ABOUT TALKING MACHINES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 631, 31 December 1913, Page 5

ABOUT TALKING MACHINES.

Have you ever heard a "good" gramaphone. playing high-class re cords? Net. a wheezy, spluttering, catty-abortion, but a "first-class" instrument. An instrument which can really bring the Coldstream or Royal Artillery Bands into your room, a machine which calls up at wiil the living voices of the world'; greatest singers, most amusing comedians, which enables you to hear the greatest pian ists, violinists, organists, etc. An instrument which doss these things when you will, at yoi"c leisure, not in a crowded concert room, but just when and where ycu choose. If the gramophone existed singly as a kind of musical "Alladin's Lamp"—the work of some supernatural being—it would be priceless. Its universal procurability does not lessen its intrinsic value. Sir Henry J. Wood, addressing the 350 members of the Sheffield Festival Chorus, told those of them who had not gramophones to get them at once. In listening to the rezordn of great artists— Patti, Melba, Caruso, etc.— they would hear what true, right tone vocai is. As a teacher of 25 years' experience, he assured them oc the tremendous value of this invention. He firmly believe:: that if all teachers had a gramophone and some of the finest vocai records and let their pupils hear the and ring of good voice production, it would dj more to eradicate our fluty, hocty, breathy, dull, weak, English voices than hundreds of pounds spent on useless lessons. The above remarks apply particularly to "Kis Masters Voice" gramophones and records. These, as also the Columbia America's premier machine—the Zonophone, Lyricphone and Kiingscr families—good, though inexpensive—are all needle machines and many of the best singers sing only for need'e records. The new type of Pathephone, taking disc records, requires no needle. The record starts from the middle and it is practically impossible to damage it. Amongst the thousands of records in the Pathe catalogue are many by the world's greatest artists and, unlike other recordmakcr?. Pathe records are all sold at uniform prices. Needle records can be played on the Pathpehone by undoing a screw and changing the sound box. A similarly simple operation fits gramophones for Pathe records. The amount of tone that the Pathephone can produce is a revelation. A boon to the man in tent or whare is the new "Handbag" gramophone. which, in unassuming shape, includes machine records and all accessories It is beautifully neat and compact. A. E. Robinson, of Te Kuiti, is I agent for ail the above mentioned machines. He carries a very full stock of both instruments and records and ail would-be purchasers of machines will do well to consult him. In the case of gramophones, not only does local dealing ensure fair dealing, but there is the very considerable saving of freight. There are other things worth knowing, too, which he can tell you.*