Strange Tonearm position on VV-XI

[GaryLC]

Hi folks,

I recently picked up a VV-XI, in "decent shape", finish is rough, but everything is there, with a bunch of records. I'm psyched, looking forward to learning about these machines. The tonearm doesn't seem like it's holding the Reproducer in the standard position, I'm enclosing photos of it. It seems as if the head should be swing straight down toward the record, with the needle at a 90 degree angle (any others I've seen are like that). This has the reproducer slanting at an angle on the record. It's a No. 2 Reproducer. Is it not installed correctly, or am I missing something?

Thanks!

[Brad]

That is not the correct reproducer for your machine. The tone arm looks right. What brand is marked on the repro? A victor repro should attach to the end of the U-shaped swing tube.

The XI is a fine machine. Once you get the repro straightened, it will sound great. What you have now will prematurely wear/damage your records, so play it sparingly, or only on records you don't want to preserve.

[spin78's]

That looks like a No.2 soundbox, but there is an adapter attached to it for some reason. Take that screw out and remove that (extra) part.

[estott]

That's an attachment to play vertical cut records- the other reproducer should fit into it. Someone has attached the Victor No. 2 reproducer to it. Take off the attachment and you can fit the Victor reproducer onto the end of the tube with a bayonet joint.

If you can get the vertical cut attachment to work it will be useful, but it will need a jewel stylus.

[Uncle Vanya]

Actually, that odd adapter is a pretty scarce (though nearly useless) piece.

Note that the diaphragm of the reproducer is held at a 45 degree angle to the face of the disc,
rather than the expected 90 degree angle. This is one of the special adapters made by the Feldman
casting works (LaBelle Phonograph Co.) for Emerson, to allow their Universal (Smallwood) cut discs
to be better reproduced on Victor (and other lateral) machines.

[antique1973]

It looks like an aftermarket attachment to play Pathé records. My Silvertone has
a similar adapter although I have never used it. Its kind of neat though, I never
saw one on a Victor machine before. If you get a Sapphire needle I would assume
you could play the Pathé records if you wanted to. The No. 2 soundbox (once you take off the adapter and re-attach) should have an angle on it, as in the picture below:

[Uncle Vanya]

It looks like an aftermarket attachment to play Pathé records. My Silvertone has
a similar adapter although I have never used it. Its kind of neat though, I never
saw one on a Victor machine before. If you get a Sapphire needle I would assume
you could play the Pathé records if you wanted to. The No. 2 soundbox (once you take off the adapter and re-attach) should have an angle on it, as in the picture below:

Ah, but the adapter to play Pathé or Edison records would turn the plane of the diaphragm of the reproducer fully 90 degrees from its usual position, not forty-five degrees, as does this unusual part. It WILL play Pathé and Edison discs with the use of the correct stylus, but the reproduction will suffer from greatly increased surface noise, and the records so played will sustain atrocious wear.

This odd little unit should be preserved, but I really wouldn't recommend using it to play vertical cut discs of any sort.

[Henry]

Gary, your XI appears to be the same vintage as mine (serial 370333G, mfd. 1917), judging by the slender tone arm ("taper tube"), the round-dial speed adjustment, and the carvings at the tops of the cabinet "wings." The standard sound box with this model was the Exhibition, with the no. 2 furnished when Victor went to the "fat" tone arm late in 1917 (see Baumbach's "Victor Data Book" for these and other details). I venture to say that your no. 2 sound box, when properly rebuilt and adjusted, and with that peculiar angular gizmo removed, will sound just fine, although Paul Edie has shown experimentally that the Exhibition has a flatter frequency response with less THD than the no. 2. (see http://www.victor-victrola.com/Soundbox%20Article.htm). Congratulations on your fine acquisition, and may you get much pleasure and enjoyment from many hours of listening to your XI!

[GaryLC]

Thanks everyone, for all the help and info! The guy that gave this to me played it for me on an old record (and it sounded terrible, as you could imagine), but he said it was in his parents house for the last 40 years, and he never heard them use it. So I haven't tried it. Sounds like I should be able to just remove the adapter, and attach the No.2 directly to the tonearm? Any special instructions I need to know about that, proper angle for correct setting down on the record? I'll take it off and see what's going on tomorrow.
BTW, the serial number is 134768G, what period is it from? The motor winds up great, spins nice, no clunking, no noises.

I also picked up a Sonora floor model , about the same cosmetic shape, sounds really nice. The "volume adjustor" knob on the side is a hoot!

[Brad]

Gary,

The repro will only go on one way and then you will twist it into position. It will be obvious when you do it.

Check out http://www.victor-victrola.comthere will be a link for serial numbers and dates of manufacture. Victor kept good records (pun intended). You will be able to date you machine fairly close.