The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello all,

purchasing a HMV No. 4 soundbox recently, I was So impressed that I bought another and then bought an actual Victrola 4”A” with the original box. When I received it, I was surprised to find that it had a diaphragm made of partially aluminum and mostly from mica. I have heard of his variant, but wanted to know how common it was.
It sounds amazing! But judging by the gaskets, it should be rebuilt. However, it is suffering from cracks in the pot metal, and I am wondering if it is better to just leave it alone? I would hate to have it fall apart!

Here is the advertisement from the company placed on/inside the box.

I've only ever had 3 or 4 Victor 4A reproducers, but they have all had the aluminum ring. I was not aware they existed any other way.

52089 wrote:I've only ever had 3 or 4 Victor 4A reproducers, but they have all had the aluminum ring. I was not aware they existed any other way.

Thank you for letting me know. I had always thought that the No. 4s used a purely mica diaphragm.

I also have a number of Victor 4 and 4As, and all have the silver ring. On the question of replacing gaskets, if it is sounding good, I would leave it alone. The pot metal of these nr 4As is quite unstable.

CarlosV wrote:I also have a number of Victor 4 and 4As, and all have the silver ring. On the question of replacing gaskets, if it is sounding good, I would leave it alone. The pot metal of these nr 4As is quite unstable.

CarlosV,

Thank you for your advice! I greatly appreciate it!

You haven't shown any photos of the back. If it looks as good as the front, I would say it could be carefully rebuilt without disaster.

I just got a VV 1-4 in the mail today that was a "Buy it Now" on Ebay last week. It has a 4a reproducer that I can't see an aluminum ring like what shows in your pictures.?
I don't like to buy machines from Ebay, but had never seen a VV 1-4 in the flesh. They had it listed as a VV-IV.......Baumbach doesn't list it in "Look for the Dog".

Iowa Dale

If it sounds great, leave it be. It’s potmetal and it’s cracked.

If it ain’t broke, don’t break it.

I have replacement mica diaphragms to fit a 4, but all the original 4s I have include the metal ring. I haven’t tried replacing the diaphragm to see what difference it makes, but I assume there was a good reason for designing it with the ring and therefore have left well enough alone.

BillH_NJ wrote:I have replacement mica diaphragms to fit a 4, but all the original 4s I have include the metal ring. I haven’t tried replacing the diaphragm to see what difference it makes, but I assume there was a good reason for designing it with the ring and therefore have left well enough alone.

The one time I replaced the metal ring diaphragm on one of these with a full mica diaphragm, there was a rattle that I couldn't get rid of with the metal ring version. To each his own, but if there is a rattle, I'd carefully replace it on such a stable looking reproducer. I leave badly cracked ones alone.

One thread here on the forum discussed using the exhibition diaphragm gasket material instead of the black neoprene. I tried it and thought I achieved superior sound. I have both depending on what the desired look of the end result is, but sonically, I prefer the exhibition gasket tubing in this model reproducer.

My 2 cents. Good Luck!!

Matt