The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have often wondered what the opinions are on the Edison and Columbia Recorders.

I have used both and find the Edison 2 minute recorder seems to be louder and more pronounced than the Columbia Lyric 2 Minute recorder. I am not sure the reasons but its been my experience.

Unfortunately, I have never used any recorders other than early and late model Edison recorders. I would also like to know. Columbia lyric recorders must be somewhat rare? The closest I came to using a Columbia was a Dictaphone The Edison won....

The poll thing is apparently not working right
because it will not accept my selection.

I would have to say the Edison product would be
my natural choice. Never tried the Columbia, but
would not expect it to work as good as the Edison.

In my humble opinion, that seems to be the general trend. Edison products just mostly do
work the best as far as I can tell.

Chuck

Also, check the cutter profile using the highest
magnification you can find.

I think that most likely what you will see is
that the Edison has a round, cupped-point cutter,
where as the Columbia probably has a chisel-point
somewhat similar to the repro cutters currently
available from Expert Stylus in the U.K.

I have one Edison late model recorder that I rebuilt that uses one of those flat "Expert" jobs
and it does not work nearly as well as the
genuine cupped-point Edison cutters do.

Chuck

In my limited experience I have recorded a few records with two of the common Edison 2M recorders and also a Columbia Lyric recorder. As a result, I don't believe either design is inherently superior. One of the Edisons did record louder, but it may have been a lucky combination of a good gasket and diaphragm and a warm day -- the volume was as loud as most brown wax that I've heard. I haven't looked at the Columbia recorder in 20+ years (wherever the heck it is), but the sapphire was cylindrical and I'm pretty sure it was cupped.