The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Here's a video of my early Victor V with a late Indian reproducer that looks like a Viva Tonal but with a Nipper stamping on the cover. I overhauled and tuned it and semi- sealed the front with a cork disc.

I got the reproducer off eBay about 12 or so years ago dirt cheap and as I recall I went into my huge shop automotive metric O ring kit and found O rings to seal the diaphragm as well as a thick one to mount the flange portion to the body. The original metal flange was not right for the arm, so I snagged one off another reproducer that fit. Wish I could remember what it came from, LOL! I think the reproducer is likely late 1940s or so, but I could be wrong.

Anyways, I think it sounds really good on electrically recorded records. The original Exhibition is really good on acoustics but very underwhelming on electrics.

The record in the demo is Tommy Dorsey's "Our Love Affair" from 1940 with a vocal refrain by a then 24-year old Frank Sinatra.

Enjoy- let me know your thoughts on sound quality. This old "patina monster" Vic V has been my "daily driver" since about 2004. I used a NOS Victrola Tungs- tone "Soft Tone" needle for the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZaOLCxirOs

I think it sounds very good. It certainly handles the range without any hint of blasting. A solid mid-range is projected through the horn, and the upper register is crisp. If the horn were twice as long, with about the same taper, you'd probably hear some bass.

OrthoFan

OrthoFan wrote:I think it sounds very good. It certainly handles the range without any hint of blasting. A solid mid-range is projected through the horn, and the upper register is crisp. If the horn were twice as long, with about the same taper, you'd probably hear some bass.

OrthoFan

Thanks for the kind words. It's good to get some validation of how I feel about it.

I do get just a hint of bass "in person" as it is. Probably the camera I used to record the video isn't the greatest for this, nor are computer speakers. You'll notice I needed to turn the horn a bit away from the camera so it didn't overwhelm the pickup.

It really sounds great a room away with a loud tone needle!

Sounds just dandy, so says I, normally no fan of later electrics played on these earlier machines. The midrange is well reproduced there and that's what counts. Seems to be a good ratio of music to surface noise as well.