The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello again everybody! Forgive me if this has been re-hashed recently. Just wanted to know if softer replacements have become available for Exhibition or the later reproducers. Thanks- Bill

Softer than what?

I usually purchase those made by APSCO and they seem to do a nice work, at least IMHO.

I should have said softer than last time I bought some which was three years ago.
The material used for the Exhibition, Vic 2, and Orthophonic replacement isolators was pretty stiff.

I agree that the replacement rubber isolators currently available are too stiff. Rocky Mountain Rubber used to have isolators for sale with roughly the correct durometer, but they have been unavailable since John Gubbins sold his equipment. It'd be great to see someone make these, but the start-up costs would likely be quite high.

Best,

Garret

I will ask my friend George Epple I know he has a good source for at least the Orthophonic. I also know they are more expensive but he thinks it is worth the expense.
Allen

Garret wrote:I agree that the replacement rubber isolators currently available are too stiff. Rocky Mountain Rubber used to have isolators for sale with roughly the correct durometer, but they have been unavailable since John Gubbins sold his equipment. It'd be great to see someone make these, but the start-up costs would likely be quite high.

Best,

Garret

I still weep over the loss of the Rocky Mountain isolators. I still have a few that haven't found their way to a machine, and I can assure there is no amount of money that could convince me to part with them.

There is a guy on eBay out of Hong Kong who sells all sorts of isolators for different soundboxes. They are high quality rubber, and include the all important lip that extends to connect with the tonearm. Only problem is you have to use your own brass ring from your old isolator (that hard rubber can be really hard to break free).

Oceangoer1 wrote:There is a guy on eBay out of Hong Kong who sells all sorts of isolators for different soundboxes. They are high quality rubber, and include the all important lip that extends to connect with the tonearm. Only problem is you have to use your own brass ring from your old isolator (that hard rubber can be really hard to break free).

Rocky Mountain also required sending the brass ring (and I ended up saving a bunch just for that purpose).

So who exactly is this individual from Hong Kong? I'd be curious to see just how they stack up against my ever dwindling supply of Rocky Mountain isolators.

Jozef,

You're thinking of Chunny in Hong Kong. He usually posts on the British section of the board.

I actually talked to Ron about having softer ones made...his required minimum is 2,000, which works out to about a $10-15k order.

Garret

Zeppy wrote:Rocky Mountain also required sending the brass ring (and I ended up saving a bunch just for that purpose).

So who exactly is this individual from Hong Kong? I'd be curious to see just how they stack up against my ever dwindling supply of Rocky Mountain isolators.

Here are the links of the isolators on eBay.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/162101197816

https://www.ebay.com/itm/162101197817

I think the only isolator for an American soundbox in the assorted group is the Orthophonic.