Archeophone

The Archeophone plays all types of cylinders, including standard size 2 & 4 minute records, Busy Bees, Liorets, Dictaphones, Intermediate Salons, Concerts, 20th Centurys and Pathé Celestes. Bell-Tainter, Phoenix, Lioret 0. 4 and Kinetophone mandrels are also available for those who require them, and custom size mandrels can be provided on a special-order basis. The tonearm platform adjusts vertically to compensate for cylinders of varying diameters.

Silent and robust, the Archeophone is a precision instrument assembled by old-world craftsmen from the highest quality components and materials available. It is the finest cylinder phonograph ever constructed, making it the ideal machine for sound archives, institutions, transfer engineers and advanced collectors. 

Base price is quoted in US dollars. The actual price in US$ may differ based on the Dollar to Euro exchange rate in effect at time of purchase. Base price includes 3 headshells, 2 & 4 minute styli and 4 mandrels (US Standard, European Standard, Pathé Salon & Concert).

Features & Specifications

True Universality
The Archeophone plays all types of cylinders, including standard size 2 & 4 minute records, Busy Bees, Liorets, Dictaphones, Intermediate Salons, Concerts, 20th Centurys and Pathé Celestes. Bell-Tainter, Phoenix, Lioret 0. 4 and Kinetophone mandrels are also available for those who require them, and custom size mandrels can be provided on a special-order basis. The tonearm platform adjusts vertically to compensate for cylinders of varying diameters.

Speed Control
The ability to accurately set the rotational speed of the cylinder is absolutely critical during cylinder play-back. Brown wax and dictation recordings vary widely, as do many later cylinders meant to be used for educational purposes. The Archeophone includes an infinitely variable rheostat which allows for any speed between 44 and 236 rpm, while the laser-controlled LED display provides accurate readouts via an optical sensor attached to the mandrel axle. Another particularly useful feature is a toggle switch that instantly halves the displayed speed, thus enabling damaged or problem cylinders to be more easily transferred.

Cartridge & Stylus Assembly
If one wishes to get the best possible transfer with the least amount of groove wear, selecting the proper size and shape of stylus is essential. The Archeophone comes with two different styli, and custom sizes are also available. Standard headshells are used, making it a swift and simple task to change styli and cartridges at will An electric cueing lever enables safe and accurate stylus placement, while the cartridge can be moved forward or back, allowing the user to easily vary the angle of stylus attack. The cartridge delivers a flat stereo signal, giving maximum flexibility for signal processing.

Auto-Speed Linear Tracking Tonearm
One of the biggest problems in designing a universal cylinder phonograph is having to cope with different groove pitches. A universal machine must not only track 2 minute (100 tpi), 4 minute (200 tpi) and Dictaphone (150 tpi) grooving, it should also be capable of tracking celluloid-based cylinders which have shortened over time (a common problem with Indestructibles and Lamberts). Vintage 2/4 minute machines make use of feed screws and gear reduction mechanisms, but such configurations are noisy and create drag on the motor. The Archeophone uses the linear tracking system designed by Pierre Clément, which capably tracks all types of grooves and pitches by means of an optically controlled servo motor (which is independent of the motor that drives the mandrel).

Compensation for Deformed Cylinders
Eccentric and warped cylinders cause wow and flutter, while scratches and needle digs may cause faulty tracking (skips and repeats). These problems are minimized by means of micrometric screws at each end of the mandrel which realign the axis of rotation. Extra long 11" mandrels insure that cylinders which are too tight or too loose on an ordinary phonograph mandrel will play without alteration.

Mechanism & Housing
Though they are generally robust and reliable, most of the motors found in vintage cylinder phonographs are generally anything but steady. This results in a warbling effect which is generally tolerable in Uncle Josh recordings, but downright painful when listening to Selma Kurz. The Archeophone's belt-driven mandrel is powered by an asynchronous motor with a Studer Revox® external rotor. These features don't come cheap, but the payoff is rock-solid speed. Mounted on silent blocks and springs, the entire mechanism is housed in a solid aluminum casing. Though we hope that the Archeophone will be available for decades to come, a schematic diagram will accompany each machine, so that repairs can accomplished even if production ceases.

Connections
Two low level RCA (Cinch) outputs enable the Archeophone to be plugged into any pre-amp or integrated amplifier. The stabilized power supply will function with any type of current, accommodating AC 110-127-220-240, 50/60 Hz.

External Dimensions
21.5" (W) x 12.5" (D) x 13" (H); Weight 100 lb. with shipping/storage case and basic mandrel set

The Archeophone Universal Cylinder Phonograph
is not affiliated with Archeophone Records,
though it has been used to produce a number of Archeophone Reissues!