I have owned both at Credenza and a 10-50 and agree completely with this statement. I have since sold the Credenza. There was no need to keep both. RMV ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sean Miller" <[email protected]> To: "'Antique Phonograph List'" <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2006 9:28 PM Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Victrola VE 15-1: Electrola Hyperion
>A 10-50 properly tuned and adjusted will knock the plaster loose in your > house more readily than a Credenza! > > For pickup rebuilds, George Epple is the man, he can be reached at > [email protected]. Reasonable and first rate work. > > As far as molding feet with the kit that was mentioned: yes, it works, I > molded some 10-50 pieces for a guy in Mississippi that had missing parts > on > his. He cast them in bondo (really!) and blended them with stain and > shellac and you can't even tell they are new, so yes, the answer is it > works. > > Best to all, > Sean > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] > On > Behalf Of Richard Rubin > Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2006 9:07 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Victrola VE 15-1: Electrola Hyperion > > Well, that silicone impression kit sounds like something I might be able > to > handle. One fellow I spoke to strongly recommended hiring a carpenter to > make them, saying he personally would never settle for anything less, but > that seems a bit extreme to me, not to mention expensive. I mean, the two > damaged feet are in the back, and I didn't buy this thing to put it into a > museum. I would like the feet to look somewhat alike, but resin or > plastic > wood are good enough for me, at least now. The feet are fairly simple and > straightforward, nothing too ornate, so I might even be able to handle the > plastic wood idea. Has anyone out there ever done this with good results? > And is this a fairly common problem? I know that about 15 years ago I > bought a Radiola 62 that had the exact same problem; come to think of it, > the cabinets were probably made within a year of each other. > > Here's a new question: Are the electric pickup, tone arm and support made > of pot metal? If not, what are they made of? Mine seem to be pretty > solid > (knock on wood), which makes me wonder if they really are pot metal. > Also, > I don't think I'll need it, but can anyone recommend someone who works on > these electric pickups? Can anyone who is really good with old radios and > electronics work on these, or are there tricky issues particular to this > pickup? > > As for the speaker, I can now state with confidence that I have the > Radiola > 104. It's interesting that Doug's Hyperion and mine are only 111 units > apart, and yet they have the different speakers. It would seem that > Victor > switched models somewhere between 1797 and 1908, unless they continued to > alternate, at their own judgement, beyond that point? Baumbach says they > switched to the six-inch dynamic speaker for "late production" units, but > that's vague. Mine was only about two-thirds of the way through the run. > Oh, and my set still does have the big internal loop antenna, although who > knows how wel that'll work. It looks exactly like the loop that RCA sold > to > > go with the Radiola 28. It looks pretty goofy sitting on top of that set, > but if it works well... > > The Brunswick P-11 is a nice piece. Is there a site somewhere that lists > and pictures the different Panatropes? And while I'm asking: After the > Credenza, what do all you folks think is the best-sounding Victrola? I'll > be interested to hear. > > Thanks again-- > > --RR > > >>From: "Ron L'Herault" <[email protected]> >>Reply-To: Antique Phonograph List <[email protected]> >>To: "'Antique Phonograph List'" <[email protected]> >>Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Victrola VE 15-1: Electrola Hyperion >>Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2006 09:05:49 -0500 >> >>An alternative to building up the missing parts with plastic wood and >>screws would be to buy the silicone impression material and casting >>resin that I think are sold in Van Dyke's Restorer's Catalog. You would >>make an impression of the good parts, then pour in the liquid resin >>which would harden. Then you would glue the new piece where is was >>needed, sand the seams smooth, stain and either shellac or lacquer the >>finish to match. >> >>Ron L >> >>-----Original Message----- >>From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] >>On Behalf Of Doug >>Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 4:47 PM >>To: Antique Phonograph List >>Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Victrola VE 15-1: Electrola Hyperion >> >>Interesting. The serial number on mine is 1797, and as I have already >>said, >>it has the magnetic speaker. I've seen a picture of a later Hyperion >>with >>the 104 speaker. It has a great big cast iron field pot on its back, and >>a 6 >>inch cone. On the picture I saw, there was a sturdily braced shelf to >>mount >>the speaker (It weighs like the blazes). The earlier sets with the >>nagnetic >>speaker can easily be spotted by the horseshoe magnet on the speaker >>Indeed, >>a dynamic speaker was far superior to a magnetic. It has deep bass >>response, >>and far more treble too. Magnetic speakers sound squawky. >> >>I have a theory about the change in speakers. When the Orthophonic >>recordings came out, the Credenza bowled over the listeners. That sold a >>lot >>of Victors. Concurrently, RCA was selling a Loudspeaker 104 in a cabinet >> >>with amplifier to be used to power and amplify battery sets, especially >>RCA's Radiola 28. You could have superb sound from this ensemble. In >>fact, >>that sound would be better yet than a Credenza! It was RCA who supplied >>Victor's and Brunswick's electronics from 1926 through the merger in >>1929. >>I believe that if the early sets with direct radiator speakers, like the >> >>Hyperion and the Electrola Cromwell were equipped with dynamic speakers >>so >>soon, they would out-perform the Credanzas and the Borgia Victors. On >>Victor >>day (11-2-25), Victor COULD HAVE HAD dynamic speakers. After the >>original >>introduction, and credenzas were selling like hotcakes, then Victor >>could >>afford to put the dynamics in the cone speaker phonographs. I have two >>examples of the RCA powered Electrolas: The Victor 12-15 Electrola and >>the >>Brunswick P-11. They must have knocked a new listener onto the floor. >>So, >>circuit-wise, conversion of the Hyperion to a 104 speaker was easy. The >>fil;ter choke in the amplifier was replaced by the 1000 Ohm field in >>the >>speaker, and the output transformer changed to match the voice coil in >>the >>speaker. I have all of the stuff here to do that, but I wouldn't care to >> >>change the set, better as it would sound. >> >>As far as building up the foots goes, the screw would tend to help hold >>the >>built-up plastic wood to the flat wood. It's like building a mound of >>plaster on a broken object. You put the screw in the flat piece part >>way, >>then pile on the plastic wood in a few layers so as to over-build it. >>Let it >>harden (the screw is now buried in the PW. After it's hard, file and >>sand it >>to match the contours of the foot. After you finish it off with toned >>lacquer, nobody'd ever know that it's a repair job. >> >>The set is supposed to have a big loop antenna inside the right hand >>side of >>the cabinet. thete is a thumb wheel in the top of that panel to rotate >>the >>antenna for maximum reception. There isn't an external antenna coil on >>the >>set. I already told about putting a coil of wier to the back panel of >>the >>set for an external antenna. If you're in a big metropolitan area, the >>set's >>already pretty hot, and you'll get a lot of stations, but an external >>antenna does make a difference. I suppose that they expected yopu to >>tack >>the antenna pick-up coil to the bcak panel Maybe tape, but never tacks! >>One other caution. The volume control on the Radiola panel and the >>filament >>control regulate the voltage to the filaments of the X99 tubes. Be very >>cautious about turning up either control, as you can possibly put too >>much >>juice on those tubes, and burn one out. You'll find that X99s are not >>easy >>to find! >> >>Now, regarding the external speaker jack on the set. I can't safely move >>my >>set away from the wall without help, but seem to recall that ther >>speaker >>jack is on the lower part of the cabinet. It will be a rouind bakelite >>faced >>jack, for a standard phone plug. It cuts out the internal speaker and >>connects your other speaker that you've plugged in. That jack may not be >>on >>the dynamic speaker models. The dynamic speaker isn't documented for the >> >>Hyperion in Victor's service bulletins. If you have a speaker jack on >>your >>set, you'd probably never use it, anyway. >> >> >>On Victor's Electrolas (the Cromwell, Tuscany, 12-15 and 12-25), there >>was >>an input jack to plug in your battery set to use the amplifier in the >>Electrola. That stuff was cutting-edge technology. >> >> >> >>----- Original Message ----- >>From: "Richard Rubin" <[email protected]> >>To: <[email protected]> >>Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 2:02 PM >>Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Victrola VE 15-1: Electrola Hyperion >> >> >> > Thanks for all the information, Doug. My 15-1 is one of the later >>ones -- >> > the serial number is 1908, which means it was about two-thirds of the >>way >> > through the run, and was shipped in the second quarter of 1926 -- but >>the >> > ID >> > plate reads "Hyperion." I'm pretty sure I have the 104 speaker, as >>it's >> > not >> > a ten-inch speaker. Do you have any idea why Victor switched speakers >>in >> > the middle of a run? Was the 104 considered to be an improvement over >>the >> > 100, or the opposite? >> > >> > I'm not sure exactly how to go about rebuilding the feet as you >>described; >> > it sounds like a pretty complicated process, something that Martha >>Stewart >> > (or Eric Reiss!) would describe in simple terms but might vex the >>average >> > joe (i.e. me). Can you (or anyone else out there) possibly elaborate >>a >> > little more on exactly how to go about this? What role do the wood >>screws >> > play in this? >> > >> > Regarding the albums, as soon as I fired off the first email I looked >> > again >> > at the big Baumbach book (the Data book, that is) and there they were, >>on >> > page 58. These were, as you wrote, Orthophonic albums, produced >>between >> > 1925 and 1928. Mine have letters on the side, and I'm missing the "D" >> > (10-inch) and "I" (12-inch) albums. I don't know what the prospects >>are >> > for >> > ever replacing these -- I don't think I've ever seen these particular >> > albums >> > on Ebay; for some reason, only the earlier red albums seem to pop up >> > there. >> > >> > I'm a bit confused: Does your set have the internal antenna? I'm >>also >> > not >> > sure where I would connect an extrenal one. The Baumbach books also >>say >> > that this model had a jack for an external speaker, but I can't seem >>to >> > find >> > it. Where is it? >> > >> > Finally, if you (or anyone else out there) have pictures of what these >> >> > plugs >> > are supposed to look like, I'd love to see them. >> > >> > Thanks again for all your help, Doug. I appreciate it! >> > >> > >> > >> > >> >>From: "Doug" <[email protected]> >> >>Reply-To: Antique Phonograph List <[email protected]> >> >>To: "Antique Phonograph List" <[email protected]> >> >>Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Victrola VE 15-1: Electrola Hyperion >> >>Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2006 23:29:45 -0500 >> >> >> >>I've had one of these sets for quite a few years, and I know a bit >>about >> >>it. >> >> >> >>Questions: >> >> >> >>(1) I've altready said that i have one. It's a fairly uncommon set, >>many >> >>having been gutted, or if not, having the legs cut off. Mine is one of >>the >> >>early ones with the magnetic speaker; the RCA Loudspeaker 100. Later >> >>versions of the Hyperion had the RCA dynamic speaker, as the >>Loudspeaker >> >>104. I imagine that later models carried the 15-1 on the name plate. >> >> >> >>(2) The line cord had been supplied with the set, and since it was so >> >>easily >> >>removed, it was removed by some creature in the past. If you really >>have >> >>to >> >>have the cloth covered original line cord stuff, it can be gotten, but >>I >> >>can't put my finger on just where just now. As far as the >>terminations, >> >>there are bakelite female plugs to be found that do the job, and a >> >>bakelite >> >>line plug that will look original. I'm one of the few people who know >>what >> >>the Victor sets used, but if you were going for a $10,000 prize in a >> >>judging >> >>contest, I'd never rat on you. The set will never know or care how the >>AC >> >>gets into it, anyway. By the way, I'd recommend getting a fused plug >> >>(Horrors!, it wouldn't be original!) for the line plug. It's good >> >>insurance >> >>for the old Victor and Brunswick phono combinations. If anything >>shorts >> >>past >> >>the plug, the fuse goes. Those plugs are sold in farm supply stores as >> >>fence >> >>controller plugs. I never had the original cord for mine either, and >>I've >> >>never been castigated for using an extension cord. >> >> >> >>(3) Those little pieces have a nasty habit of disappearing. I'd >>recommend >> >>gluing back those you have, and putting a short wood screw in the >>flats of >> >>the other feet, and building them up with plastic wood, and >>sanding/filing >> >>them to shape and finishing with toned lacquer. >> >> >> >>(4) Sounds like you have the albums that are a glossy brown with the >>HMV >> >>logo pressed in them. Those are the regular Orthophonic style that >>Victor >> >>used with sets like yours. I never had the ones from mine. They do pop >>up >> >>occasionally in flea markets and, of course, good ole eBay. >> >> >> >>Are you certain thet the 10 tube is bad? If you have no luck finding >>one >> >>easily, the military type VT-25 is a later version of the 10. It may >>also >> >>be >> >>called a 10Y. There is a ceramic based 10, known as a 210T. If you >>don't >> >>have to absolutely have the original daylight bright balloon bulb 10, >>you >> >>can substitute a 10Y, and it'll work perfectly. I have one in my >>Brunswick >> >>P-11, which has a similar amplifier. By the way, RCA called the black >> >>amplifiers as you have in the Hyperion: "Tomcat". Don't ask me why; I >> >>don't >> >>know. It's in their service data. >> >> >> >>The Hyperion has no provisions for external antenna, and doesn't do >>too >> >>bad >> >>on local and distant stations, but somewhere, Victor recommended a 6 >>inch >> >>diameter coil of wire, hanging from the rear of the cabinet behind the >> >>antenna side, probably about 20 turns, with one end to an antenna and >>the >> >>other to a ground (water pipe, etc.). It'll pick up like a screamin' >> >>demon. >> >> >> >>Doug. Houston Ortonville, Michigan >> >> >> >>----- Original Message ----- >> >>From: "Richard Rubin" <[email protected]> >> >>To: <[email protected]> >> >>Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2006 8:47 PM >> >>Subject: [Phono-L] Victrola VE 15-1: Electrola Hyperion >> >> >> >> >> >> > Hi, everybody. Yesterday I picked up (literally, though I needed >>some >> >> > help, >> >> > since it weighs about 300 lbs.) a very unusual machine: A Victrola >>(or >> >> > Electrola) model VE 15-1, also known as the "Hyperion." (The >>latter >> >> > is, >> >> > in >> >> > fact, what appears on the ID tag.) It's in really nice shape >>except >> >> > for >> >> > two >> >> > of the six feet, which have lost some (or in one case, all) of the >> >>wooden >> >> > pieces that make them round instead of square. Fortunately, >>they're in >> >> > the >> >> > back. The piece itself is a Victor electric phonograph coupled >>with an >> >> > RCA >> >> > radio (a Radiola 28, their top-of-the-line in 1926) and an RCA >>electric >> >> > speaker, built-in antenna, gold-plated hardware, Victor electric >> >> > pickup, >> >> > etc. The cabinet itself is almost five feet tall and just about >>four >> >>feet >> >> > wide, walnut veneer with maple inlay, decent shape. Everything is >> >> > there >> >> > (including 8 of the 10 record albums) except for the needle cup and >>the >> >> > line >> >> > cord, which plugs in to a regular two-pronged AC plug in the botton >>of >> >>the >> >> > cabinet. It seems to work, too, though one of the tubes -- a >>UX-210 -- >> >> > needs to be replaced, I believe. >> >> > >> >> > Questions: >> >> > >> >> > 1. Does anyone know anything about this unit other than what's in >>the >> >> > Baumbach books? Anyone out there actually have one? Anywhere I >>might >> >> > find >> >> > more information? I'd never even heard of the Hyperion until I >>found >> >>this >> >> > one. >> >> > >> >> > 2. Does anyone know where I can get a nice repro cloth-covered >>line >> >>cord >> >> > with a female two-prong adapter at one end (presumably bakelite) >>and a >> >> > male >> >> > plug at the other? Does Antique Electronic Supply sell these? If >>not, >> >> > does >> >> > anyone else? Did it even come with a line cord, or did folks just >>use >> >> > extension cords (as did the people from whom I bought it)? >> >> > >> >> > 3. Can anyone recommend a good carpenter who could recreate the >>wood >> >> > pieces >> >> > that could round out the feet? I have a couple to work from. >> >> > >> >> > 4. The Victor albums that came with this piece are of a kind I've >> >> > never >> >> > seen before -- they are made of a a brown leatherette-type >>material, >> >> > and >> >> > letters. Can anyone tell me anything about these? Do they have a >>name >> >>or >> >> > type number? Do they ever come up on Ebay? >> >> > >> >> > As I said, I know very little about this machine other than what >>I've >> >>read >> >> > in the Baumbach books, so I would appreciate any information anyone >>can >> >> > share, no matter how small or seemingly irrelevant. >> >> > >> >> > Thanks! >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > _______________________________________________ >> >> > Phono-L mailing list >> >> > [email protected] >> >> > >> >> > Phono-L Archive >> >> > http://www.oldcrank.org/pipermail/phono-l/ >> >> > >> >> >> >>_______________________________________________ >> >>Phono-L mailing list >> >>[email protected] >> >> >> >>Phono-L Archive >> >>http://www.oldcrank.org/pipermail/phono-l/ >> > >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Phono-L mailing list >> > [email protected] >> > >> > Phono-L Archive >> > http://www.oldcrank.org/pipermail/phono-l/ >> > >> >>_______________________________________________ >>Phono-L mailing list >>[email protected] >> >>Phono-L Archive >>http://www.oldcrank.org/pipermail/phono-l/ >> >>_______________________________________________ >>Phono-L mailing list >>[email protected] >> >>Phono-L Archive >>http://www.oldcrank.org/pipermail/phono-l/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > [email protected] > > Phono-L Archive > http://www.oldcrank.org/pipermail/phono-l/ > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > [email protected] > > Phono-L Archive > http://www.oldcrank.org/pipermail/phono-l/ > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 268.1.0/269 - Release Date: 2/24/2006 > >
