Classic Hifi Care

I would like to say hello and greetings! I have been a collector of vintage and antique audio gear since 2008.

I mostly work with antique acoustic phonographs but I have a decent collection of other vintage audio goodies I’ve found locally and eBay (even if I have no idea how to repair ‘em unfortunately) I own audio gear on a wide array of odd formats some working and non working. And I will badger you more seasoned repair guys about to find what ails them!!

We look forward to your stories, questions, and photos. Everybody has something to contribute. I've got audio devices from a cylinder phonograph to an iPod.

Chris Campbell

Welcome aboard! There are lots of helpful guys on here who will delight in sharing your project.

TC Chris wrote: ↑Wed Oct 01, 2025 3:38 am We look forward to your stories, questions, and photos. Everybody has something to contribute. I've got audio devices from a cylinder phonograph to an iPod.

Chris Campbell

Me too. I have my 1897 Columbia Eagle as my oldest music player so far, and I still have my original iPod touch I bought new in 2008.

I notice you have "1922 VV" in your username. Isn't "VV" a model of Victrola (Victor) phonograph? And wouldn't a model VV be a windup model? I think they had other designations for electric radios with windup phonograph, and electric radio with electric phonograph, but I forget (or never knew) what those were. I was never smart enough to figure out a mechanical phonograph and admire greatly the talents of those who can....

electra225 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 03, 2025 2:58 pm I notice you have "1922 VV" in your username. Isn't "VV" a model of Victrola (Victor) phonograph? And wouldn't a model VV be a windup model? I think they had other designations for electric radios with windup phonograph, and electric radio with electric phonograph, but I forget (or never knew) what those were. I was never smart enough to figure out a mechanical phonograph and admire greatly the talents of those who can....

Yes it's a Victrola model I own. Made in 1922. Not a very common one.

Send photos!! I know where you can get a Victor Orthophonic, if you're near B'ham AL. And I've got a nice mahogany Victor tabletop wind-up, the common variety. The star of my show is a Sonora Queen Anne style console--cabriole legs,pad feet, gold-plated (!) European wind-up mechanism.

Chris Campbell

My grandfather's half sister, Aunt Helen, had an old "Victrola" (no idea what brand it actually was) that she played frequently. I always thought it sounded pretty good. Grandpa complained that she used "those two-dollar needles" in it, possibly diamond? I had a man at church give me an old phonograph when I was a kid, I think the name of it was Domestic, but I won't swear to that. I always thought it sounded scratch and tinny, so I gave it to someone else. What could have been the difference in the two machines? Would needles make that big of a difference, or was Aunt Helen's simply a better machine that the one I had.

I have a small "Victor" table top and it sounds awful but I am guessing it was an entry level unit. The only reason I have it, it is a family heirloom. The floor models do sound much better and I have an acquaintance that is a collector and has some of the hard to find/rare very expensive units that really sound very good. One comes to mind, I believe it is a "Victor" that is in a huge cabinet and the platter is electrically driven and if I remember correctly I believe it changes records. He told me the horn was huge, wrapped round inside the cabinet forever. Maybe the big horn makes a difference in sound.

Bill

Bill, it was probably a Victor Orthophonic:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Or ... c_Victrola

These are generally regarded as the best acoustic phonographs.

Chris Campbell

TC Chris wrote: ↑Sat Oct 04, 2025 4:14 pm Bill, it was probably a Victor Orthophonic:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Or ... c_Victrola

These are generally regarded as the best acoustic phonographs.

Chris Campbell

They are. I should know.

Chris, yes, I think that is it, but my acquaintance cabinet is larger and everything opens from the front with a pair of doors.

1922VV111, does that mean you have one? Photo please!

Bill

William wrote: ↑Sun Oct 05, 2025 11:18 am Chris, yes, I think that is it, but my acquaintance cabinet is larger and everything opens from the front with a pair of doors.

1922VV111, does that mean you have one? Photo please!

Bill

How about a video? I had the soundbox refurbished!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEazJIaxd1Q

Oh my, that sounds so much better than my little table top Victor. Thanks for sharing,

Bill

Wikipedia tells us the Orthophonic horn was designed by Western Electric engineers. WE later designed horn speakers for movie theater use. The amps of the time were low-powered triode devices and they needed efficient speakers to fill big theater spaces. The WE theater horns are highly sought-after as classic reproducers. You need very deep pockets to own one.

Chris Campbell

Pardon my total ignorance of these devices, but what composition needle is it using? Diamond? Or is this an inappropriate inquiry for an accoustic phonograph? Also, how heavy is the tone arm pressure on the record? Just curious.....

electra225 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 06, 2025 2:05 am Pardon my total ignorance of these devices, but what composition needle is it using? Diamond? Or is this an inappropriate inquiry for an accoustic phonograph? Also, how heavy is the tone arm pressure on the record? Just curious.....

It's a steel needle and it tracks about 100 grams or so? So anything valuable or rare I do not play one these acoustic machines. In order to play records without damage the needle is used only once a side and tossed out. After about 1935 the grit on 78s to protect them on acoustic turntables goes away and they cannot be played on those.

At 39 grams to an ounce, give or take, that is almost 3 ounces of tone arm weight! I thought I heard or read someplace that diamond needles were available for certain accoustic phonographs. Would you have any information on that?

electra225 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 06, 2025 2:48 am At 39 grams to an ounce, give or take, that is almost 3 ounces of tone arm weight! I thought I heard or read someplace that diamond needles were available for certain accoustic phonographs. Would you have any information on that?

As for Edison Diamond Disc models yes, but those are proprietary to Edison and maybe some Brunswick models, and are for only the thick vertical groove records.

And on the Edison players, the weight of the arm does not rest on the disc. The arm is suspended, and a smaller weight applies pressure to the stylus.

Chris Campbell