|
Post by thevictrolaguy on Aug 11, 2013 1:12:33 GMT -5
wd-40 water displacement with forty uses actually. it is not made of fish oil is is made of a light petroleum base mixed with Dimethyl sulfoxide. it has a greater affinity for water than water has for itself, it surrounds water and will dry a wet electrical connection. wd-40 is great for breaking a rusted bolt loose and prohibits rust, unfortunately its lubricity is short lived as it is incredibly tenuous which allows it to penetrate the surface of ferrous metals and prohibits rust by encapsulating the moisture.
|
|
|
Post by lucius1958 on Aug 12, 2013 1:50:33 GMT -5
wd-40 water displacement with forty uses actually. it is not made of fish oil is is made of a light petroleum base mixed with Dimethyl sulfoxide. it has a greater affinity for water than water has for itself, it surrounds water and will dry a wet electrical connection. wd-40 is great for breaking a rusted bolt loose and prohibits rust, unfortunately its lubricity is short lived as it is incredibly tenuous which allows it to penetrate the surface of ferrous metals and prohibits rust by encapsulating the moisture. Are you sure you have the right thread? BillS
|
|
|
Post by larryh on Jun 3, 2014 8:42:28 GMT -5
As many others I have not been as active here as I used to be.. Probably due to the lack of interest in this board along with its problems of management over the past several years.
However since this is where the bulk of my thoughts about the edison diaphragms is kept I feel a need at this time to update what has gone on.
The True Tone design has for many including my self been found to provide a reasonable replacement for a poor original or some other new designs. However it did have some flaws that were easily accepted due to the improvement it provided. Over time that kept bugging me as more people requested I provide them with one.. As a result of that dissatisfaction I have taken another look at the overall design and made a major change in the way I create it. Since this is an on going project for better sound that is always a incentive to do something. The latest idea has surprised me from the first listening.. The sound is more unrestrained and listening to simple classic selections even shows where the previous attempt was falling short. Its hard to explain what I hear I suppose, but the presence of the sound is better and the changes in tone and volume are cleaner and accented in a more realistic way. Its made me realize that the sound I had so far developed was not still projecting recorded music to its fullest.
As far as the older design I tried every possible combination of changes to the way it was assembled. I changed the links, I changed the caps, I tried every possible idea I could come up with to the shape of the diaphragm an still its worst flaws wouldn't budge. It was that fact that got me to try something I had not had good results with again. This time the ideas I have used to produce the sound fell into place and the new idea was born..
The lower part facing the linkage is now flat with a center recess. The upper part is shaped to provide the best flexibility an tone. The cap which had served the previous designs so well is unnecessary. The link connection originating still on the lower side allows for replacement should it ever fail. ( most other designs your pretty much stuck should it break). My guiding thought here was that the previous design was effected in its ability to move as freely as it needed to do by the bulk being on the face side.
For listening to the changes I use my console william and mary. I sit about eight feet in front of it. The sound from the console is perfect at that level for bringing out the subtle effects of the music.. Its pretty surprising that if I stand up much of the depth of sound is lost. Horn machines are very sensitive about that "sweet spot" where the sound is provided at its maximum effect. With an upright in the same room I had to stand up from the chair in order to get the full effect of the sound.. In a larger area such as a big room or basement the sound is still best at the horn level but does carry in a way that gives good results at a distance.
I hope to have some members to provide a video of the sound in the near future.
Larry
|
|
|
Post by lucius1958 on Jun 4, 2014 0:48:35 GMT -5
Will do! (I'm trying to get my reproducer back from Jeff W., and hope to use that for the demonstrations…)
BillS
|
|
|
Post by larryh on Jun 7, 2014 20:04:38 GMT -5
As things will go I have hit an issue with this design that so far baffles me.. the worst part is presently I haven't any more of the material that works the best for testing. So I will have to delay trying some changes..
I have noticed that some records bring out a sort of ringing tone which when checked against the previous design is not obvious on it. Where that is I can't say but when I get the chance I will try some things to see if they do anything to improve that. Such is the way things have gone for 18 pages here! A few steps forward and then almost always one back. I have also found that depending on the location of the phonographs the results are less obvious. It may be that the design while some clearer and often having a slight edge in overall sound, may just be flawed in some way. I still haven't learned to keep things to myself until a great deal of testing proves one way or the other how something will work. Either way the sound I have so far achieved is still way better than I would have thought I could come up with when I started this thread.
Larry
|
|
|
Post by larryh on Jun 7, 2014 23:05:28 GMT -5
This time I managed to find the problem and fix it.. With most of the diaphragms I have made the material is sanded and that portion faces the weight and rings. On this style the sanding is on the top for the shaping. When I studied an older True Tone that did not ring, I realized that I wasn't seeing as much of a depression in the new design formed from the gaskets. I of thought that the metal ring that sits atop the rubber gaskets was a possible source. Before the harder surface faced the first gasket toward the throat. Normally hand tightening was sufficient to produce a decent pressure on the rings. With the harder side now to the metal ring I figured that I would have to use my spanner and bare down on the material. I tightened it as much as possible with out over doing it. I tired it in that position. The sound was reduced but no ring. I then backed the screw ring off a quarter turn and the sound improved an the ringing did not show up in the places it had previously been an issue. The problem was that the diaphragm wasn't seating well enough to keep the metal ring from vibrating against the large threaded ring. I tested several variations of that diaphragm doing the same thing and all of them were improved.
Larry
|
|
|
Post by larryh on Jul 26, 2014 19:11:10 GMT -5
This will be a repeat for many who follow the talking machine site, but for those who don't and for those who have followed my work I have some very good news.
After repeated attempts to get stylus that held up and provided accurate sound I now have a stylus I am testing that is from a new source. Bruce Diamonds. This was the collaboration of mine an others needs for such a stylus and Ron H and Steven Medved's great work at securing a company who can provide a quality product. Several years have gone by with Bruce working from the original Edison specs for the stylus and a few bugs that needed attention. I was humbled to get to be the first to test the stylus and make my reports to Steven and the collectors community.
I received the stylus about a week ago and have been testing it daily for what is probably by now 150 or more selections.. The first great thing is the sound is very fine, clear and full. The stylus leaves no markings on the record and hopefully it will stay that way. Time is of course the only way to know for sure even with extensive pre release testing. The amount of records I play for both pleasure and testing of diaphragms will give a picture of what is happening.
What is even more satisfying from my perspective is that all those issues I complained about for so long and refused to budge even with the new stylus I had been using, are now gone. Its really something to hear the music without the issues that drove me batty trying to find when all along it was the stylus. The loudest vocals, classical and pop now compete with the clarity of the victor or other recordings. Something I had often wondered why I couldn't achieve. My popular selections which I had set aside as possibly bad or my diaphragm wouldn't handle now play very well. The overall tone and range even seems to be enhanced. Bottom line, you need a decent stylus if your going to hear the most the record has to offer. Many older edison stylus while still not leaving lines or damaged grooves are worn enough from 80 years service or more that they often can't give a true picture of the complete sound.
At the moment of this writing Steven has said that it will be a couple months before orders will be filled for the new stylus. And I would suspect that given a limited production that if a lot of people attempt to get them all at once there most likely will be a delay obtaining them.
The next thing where as often happens in testing, I have to back up a bit. The last version of the True Tone which I have written about in the last two post was tested by one reliable member and his decision was that he preferred the original to the newer type. I will abide with that finding even though I still think it has some advantages, but with the new stylus most of those are mute.
I have recently been able to get some of the material I find works the best for the diaphragm so I should be able to make some of them off an on.
Larry
|
|
|
Post by larryh on Feb 27, 2015 22:54:03 GMT -5
For those who may not be on the talking machine site much, I have now figured out how to post videos of the True Tone playing on You Tube. If you simply type in True Tone you will see them all coming up. I have a wide variety of music shown and will continue to show.
As to the diaphragms I have settled in with the current design. The only thing that hampers it is the availability of the material which works the best. When I have some I produce them. Many are now going to a edison repair man but some times I have some extras which I hope to put on ebay again from time to time or though request off the groups.
Larry
|
|
|
Post by larryh on Dec 28, 2015 17:41:52 GMT -5
After a very long time we are finally getting several new versions of edison disc diaphragms which are very promising. My goal from the start was to try to get others to offer items that would provide superior sound from our machines. Hopefully more out there will be encouraged to experiment and see what they can offer.. The latest one is by Victrola Boy, or Nick as many of us know him. A very talented young man with great promise for the future of our hobby. His diaphragm as is Phonoboys made along the design of the originals. A shellacked base with cork sound diffuser. This one is somewhat louder than my True Tone which some will certainly like. The videos are difficult to judge the total effects as the camera tends to level out the sound. Hearing in person is about the only real test. Victrola Boy, "Salt Your Sugar" www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxTmmiBodNwPhonoboy, "Volunteers March" www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUeBtXS3abYHappy to now have three viable designs which soon will offer collectors a choice in decent sound. Larry
|
|
|
Post by larryh on Mar 28, 2022 15:20:33 GMT -5
Seems appropriate to bring this saga to a close. Most of those who visit here or other sites will know the overall story of the Edison Diaphragm search for the best sound. My True Tone which undertook several improvements over time became the diaphragm of choice for many. Over 500 of them ended up in the hands of Edison Owners. During that time I still worked with several people to reach the best in sound for everyone. Mike who is Phonoboy on many sites and ebay developed many different designs which I have a listened to and told him honestly what I found in hearing each one. His final design which he now sells on ebay has been a very fine product. It produces the sound with a bit more depth and volume than my True Tones did. And that was one of the goals, to find something always a little better for the listener to enjoy. The other Diaphragm now called the " Figure 6" is produced by Marcus Wyatt and is a greatly improved version of the "Million Dollar" design that John M had started some years earlier. Both of them now have fans of the sound which is great. I am happy to have retired from producing the True Tones which were considerably touchy to get just so an I was thrilled to have two more to take its place. Looking back at this thread I rather wish I have considered some of my thoughts a bit more, but It is what it is. Thanks to all who helped us all find better sound though their support. Makes one feel satisfied to know that an Edsion somewhere will be playing long after my time here, and people will enjoy the best possible sound from them. Here is a record of mine on the William and Mary using the Phonoboy Diaphragm www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZdFoJOGWTs
|
|