STILL REPAIRING ORTHOPHONIC SOUNDBOXES!
Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2016 10:05 am
Hello all. Just giving myself a bump. I still quietly offer repair services for Orthophonic soundboxes. If you hear a rattle, or your soundbox is blasting, it needs HELP. I perform the following procedures and adjustments to pot metal and brass units:
1-replace/remove hardened rubber mounting flange and manufacture a butyl rubber/silicone replacement good for the life of the unit. Softer than hard rubber replacements currently offered, with more compliance. Reduced record wear and blasting because reproducer is able to track groove more effectively. Less vibration transferred to tone arm. Will reduce volume slightly (help eliminate blasting, moreover), but increase audible sensitivity to different frequencies on the 78rpm disc. I compare an original untouched Orthophonic to a carved marble tulip, and a rebuilt unit to a blossoming fresh rose dancing in the breeze.
2-remove & replace hardened rubber dampers from above needle bar bearings, clean up original bearings, or replace original bearings with new precision lubricated magnetized bearings, sized to fit situation (some expanded pot metal bezels can require as many as 9 bearings per side!). Also includes relaxing the soldered link to the diaphragm spider, to remove any lateral pressure when the reproducer sits in the neutral position. Buzzing loose bearings are a nuisance to the ears.
3-re-adjust diaphragm. Orthophonic diaphragms are stamped in stages, but remember these were made 90 years ago, and some stampings are thinner than others. You could be experiencing flutter from thin distortions in the duralumin diaphragm, damaged from a previous owner who dropped the reproducer on a record, or some curious tyke from 1935 who thought it would be fun to poke a pencil tip through the diaphragm. I can also install new production diaphragms. They aren't as ridgid as the originals, but they play exceedingly well when coupled with a soft silicone mounting flange, and a Soft or Medium needle (plenty loud for anybody).
4- *sigh* I also repair other people's bad repairs. Not the most pleasant job, but I do it. Rubber diaphragm gaskets removed and replaced with card stock gaskets. *some* glue repairs can be undone. Not all pot metal can be repaired because of its fragile nature. Send a photo of your soundbox first.
Repairing an Orthophonic isn't rocket science, but they are incredibly sensitive to proper geometry, and small adjustments can make notable differences in performance.
General repair price range: $70-$225
1-replace/remove hardened rubber mounting flange and manufacture a butyl rubber/silicone replacement good for the life of the unit. Softer than hard rubber replacements currently offered, with more compliance. Reduced record wear and blasting because reproducer is able to track groove more effectively. Less vibration transferred to tone arm. Will reduce volume slightly (help eliminate blasting, moreover), but increase audible sensitivity to different frequencies on the 78rpm disc. I compare an original untouched Orthophonic to a carved marble tulip, and a rebuilt unit to a blossoming fresh rose dancing in the breeze.
2-remove & replace hardened rubber dampers from above needle bar bearings, clean up original bearings, or replace original bearings with new precision lubricated magnetized bearings, sized to fit situation (some expanded pot metal bezels can require as many as 9 bearings per side!). Also includes relaxing the soldered link to the diaphragm spider, to remove any lateral pressure when the reproducer sits in the neutral position. Buzzing loose bearings are a nuisance to the ears.
3-re-adjust diaphragm. Orthophonic diaphragms are stamped in stages, but remember these were made 90 years ago, and some stampings are thinner than others. You could be experiencing flutter from thin distortions in the duralumin diaphragm, damaged from a previous owner who dropped the reproducer on a record, or some curious tyke from 1935 who thought it would be fun to poke a pencil tip through the diaphragm. I can also install new production diaphragms. They aren't as ridgid as the originals, but they play exceedingly well when coupled with a soft silicone mounting flange, and a Soft or Medium needle (plenty loud for anybody).
4- *sigh* I also repair other people's bad repairs. Not the most pleasant job, but I do it. Rubber diaphragm gaskets removed and replaced with card stock gaskets. *some* glue repairs can be undone. Not all pot metal can be repaired because of its fragile nature. Send a photo of your soundbox first.
Repairing an Orthophonic isn't rocket science, but they are incredibly sensitive to proper geometry, and small adjustments can make notable differences in performance.
General repair price range: $70-$225
