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I have a chance to buy an Alvara. the back pot metal bracket was broke. Thus this model always come with a back bracket tone arm or they also come with the free standing one as well. Another question is Alvara's tone arm the same length with the Victrola Credenza or is it shorter?

Jim

James wrote:I have a chance to buy an Alvara. the back pot metal bracket was broke. Thus this model always come with a back bracket tone arm or they also come with the free standing one as well. Another question is Alvara's tone arm the same length with the Victrola Credenza or is it shorter?

Jim

I finally brought home the Alvara. Cabinet is close to mint. Broken tone arm back bracket. Shorter tone arm compared to the Credenza, which is a little longer. I have an extra tone arm and reproducer same length as the broken one. It is free standing, which I mean no back bucket support at the tone arm. nickel plated. the original was bronze plated. The nickel plated tone arm comes with a brass nickel plated reproducer to match the tone arm.

Clean the case tomorrow and transfer the tone arm.

Planning to take before and after pictures.

Jim

I installed my spare tone arm and a nickel plated reproducer and it is the right length. I took some picture, the way it came home, and not bad, just rub it with jogo and after few days a Howard restore. The inside will have more attention, because of dirt.

This is my first Christmas gift for the season!!!!!

Jim

James wrote:

James wrote:I have a chance to buy an Alvara. the back pot metal bracket was broke. Thus this model always come with a back bracket tone arm or they also come with the free standing one as well. Another question is Alvara's tone arm the same length with the Victrola Credenza or is it shorter?

Jim

I finally brought home the Alvara. Cabinet is close to mint. Broken tone arm back bracket. Shorter tone arm compared to the Credenza, which is a little longer. I have an extra tone arm and reproducer same length as the broken one. It is free standing, which I mean no back bucket support at the tone arm. nickel plated. the original was bronze plated. The nickel plated tone arm comes with a brass nickel plated reproducer to match the tone arm.

Clean the case tomorrow and transfer the tone arm.

Planning to take before and after pictures.

Jim

I have not successfully upload the replacement tone arm....
Jim

James wrote:I installed my spare tone arm and a nickel plated reproducer and it is the right length. I took some picture, the way it came home, and not bad, just rub it with jogo and after few days a Howard restore. The inside will have more attention, because of dirt.

This is my first Christmas gift for the season!!!!!

Jim

James wrote:

James wrote:I have a chance to buy an Alvara. the back pot metal bracket was broke. Thus this model always come with a back bracket tone arm or they also come with the free standing one as well. Another question is Alvara's tone arm the same length with the Victrola Credenza or is it shorter?

Jim

I finally brought home the Alvara. Cabinet is close to mint. Broken tone arm back bracket. Shorter tone arm compared to the Credenza, which is a little longer. I have an extra tone arm and reproducer same length as the broken one. It is free standing, which I mean no back bucket support at the tone arm. nickel plated. the original was bronze plated. The nickel plated tone arm comes with a brass nickel plated reproducer to match the tone arm.

Clean the case tomorrow and transfer the tone arm.

Planning to take before and after pictures.

Jim

Anyone else think the needle is too far behind the spindle for good tracking? The needle on my Credenza is pretty much even with the spindle when moved over. I heard from members here that Victor had problems with some of the crooks and had to make replacements to improve tracking and reduce record wear. Thoughts?

thepianolist wrote:Anyone else think the needle is too far behind the spindle for good tracking? The needle on my Credenza is pretty much even with the spindle when moved over. I heard from members here that Victor had problems with some of the crooks and had to make replacements to improve tracking and reduce record wear. Thoughts?

It isn't very far behind the spindle. What really matters is how squarely it tracks across the grooves, which these pictures don't illustrate.

Let me add: now that I've looked a couple times at the pics, I think the replacement tone-arm was intended to be mounted directly behind the turntable, so it's now presenting the reproducer at the wrong angle.

Here is how the tone arm of the Credenza situated. at the middle back, while the turntable is at he right side of the base of the tone arm, which I think it pull the tracking toward the centre. The Alvara is the opposite, it push the tracking toward the centre. Both the broken and the replacement tone arm do the same, push toward the centre. Comments are appreciated.

Jim

Edisone wrote:

thepianolist wrote:Anyone else think the needle is too far behind the spindle for good tracking? The needle on my Credenza is pretty much even with the spindle when moved over. I heard from members here that Victor had problems with some of the crooks and had to make replacements to improve tracking and reduce record wear. Thoughts?

It isn't very far behind the spindle. What really matters is how squarely it tracks across the grooves, which these pictures don't illustrate.

Let me add: now that I've looked a couple times at the pics, I think the replacement tone-arm was intended to be mounted directly behind the turntable, so it's now presenting the reproducer at the wrong angle.

It makes no difference where the arm is mounted, left of center, on center, right of center, etc.

To prove it, look at the photo above of the Credenza, with tone arm left of center, as viewed from the front of the machine. Now, instead of standing at the front of the Credenza, imagine moving to the right and facing the right end of the machine, (don't get poked by the crank!). Now the tone arm is situated to the right of center, just like the Alvara!

What would be important, is maintaining the same radial distance from the turntable spindle post to the pivot point of the tone arm.

JerryVan wrote:It makes no difference where the arm is mounted, left of center, on center, right of center, etc.

To prove it, look at the photo above of the Credenza, with tone arm left of center, as viewed from the front of the machine. Now, instead of standing at the front of the Credenza, imagine moving to the right and facing the right end of the machine, (don't get poked by the crank!). Now the tone arm is situated to the right of center, just like the Alvara!

What would be important, is maintaining the same radial distance from the turntable spindle post to the pivot point of the tone arm.

Thank you very much for your intelligent review.....

Jim

JerryVan wrote:It makes no difference where the arm is mounted, left of center, on center, right of center, etc.

Yes, it absolutely DOES matter, which is why every tone-arm was mounted to the right on every decent machine since the late 1920s, including every electric turntable I've ever seen. Changing your viewing position does NOT alter the distance between the arm's base and the turntable; moving it (in a straight line) to the right does.

ps - This is exactly why Victor moved the motor/turntable to the right & altered the area of arm swing - moving the 'throat' of the horn would have been too costly, but it needed to be done as the early Orthophonics were grinding records to DEATH.

pps - Check out the portable Brunswick Panatrope, mentioned here today, for an excellent design. Minimal tracking error, even though the arm is fairly short, plus low distortion and excellent volume. It puts the portable Victrolas to shame !