NJ phono show pics...

Hey Guys -

Went to the Wayne, NJ MME (Mechanical Music Extravaganza) today! http://www.antique-sound.com/ for more info. I got myself a reproducer for my Edison cylinder unit for less than $100, so that's not too bad.

Unfortunately, my camera's battery died after about 10 minutes of walking around! There would have been more, but got some good shots. Enjoy!

Some neat photos! I especially like the one with all the portables lined up. Someday, I hope to get a VV-2-60 (second one from the right). I had a Columbia Viva-Tonal portable similar to the one on the far right, but gave it to a good friend when I moved from my home state, 27 years ago. (That was the last time I saw that friend, too. ) I remember that it was a great sounding machine--every bit as good as the VV-2-55.

BTW, any idea how much they wanted for the VV-XXV School-House model?

Joe_DS wrote:BTW, any idea how much they wanted for the VV-XXV School-House model?

Sorry! The reson that I didn't check the price was because I knew I wasn't buying it!

WOW! When I die, I hope heaven looks just like this
Good to hear you picked something up there, although I'm sure just looking at all those machine would have made it well worth the drive.

Apparently, they had $3800 on the schoolhouse model, but the condition was an issue- though it looks pretty good to me!

shane wrote:Apparently, they had $3800 on the schoolhouse model, but the condition was an issue- though it looks pretty good to me!

Hi Shane:

Many thanks for checking on that. It seems rather low for a schoolhouse model, especially one for sale at a phono-show. Of course, It's hard to tell what condition it is in from a single photo. I remember, though, one sold on eBay awhile back for about 6-7K (US), and I'd imagine others have sold for more.

The Victor schoolhouse model I'd really love to get my hands on is the short-lived VV-8-8 Orthophonic model -- http://victor-victrola.com/8-8.htm ,which is virtually identical to the VV-8-9 (home version) -- http://victor-victrola.com/8-9.htm

These were equipped with six foot re-entrant style metal horns. I listened to an 8-9 once, and the fidelity was absolutely jaw-dropping.

I didn't know Victor made any metal re-entrant horns! Would that be about the same size as a Credenza horn, and if so, is there much difference between the metal and wooden horn sound quality? I think the 10-50 horn comes in at 7' long.

shane wrote:I didn't know Victor made any metal re-entrant horns! Would that be about the same size as a Credenza horn, and if so, is there much difference between the metal and wooden horn sound quality? I think the 10-50 horn comes in at 7' long.

Metal re-entrant horns--all the same style--were installed in a few late-series Orthophonic Victrolas starting around 1928: the VV-8-35, which replaced the Credenza, the 8-8/8-9 (mentioned above) and the 10-35 and 11-25 (both equipped with automatic changers). Some of these models are listed on this page -- http://victor-victrola.com/new_page_2.htm

While measuring about six feet in length, the metal horn's mouth was more square in shape, and slightly smaller than the wooden six foot horn.
The most commonly found model equipped with the metal horn is the 8-35.


Based on what I've listened to--when using medium or loud tone steel needles--the 8-35 is louder than a well-restored Credenza, and the upper range is "crisper," but the metal horn's sound quality is also less directional. In contrast, the Credenza's upper range is more mellow, the midrange is somewhat richer, and bass--especially--is more forceful. Simply put, the Credenza sounds more like an electrically amplified phonograph. (The 10-50, which of course used the largest commercially produced wooden folded horn that Victor made, is in a class by itself. The mouth of the 10-50's horn is larger than the Credenza's, it's bass is significantly deeper, and overall, the sound quality is more "concert hall-like.")

I should add that three models were equipped with small (non-folded) metal horns -- the VV-2-35 and VV-2-55 portables (both of which weighed about 25 pounds, without records!), and the radio-Victrola model VV-7-11. That was truly an odd bird, since it contained an electric radio with it's own small loudspeaker, along with an acoustic (hand-cranked or electric motor option) Orthophonic Victrola. The Victrola portion was housed in a boxy structure above the radio. Basically, what Victor did was to install the same metal horn/motor-board used on the portables inside of the cabinet. The back of the boxy cabinet was fitted with a curved reflecting pannel to project the sound waves outward to the front of the cabinet, through the opened front doors.
SEE: http://victor-victrola.com/7-11.htm
ALSO: http://www.phonoland.com/archives/mboar ... 5568.shtml

Thanks Joe Thats probably the most sensable horn/sound comparison I've heard! The reason I asked, was because there has been a long term(on & off) discussion on another board, about the 10-50 & credenza versa's the HMV 202/3 re-entrant's.
Reading your discription of the large metal victor horn being louder, but not as bassy as the credenza has given me food for thought. The 202 horn is considerably larger at the mouth, and about 2 feet longer than that of the 10-50, but is made of metal, so I'm now wondering if the increased length of the 202's metal horn might "boost" the bass responce enough to equal that of the 10-50, and just how much louder(if any) the metal horn of the 202 might be. I've never had the opportunity to hear a 10-50 in person, but I'd dearly love to! I've actually added the 10-50 to my want list now, as the HMV automatic 1 is the only acoustic changer they made to my knowledge, and have quite a small horn compared to the 10-50- not to mention a price tag that would be WAY out of my league if I could even find one. I'm sure a 10-50 will sound beautiful, but until I get to compare the 10-50 to a 202, I'll always wonder which has more merit.