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Post by neophone on Mar 6, 2008 3:11:23 GMT -5
Folks, While looking over my small collection of portables this past week-end I've noticed that there seem to be a variety of needle angles. I always thought 60° was or became an industry standard. Yet I see, at least overseas things were different. And what the deuce is this?  (  ) None of the reproducers I have with a Victor type bayonet mount will sit at a good angle. It looks like the U.S. and the U.K. were on the same page but the rest....... ?? has anyone ever run across a discussion or article mentioning differing needle angles? Regards, J. |
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henry
Junior Member
Posts: 58
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Post by henry on Mar 6, 2008 9:42:34 GMT -5
John, I believe there was a thread on this topic some time ago on the other board. My XI instruction booklet says 60˚, but you already know this. In re your photos above, I have two observations: the sound boxes are too large in diameter for that arm, and the arm itself seems to sit very close to the record surface. The upward angle it forms with the platter looks unnatural. Is this arm in proper position? On my XI the arm is perfectly parallel to the platter (viewed from the side). Are any of those sound boxes original to the machine (which is what, BTW)? Looks like serious mis-match to me, also!
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Post by maroongem on Mar 6, 2008 10:55:40 GMT -5
John,
Just a supposition, but I assume it would be because the locking pin inside the soundbox throat is in a slightly different location on each particular soundbox, plus the slot on the tonearm may be of a slightly different angle, and therefore they are meant for their respective manufacturers.
Bill
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Post by neophone on Mar 6, 2008 18:59:43 GMT -5
Bill, That's what I was thinking-proprietary variants even within the HMV family. On at least the two HMV's that haven't been rebuilt the pin is actually the top isolator screw. So it can't be mis-aligned. (The rebuilt one appears correctly aligned.) Two of them appear to be very sightly differently aligned, just enough that one of them can't be used on the D-G phono. The D-G isolator screws perpendicularly into the reproducer body. The D-G /D-G combo angle is a little more acute than 60°. Some sort of national differentiation to keep the markets fro overlapping? Henry, these are three European portables and the reproducers are all European No.4 variants (all much larger than an Exhibition in diameter.) The tone-arms are narrower and lower to the turntable than a typical American portable. The first thee photos are matched; proper reproducer on machine. I purposely left the photos unidentified to get basic[/] first impressions.
―The first is the German/Austrian 101 variant & it's reproducer.
―The second is an HMV 101 with two HMV No.4's
―The third is a French 101 variant sans reproducer.
I don't have a proper reproducer for that and am curious what it should be.
As you can see in the last photo with the D-G reproducer-the angle is a bit unusual.
Regards,
J. |
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henry
Junior Member
Posts: 58
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Post by henry on Mar 6, 2008 20:08:31 GMT -5
Well, even though they look odd to our eyes, if that's the way they were intended to function, then so be it. I suppose the key questions are (1) is any damage being done to the records, and (2) how do they sound? If the answers are "no" and "great" then you're OK!
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Post by neophone on Mar 6, 2008 23:17:52 GMT -5
Well, even though they look odd to our eyes, if that's the way they were intended to function, then so be it. I suppose the key questions are (1) is any damage being done to the records, and (2) how do they sound? If the answers are "no" and "great" then you're OK! Henry, Essentially yes, but inquiring mind want to know.... Not to mention that being somewhat isolated here-although much less than before (!) ;D I always like to compare listening experiences and opinions. Not to mention it's too quiet over here. Regards, J. |
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