The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

OrthoSean wrote:

solophoneman wrote:... They are nice looking machines indeed and they sound pretty decent. Acoustics sound terrific on a Cortez. A Credenza will still blow the doors off of one of these sound wise if you're playing electrics IMHO. ...

Sean

Based on what I remember hearing, years ago, when I listened to a friend's Cortez in a side by side comparison with a Credenza, the Credenza was the hands down winner -- more apparent bass, a much stronger mid-range, and generally, more "sonic oomph!" As you noted, this was especially apparent when electrical recordings were played. There was speculation, though, that the phonograph might have been designed more to bring out the best of the Light Ray Brunswick records, which were more bass-heavy than Columbia or Victor records.

One thing I've always wondered about was why Brunswick opted for the "mirror image" style tonearm--compared to almost all other manufacturers. Seems rather awkward for most right-handed people. (I'm wondering if this was a popular model for the "lefties?" )

Also, I no longer remember... Did the Panatrope sound box use a spider as a driver for the diaphragm, or was the center cone area of the diaphragm merely etched for reinforcement?

brianu wrote:

James wrote:

Kirkwood wrote:Sold at 1300.00. Nice one, looked to be complete and in fine original condition. Someday, I'd like to hear a side-by-side tone test with a Credenza, just to hear the similarities/differences between the 2 machines.

If you happen to be in Toronto, give me a call ahead of time , and we can arrange for a cup of coffie or two, and listen to my Credenza and the Panatrope Cortez.

James

does that mean that you were the buyer of this particular machine?

I was curious about the sale as well - however uncommon that model might be, the price seemed kind of high, but I'm not terribly familiar with these later non-victor "orthophonic" type machines.

I am not the buyer of this particular machine, but I happen to own one. Read my article "Brunswick Panatrope Cortez" at this link http://www.capsnews.org/apn2011-2
James

brianu wrote:

James wrote:

Kirkwood wrote:Sold at 1300.00. Nice one, looked to be complete and in fine original condition. Someday, I'd like to hear a side-by-side tone test with a Credenza, just to hear the similarities/differences between the 2 machines.

If you happen to be in Toronto, give me a call ahead of time , and we can arrange for a cup of coffie or two, and listen to my Credenza and the Panatrope Cortez.

James

does that mean that you were the buyer of this particular machine?

I was curious about the sale as well - however uncommon that model might be, the price seemed kind of high, but I'm not terribly familiar with these later non-victor "orthophonic" type machines.

I am not the buer of this particular machine, but I happen to have one. Read my article "Brunswick Panatrope Cortez"at this link http://www.capsnews.org/apn2011-2htm
James

brianu wrote:

James wrote:

Kirkwood wrote:Sold at 1300.00. Nice one, looked to be complete and in fine original condition. Someday, I'd like to hear a side-by-side tone test with a Credenza, just to hear the similarities/differences between the 2 machines.

If you happen to be in Toronto, give me a call ahead of time , and we can arrange for a cup of coffie or two, and listen to my Credenza and the Panatrope Cortez.

James

does that mean that you were the buyer of this particular machine?

I was curious about the sale as well - however uncommon that model might be, the price seemed kind of high, but I'm not terribly familiar with these later non-victor "orthophonic" type machines.

Read my article about this machine at http://www.capsnews.org/apn2011-2htm

James wrote:I am not the buyer of this particular machine, but I happen to own one. Read my article "Brunswick Panatrope Cortez" at this link http://www.capsnews.org/apn2011-2
James

Informative article, James - and I think the horn shape is where the Cortez comes up short. Good reproducer, good tone-arm, okay throat, but then: WHAM! The horn expands HUGELY within a much-too-short length. Any power to the bass notes is thrown away.

Oh, and my Brunswick portos have the same "backward" reproducer facing, but it's no problem for right-handed people: the thumbscrew still faces to the right, although lowering is best done with the left hand. No problem. (No 'spider', too - just a sharply-stamped diaphragm, ball-bearing pivot, and fairly stable pot-metal body. Just open it up & check to see if either side has warped; I've fixed a couple with careful flattening on Crocus-cloth taped to plate glass, keeping the original gaskets.)

ps - I officially HATE the Brunswick Panatrope portable, until I can get another good one offa Ebay or Clist ... after that, I'll say what I really think about the 109! (hehe)

solophoneman wrote:http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... NA:US:1123


These do not surface very often. It will be interesting to see what the final Auction price will be.

As to my opinion there's a lot of Victrola Orthothonic Credenza produced (Victors file, cited in Robert W.Baumbach's Look for the Dog). So there are still a lot of them around. According to my auction observation, very seldom I see a Columbia Viva-Tonal model 810, much more to Brunswick Panatrope Cortez, and the Tonalic Sonora to me is the hardest to find.

James

Edisone wrote:

James wrote:I am not the buyer of this particular machine, but I happen to own one. Read my article "Brunswick Panatrope Cortez" at this link http://www.capsnews.org/apn2011-2
James

Informative article, James - and I think the horn shape is where the Cortez comes up short. Good reproducer, good tone-arm, okay throat, but then: WHAM! The horn expands HUGELY within a much-too-short length. Any power to the bass notes is thrown away.

Oh, and my Brunswick portos have the same "backward" reproducer facing, but it's no problem for right-handed people: the thumbscrew still faces to the right, although lowering is best done with the left hand. No problem. (No 'spider', too - just a sharply-stamped diaphragm, ball-bearing pivot, and fairly stabInle pot-metal body. Just open it up & check to see if either side has warped; I've fixed a couple with careful flattening on Crocus-cloth taped to plate glass, keeping the original gaskets.)

ps - I officially HATE the Brunswick Panatrope portable, until I can get another good one offa Ebay or Clist ... after that, I'll say what I really think about the 109! (hehe)

In my personal opinion my Credenza have a good bass, more distinct if you used a medium loud needle and the lid closed, the sound is mellow and dispersed. The Cortez have a good bass, but less than the Credenza, but enough for good listening, the vocal recordings of the Cortez is projected front and centre without being obnoxious, and have more volume. For some reason I tend to play the Cortez more than the Credenza. I hava a Brunswick Panatrope portable, I got at e-bay last summer. It work and sound great. Both the Cortez and the Brunswick Portable's tone-arm and reproducer are brass, and were gold plates.

James