[78-L] 78-L Digest, Vol 22, Issue 30

[Sammy Jones]

I've had the ACT Reproducer for several years and can add my praise.  The sound quality is pretty much only limited by the condition of your cylinder machine (and the records, of course!).

Peter Liebert made these, but the last time I tried to get in contact with him, I got no result.

Here's his website, with pictures and audio samples of the ACT:
http://www.nipperhead.com/old/act/ 

In my case, I was able to make great sounding dubs from 2-minute cylinders using the ACT and my Edison Standard Phonograph...that is until I broke the leather belt while I installed a 2/4 minute converter kit.  I haven't gotten the nack of making "glue your own" replacement belts, but I've found a fellow who sells rubber belts that are intended for Edison Standard Phonographs.  I sure hope it works!

Sammy Jones

Sean Miller wrote:
> 
> There is something called an "ACT" reproducer.  It
> uses a Stanton 500 and any available custom styli for 2 and
> 4 minute cylinders, there is also a "doorknob" sapphire
> available for brown wax cylinder playback.  It fits
> into the carriage of any Edison machine and has two RCA
> outputs, it's already wired for vertical playback. 
> Results from this thing can be amazing, I've had one for
> years and I use it all the time for transferring cylinders
> to digital on my Edison Triumph.  A properly serviced
> and adjusted Edison cylinder machine will give you great
> results with very little (if any) flutter or wow. 
> Listen to the Living Era CD of Billy Murray sometime, I
> provided several transfers for it using this machine and the
> ACT.
> 
> Sean
> 
> On Jul 19, 2010, at 2:02 PM, Michael Biel wrote:
> 
> > 
> > 
> >> According to the article this setup with an
> amplifier had a much better fidelity than an old horn. 
> > Generally, electrical playing of ANY record would be
> better than ANY 
> > playing of the record on a horn machine. 
> Somebody was making a device 
> > with a magnetic cartridge which would fit easily into
> the reproducer 
> > holder on most Edison machines.  It might still
> be available.  This 
> > does, however, depend on the quietness of your
> cylinder machine 
> > mechanism.  George Blacker used many decades ago
> an outboard tone arm 
> > made of a very, very long dowel which would have
> minimum tracking 
> > error.  I think this was what he used for the two
> LPs of cylinders he 
> > produced for Folkways.
> > 
> > 
> > Mike Biel  mbiel at mbiel.com