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I guess, the longer you do something, the better at it you get. Standards improve, expectations are realistic and there are less surprises.
As a new collector of projectors with no background in cinematography and rarely used a projector prior to a few months ago. I'm probably not the best placed to review a product. I was very disappointed in an Agfa LS2 not too long back complaining of their film path and yet love my Bauer T450. That's the bees knees! The Agfa and Bauer are basically the same, both made by Silma.
Also note, that as a collector, having an object on display and being happy with that is very different to actually using it.
The 709 then. A Facebook Marketplace purchase base on one picture of it's plastic cover and a manual! But I wanted one and it was priced right and only an hours leisurely drive in the country. It came with no power lead (P8 style) but had the box and polystyrene insert(tatty and attacked by mice).
I now have a 709 that I can compare with other 700's in my collection and the story can end there.
I got lucky though and I do like things working. It came with both pairs of gate/pressure pads for both gauges and all 4 sprockets. 2 for Super/Single and 2 for Standard. The Super 8 spool adapter was missing as too the takeup spool. The spool would be Super 8 as the takeup spindle is a fixed Super 8 spindle. Basically, it came with most hardware parts that attach to the plastic cover including the microphone.
All controls and axillary lamps all had their trim caps, just like the sprockets. Very tidy, just needing a clean. As the sprockets are removable, I could check for rust. None visible. The case casting also free of furring. Only surface debris and dust. It's looking like a good find. In fact, the whole purchase process was a delight. That's important as there is nothing worse than bad memories associated with an item. I'll remember a very pleasant day every time I use the 709.
I do have a P8 power lead so plugged it in. Both aux lights lit and motor spun up. Turned the control dial and there was promising movement in all the right places and in all the right directions (reminds me of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMPEUcVyJsc Playing the right notes!). Speed seemed fine too. Later I would find that with the load of the film, the drive discs just wouldn't spin up. Now, many say, leave it running to just limber up all the moving parts. I did for a while then tried some Platenclene on a cotton bud. That seems to work. Remember, this is an initial review, day one. But that, in it's self, promising.
I tried a silent film first. Actually, one Standard 8 home movie given to me by the seller. An air show. I offered to digitize it for him and return the film. We did have a chat during the purchase. The projection went well. Auto fed just through the gate then it's up to you to figure the rest, or read the supplied manual. I had a go. It's just brilliant how the film path is on display. My little knowledge of top and bottom loop made for a steady picture. The bottom loop size was immaterial being silent. As it was Standard 8, I kept it to the N loop. Volume was off.
Turning the volume on for a sound test proved to have a lot of hum and clicks. First test of a sound film got no sound. Very loud hum and a fait, distant sound track. Very faint. Turned it off and took the two front covers off. Contact spray the sound head and N/S switch. Also contact spray the volume on off dial (when the back was off to clean the discs).
5 minutes went by and I tried it again. That loud hum is from the volume turned up to 11 trying to hear something from the audio track. Once the head had been sprayed, sound was restored. Volume needn't be turned to the max and thus the hum was slightly background and not noticeable.
I was very lucky with this find. Fully working and a joy to use. A great price and no bad memories to taint the experience.
I would defiantly recommend the 709. It's dual gauge and a valve amp. The earliest model I know of with the 700 badge. Very akin to the 710D and nothing like a 711/720. For me a preferable buy over the 701 as I just like dual gauge and the 701 is Super 8 only. The manual states 709 Super 8 Single 8 Standard 8. The 701 Super 8. I guess they didn't want the public getting confused thinking Super 8 and Single 8 meaning dual gauge! Is this why the D came into being?
As I move on through the days with this I'll post some updates. I do have a video of the initial first runs. The sound was in sync too by following the shorter S path for Super 8.
If you are thinking of a 709 or 701, I hope you are as lucky with your search as I was. It's a projector that is always smiling.
This picture shows the two products I've used and the cotton bud after the disc clean/restore.
Short video of sound:
As a new collector of projectors with no background in cinematography and rarely used a projector prior to a few months ago. I'm probably not the best placed to review a product. I was very disappointed in an Agfa LS2 not too long back complaining of their film path and yet love my Bauer T450. That's the bees knees! The Agfa and Bauer are basically the same, both made by Silma.
Also note, that as a collector, having an object on display and being happy with that is very different to actually using it.
The 709 then. A Facebook Marketplace purchase base on one picture of it's plastic cover and a manual! But I wanted one and it was priced right and only an hours leisurely drive in the country. It came with no power lead (P8 style) but had the box and polystyrene insert(tatty and attacked by mice).
I now have a 709 that I can compare with other 700's in my collection and the story can end there.
I got lucky though and I do like things working. It came with both pairs of gate/pressure pads for both gauges and all 4 sprockets. 2 for Super/Single and 2 for Standard. The Super 8 spool adapter was missing as too the takeup spool. The spool would be Super 8 as the takeup spindle is a fixed Super 8 spindle. Basically, it came with most hardware parts that attach to the plastic cover including the microphone.
All controls and axillary lamps all had their trim caps, just like the sprockets. Very tidy, just needing a clean. As the sprockets are removable, I could check for rust. None visible. The case casting also free of furring. Only surface debris and dust. It's looking like a good find. In fact, the whole purchase process was a delight. That's important as there is nothing worse than bad memories associated with an item. I'll remember a very pleasant day every time I use the 709.
I do have a P8 power lead so plugged it in. Both aux lights lit and motor spun up. Turned the control dial and there was promising movement in all the right places and in all the right directions (reminds me of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMPEUcVyJsc Playing the right notes!). Speed seemed fine too. Later I would find that with the load of the film, the drive discs just wouldn't spin up. Now, many say, leave it running to just limber up all the moving parts. I did for a while then tried some Platenclene on a cotton bud. That seems to work. Remember, this is an initial review, day one. But that, in it's self, promising.
I tried a silent film first. Actually, one Standard 8 home movie given to me by the seller. An air show. I offered to digitize it for him and return the film. We did have a chat during the purchase. The projection went well. Auto fed just through the gate then it's up to you to figure the rest, or read the supplied manual. I had a go. It's just brilliant how the film path is on display. My little knowledge of top and bottom loop made for a steady picture. The bottom loop size was immaterial being silent. As it was Standard 8, I kept it to the N loop. Volume was off.
Turning the volume on for a sound test proved to have a lot of hum and clicks. First test of a sound film got no sound. Very loud hum and a fait, distant sound track. Very faint. Turned it off and took the two front covers off. Contact spray the sound head and N/S switch. Also contact spray the volume on off dial (when the back was off to clean the discs).
5 minutes went by and I tried it again. That loud hum is from the volume turned up to 11 trying to hear something from the audio track. Once the head had been sprayed, sound was restored. Volume needn't be turned to the max and thus the hum was slightly background and not noticeable.
I was very lucky with this find. Fully working and a joy to use. A great price and no bad memories to taint the experience.
I would defiantly recommend the 709. It's dual gauge and a valve amp. The earliest model I know of with the 700 badge. Very akin to the 710D and nothing like a 711/720. For me a preferable buy over the 701 as I just like dual gauge and the 701 is Super 8 only. The manual states 709 Super 8 Single 8 Standard 8. The 701 Super 8. I guess they didn't want the public getting confused thinking Super 8 and Single 8 meaning dual gauge! Is this why the D came into being?
As I move on through the days with this I'll post some updates. I do have a video of the initial first runs. The sound was in sync too by following the shorter S path for Super 8.
If you are thinking of a 709 or 701, I hope you are as lucky with your search as I was. It's a projector that is always smiling.
This picture shows the two products I've used and the cotton bud after the disc clean/restore.
Short video of sound:
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