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The Aeolian Graduola slides a small egg shaped ball of red rubber placed inside the horn neck, up and down into the tonearm base. This in turn has a red rubber sleeve protruding down into the horn neck, that receives the rubber egg when it ascends pushed by the Graduola lever. Both make a tight fit when pushed up in full volume reduction, except for four narrow air passages cut out from the egg at four perpendicular positions.
That rubber neck protruding from the tonearm is part of the tonearm base rubber joint.
Si in all, this makes a pretty airtight system.
I must tell of the good quality of this rubber. Mine was still pliable and fully elastic after 100 years!

Inigo wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 3:25 pm The Aeolian Graduola slides a small egg shaped ball of red rubber placed inside the horn neck, up and down into the tonearm base. This in turn has a red rubber sleeve protruding down into the horn neck, that receives the rubber egg when it ascends pushed by the Graduola lever. Both make a tight fit when pushed up in full volume reduction, except for four narrow air passages cut out from the egg at four perpendicular positions.
That rubber neck protruding from the tonearm is part of the tonearm base rubber joint.
Si in all, this makes a pretty airtight system.
I must tell of the good quality of this rubber. Mine was still pliable and fully elastic after 100 years!

Wow! Complicated! Sounds like the reproductive system of a chicken!

It is! Really erotic! still after 100 years!
Seems even obscene!

Inigo wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 3:25 pm The Aeolian Graduola slides a small egg shaped ball of red rubber placed inside the horn neck, up and down into the tonearm base. This in turn has a red rubber sleeve protruding down into the horn neck, that receives the rubber egg when it ascends pushed by the Graduola lever. Both make a tight fit when pushed up in full volume reduction, except for four narrow air passages cut out from the egg at four perpendicular positions.
That rubber neck protruding from the tonearm is part of the tonearm base rubber joint.
Si in all, this makes a pretty airtight system.
I must tell of the good quality of this rubber. Mine was still pliable and fully elastic after 100 years!

This is very interesting. Thank you.

I have not taken my Aeolian Vocalian apart, and I mistakenly assumed from various photos that I found online that the horn choke operated by the Graduola cable was just a block of wood.

Here in this web page, there is one partially dismantled:

http://garagesalin.blogspot.com/2015/12 ... unter.html

I see, but you can only see the Graduola egg and the receiving rubber neck if you detach the tonearm base from the horn. It's a very clever machine, very well made, and that size of horn really gives another dimension to the acoustic records... Even electricals sound very acceptably with a restored soundbox. The size of that diaphragm and the fine needlebar pivot system makes this soundbox completely paired with the hmv/Victor no4 soundbox. It's equally as good and kind to the record grooves.
I only have a pot metal problem with the tonearm. The thin end at the soundbox elbow with the spring ball and set screw is broken. I'd be glad to find a new tonearm in good shape. Mine is exactly equal to that website example you've pointed out .. except that I've managed to make an emergency repair very ugly, but it works perfectly. Pathé records sounds also very well. Some are so well recorded that the singer seems to be in the room with you!