The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Is this the equivalent of an Orthophonic reproducer?
From the name it sounds like they were trying to compete
with the orthophonics.

eBay Item #270637746052

Probably. It's like the knockoff products you find at flee markets such as Block and Decker power tools, Alphine and Banosonic stereos.

"Oro-tone" had been making edison attachments for quite awhile before the Ortho came along, but the adaptor name change to Oro-phone was probably influenced by Victor, and to distinguish the aluminium diaphragm version from the earlier soundbox with a fiberous diaphragm.
I've never heard the soundbox shown on ebay, but I do have an Oro-tone "Chieftain" soundbox with aluminium diaphragm, which looks very similar except for a slightly different mask pattern & (earlier?)needle bar pivot. It's a pretty good sounding box actually, and a vast improvement over their fiber diaphragm with electric recordings, but it does lack the bass responce of better brands.
My Chieftain is also very heavy, due to the thick potmetal back, but at lease the potmetal itself seems stable

AZ* wrote:Probably. It's like the knockoff products you find at flee markets such as Block and Decker power tools, Alphine and Banosonic stereos.

I think I see some fine print on the side of the tone arm... its says "MADE IN HONG KONG"

gramophoneshane wrote:"Oro-tone" had been making edison attachments for quite awhile before the Ortho came along, but the adaptor name change to Oro-phone was probably influenced by Victor, and to distinguish the aluminium diaphragm version from the earlier soundbox with a fiberous diaphragm.
I've never heard the soundbox shown on ebay, but I do have an Oro-tone "Chieftain" soundbox with aluminium diaphragm, which looks very similar except for a slightly different mask pattern & (earlier?)needle bar pivot. It's a pretty good sounding box actually, and a vast improvement over their fiber diaphragm with electric recordings, but it does lack the bass responce of better brands.
My Chieftain is also very heavy, due to the thick potmetal back, but at lease the potmetal itself seems stable

Thanks for the insight Shane. I like the aluminum diaphragm reproducers so this would probably
sound good enough for my liking. The fact that its NOS with mint gold plating is alluring as well.
Do you think a rebuild on this would be as straightforward as a typical aluminum diaphragm soundbox?
Even though its NOS I am sure the gaskets are dried out regardless.

It should be fairly straightforward I think, although I'm not familiar with that particular needlebar pivot arrangement. But from what I can see, it doesn't appear to use ball bearings or anything complicated. Mine is closer to a Victor No.2 pivot, except it has small pieces of rubber between the needle bar and springs. Mine also uses regular size gasket tubing, so I'd assume that one does too.
I did notice however, that your mask completely encircles the circumference of the potmetal body, so it might be tight & difficult to remove IF the metal has swollen. Mine has the section behind the needle bar cut out, so it just lifted straight off once the retaining screws were removed.
I'm not sure I believe the "NOS" story though.
There appears to be some wear/scratches where the adaptor connects to the Edison horn, but then it's pretty unusual to find one with the dust plug present.
I would also expect the instruction pamphlet to be there too if it was NOS.
I think if it was used, it wasn't used very much, & had the plug replaced after each use by a caring owner (probably as instructed in the pamphlet).

Same seller also has a nice gold-plated Edisonic. I've only ever seen those with the 'tiger stripe' finish.