The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Subject: Edison Model C Diaphragm sound differences....

Amazingly, I could not find much on this subject...


The Question is, What have you noticed sounds better???

A Glass Diaphragm, A Mica Diaphragm, or a Copper/Aluminum Diaphragm??!??!


I am interested in what any/all of you have found over the years by listening to Model C Reproducers with these different Diaphragm types.

What sounds better?!??! What sounds worse?!??? What differences have been noted?!??

I have been rebuilding some Model C Reproducers I have and I am encountering all three different types.. At least it seems to look that way.

I am all ears on this one.

)

Tony K.

Edison Collector/Restorer

I had a nice model C with a copper diaphragm that had a big full sound. Years later, I had a damaged model C with a stepped mica diaphragm rebuilt by Steve Medved. It wasn't quite as loud but had an up-close quality and fidelity that blew away the one with the copper diaphragm. They both sounded good for different reasons, but I'm partial to the one that Steve rebuilt. I'm sure that some of the quality differences are attributable to the rebuilding and tuning itself.

Martin

I also have another Model "C" Reproducer question, I've noticed in most of the repro Model C/H Reproducer rebuilding kits that there is an "S" shaped connector to connect the diaphragm to the stylus bar. What was there originally from Edison??? I have many reproducers that just have a really basic copper wire connecting the two, and a few others that have the "S" shaped connector wire. Were all of the connectors supposed to be the same "S" Shaped connector??1?!? Should I replace all my "C/H" reproducers with the "S" shaped connectors?!??

Has anyone ever studied this?!??

)

Tony K.

Edison Collector/Restorer

I find that the glass diaphragms work best for playing brown wax cylinders. The molded cylinders are too loud and cause blasting. For those, the copper diaphragm works the best. The mica diaphragms fall somewhere in between, but I am not sure if they are optimal for anything.

I had to go back and refer to Frow books, and it seems that the movement from Glass Diaphragms to Mica Diaphragms to Copper/Aluminum Diaphragms was just a natural stage of progression. Apparently "AUTOMATIC" Reproducers originally used Glass Diaphragms, then moving to Clear Mica or Purple Mica Diaphragms. It looks as if the Glass Diaphragms were phased out early once the "AUTOMATIC" Reproducers were discontinued, and then the Model "B" and Model "C" Reproducers continued to use Clear Mica or Purple Mica Diaphragms up to some time in 1905 when the Copper/Aluminum Diaphragms were introduced until the end of Model "C" Reproducer production.

I am still very interested in what people have found in listening to these sound differences in using all of these different types of Diaphragms materials in the Model "C" reproducer.

)

Tony K.

Edison Collector/Restorer

I have found the C reproducer has a wire link shaped like a C and the H reproducer has a link shaped like an S.

Have any others found the same results??!??

)

NEFaurora wrote:I had to go back and refer to Frow books, and it seems that the movement from Glass Diaphragms to Mica Diaphragms to Copper/Aluminum Diaphragms was just a natural stage of progression. Apparently "AUTOMATIC" Reproducers originally used Glass Diaphragms, then moving to Clear Mica or Purple Mica Diaphragms. It looks as if the Glass Diaphragms were phased out early once the "AUTOMATIC" Reproducers were discontinued, and then the Model "B" and Model "C" Reproducers continued to use Clear Mica or Purple Mica Diaphragms up to some time in 1905 when the Copper/Aluminum Diaphragms were introduced until the end of Model "C" Reproducer production.

I am still very interested in what people have found in listening to these sound differences in using all of these different types of Diaphragms materials in the Model "C" reproducer.

)

Tony K.

Edison Collector/Restorer

For what it's worth, my Standard B from early 1906 had a mica diaphragm (alas, it was not returned after I sent the reproducer out for rebuilding).

Bill