 4 minute, so it's less versatile.

Seconded. Having finally gotten one of these last year, it would definitely be the last of my machines to go.

If I didn't have the 1-A, I'd probably be perfectly happy with an Amberola 30, even though it would restrict me to 4 minute celluloid cylinders.

I have the 1A, 1B, Opera and large carriage Triumph. B, D & E models.
- The Amberola 1B is hands down first choice for 4 min records
- The 1A is a second or third choice because of the noisier motor and it's not nearly as "user friendly" as the 1B or the Triumph.
- My top choice would be combination Triumph, B model fitted with large carriage, O and B reproducers and 11 panel or music master cygnet. Motor is quiet as a mouse when running, they run trouble free, user friendly simple to operate and sound nearly as good as the 1B, 1A.

Thank goodness nobody is limiting us to just one.

I would have my Edison Triumph Model D with O reproducer and oak cygnet horn. It is loud and will play any cylinder.
Harvey Kravitz

My Standard Model D is a good, solid, serviceable 2 and 4 minute machine. I play it regularly. High on my "one of these days" list, though, in a really nice Amberola 1A.

Clay

My Triumph D2 with horizontal carriage, oak music master cygnet horn, O and diamond B reproducers. The governor gears and the 2/4 min. planetary are a little noisy but it plays so loudly no one will ever notice.

Jim

So, you Opera and Amberola guys, as a cylinder type , I am interested to hear that you folks prefer the Amberola 1A abd B to the Opera. As one whose heart has always yearned for an Opera, how does the sound compare to the Amberola?? You're promoting a crisis of faith here.
Jim

Comparing my 1A and Opera, I'd say that the 1A's tone is brighter without being tinny. The opera's wood horn sound is nice, perhaps a little louder though a bit less bright. It helps that the horn's above, at eye level, in my opinion.
If my 1A's motor were quieter I'd use it much more frequently.
Any favorite machine of mine must have an auto-shutoff!
Bob

The Amberola 1B is essentially an Opera with the horn inside the console cabinet. Except the 1A and 1B horns are a better design than ANY of the outside horns of the day, including the impressive-looking 11 panel metal ones and the pretty MusicMasters. So the big Amberolas win with respect to sound. Not by much, but they are better. Aside from the look of the Opera which is admittedly "classic antique phono", the big Amberolas are more practical from a user standpoint. You can play them with the lid open or closed. So you don't have to find a place to put the lid when you operate the machine. And you've got handy record storage right in the machine. You have to set the Opera on a table of some kind anyway, so unless the table can store a bunch of records, you've got less functionality with that setup. A big Amberola is just more convenient and it provides superior sound. What's not to like?

I did a quick, UNSCIENTIFIC experiment using the first two minutes of two black Amberols and two flat-top Blue Amberols. Using the same reproducers, I recorded each on the 1A and Opera. Mic was the same distance from both horns, and the machines were side-by-side in the same room. Although I closed the lid of the 1A, I neglected to put the top on the Opera for recording. I noticed my Opera has some flutter, sorry about that. In real life, I'd say that the horn enclosure of the 1A diminishes volume and mellows the sound as compared to the Opera. Cylinders were selected for being in relatively good condition, not for content. The raw WAV files were huge, so I compressed them to mp3. Again, this comparison was just for fun.

Black Amberols
362 - I'm Glad I'm a Boy and I'm Glad I'm a Girl - Jones/Murray
800 - Run Home and Tell Your Mother - Anna Chandler

Blue Amberols
1587 - Everybody Two-Step - Murray
1750 - Blue Danube Waltz - American Standard Orch

Coyote you're a peach, as they would have said just about the time those cylinders were recorded. Very interesting indeed! Now I'm driving myself crazy doing an " Is it Ella or is it Memorex?" type of comparison.

Jim