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wheatgrinder wrote:...it would not be histrionically unreasonable to have a no.2 or no.4 reproducer. Do I have it right that the no.4 would be more "modern" and allow me to play electrically recorded records?

Both the #2 or #4 would have been available upgrades for your machine, absolutely. The #4 is great for playing electrics up to about 1931-2, although others will argue even later.

There was somebody making an adapter years ago to use an ortho reproducer on a regular Victor / Victrola arm, but I think these are far from available these days.

Why not but an Exhibition, #2 and a #4 (a non-pot metal one, unless you really like a challenge) and have all four at your disposal?

Best of luck and enjoy it, that should be the most fun of all this!

Sean

I may be mistaken, but I believe that the isolater for a No. 2 reproducer has the same outer diameter as the one for the Orthophonic. If such were the case, all that is neccessary is to replace the old isolator with one for a No. 2.

One of the standard no.2 or no.4 repro isolators will fit the throat of the Orthophonic sound box, thereby allowing it to be properly secured to the earlier tonearm. The opposite is also true, for those who (like me) wanted to hear the true output of the earlier sound boxes through the exponential horn. Bottom line is that the isolators' outer diameters match, and therefore they are interchangeable.

thanks for the great info.

I already committed to a trade, and am also in the process of haggling for a no. 2, so I guess this is how the habit starts..

wheatgrinder wrote:thanks for the great info.

I already committed to a trade, and am also in the process of haggling for a no. 2, so I guess this is how the habit starts..

Actually, multiple reproducers is a smart way to increase your listening versatility while sticking to your ill advised and silly resolution to only have one machine.

Buying a phonograph is like eating a Lay's potato chip.

To confirm what others have already posted, your XI is a G version (see the builder's plate) with a lower serial number than mine (370333G), so the correct sound box for it is the Exhibition. If you obtain a properly rebuilt one, you will be impressed with the sound on your machine, especially acoustic recordings and electrical disks up to, but not including, the later vinyl ones. The main shortcoming I find with this particular combination is the reproduction of electrically recorded orchestral music. Small groups sound fine, but large forces sound muddled, a situation that was effectively addressed by the larger orthophonic machines.

gramophone-georg wrote:

wheatgrinder wrote:thanks for the great info.

I already committed to a trade, and am also in the process of haggling for a no. 2, so I guess this is how the habit starts..

Actually, multiple reproducers is a smart way to increase your listening versatility while sticking to your ill advised and silly resolution to only have one machine.

Buying a phonograph is like eating a Lay's potato chip.

To quote "Saki": it's "like a grouse-moor, or an opium habit: once you've started, you have to keep it up..."

Bill

wheatgrinder wrote:Im starting to think I should keep the orthophonic and perhaps build a more "pro" adapter. (or does someone sell one already?) Also, though the Exhibition is the "stock" part, it would not be histrionically unreasonable to have a no.2 or no.4 reproducer. Do I have it right that the no.4 would be more "modern" and allow me to play electrically recorded records?

This is getting interesting

Thanks for the patience and free education!

A No. 2 or No. 4 would have been available as an upgrade or replacement for the Exhibition. In my experience, an orthophonc reproducer on a non-orthophonic machine is disappointing at best. If it were me, I'd get an exhibition. When properly rebuilt, they can sound great!

HisMastersVoice wrote:

wheatgrinder wrote:Im starting to think I should keep the orthophonic and perhaps build a more "pro" adapter. (or does someone sell one already?) Also, though the Exhibition is the "stock" part, it would not be histrionically unreasonable to have a no.2 or no.4 reproducer. Do I have it right that the no.4 would be more "modern" and allow me to play electrically recorded records?

This is getting interesting

Thanks for the patience and free education!

A No. 2 or No. 4 would have been available as an upgrade or replacement for the Exhibition. In my experience, an orthophonc reproducer on a non-orthophonic machine is disappointing at best. If it were me, I'd get an exhibition. When properly rebuilt, they can sound great!

Got an exhibition on the way! Thanks internet!

As a post script to the above, I doubt that a no. 2 (or 4, for that matter) would sound better on your vintage XI than the Exhibition; indeed, chances are that it would not sound as good. The no. 2 was introduced in conjunction with the "fat" tone arm, and your XI (like mine) has the earlier, smaller dimension "taper tube," as Victor called it. I once obtained and tried a no. 2 on my XI, and was disappointed with it. As I said before, a properly restored and adjusted Exhibition will yield fine reproduction on the pre-"fat" XI, and I think you'll be very pleased with yours.

You might be interested in the following article, from Paul Edie's site, that compares the sound boxes. Note the frequency response curves especially, and Edie's conclusions: http://www.victor-victrola.com/Soundbox%20Article.htm