I just checked Youtube, to see if by chance one of the owners of Vitaphone Phonograph had made a video of one playing, but there does seem to be one. I wonder if one of the owners who responded would be so kind as to post a video of their machine operating. It would certainly be a rare treat to see one in action.
Bruce ----- Original Message ----- From: "Nicholas Williams" <william...@up.edu> To: "Antique Phonograph List" <phono-l@oldcrank.org> Sent: Saturday, September 14, 2013 5:23:12 PM Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Vitaphone acoustic machine What an interesting machine. Does anyone have a video of one playing? Nicholas On Sat, Sep 14, 2013 at 7:25 AM, <bruce78...@comcast.net> wrote: > Thank you for sharing that link clearly showing how the vertical and > lateral connections are achieved. > > Bruce > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Greg Bogantz" <gbogan...@charter.net> > To: "Antique Phonograph List" <phono-l@oldcrank.org> > Sent: Friday, September 13, 2013 9:51:06 PM > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Vitaphone acoustic machine > > This topic of the Vitaphone had come up last year on the TMF forum. I > posted some pictures there then that showed the way the thread connected > the > wooden needle bar to the reproducer diaphragm. I've added a few more > pictures there that show more of the model 60 machine. Here's the link to > that page for those who want to see the pictures: > > http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=11354 > > Greg Bogantz > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ron L'Herault" <lhera...@bu.edu> > To: "'Antique Phonograph List'" <phono-l@oldcrank.org> > Sent: Friday, September 13, 2013 8:42 PM > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Vitaphone acoustic machine > > > > Thanks for the detailed reply, Greg. I have seen pictures of this style > > already. Amazing. > > > > Ron > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: phono-l-boun...@oldcrank.org [mailto:phono-l-boun...@oldcrank.org] > > On > > Behalf Of Greg Bogantz > > Sent: Friday, September 13, 2013 3:59 PM > > To: Antique Phonograph List > > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Vitaphone acoustic machine > > > > Hi Ron, > > > > I have a Vitaphone model 60 which is the consolette version of this > > machine. Yes, I'd say it is "anemic" compared with most other machines of > > this vintage. The reason is pretty obvious - the design of the acoustic > > system is pretty silly. What appears to be the "tonearm" is more easily > > understood as being actually a HUGE stylus bar. The long wooden piece has > > the needle attached at the front end and it is expected to transmit the > > needle vibrations along the length of this wooden bar to a string at the > > back end which is coupled under tension to the center of the reproducer > > diaphragm which is located at the back of the tonearm. The actual tonearm > > is a metal structure positioned under the wooden bar that has a vertical > > and > > lateral pivot near the front that supports the wooden needle bar and > > allows > > both vertical and lateral wiggling of the wooden bar. As you can suspect, > > the compliance of this arrangement is ridiculously poor with a HUGE > amount > > of mass (the whole wooden bar) having to be moved by the needle. The > > string > > that couples the back of the wooden bar to the diaphragm can be strung > > over > > a metal hook at the back of the lateral tonearm pivot stanchion which > > causes > > the tension in the string to be directed kinda sorta laterally to the > > diaphragm. This is the way the system is supposed to be set to play > > lateral > > records. The more direct linkage of the string drawing down vertically > > from > > the diaphragm (not threaded over the metal hook) is the setup for playing > > vertical records. As you might expect, the vertical setup is more > > efficient > > and sensitive than the lateral setup. Consequently, I most often use my > > Vitaphone to play Pathe Sapphire discs with a sapphire ball stylus in the > > needle chuck. It sounds better playing Pathes than any lateral records. > > Theoretically, you could play Edison DDs by mounting an Edison diamond > > point > > in the needle chuck. But the tonearm friction is high enough that I > > haven't > > wanted to try playing DDs on the machine. In any case, the sound > > transmission thru the bizarre needle bar system is pretty inefficient and > > lossy which makes the Vitaphone have little volume compared with more > > conventional players, either Edisons, Pathes, or Victors. And the high > > moving mass of the wooden bar causes considerable loss of treble > > response, > > so the sound is pretty mellow compared with other machines. It's actually > > fairly pleasant and less honky than other acoustic players. > > > > The other weirdness of the model 60 is the complicated plumbing that > > connects the diaphragm output to the horn which is inside the LID of the > > player! So there are swivel joints that allow the horn to be tilted > > upward > > with the lid as it is raised, while still enabling the acoustic plumbing > > to > > remain intact and functional. So it will play through the horn with the > > lid > > either open or closed. Definitely different. Still, it's a neat looking > > piece that is seldom seen and it does work after a fashion. I have > > pictures > > of my model 60 if you would like to see them. > > > > Greg Bogantz > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Ron L'Herault" <lhera...@verizon.net> > > To: <phonol...@yahoogroups.com>; "'Antique Phonograph List'" > > <phono-l@oldcrank.org> > > Sent: Friday, September 13, 2013 1:44 PM > > Subject: [Phono-L] Vitaphone acoustic machine > > > > > >>A few MOCAPS members have been discussing the lateral/vertical Vitaphone > >> phono from the teens, early 20s. Only one member heard one 20 or more > >> years ago and that one may have been unrestored. He found it "anemic" > >> sounding. Soooo, I was wondering if any listmate(s) have a restored > >> Vitaphone (it has a wooden tone arm and connects to the diaphragm via a > >> string AFAIK). How does it sound compared to the Name brand machines of > >> the same era? > >> > >> Thanks, > >> > >> > >> Ron L > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Phono-L mailing list > >> http://phono-l.org > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Phono-L mailing list > > http://phono-l.org > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Phono-L mailing list > > http://phono-l.org > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.org > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.org > -- Nicholas J. Williams ASUP Senator: Class of 2014, Tech Sub-Committee (2010-2011) Knight of Columbus 3rd Degree, Council Chancellor (2010-2011), Treasurer (2011-2012) (Council 14238) Chapel of Christ the Teacher Sacristan FFA Member, Chapter Degree, National Gold and National Second AgriScience Fair 2010 Tillamook High School Head Photographer (2007-2010) _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.org _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.org
