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Just wondering what other people use as a work horse of a machine to play there records on? Personally my HMV 109 it has good tracking a strong steady quiet no 32 motor and the no4 sound box can handle later records and earlier records easily, it has a warm tone that isn't harsh and an automatic brake all in a very small cabinet. By no means my best but my best overall machine.

Leave responses I'm very interested.

For acoustic 78s, I mostly use a VV-XI.

For early electric 78s, I play my VV 1-90, but I'm hoping to get a larger Orthophonic eventually.

For Diamond Discs, I have a C-150 that's my "go to". I do have a Diamond Disc with a larger 250 horn, but I still like my C-150.

For cylinders, it's a toss-up between my 1A and my Standard D with cygnet.

Those are my usual "playing" machines and are all in my living room. When I get a box of unsorted new records, I usually "preview" them on the machines in my bedroom, a Brunswick Ultona 105 and an Amberola 30.

78s: Victor 6
Blue Amberols: Edison Opera
2-minute cylinders: Edison nickel Home in H&S cabinet

These are all in my living room and each has record storage for my most frequently played records.

Of the 3 I listen to the Opera the most often. I enjoy a lot of Blue Amberol titles.

Acoustic 78s: Victor Schoolhouse
Electric 78s: alternate among EMG, Credenza and HMV202
Vertical cuts: Pathé concert and concert automatique
Amberols: Edison Opera
2 min and wax 4 min: Edison Home
Diamond discs: Schubert
Pathé inter cylinders: Pathé nr 4

Acoustic 78s: G&T Monarch Senior w/spearpoint horn
Electric 78s: Victor VE10-50 or (soon) VE8-8
Pathé (vertical cut): Pathé Actuelle or Pathé Modele B
Blue Amberols: Edison Amberola V
Black wax cylinders, 2 and 4 minute: Edison Amberola 1A
Brown wax cylinders: Edison Home A
Concert cylinders: Edison Concert B
Diamond Discs and LPs: Edison Schubert
Pathé inter cylinders: Pathé "Coq" No. 1 (I think)

I find myself winding my first Victor VV-IV-E. Either using a No.2 or No.4 Reproducer. Even with the wooden internal horn, it sounds really good to my ears.

My trusty Victor V "Patina Monster" with an Exhibition for acoustics, an HMV that looks like a Viva Tonal reproducer but with an embossed Nipper for electrics, a Pathé adapter for Pathés, and soon a Vicsonia adapter for Edison DDs.It has a matching record cabinet, too, and an Eduardo repro oak speartip that's a work of art in its own right.

The Patina Monster may wind up going up for sale shortly with an original flower horn less the Pathé and Vicsonia adapters and the cabinet as I made a deal on a much better preserved V that should be here soon.

My ultimate goal is to get down from about 20 machines to one, and have that one be a late Victor VI with mahogany horn. I do loves me some bling. THAT will be the one I get buried or cremated with...

(Not really. I just wanted to see everybody clutch their chests.)

gramophone-georg wrote:My trusty Victor V "Patina Monster" with an Exhibition for acoustics, an HMV that looks like a Viva Tonal reproducer but with an embossed Nipper for electrics, a Pathé adapter for Pathés, and soon a Vicsonia adapter for Edison DDs.It has a matching record cabinet, too, and an Eduardo repro oak speartip that's a work of art in its own right.

The Patina Monster may wind up going up for sale shortly with an original flower horn less the Pathé and Vicsonia adapters and the cabinet as I made a deal on a much better preserved V that should be here soon.

My ultimate goal is to get down from about 20 machines to one, and have that one be a late Victor VI with mahogany horn. I do loves me some bling. THAT will be the one I get buried or cremated with...

(Not really. I just wanted to see everybody clutch their chests.)

Ok George. Now you have me wanting to see pictures of the patine monster! I love patina!

hearsedriver wrote:

gramophone-georg wrote:My trusty Victor V "Patina Monster" with an Exhibition for acoustics, an HMV that looks like a Viva Tonal reproducer but with an embossed Nipper for electrics, a Pathé adapter for Pathés, and soon a Vicsonia adapter for Edison DDs.It has a matching record cabinet, too, and an Eduardo repro oak speartip that's a work of art in its own right.

The Patina Monster may wind up going up for sale shortly with an original flower horn less the Pathé and Vicsonia adapters and the cabinet as I made a deal on a much better preserved V that should be here soon.

My ultimate goal is to get down from about 20 machines to one, and have that one be a late Victor VI with mahogany horn. I do loves me some bling. THAT will be the one I get buried or cremated with...

(Not really. I just wanted to see everybody clutch their chests.)

Ok George. Now you have me wanting to see pictures of the patine monster! I love patina!

Here ya go- original finish, lots of wear to the nickel parts (I treated it with silver "Rub N' Buff" years ago and it's held up well) original paint/ patina flower horn (Horn not original to the machine but period correct). Cabinet finish is pretty worn but looks really good with furniture oil every 6 months or so.

There's a vid in the "Music" forum here:
http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... =3&t=29117

For cylinders I play my oak Amberola 1-A.

For 78s I play my VV 8-8 which is a school model Credenza.

Jerry Blais