The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello-I have recently purchased a VV 2-55 portable which seems to be in good condition. I had the Orthophonic sound box overhauled by Walt Sommers and it is good (I tried it out on my Credenza and it is great). However, when I play most records with the refurbished sound box on the VV 2-55 there is a lot of buzzing on full passages of music. I know, it is a steel framed machine and I take everything off of the machine that could possibly rattle. I remove the crank while playing, I do not keep needles in the new needle receptacle. I remove the hard rubber cup that holds the soundbox and there are no used needles laying on, or in the machine. All screws are tight. Any advice on what to look for?

I have a VV 2-55 also. Perhaps you need to try different types of needles. I like to use the soft tone type on it.

Buzzing!!! Check for bees!!! Seriously, check the reproducer, Here is what to check for:
1. Make sure the thumbscrew tightly holds the needle.
2. Check the needle bar to make sure it is not loose. Sometimes the needle bar get separated from the aluminum diaphragm.
3. Make sure the needle bar doesn't move side to side on the pivot points. It should have a snug fit.
4. Check the rubber insert that holds the reproducer back to the tone arm.
Let us know how it works.
Harvey Kravitz

He said the reproducer is fine on his credenza. So it seems there's something specific to the machine that is causing the buzz.

Is there something inside or on the horn? Is the horn adequately secured?

Was the buzzzzzzing there before you had the reproducer rebuilt?? Can you try a different reproducer to see if the machine is the cause and maybe has a loose screw or rivet Tom B

Gently touch the needle bar while it's playing a record. If the buzz stops, you've isolated the problem to the sound box. Similarly, touch every accessible part of the machine while it's playing. When the buzz stops, your finger is on the problem! This worked for me when my Exhibition buzzed. Turned out it was indeed the needle bar; that's when I had the box rebuilt. If your rebuilder did a good job, then it shouldn't be the sound box. OTOH, just because it sounds OK on another machine doesn't exonerate the box; you may be getting some kind of acoustic feedback on the 2-55 that causes resonance in the sound box, or somewhere else, on that particular machine, but not the other, because the frequency response on your 2-55 will surely differ from that of the Credenza, which means that their composite wave forms will differ for any given frequency! I assume that you can eliminate objects in your listening room; sound waves can play funny tricks and cause sympathetic resonance in anything that's "tuned" to that frequency.