The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Like the title says... ... I'm just not completely understanding the concept and I've got no experience in it. I can't find any instructions for it, either. I just don't want to mess up the machine or my brown wax cylinders. I can't seem to get it to play, and it seems both styli are contacting the surface of the cylinder.

Anyone? Paging Dr. Ola... Dr. Martin Ola. Paging Dr. Gordon... Dr. Rich Gordon...

I wouldn't even try using a Standard Speaker on brown wax.... They were notoriously difficult when they were new, and they're no better now. They track poorly and require near-constant fiddling.

I keep mine carefully boxed away in the drawer of my Class M and use an early Automatic with plain side arm to demonstrate how it plays. I have another one on a very early 2-clip Standard but that machine is a showpiece rather than something I use.

The Standard Speaker is a rare and historic item but it won't do your rare records any favors.

I agree with Rene - the Standard Speaker is a nice historic artifact, but of little utility. There was a reason Edison stopped supplying it in the 1890s! I haven't used mine in 25 years.

Still, if you really want to know how it works, here are directions for it, as well as the Class M. Click on images once or twice to enlarge.

George P.

Thanks very much Rene and George.

Yes, I have an early 2 clip Standard I wanted to keep as original as possible. I promise I will try the Speaker out on a gold- molded rather than one of the brown wax records. Maybe it was a bad choice to go with a Speaker rather than the early Model B the machine came with, but having the incorrect reproducer bugged me.

gramophone-georg wrote: Yes, I have an early 2 clip Standard I wanted to keep as original as possible. I promise I will try the Speaker out on a gold- molded rather than one of the brown wax records. Maybe it was a bad choice to go with a Speaker rather than the early Model B the machine came with, but having the incorrect reproducer bugged me.

Keep in mind that the Automatic was available when the Standard Phonograph was introduced, and unless your machine's serial number is below about 5000, it was originally equipped with an Automatic. Here's a page from the Edison catalog Form 49, dated Feb. 1, 1899. Note the second paragraph: As Steve Medved demonstrated in his series of articles in The Antique Phonograph on Edison Reproducers, the Automatic evolved into the Model B, and sometimes it's difficult to tell a late Automatic from an early Model B. And as the catalog page above makes clear, owners weren't happy with the Standard Speaker. This probably accounts for the Speaker's relative rarity today. No doubt a good number of Standard Speakers were discarded in favor of Automatics and Model B reproducers.

Here's the page from the same Feb. 1, 1899 catalog showing the Standard Phonograph offered with the Automatic on examples numbered above approximately 5000.
I hope this will be helpful.

George P.

I couldn't have added anything better than what was said here. I will direct all further comments to Doctors Howard, Fine, and Howard.

Martin

Hi George

Thanks for that info. This is turning into one of my "Oh, Magoo, you've done it again!" moments. I misinterpreted this line in the spotter's guide:

Originally, the reproducer would have been the “Standard Speaker” which had both a reproducing stylus and a recording cutter. This is very rarely found today. The optional “Automatic” reproducer was a much-improved model and soon replaced the “Standard Speaker” as standard equipment.

to mean that all were originally thus equipped, but were upgraded as the Standard Speaker was eventually phased out. (e.g., when sent in for repairs or as an upgrade kit). I see now that this actually aligns with the ad you posted and that the Automatic was an original equipment sub.

Since my S/N is 15515, I guess I really need an Automatic. Ah, well, back to the drawing board. Keeps me young!

phonogfp wrote:

three_stooges1.jpg

Yeah... That too!