While I do not mean in any way to denigrate Jasper Sanfilippo's Auxetophone -- the only example known to survive with a functioning original air blower -- I must say that the few times I've heard it in action it has not come close to comparing to the four original and one reproduction machines I've heard (including my own early "Queen Anne" version) with new compressors made by Paul Baker. Fundamentally the original and reproduction blowers are designed to do the same thing -- supply a high volume of forced air through the reproducer -- and they work in the same way, with a conventional electric motor powering a high-speed blower. The difference is in efficiency. One of the chief drawbacks to the Auxetophone was the very high maintenance requirements. The original blower bearings required nearly constant oiling -- at least once a day -- and the oil vapors were so problematic that a complex system was devised to condense some of the vapor to minimize corrosion of the soundbox. There are two sets of air filters which also required daily replacement. Jasper's collection is simply too large for the Auxetophone to undergo daily oiling and changing of filters. This year the machine was not demonstrated because it was out of order. The rather weak response of the machine in the times I've seen it demonstrated is surely due to incorrect adjustment or maintenance of the blower. The phonograph has a HUGE horn, much larger than originally supplied, and that alone accounts for much of its sound volume. A good Exhibition reproducer with a horn of that size would virtually match the volume on that particular Auxetophone. All of the other working Auxetophones I've heard will blow that one away, no pun intended. The Baker blower units look like the original but have sealed bearings that are maintenance-free. Properly adjusted, an Auxetophone is literally painful to the ears if you stand too close. It's easy to understand why this machine had limited appeal, aside from its excruciatingly high original price of $500, which was considered a good annual salary in 1906. There is no way to control the volume, it is either on or off. It's definitely loud enough to fill a room, but don't get too close! There is a very, very brief clip of mine included near the end (at about 1:30) of a 2001 local newscast now on YouTube at _http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_tSqgV2_qI_ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_tSqgV2_qI) . You can get just a tiny sense of how loud it is when you hear how much it overpowers my own voice as I comment on it. I also have pictures posted on my website at _http://members.aol.com/antiquephono/auxeto.htm_ (http://members.aol.com/antiquephono/auxeto.htm) . These are truly amazing machines! Best regards, Rene Rondeau
************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour From [email protected] Sun Aug 12 22:23:16 2007 From: [email protected] (Albert) Date: Sun Aug 12 22:31:08 2007 Subject: [Phono-L] Auxetophone Sold! References: <[email protected]> Message-ID: <000701c7dd6a$0df26610$6401a...@home> Why are there so many in Portland? One sold this week on Craigs list and it is more than a rumor that the seller has two more that he wont sell. Just a couple of years ago one showed up at a garage sale and another at an antique store. I think that more have survived than we think. I just hope I am the next one to find one here. Al Menashe ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2007 8:51 PM Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Auxetophone Sold! > While I do not mean in any way to denigrate Jasper Sanfilippo's > Auxetophone > -- the only example known to survive with a functioning original air > blower -- > I must say that the few times I've heard it in action it has not come > close > to comparing to the four original and one reproduction machines I've > heard > (including my own early "Queen Anne" version) with new compressors made by > Paul Baker. Fundamentally the original and reproduction blowers are > designed to > do the same thing -- supply a high volume of forced air through the > reproducer -- and they work in the same way, with a conventional electric > motor > powering a high-speed blower. The difference is in efficiency. One of the > chief > drawbacks to the Auxetophone was the very high maintenance requirements. > The > original blower bearings required nearly constant oiling -- at least once > a day > -- and the oil vapors were so problematic that a complex system was > devised to > condense some of the vapor to minimize corrosion of the soundbox. There > are > two sets of air filters which also required daily replacement. > > Jasper's collection is simply too large for the Auxetophone to undergo > daily > oiling and changing of filters. This year the machine was not demonstrated > because it was out of order. The rather weak response of the machine in > the > times I've seen it demonstrated is surely due to incorrect adjustment or > maintenance of the blower. The phonograph has a HUGE horn, much larger > than > originally supplied, and that alone accounts for much of its sound volume. > A good > Exhibition reproducer with a horn of that size would virtually match the > volume > on that particular Auxetophone. > > All of the other working Auxetophones I've heard will blow that one away, > no > pun intended. The Baker blower units look like the original but have > sealed > bearings that are maintenance-free. Properly adjusted, an Auxetophone is > literally painful to the ears if you stand too close. It's easy to > understand why > this machine had limited appeal, aside from its excruciatingly high > original > price of $500, which was considered a good annual salary in 1906. There is > no way to control the volume, it is either on or off. It's definitely loud > enough to fill a room, but don't get too close! > > There is a very, very brief clip of mine included near the end (at about > 1:30) of a 2001 local newscast now on YouTube at > _http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_tSqgV2_qI_ > (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_tSqgV2_qI) . You can get just > a tiny sense of how loud it is when you hear how much it overpowers my > own > voice as I comment on it. I also have pictures posted on my website at > _http://members.aol.com/antiquephono/auxeto.htm_ > (http://members.aol.com/antiquephono/auxeto.htm) . > > These are truly amazing machines! > > Best regards, > Rene Rondeau > > > > > > ************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL > at > http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.11.15/949 - Release Date: 8/12/2007 > 11:03 AM >
