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Show P What to Look For In IP Buying a Phonograph h . Hk A phonograph is built primarily to Hl xvproduco sound. Tono Is perhaps a Hj better woid, for tho number of inu- HU nlcn.1 records In demand Is greatly In Hi lio majority. I For tills reason tono quality Is a HRr H anost dcslrablo feature, and should H Jkj ono of tho first to rocelvo tho nt- H tcntlon of tho prospoctivo purchaser. f TONE REPRODUCTION H In tho phonographic repioductlon. H tf a musical lono, theio ure four H jptlmo csentlalB! H, (a) Tho record. H " (b) Tho needle (or point) which (- vibratos through contact with tho H, record and transmits theso vibrations t to tho reproducer. I Hfc (c) Tho reproducer, whch ning-J B:K Jilfles tho sound vibrations and .passes thorn along to tho tono nmpll-lL nmpll-lL -fler. a1 ((d) Tho tono ampllflor which, as ,;tlio. namo Implies, enlarges, enriches am d rounds out tho tonal vibrations. , Lot us consider' briefly each of these four Important requirements. iv Cr 3THK record Hlj 'There are many different makes Hi'L 4f .records, each make prosontlng tho Hjf recorded art of distinguished artists, Hfl xfrchostras and bands, nil worthy of HI 4 place in any phonographic library. Hi' To limit oneself to any ono make of Hf records Is to forego tho pleasures Hf which nil of tho other tnakca afford. Hi' It Is a first essential, therefore, to Hi. select a phonograph which can play records of all makes. r-'r' "JHB NEEDLE H-" Thoro are four common types of Hf points the steel neadlo, tho wood Hii fibre needle, I lie Bapphlre ball, and H? diamond point all of merit; each Hf,' possessing special qualifications es- H Hentlal to certain mukos of records. I" Tlioioforo to have all four of theso i needles or points at ouo's Instant command becomes a practical noccs- k oity to those buyers who would on- , Joy tho advantages of reproducing any and all recordo upon their own i phonograph. ,. HJ THE REPRODUCER Hi, Tho repioduccr should, first of all, Hj bo of sufficient sfzo to adequately H) magnify tho vibrations received from Hi tho ncedlo and to transmit them to H the lone amplifier with power and H r, fidelity, retaining tholr truo tone- H f" quality, chaiuctcr, purity and power. H ' 'Tho diaphragm (or diaphragms) H k should bo of mica, tho best known I Hubstanco for tho purpose mica bc H f Intf pructlcully unafrcctcd by changes -of tomperaturo.. H 'P The reproducer should also be of H jsV- -such character and construction thut H i; -with the least possible effort moro- H i jj" ly a turn of tho hand 1( can pro- Hijj;' oht to each make of record Its pio- M'a .ill . per diaphragm and most effectlvo ncedlo, Instnntly taking tho exact position po-sition ami offering tho preclso do-greo do-greo of pressuro required by that particular iccord for different makes of records demand varying degrcos of pressuro to lnsute tho most artistic results. 1'iToo light a weight upon tho ncedlo means failure In reproduction, Whllo too heavy a pressure means early destruction de-struction of thu lecoid Itself. Tho most inodorn typo of reproducer repro-ducer Is equipped with n permanent diamond point and separato mountings mount-ings holding tho sapphlro ball 'and steel or fibre needles always In place. A turn of tho hand Is all that Is necessary to adjust tho deslrod needles or point to any record mado. This most modern typo of reproducers repro-ducers makes It unnecessary to change reproducers or to uso othor mnko-shtft arrangements. TUB TONE AMPLIFIER In order that tho tonal volume may bo full, resonant and clear, the throat and tono amplifier Bhould bo round or oval In shape, npproxlmat-i Ing tho form of tho human throat and mouth, and should by all means be entirely of wood In order to eliminate elim-inate all harsh, thin or metallic tono qualities. Tho full rich tonos of a violin, result re-sult largely from Its construction of well seasoned wood all metal bo-Ing bo-Ing done away with. Then too, the tono amplifier should bo built entirely of wood for tho snuio reason that wood Is used In tho 'construction of tho Hounding board of 'n piano. Invariably In tho finest tonod pianos tho sounding board which augments and reflects tho do-olrod do-olrod purity and volumo of tono, Is built cntlroly of wood. Even tho dowpl pins, which hold tho woodon ribs and wooden bridges In place, aro of wood, thus avoiding tho uso of !iutl; screws. So, whon selecting n phonography tho purchasor should Insist upon see-! lng tho tono amplifier (horn it 1b, Bomo tlniCB called) to bo sure that It Is constructed nccordlng to these nd-vancod nd-vancod ncou&tlcal and musical laws. U It 1b not mado of well seasoned wood, but Is cast Iron or tin, a thin metallic tono Is suro to result. THU TONE MODIFIER Inasmuch as It Is always dcslrublo to maintain control of tho dynamics I ' lono forco) and play certain records laudor or softer than others, a tono modifier Is essential. This duvlco should bo easy to operate op-erate and conveniently located, yet not In tho way as one places a record 'on tho Instrument or winds tho motor I Tho tono modifier should permit one to regulalo tho tonal dynamics (fiam very loud , to very fcoft) and, once It Is set, should not bo continually contin-ually operated while a record Is playing. Tho wisdom of this ndvlco Is easily eas-ily appreciated when one considers how Incapable tho average person Is of taking Ubortlos with tho artistic expression of a Muratoro, Caruso, Oalll-Cuicl or of a Symphony orchestra orches-tra under tho direction of such masters mas-ters as Qabrllowltch, Stock or other well known conductors. Tho scientifically constructed tono modifier should lessen tho degrco of loudness only nnd not choko or stlflo tho tono utterance; tho tono modifier i must not produce tho effect of stuffing stuf-fing a handkerchief Into tho singer's mouth a too froquont result of tono modification In phonographB. It Is Important, too, to seo that tho tono Is modified beforo It reaches tho amplifier or horn, for, after tho tono has been ampliflcl (Increased In volumo), It can bo modified only at tho oxpenso of tone quality. THE MOTOR Thero aro many well known motors mo-tors now lu uso In tho phonograph, irade, all of which haye bcon dovelr 'oped to a high degrco. Tho prlnpl-j I pal function of the motor Is to re-j volvo tho turntable thus turning tho I'ecord. It should wind easily and noiselessly, operate quietly and revolve re-volve tho turntable at an unvarying nito of speed. Your guarantee of a dependable motor Is the reputation of tho house which manufactures .It. ' ('AJHNET WORK AND FINISH I Whether or not a phonograph Is attractive In design Is a matter for . each Individual to decide, for personal person-al tasto enters largely Into the decision. deci-sion. I Tho cabinet, however, should bo well finished tho back as well as tho front. Carelessness In finishing tho back pf an Instrument may mean carelessness In other points of man ufacture wln.h aro not opon to Inspection In-spection after tho Instrument Is cpm- CONVENIENCES In nddltJon to a simple, effectlvo and scientific all record reproducer 'nnd an all wood tono amplifier, theie are sevoral other conveniences which aro highly desirable to tho purchasor. AUTOMATIC STOP: Ono of theso Is an automatic stop which accurately accurate-ly stops tho motor at tho end of each record, making It unnecessary to do so by hand, AUTOMATICALLY HALANCED TOP Oil LID: An automatically balanced bal-anced top or lid Is also desirable ono that can bo raised and lowered with ono hand, and remain In position posi-tion without tho aid of a "catch." RECORD I-'ILINO SYSTEM: A piopor system for filing a goodly number of records should be provided provid-ed and should bo of such naturo that the tecords will bo kept lu first class condition. Tho records should also be 'conveniently 'conven-iently Indexed and bo arranged that they can bo selected and replaced with minimum effort. Tho filing dovlco should bo ns permanent per-manent as posslblo to avoid wear nnd tear and tho necessity for replacement. replace-ment. COMPARTMENT FOR ACCESSORIES: ACCES-SORIES: A compartment for acces-orlos acces-orlos should also bo provided so that one can lmvo nt hand noodles, noodle cutter, oil, record dustor, dust cloth, c,c . UP-TO-DATENESS I Modern phonographs offer ninny advantages over old style Instruments. Instru-ments. When buying, therefore, tho purchaser should bo suro to select ono which embraces tho latest and best Ideas In tono production.' THE MANUFACTURER Tho manufacturer, too, should receive re-ceive earnest consideration. An answer an-swer to each of tho following questions ques-tions will be of decided advantage: (a) How many years has tho firm been lu business (b) What Is Its reputation? Has It been a leader In this and other lines which it has manufactured? I l (c) Is It known for Its progrcs-slvcness? progrcs-slvcness? Has It followed tho prln-clplo prln-clplo of developing to a high de-gice de-gice Bdentlfltally tho various products pro-ducts which It hna made? I (d) Has It brought out new nnd oxcluslvo Improvements which hnvo ndded materially to the desirability of Its products? I (o) Has It ample capital to develop de-velop tho business along tho most modem lines? (f) Is Its method of distribution costly or economical? Tlio foregoing nro tho salient I.! points to bo observed nnd regarded by thoughtful purchasers of a reproducing re-producing Instrument. They aro respectfully re-spectfully submitted by tho wrltor ns an unprejudiced aid to psospectlve buyers. Dy Henry Purmort Eanies. |