The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Uncle Vanya wrote:

PeterF wrote:
The Borgia I, although missing the key feature of allowing both electrical and acoustical playback of records, can easily be brought into line with the Borgia II. You would certainly need the electronics rebuilt, and a competent restorer could add a simple, switched, auxiliary input to the amp. Then one would just add one of the common aftermarket electric tonearm/pickup outfits, like this (also not mine):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/vintage-1930S- ... 1714354460

You would then have a readily switchable capability to do it all. I'll be adding an auxiliary second tonearm like that, with what will be a third pickup, to my 9-40 (successor to the Borgia II). It has the pickup from the Edison C-2, which plays both laterals and diamond discs, so we'll be able to play electrically recorded DDs electrically amplified, and then further amplified through the big ortho horn.

If you plan to use a Borgia I for electrical reproduction of Phonograph records you would be better off to have the radio chassis fitted with the AC package and use a Radio Receptor power supply, which substitutes a beefy 210 output tube for the rather anemic UX-120 used in the battery Radiola 28.

PeterF wrote:

Uncle Vanya wrote:

PeterF wrote:
The Borgia I, although missing the key feature of allowing both electrical and acoustical playback of records, can easily be brought into line with the Borgia II. You would certainly need the electronics rebuilt, and a competent restorer could add a simple, switched, auxiliary input to the amp. Then one would just add one of the common aftermarket electric tonearm/pickup outfits, like this (also not mine):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/vintage-1930S- ... 1714354460

You would then have a readily switchable capability to do it all. I'll be adding an auxiliary second tonearm like that, with what will be a third pickup, to my 9-40 (successor to the Borgia II). It has the pickup from the Edison C-2, which plays both laterals and diamond discs, so we'll be able to play electrically recorded DDs electrically amplified, and then further amplified through the big ortho horn.

If you plan to use a Borgia I for electrical reproduction of Phonograph records you would be better off to have the radio chassis fitted with the AC package and use a Radio Receptor power supply, which substitutes a beefy 210 output tube for the rather anemic UX-120 used in the battery Radiola 28.

As with all vintage electronics, such antique power supplies will also need to be rebuilt before use. A simpler and safer solution is the ArbeIII power supply, which will power any battery radio. https://arbeiii.com I have no affiliation with this other than that of a satisfied customer.

phonogfp wrote:Now I can really sympathize with how non-collectors feel when we start talking about antique phonographs. (This electrical stuff is all Greek to me. )

George P.

Uncle Vanya wrote:

PeterF wrote:

Uncle Vanya wrote:

If you plan to use a Borgia I for electrical reproduction of Phonograph records you would be better off to have the radio chassis fitted with the AC package and use a Radio Receptor power supply, which substitutes a beefy 210 output tube for the rather anemic UX-120 used in the battery Radiola 28.

As with all vintage electronics, such antique power supplies will also need to be rebuilt before use. A simpler and safer solution is the ArbeIII power supply, which will power any battery radio. https://arbeiii.com I have no affiliation with this other than that of a satisfied customer.

The ARBE III is a wonderful unit. Reliable and well engineered, but it does not substitute a real power yube for the UX-120

Besides which, the Radio Receptor PD-5 (also sold as the R 25-28) is a simple unit. Restoration would involve the replacement of but four condensers, 2 4 MFD @ 450V, one 2MFD @ 450V, and one .1 MFD @ 450 volts and the repair of any open sections on the voltage divider resistor.

PeterF wrote:
No power transformer? That’s usually the part to worry about.

I’d also think the oldies would have poor filtering and be noisy.

Uncle Vanya wrote:

PeterF wrote:
No power transformer? That’s usually the part to worry about.

I’d also think the oldies would have poor filtering and be noisy.

Well, power transformers are generally pretty reliable. Certain units were underdesigned, an highly stressed, and are notorious for failure, notably the Zenith units of 1939-40 with their 6X5 rectifiers, and the brown Electrola units of 1928/9 which were inadequately insulated, but by and large power transformers are pretty reliable. I've.seen quite a number of Receptor power packs, and have not yet found a bad transformer, save on a Radiola 41 where, again, voltage was pushed to dangerous levels to increase.output power

The Receptor unit is pretty well hum free on any set which uses a balanced armature driver. 4MFD input, 25HY choke, 2MFD intermediate, 25 HY choke, 4MFD final filter. 85 ma drain. That filter is plenty adequate.