The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

https://shop.sylviamassy.com/product/ra ... e-tonearm/

I think this is a poorly identified piece of lathe recording equipment. The "reproducer" does not look like anything built for a phonograph player as the pivot is half way across the mica diaphragm, and the 2 connectors at the back of the head make sense for some kind of heavy driver in there like on a battery radio speaker.

It's making me think this is part of a record lathe from the 1920s. As for whether that's experimental or a commercially released one, that's not in my wheelhouse, but it's definitely very cool & I thought some of you would like to see it.

That is a 1920’s era Western Electric reproducer. Not a recorder. If you research u can find photos of Western Electric turntables and disc reproducers in Vitaphone sound motion picture projectors. The recorders used on lathes looked significantly different.

Thanks @Phototone.

I'd heard about Vitaphone, of course, but had not seen the equipment. This is very interesting and I would love to have known how it sounded back when it was installed at a major theater.

I have a couple of these reproducers and enjoyed trying one of them last year. The sound is stunning (as one might expect). Here are some videos on my channel (hopefully this link works): https://www.youtube.com/@burmesecolourn ... 20electric

Orchorsol wrote: Thu Jan 05, 2023 1:41 pm I have a couple of these reproducers and enjoyed trying one of them last year. The sound is stunning (as one might expect). Here are some videos on my channel (hopefully this link works): https://www.youtube.com/@burmesecolourn ... 20electric

P.S. I've read that these are often in great operating condition as-found, as they're oil filled / oil damped and don't need any rubber components replacing (as with so many other reproducers, both electric and acoustic). That was certainly the case with the one in my videos - it had nothing done to it whatsoever.

It looks similar to the HMV early pickup, don't know the number... If they sound so good, as you've shown in your nice videos, I wonder why they changed to a different type with the rubbers etc. Surely there was an improvement, maybe in the output power? Less cost?

Orchorsol wrote: Thu Jan 05, 2023 1:41 pm I have a couple of these reproducers and enjoyed trying one of them last year. The sound is stunning (as one might expect). Here are some videos on my channel (hopefully this link works): https://www.youtube.com/@burmesecolourn ... 20electric

I used to have two, but I sold them because I didn't have a right tone arm. Yours is a longer arm. Impressive. Thank you for posting.