The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

OrthoSean wrote:Um, sorry, I didn't want to say Victor Victrola because I'm using it on my Victor III "talking machine".

Pathé actually made an adapter for Victor machines as well, which I also have. I collect these because I find them fascinating. This ARL is very nice and plays verticals very nicely, as does the HUGHES stylus and the Pathé adapter. Others I have are OK at best, but these three mentioned here are the best ones I've encountered so far.

Sorry for using "phonograph" incorrectly...I refer to all of my machines as "phonographs" though.

Sean

The adapter manufactured by Pathé to play Pathé discs on Victor machines "looks like" it would sound the best. It's fitted with an actual Pathé reproducer and sets at the same angle to the record as on a Pathé machine. When I say, "looks like" I mean I've been looking for one for along time but the ones that turned up have been either too expensive or in very poor condition. I'll keep looking.

Sean, any comments on the sound quality of this type? Might you have heard one?

The Pathé one is pretty cool. It sounds good, too, it's what I had been using mostly before this one came along. Honestly, the two sound almost the same, the Pathé one may be a bit louder because of the larger diaphragm, but a nicely rebuilt Exhibition is no slouch and can pump out some pretty good volume too! I like this ARL one because you don't have to switch any parts around, just swing the vertical needle bar out of the way and you're ready for lateral play.

I'll post some pictures of the Pathé one later. Gives me an excuse to become more acquainted with iPhoto!

Sean

It may sound silly, correction... sounds silly I'm sure but I'd like to have one of the Pathé adapters for a Victor on my Victor V and park my Pathéphone no. 12 next to it with a lateral attachement for 78s.

I'm sure all that stuff sold well because nobody want's to be restricted by format, just as today I had a chip "installed" in my blu-ray player to make it region free

OrthoSean wrote:Um, sorry, I didn't want to say Victor Victrola because I'm using it on my Victor III "talking machine".

Pathé actually made an adapter for Victor machines as well, which I also have. I collect these because I find them fascinating. This ARL is very nice and plays verticals very nicely, as does the HUGHES stylus and the Pathé adapter. Others I have are OK at best, but these three mentioned here are the best ones I've encountered so far.

Sorry for using "phonograph" incorrectly...I refer to all of my machines as "phonographs" though.

Sean

I note that in the US "phonograph" is a generic term for all talking machines, whereas everywhere else the term "phonograph" is associated with cylinder machines. By the way, talking machines for the use of lateral-cut disc records (Pathé, Neophone, Stollwerck) should constitute a distinct group: "disc phonographs".

Could you please show the Pathé adapter for Victor machines, and also the HUGHES stylus. It will be great to compare these side by side.

I'd be happy to, give me a day or so and I'll put them up in a new thread here with plenty of pictures. I was going to today, but I have other things to attend to this evening.

Sean