RCA Victor SHC 888EX Orthophonic Queries

[Bookman]

Collected from a forum member this a.m. and already playing away merrily in the background is this wonderful device. Anyone care to expand on the use of Orthophonic to describe the device and possibly what technical enhancement or perhaps product that is incorporated that allows such a definition?
I also note that the sound is particularly good yet there is no baffling whatsoever within the speaker enclosure. Furthermore, I also note that one of the tweeters is actually mounted at an angle which I have not come across before. Cant see any manufacturers names on the item?
Finally, does anyone know if there is there a diagram available for the unit?
Thanks
Joe

[dseymo1]

'Orthophonic' is simply a Victor tradename, which was used down the decades for a number of different models. It perhaps had some significance when first used, as that instrument was arguably the first attempt at domestic hi-fi.
I suspect that the angled tweeter is intended to aid sound dispersion, and very likely had its own marketing hype at the time!

[emeritus]

My dictionary suggests that "Ortho" comes from Greek and means "Straight" or "Level", so possibly it was meant to suggest a high quality level frequency response.

['LIVEWIRE?']

I didn't know the history of the word 'Orthophonic', but RCA Vinyl Records in the late 1950s/early 1960s' had the slogan 'New Orthophonic High Fidelity' printed on their labels. This was true of both 45s and LPs, and may even have been applied to 78s, though I don't have one handy to confirm this. RCA Victor record players/radiograms( or should I say 'Radio-Phonographs') were rare in this country. Is yours a U.S. import by any chance, Bookman?

[Edward Huggins]

I find Bookman's comments as to "no baffling" somewhat baffling. The photo appears to show a baffle arrangement for the tweeters and the 12" woofer. This unit will sound very warm due to a c. 70 c.p.s. peak in the lower register.

[dseymo1]

Originally Posted by emeritus

My dictionary suggests that "Ortho" comes from Greek and means "Straight" or "Level", so possibly it was meant to suggest a high quality level frequency response.

Exactly that. The original Orthophonic Victrola was designed to have a flat frequency response - as far as I'm aware, the first serious attempt at doing so.

[Bookman]

Originally Posted by 'LIVEWIRE?'

I didn't know the history of the word 'Orthophonic', but RCA Vinyl Records in the late 1950s/early 1960s' had the slogan 'New Orthophonic High Fidelity' printed on their labels. This was true of both 45s and LPs, and may even have been applied to 78s, though I don't have one handy to confirm this. RCA Victor record players/radiograms( or should I say 'Radio-Phonographs') were rare in this country. Is yours a U.S. import by any chance, Bookman?

Yes I do believe it may a US import as there is a US to European valve equivalent table listed inside the back cover. Possibly the EX after the product number could imply the same. The radio portion of the unit would however seem to be Canadian?

[John10b]

I found on utube some years ago a very interesting film about history of RCA, in which they talk about their various achievements, well worth a visit.
Cheers
John

[Bookman]

Originally Posted by Edward Huggins

I find Bookman's comments as to "no baffling" somewhat baffling. The photo appears to show a baffle arrangement for the tweeters and the 12" woofer. This unit will sound very warm due to a c. 70 c.p.s. peak in the lower register.

Having written several papers on the labelling of technology I realise I should have been more specific in my use of nomenclature. Such assertions emanate from an academic viewpoint where there is still no agreed definition for "technology" after all these years?
In this particular instance my use of "baffling" takes into consideration how these speakers have virtually nothing to the rear but still respond nicely to the bass control.
The rear of the speakers do not have any of that speaker "wool" type material nor do they have solidly fixed backplates, they are the highly perforated rear back plates type that are normally found in radios?

[nicam49]

The small speakers look completely closed at the back

[Station X]

Nice item, but the cap in the crossover network?? looks similar to those nasty Plessey electrolytics.

[Edward Huggins]

Originally Posted by nicam49

The small speakers look completely closed at the back

I think what Bookman is referring to is the lack of any wadding and/or a sealed enclosure - and he is calling that "Baffling" as distinct from what is normally known as a Baffle Board. Very few stereograms/radiograms used sealed or vented speaker compartments

[dave cox]

I think baffle usually means anything that alters the propagation of sound waves from front to back. With an open back its really a planar baffle thats been conviently folded into a box ! (a guess, I can only see the edge of the bass speaker)

It would be worth replacing the capasitor Graham identified, if it goes short the HF speakers will get fried. If its not a big value look for a film type or failing that a good reversable electrolytic.

dc

[John10b]

RCA Victor started using “Orthophonic” around 1950, according to their film archives on utube.
As Edward said, and as I have understood, if you simply mount a speaker onto a board it is called a “baffle board “.
What ever happened to RCA, they developed the first Stereo record and were world leaders in that field?
Cheers
John

[Nuvistor]

Originally Posted by John10b

What ever happened to RCA, they developed the first Stereo record and were world leaders in that field?
Cheers
John

Read further down the article for RCA, but the article cover other old companies that have gone down the same route.
https://www.fastcompany.com/3060449/...icensing-deals

[Bookman]

Originally Posted by dave cox

I think baffle usually means anything that alters the propagation of sound waves from front to back. With an open back its really a planar baffle thats been conviently folded into a box ! (a guess, I can only see the edge of the bass speaker)

It would be worth replacing the capasitor Graham identified, if it goes short the HF speakers will get fried. If its not a big value look for a film type or failing that a good reversable electrolytic.

dc

Thanks Graham/Dave I had seen the little rascal and considered their removal but was not aware of the consequences of failure. Obviously a quick fix is necessary.