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Re: HMV portable 101 + 102 - desirability in the USA ?
Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2022 9:05 am
by poodling around
epigramophone wrote: Tue Feb 15, 2022 8:17 am
I collect portables for their variety of colours and finishes, but only use them for outdoor playing. I have owned many 101's over the years, but decided to concentrate on the 102 because this is the model which the market wants. At 75 next birthday I am now collecting with the next generation in mind. They are interested but cannot keep everything, so I want to bequeath them machines which will be easy to sell for good prices.
With perseverance and a certain amount of luck I now have a collection of UK 102's in every catalogued colour, plus a French one in blue, an Indian teak one and a Russian copy. I feel a group photograph coming on some time soon.
It would be marvelous to see a group photo. The Indian Teak 102 is the rarest one I guess.
Re: HMV portable 101 + 102 - desirability in the USA ?
Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2022 9:32 am
by Gramtastic
The teak 102 is rarer but one sold on Ebay a few days ago for £145! I was very tempted but it was collection only from Bath which is a long way from my house ! I wonder if anyone on here was the lucky buyer ???
Re: HMV portable 101 + 102 - desirability in the USA ?
Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2022 7:54 am
by shoshani
I have had both, and liked the 101 better enough that I sold the 102. I actually have three soundboxes for it: a brass-back HMV No 4 rebuilt by Wyatt Markus (MicaMonster), a "parts" brass-back HMV No 4 into which Wyatt installed one of his Figure-6 Edison Diamond Disc diaphragms as an experiment (worked very well, btw), and a hybrid that Wyatt built to my specifications: an HMV 5A soundbox with a brass back (apparently an experimental tooling run) into which he installed his famous isolator, but with the smaller brass ring that fits a 101 tonearm.
But overall I much prefer the appearance of the 101, and also its sound. Everyone's mileage varies, though.
Re: HMV portable 101 + 102 - desirability in the USA ?
Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2022 8:06 am
by Inigo
I use a 127 tabletop with a Meltrope III soundbox. I've yet not tried the Meltrope on a 101... It should blow you! And a 5a/b? I've tried it on the 127 and it is too strong! All the needles and the wood in the machine vibrated and buzzed!!
Ok the 101 I prefer my own tuned no4 soundbox, which I did much in the lines of mica monster.. slightly enlarged sound chamber, less pressure on the diaphragm, etc and it sounds fantastic!
Re: HMV portable 101 + 102 - desirability in the USA ?
Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2022 2:26 pm
by poodling around
Inigo wrote: Thu Feb 17, 2022 8:06 am
I use a 127 tabletop with a Meltrope III soundbox. I've yet not tried the Meltrope on a 101... It should blow you! And a 5a/b? I've tried it on the 127 and it is too strong! All the needles and the wood in the machine vibrated and buzzed!!
Ok the 101 I prefer my own tuned no4 soundbox, which I did much in the lines of mica monster.. slightly enlarged sound chamber, less pressure on the diaphragm, etc and it sounds fantastic!
Interesting. I use a Meltrope ii soundbox with bamboo needles on one of my front wind HMV 101's and it sounds really good.
Re: HMV portable 101 + 102 - desirability in the USA ?
Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2022 4:28 pm
by Inigo
I've tried the Meltrope on the 194 and it sounds a bit muffled, but in the smaller 127 horn... it blows you! So this soundbox seems ideal for mid sized horns. I use it with Bamboo or soft tone steel needles, and sounds marvelous! I'll follow your advice and try it on a 101...