The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I just wanted to know everyones opinion on the best sounding Victrola (not external horn Victors or Orthophonic machines).

Along with that, is the best sounding also the loudest with the largest horn or would you say that that is a different model?

Thanks,
Nicholas

I'm far from an expert on this one, not having that many machines to compare against one another...

My Orthophonic is an 8-12 ( one step down from the almighty "Credenza"), so that would be the "best" acoustic machine I own, in theory.

My non-Ortho Victors include:

VV-IX (1915) with "skinny" taper-tube and Exhibition soundbox

VV-XI (1921) with "fat" taper-tube and Victor #2 soundbox

VV-XVI "L-door" (1909) with skinny taper-tube and Exhibition soundbox


They all sound respectable...

I think the XI probably sounds the warmest and loudest of the three, probably due to the larger #2 soundbox and taper-tube. Its horn is about the same shape and size as the IX.

Many references suggest that the L-door Victrolas "don't sound very good due to the fairly small horn"...

While that may be true, I don't think mine sounds "bad" by any stretch of the imagination...


To compare different machines, one should probably use the same sound-box / needle-type and the same record on the different machines...

Condition of the soundbox and mounting flange is crucial - hard gaskets will cause buzzing and blasting, shrunken / hardened back-flange can cause buzzing and/ or loss of volume...

I believe that the best sounding machine is your first machine...Nothing sounds better than the first time you hear your machine in your house playing your record....a good friend , a good pipe or cigar , and a good beverage helps too....nothing sounds better

whoopinola wrote:I believe that the best sounding machine is your first machine...Nothing sounds better than the first time you hear your machine in your house playing your record....a good friend , a good pipe or cigar , and a good beverage helps too....nothing sounds better

That's right.

These crappy old Victrolas don't really sound that much different. Unless you've got a vivid imagination.

Thanks for the input. I always assumed that the different horns they used in the different models made a big impact. I guess it was more of "what can we fit in this cabinet."

My best sounding Victrola would be my VV-XXV. Did I break the rules of the survey? Jerry

My VV-405 sounds very good - it has the large diameter tone arm and the console allows for a larger horn opening that isn't as flattened on the bottom.