The Sound Comparison between HMV 202 and Two-Door Credenza

[Watanabehi]

Hello Re-entrant horn Lovers,

Here are two videos of comparing HMV 202 and Two-door Credenza sound. I used my hand-made susudake bamboo needle (same length) for both. The HMV 202 has its original oxidized silver soundbox and the Two-door Credenza has its original brass reproducer.

Hideki

[Henry]

The 'cello sound on the Credenza definitely has more presence. I also feel that it is reproducing more evenly across the frequency spectrum. The bass response is outstanding. The HMV sounds to me somewhat distant and even muffled in some passages. Mind you, both machines are very impressive, but I prefer the Credenza for this recording. However, I believe that the real test for these Ortho machines is how they reproduce the full symphony orchestra, which is probably the most complex sound environment in the musical world.

[Watanabehi]

The 'cello sound on the Credenza definitely has more presence. I also feel that it is reproducing more evenly across the frequency spectrum. The bass response is outstanding. The HMV sounds to me somewhat distant and even muffled in some passages. Mind you, both machines are very impressive, but I prefer the Credenza for this recording. However, I believe that the real test for these Ortho machines is how they reproduce the full symphony orchestra, which is probably the most complex sound environment in the musical world.

Thank you for your comments. I will put up videos with full orchestra. Even with fiber (bamboo) needles they produce impressive sound.

Hideki

[Watanabehi]

The 'cello sound on the Credenza definitely has more presence. I also feel that it is reproducing more evenly across the frequency spectrum. The bass response is outstanding. The HMV sounds to me somewhat distant and even muffled in some passages. Mind you, both machines are very impressive, but I prefer the Credenza for this recording. However, I believe that the real test for these Ortho machines is how they reproduce the full symphony orchestra, which is probably the most complex sound environment in the musical world.

Here are the two videos of two-door Credenza and HMV 202 playing Willam Kappel and Khachaturian Piano Concerto. It starts with the piano solo and the orchestra joins to the end. I use an identical susudake bamboo needle to play it. If I use a steel needle, it is too loud. I hope you enjoy it.

Hideki

[Henry]

To my ears, the 202 is brighter (it captures the high frequencies better) than the Credenza, with better separation of the orchestra and piano, although there is some shrillness (distortion) in the louder passages. On the Credenza, the orchestra sounds more distant and has a somewhat "tubby" quality. I prefer the immediacy of the 202, even with the overmodulation. I detect some wow (speed variation) in both, more noticeable on the Credenza, especially in the solo piano at the beginning. (Note: check the record for possible slightly off-center hole, which I thought I saw in the very brief view of the Credenza at needle drop.) Thanks for posting these examples!

[Watanabehi]

To my ears, the 202 is brighter (it captures the high frequencies better) than the Credenza, with better separation of the orchestra and piano, although there is some shrillness (distortion) in the louder passages. On the Credenza, the orchestra sounds more distant and has a somewhat "tubby" quality. I prefer the immediacy of the 202, even with the overmodulation. I detect some wow (speed variation) in both, more noticeable on the Credenza, especially in the solo piano at the beginning. (Note: check the record for possible slightly off-center hole, which I thought I saw in the very brief view of the Credenza at needle drop.) Thanks for posting these examples!

I have not detected any speed variation on Credenza and also the record is not off-center. I played the same record on HMV 202. So it shouldn't be any problem on speed. Thanks, anyway.

Hideki

[Watanabehi]

Hello Re-entrant horn Lovers,

Here are two videos of comparing HMV 202 and Two-door Credenza sound. I used my hand-made susudake bamboo needle (same length) for both. The HMV 202 has its original oxidized silver soundbox and the Two-door Credenza has its original brass reproducer.

Hideki

I put up those videos on youtube, since some of you can not access to these video.

https://youtu.be/OJsQP3DQ-VY HMV 202 playing bach cello
https://youtu.be/AzNGbGsfvqw Two-door Credenza playing bach cello

[Inigo]

Marvelous videos, thanks!

[Watanabehi]

The 'cello sound on the Credenza definitely has more presence. I also feel that it is reproducing more evenly across the frequency spectrum. The bass response is outstanding. The HMV sounds to me somewhat distant and even muffled in some passages. Mind you, both machines are very impressive, but I prefer the Credenza for this recording. However, I believe that the real test for these Ortho machines is how they reproduce the full symphony orchestra, which is probably the most complex sound environment in the musical world.

Here are the two videos of two-door Credenza and HMV 202 playing Willam Kappel and Khachaturian Piano Concerto. It starts with the piano solo and the orchestra joins to the end. I use an identical susudake bamboo needle to play it. If I use a steel needle, it is too loud. I hope you enjoy it.

Hideki

Here are youtube version of two videos on the same comparison.

https://youtu.be/dTC32tOWFFw Two-door Credenza
https://youtu.be/d_AKvLfatJw HMV202 Gramophone

[anchorman]

did you use the same soundbox in both videos? It's astounding the difference a soundbox can make. I've made up an adapter so that I can play Columbia number 9 on my HMV 102 portable, and it sounds very much like the number 9 on the 112a.

I think I prefer the 202, the motor seems to be smoother? slightly brighter sound too.