I have a Vitaphone consolette that looks different from most of the
pictures that I see. It's a model 60 and is similar to the model 100 but
the cabinet is much simpler. But the significant difference is the tonearm
which does not have the large "C" shaped weight at the front end. Mine has
a number of differences that allow the wooden piece to be placed above the
metal rails of the arm. Instead of the large C weight, mine has two chunks
of heavy metal (presumably lead) mounted between the two metal rails of the
arm. Like the model 100, this model 60 has the horn in the lid which leads
to lots of fancy plumbing and joints inside the record compartment required
to allow the lid to raise and lower while the soundbox remains stationary
and mounted to the motorboard. The horn is always connected to the
soundbox, so it can be played with the lid open or closed. A bit of a
plumbers nightmare. But interesting.
The sound of these machines could best be described as "mellow". The
wood arm is not really comparable to a conventional tonearm but is actually
analogous to the stylus bar of a conventional acoustic reproducer as it
couples the stylus tip to the diaphragm. The ENTIRE long piece of wood
vibrates just as the stylus bar on a more conventional reproducer. The
proper tonearm of the Vitaphone is actually comprised of the two metal rails
that run along side of the wood bar. The idea was very bizarre. But the
upshot of it is that the wooden arm functions as a lowpass filter. The
sound produced is soft and unusually smooth in response with a diminished
treble (the "anti-scratch" feature touted in the advertizements) - quite
unusual for an acoustic phono. Although they play rather softly, I would
not recommend using "loud" needles with these Vitaphones. The compliance of
the wood arm is nearly nonexistent - all the compliance, such as it is, is
produced by the flexing of the needle itself. To mount a loud needle would
be akin to mounting it in a rock on a stick and expecting that setup not to
tear the bejeezus out of your records. And, yes, it is capable of playing
vertical modulation about as well as lateral. This is because the
connection from the wood arm to the soundbox diaphragm is accomplished with
a string that is oriented at approximately a 45 degree angle to the center
of the diaphragm. This arrangement causes either vertical or lateral motion
of the wood arm to be transmitted (rather poorly) to the diaphragm. So it's
an interesting machine to own and demonstrate, but I don't recommend using
it often as it's a record grinder.
I can't remember if Phono-L has a photo hosting page. I can furnish
photos of the model 60 if someone can advise where to post them.
Greg Bogantz
----- Original Message -----
From: "Keith Wright" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2010 9:52 PM
Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Vitaphone Tone Arm
I have updated the Vitaphone page with a brochure and some machine images.
BTW: if you can contribute any images before you part with the tone arm, I
would be grateful.
Thanks,
Keith
Presumably not many. I have recently bumped into a collector who has a
couple
of them and will be putting more pictures up on that CAPP Vitaphone page
shortly. (So many machines, so little time...)
Cheers,
Keith Wright
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2010 23:23:08 +0000
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Vitaphone Tone Arm
Good Luck with your sale Bob, I went to the link and that is really
fascinating alternate sound technology for its time. Wonder how many of
the
actual units still survive.
Bruce
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob" <[email protected]>
To: "Phono L List" <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, April 18, 2010 10:15:31 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: [Phono-L] Vitaphone Tone Arm
I am in the process of downsizing and am selling off miscellaneous
phonograph
items. I have a complete tone arm and diaphragm for a Vitaphone
phonograph. I
know this design was manufactured and sold in Canada from 1913 to 1916.
It is
unusual in that the tone arm did not contain the diaphragm. It was
mounted in
a stand at the rear of the arm. The arm is made of wood and it vibrated.
The
vibrations were transferred to the diaphragm which is mounted at the rear
of
the arm. My arm is similar to those shown at
http://www.keithwright.ca/CAPP/Vitaphone/vitaphone.html According to this
web
sight the tone arm was capable of playing both lateral and vertical cut
records. I can supply pictures of my parts to anyone that is seriously
interested in it. I don't have an idea of the value of this piece so I
will
sell it to the highest offer I receive. If you are interested, email me
at
[email protected] and I will provide detailed pictures of my part.
_________________________________________________________________
Hotmail & Messenger. Get them on your phone now.
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9724463
_______________________________________________
Phono-L mailing list
http://phono-l.oldcrank.org
_______________________________________________
Phono-L mailing list
http://phono-l.oldcrank.org
