EMG/Expert/Brunswick Ultona adaptors.

[emgcr]

Some years ago I made a few adaptors to enable an EMG to play a multi-purpose twin-head Brunswick Ultona soundbox and thus Hill and Dale records. This Brunswick creation is an item of great genius in my opinion, even incorporating a counterweight. All types of shellac records can be played---lateral-cut and Edison/Pathé vertical-cut by simply twisting the soundbox to the appropriate position. Here is one in action playing an Edison Diamond Disc:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNj7w3bcI1c Edison. "I want to be happy". Foxtrot from "No No Nanette".

I was asked recently by a friend if I could do the same for the Expert system. This is not so easy as the tonearm for the Experts Senior/Junior/Minor (All Range is half an inch longer) which are all identical was designed differently in “goose neck” form compared to the EMG’s "swan’s-neck”. By definition, this means that to achieve a similar facility it is necessary for the sound to traverse, not one, but two right-angles. I was unsure how well this might work but keen to find out.

On an Expert, the goose-neck is threaded (⅝” X 26 TPI) into the tonearm which has a mounting section at right angles to the main part of the tonearm. One of the reasons this was done was to allow the incorporation of a Quincke tube (see discussed elsewhere). However, in the EMG system, the swinging swan’s neck is tubular without thread and simply pushes straight in without a right-angled section. The Expert adaptor also has to be internally threaded (½” X 26 TPI) to accommodate the Quincke tube. Here is the result on an Expert Junior compared to an EMG Xa :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMzTXRNJlbY “The flapper wife”. Expert Junior in carpeted room. 25” horn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hl_3dpypGtk “The flapper wife”. EMG 10a in room with wooden floor. 28” horn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15bDNJajc6U “Everything is hotsy totsy now”. Expert Junior in carpeted room. 25" horn.

I am pleased with the result and wonder what others might think ? I have always found it amazing (but counterintuitive) that sound seems to negotiate right-angled bends without too much degradation and this is an interesting demonstration of that fact I think. Percy Wilson pointed to his findings that the quality of sound was relatively unaffected at small diameters of tonearm.

[CarlosV]

Great work, Graham! The Edison records sound very good both on the Expert and on the EMG. The Brunswick Ultona is indeed very ingeniously designed.

[emgcr]

Many thanks Carlos and apologies for the poor visuals---quite dark in my home and with an old camera---but it is the sound that we are after isn't it ?

[Orchorsol]

Fantastic Graham - and having heard the results in person, I can attest they are stunningly good through a large EMG. I agree, what a brilliant piece of ingenuity, to have all three different playing modes specifically provided for. As are the adapters - chapeau!

I'm reminded to try and find my Ultona head which is currently lost in storage. It's one of what seems to be a minority which have a different diameter where the adapter would fit.

[epigramophone]

I have always found it amazing (but counterintuitive) that sound seems to negotiate right-angled bends without too much degradation and this is an interesting demonstration of that fact I think. Percy Wilson pointed to his findings that the quality of sound was relatively unaffected at small diameters of tonearm.

Perhaps these impressive results explain why the Columbia Plano-Reflex system, which was based on the dubious claim that sound waves behave in the same way as light beams, works as well as it does.

[Watanabehi]

Some years ago I made a few adaptors to enable an EMG to play a multi-purpose twin-head Brunswick Ultona soundbox and thus Hill and Dale records. This Brunswick creation is an item of great genius in my opinion, even incorporating a counterweight. All types of shellac records can be played---lateral-cut and Edison/Pathé vertical-cut by simply twisting the soundbox to the appropriate position. Here is one in action playing an Edison Diamond Disc:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNj7w3bcI1c Edison. "I want to be happy". Foxtrot from "No No Nanette".

I was asked recently by a friend if I could do the same for the Expert system. This is not so easy as the tonearm for the Experts Senior/Junior/Minor (All Range is half an inch longer) which are all identical was designed differently in “goose neck” form compared to the EMG’s "swan’s-neck”. By definition, this means that to achieve a similar facility it is necessary for the sound to traverse, not one, but two right-angles. I was unsure how well this might work but keen to find out.

On an Expert, the goose-neck is threaded (⅝” X 26 TPI) into the tonearm which has a mounting section at right angles to the main part of the tonearm. One of the reasons this was done was to allow the incorporation of a Quincke tube (see discussed elsewhere). However, in the EMG system, the swinging swan’s neck is tubular without thread and simply pushes straight in without a right-angled section. The Expert adaptor also has to be internally threaded (½” X 26 TPI) to accommodate the Quincke tube. Here is the result on an Expert Junior compared to an EMG Xa :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMzTXRNJlbY “The flapper wife”. Expert Junior in carpeted room. 25” horn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hl_3dpypGtk “The flapper wife”. EMG 10a in room with wooden floor. 28” horn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15bDNJajc6U “Everything is hotsy totsy now”. Expert Junior in carpeted room. 25" horn.

I am pleased with the result and wonder what others might think ? I have always found it amazing (but counterintuitive) that sound seems to negotiate right-angled bends without too much degradation and this is an interesting demonstration of that fact I think. Percy Wilson pointed to his findings that the quality of sound was relatively unaffected at small diameters of tonearm.

Just Fantastic!!

[Supxor]

I may well be the friend to whom Graham refers. For a considerable period, I had encouraged him to design an adapter that would permit the reproduction of hill-and-dale recordings on my Expert Junior, which I have named Sir Ellis Michael. This past year, he kindly provided the long-anticipated adapter.

The adapter, fitted with an Ultona soundbox acquired from Wyatt Markus, integrates seamlessly with Sir Ellis Michael. The resulting performance is exceptional and surpasses expectation. The quality of reproduction is, in every respect, remarkable.

Graham’s adapter represents the highest standard of acoustic craftsmanship. Constructed entirely of brass, it is distinguished not only by its functional excellence but also by its visual elegance. The soundbox, which Wyatt meticulously cleaned and rebuilt with his characteristic expertise, completes an exemplary acoustic union with Sir Ellis Michael and Graham’s adapter.

Robert Harrison, D.Mus.A.
Professor of Voice, retired
Indiana University Bloomington, USA