The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

emgcr wrote:Here is a second "Bluetooth" experiment with an EMG Mk Xb Oversize horn where the diameter of the modern mini speaker has been more accurately matched to the inlet aperture of the horn. To achieve this, the horn has had to be dismounted and used in isolation from the gramophone.

The results are dramatically improved and beautiful to listen to when in the room.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbtikGV8WHo

Although always a limited impression at best via Youtube, that sounds really fabulous Graham!

Ja, well, no, fine, ...........! Carry on like this and you guys might well end up with a state-of-the art invention - something like a cylindrical recording! I have an "electronic birthday card" chip driving a 1-inch headphone speaker into a misted gold and black HMV 102 horn mounted high up in our entrance hall. Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer" (piano theme from "the Sting") can be heard everywhere in the house and on the property to announce the arrival of our visitors in magnanimous style. I sounds great and the grand-children really love it. If this idea, of which I have a working model that uses an exponential gramophone horn, for musical door-bells was not in the public domain before, then it is now. Feel free to build one if the idea takes your fancy.

Hmmmm, I wonder if this would work on an Edison Diamond Disc machine?

Marcapra,
It would work on DD machine, if you have a 78 adapter that uses a typical 78 reproducer.

I played around with my own version of an adapter to come up with this. It's a cheapo Bluetooth speaker that works pretty well. I may invest more in a super duper version if I get some money in my Christmas stocking.

The Bluetooth speaker was $10 at WhaleMart and the PVC plug was a couple bucks at Home Depotland. The orthophonic isolator came from my stock of Sitko reproductions. A little machining turned the plug into an adapter. I'll have to make one that fits the smaller pre-ortho tonearm. A buddy of mine is supposed to do some wood turning for me when he gets time so I'll have a wooden version at some point.

Glad to see that my initial idea has taken roots...

emgcr wrote:For the sake of amusement, here are two photos and a You Tube video of an experiment to show what the results of using a blue tooth mini-speaker are on an EMG Mk Xb Oversize gramophone. The sound is not good but the idea is interesting I think and with properly designed/matched components, the quality of the sound could be much better. There are developments currently taking place in Japan along these lines but these involve greater hard-wired direct power input from an amp'. The blue tooth technology does not really seem to allow for adequate electrical input in this application and therefore volume is low.

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

The final three photos and further video show the normal soundbox replaced by the driver from a public address loudspeaker such as was formerly used on racecourses a few decades ago. That horn was made from aluminium and, although exponential, does not sound good when used for playing music. However, Emma Kirkby played through the original papier appliqué EMG Mk Xb acoustic system sounds reasonably acceptable and very much better than via blue tooth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2ZLAdn-zBE

The whole exercise is a little bizarre but, nevertheless, interesting as an experiment.

What fun !

absolutely wonderful Graham. You also couldn't picked a better record. Thanks for sharing.

Curt,
Come on over and make me one. I have that blue tooth speaker, but that's all. Now you guys need to figure out how I can record Guns And Roses on a cylinder?

I bought a C19 in November that needed some refurbishment. When all was said and done, and after weeks of work, the diamond turned out to be chipped/cracked or just plain busted. I was in waiting mode. However I wanted to hear SOMETHING out of the machine before the new year clicked over. Thus, the Edison Remote Electronic Reproducer was born.

I used 3" PVC pipe, end cap and 3" to 1.5" adapter. I also used the left over felt from the turn table as well as a 4" x 1" x ¾" balsa block. The speaker is a HMDX Jam Classic wireless speaker. I used Valspar Brilliant Gold spray paint over the white primer.
The 3" pipe was cut to 3.5" and jammed into the end cap. No glue needed. Three inch wide strips of felt were cut and glued into the pipe with the end cap. The plastic packaging base for the speaker fit perfectly into the end cap and was placed into the bottom. SC Johnson paste wax was used on the exposed pipe to aid in easy removal of the throat. (Let us not dwell too much on how this was determined to be needed please!)
Once the glue for the felt was dry the speaker was carefully slid into place.
Next three felt strips were cut to size to fit into the throat of the ERER. Each was glued one to the other.
Finally the whole thing was filed, sanded, primed and painted.
The block of wood was needed due to weight of the ERER. Future plans are to cut a nice looking cradle and match the color of the cabinet. It works great and with the cover closed you'd never know a record wasn't spinning!

Here is a test streaming RadioDismuke:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c45ihZNMAPI

And a test with a more alternative style:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=devUsa4Oalc

LOL!!!

Soft cell from an Edison! I love it