Cylinder Phonograph Flutter - Reduction or Removal?

[Kevin Davis]

Hello Everyone,

I'm hoping to win the lottery so I can buy an Archeophone but in the meantime have to use my vintage Edison Phonograph with an ACT reproducer. It runs well but some vibration still makes it from the motor/governor to the stylus and the resulting transfer. Is there a function in DC8 that can reduce/correct the flutter in the sound? Does a freshly-serviced machine not vibrate like that (is it time to send mine off for servicing)? I can share a sample if you wish.

Thanks,

Kevin Davis

[Marc Hildebrant]

Kevin,

My Triumph will at times have a bad vibration. It's a design defect that's related to the fly-ball governor. When it happens, I just stop and restart till it stops.

Does your model have a belt drive ? If so, then the vibration should be real low.

I use a homemade electrical reproducer on a Triumph 2/4 minute player with no vibration pickup problem. What type of Edison player do you have ?

Marc

[Dan McDonald]

I put mine on some packing foam to help absorb vibration. I used to have it on a workbench, but it sometimes would have some vibration, so I put it on top of the grey packing stuff that comes with electronics, etc. Seems to have helped it, but I don't have any documentation of that.

[Craig Maier]

Hi Kevin,

Does the vibration result in an Amplitude noise signal or a Frequency Modulated signal? If rsults in a low frequency rumble, that can be fixed using certain filters in Diamond Cut. If the vibration results in a FM signal (wow or flutter), that can not be removed with Diamond Cut (or anything else that I am aware of). So, if the second situation is the case, I would take apart the machine, clean all the old oil and grease from it and then re-lubricate the machine which should reduce any problems. You see, after a long time, oil and grease become gunky and do not perform their job properly, especially the oil associated with the governer.

Craig

[Kevin Davis]

It's an Edison Fireside with a belt drive. It's probably an FM problem, sounds like the vocalist and band are being shook. Cleaning the motor must be in order then from what y'all say.

Thanks,

Kevin

[Craig Maier]

It's counter intuitive, but the governor on those machines needs oil on its felt pad. But first, old dried up oil should be removed as much as possible with something like Q-Tip (cotton swabs). I use a high quality clock oil on my Edison machine governor pads, and that works quite well - - - no obvious FM effects like flutter.

Craig

[Marc Hildebrant]

Indeed, the speed regulation requires a slick surface on the felt pad as it bears against the governor. Watch the speed regulation system in operation as it's a simple but very effective method to keep the speed constant.

From your FM description, it sure "sounds" like a need of lubrication.

By the way, the Fireside model was a real nice machine and should perform very well.

Marc