The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I own a Victor Orthophonic tabletop I-80 made in Japan. This is the Victor Company of Japan. The soundbox was overhauled by Peter Wall and he did a great job on it. I greased the tone arm bearings, and then got to the motor, and lo and behold I was shocked.

The motor on this machine, is a small single spring motor similar if not the same as the VV 2-55 portable. Now I was dissapointed, I always wanted a VV 1-90 and liked the fact it is a tabletop Orthophonic with double springs.

Does anyone know why they had a single spring motor vs. double spring?

I took a photo and sent to the Victor Victrola site....this is my machine there.

http://www.victor-victrola.com/1-80.htm

The 1-90 also used a single-spring motor, although the 1-70 did not. I believe that this was simply because there was not sufficient room to fit the re-entrant horn of the 180 and 1-90 in ca cabinet of reasonable dimensions when there was a 2-spring Burton motor hanging down in the middle of the case.

Thank you Uncle Vanya. I never knew that the VV 1-90 was also a single spring motor machine. Sounds like the 1-80 and and 1-90 are similar.

I was surprised several years ago when I opened my 1-90 and discovered a single spring motor. I guess the reason I was expecting a double spring motor was because that's how it is described in LFTD and on the Victor Victrola page, an obvious error that has slipped by for many years. The Victor Data Book is correct, however.