I well remember the diamond/sapphire combination where the sapphire was on the 78 rpm side.
The diamond/sapphire microgroove combination is an odd one, but apparently two diamond tips were very, very rarely made.
The diamond/sapphire microgroove combination is an odd one, but apparently two diamond tips were very, very rarely made.
Sometimes it seems like you need a 78 needle to play some LPs: 'The Concert for Bangladesh' LP Side Six ran for about 12 minutes and the groove was cut very wide so as to take up all the space. Some of the Estate Hendrix LPs have ridiculous running times of 10 or 12 minutes a side, I refuse to buy them so I don't know the groove spacing; just miserable money-grabbing.
At least The Beatles give you good value!
Geoff
At least The Beatles give you good value!
Geoff
If the cutting/mastering engineer did a good job and was audiophile oriented, then short program on a side could be cut so that not only would there be wide spacing to permit relatively high modulation (helps with signal to noise to get it above vinyl surface noise - even if using virgin high quality vinyl; and to avoid physical pre-echo), but also to keep the cuts in the outer area of the record where the angular velocity is highest (thus avoiding compression and reduced fidelity due to reduced angular velocity).
Think of angular velocity this way: at the edge of the record, the stylus is contacting a much higher linear distance of groove per second as compared with the inner groove, where the linear distance traced by the stylus is much lower. This means less information encoded into the groove, analogous to lower tape speeds. There is a reason why professional studio tape recorders were run at 15 inches per second (ips), and in some cases at 30 ips (although 30 ips has its own problems related to modulation noise going through the tape tensioning and capstan system).
There was a time when specialty record companies would issue classic rock records in multi-disc format, with one song each side of the vinyl record. Thus a 12-song albums would have 6 records. Never could afford them...
You mean tangential velocity, no? What was the reasoning for going with a flat disc as opposed to a cylinder as Edison invented? I see he had patents for both. The cylinder would eliminate angular velocity altogether in favour of a constant tangential velocity where the fidelity of the recording could be prescribed. We'd have better recordings.
I've remember it always being referred to as angular velocity, but my memory may be incorrect.
I have no idea why the recording industry went with discs as opposed to cylinders. I found this article online which talks about the "original format war" between cylinders and discs. Here is another article from the US Library of Congress on Emile Berliner's gramophone.
I have no idea why the recording industry went with discs as opposed to cylinders. I found this article online which talks about the "original format war" between cylinders and discs. Here is another article from the US Library of Congress on Emile Berliner's gramophone.
Without reading the article - which looks interesting, thanks - I think was because discs were easier to make and store?
Geoff
Yup. Plus, it appears that those who made flat discs did not have to pay a licensing fee to Edison. Finally, the limitations of time eventually became an issue.
Personally, I am glad that we ended up with CDs. I only wish that DVD audio or SACD became the standard but they came out at the wrong time, AI guess, plus high cost of players and discs doomed these formats. Once again, GREED killed the golden goose.
Personally, I am glad that we ended up with CDs. I only wish that DVD audio or SACD became the standard but they came out at the wrong time, AI guess, plus high cost of players and discs doomed these formats. Once again, GREED killed the golden goose.
Disco Pete,
I had the good fortune to be introduced to Mike Pointer of Station Sounds on the west bound platform at Worthing Central station. Mike rented an old BR brick built storage shed from which he ran his business. It was hilarious to see city business men get off a train that had arrived from London and rush into Mike's shed and pick up a valve amp he had repaired whilst a friend kept the door open so the train could'nt leave till they got back on.
Mike taught the Dane, Quordrop everything he knew about valve technology. His shop had racks full of all the well known UK amps - Quad, Radford et al. I saw Germans especially who had driven all the way from Germany to pick up these vintage amps for themselves and friends. I listened to these amps and I have to say I was under whelmed with their laid backed 'soft' sound. It wasn't until I heard new valve amps in the mid 90s' that I bought a kit and built one myself. The only valve equipment I listen to now are in a hybrid pre-amp - a Tung Sol RP 6F8G driver and 2 Russian 1578 output - bloody marvellous - the end game for me.
I had the good fortune to be introduced to Mike Pointer of Station Sounds on the west bound platform at Worthing Central station. Mike rented an old BR brick built storage shed from which he ran his business. It was hilarious to see city business men get off a train that had arrived from London and rush into Mike's shed and pick up a valve amp he had repaired whilst a friend kept the door open so the train could'nt leave till they got back on.
Mike taught the Dane, Quordrop everything he knew about valve technology. His shop had racks full of all the well known UK amps - Quad, Radford et al. I saw Germans especially who had driven all the way from Germany to pick up these vintage amps for themselves and friends. I listened to these amps and I have to say I was under whelmed with their laid backed 'soft' sound. It wasn't until I heard new valve amps in the mid 90s' that I bought a kit and built one myself. The only valve equipment I listen to now are in a hybrid pre-amp - a Tung Sol RP 6F8G driver and 2 Russian 1578 output - bloody marvellous - the end game for me.
Don't know why the flat disks, expect maybe for easy storage?
One thing I have head with my own ears: Edison disks sound waaay better than his cylinders ever did.
One thing I have head with my own ears: Edison disks sound waaay better than his cylinders ever did.
Yes, one advantage of the disc system was less storage space for a collection of recordings.
I also read that there were commercial advantages to the disc system, since discs could be easily mass produced by molding and stamping.
EDIT: Like Geoff said!
You were correctly referring to the linear speed at which the stylus traces the groove - also known as tangential velocity.
It would never fit! 😎
frankly I'm a bit insulted by your suggestion I'm less than appreciative of your well researched input.
say, how about those declining petrol prices, eh?
frankly I'm a bit insulted by your suggestion I'm less than appreciative of your well researched input.
say, how about those declining petrol prices, eh?
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It is very easy to become obsessed with the Beatles. You know, John, Paul, George and Ringo. But I would advise against this.
One must be Clear where one is going. One must become a "Light unto Oneself!"
Thus when Darkness falls, as it often does, one has a Compass or Direction:
Did Fiona Apple ever express it better:
It was George who was hot on the Pulse. Hope it helps.
One must be Clear where one is going. One must become a "Light unto Oneself!"
Thus when Darkness falls, as it often does, one has a Compass or Direction:
Did Fiona Apple ever express it better:
It was George who was hot on the Pulse. Hope it helps.
Being deeply interested in the Beatles - or Miles Davis, Bach, Dylan, Hendrix - or anyone else for that matter - can get close to 'obsession', but I don't think that's very different to other hobbies or interests, such as people spending their time finding and building the perfect Lancaster model or spending hours at their computers playing 'Warcraft'.
Sometimes the interest can get a bit 'out there' for me, such as people buying ten different LP pressings of one album, but listening to or collecting music is less damaging to others than gambling or driving fast cars around.
'Obsession' can be a bad thing indeed, as witness John Lennon's murder, or the attempted murder of George. Or, on a less serious level, AJ Weberman going through Bob Dylan's garbage.
Geoff
Okay this is way beyond obsession. These guys are obviously just insane.
We here are "obsessed"
I'd like to think that I'm deeply interested in the musical aspects of the Beatles. I do admit that I am also interested in the different mixes and versions of various songs (e.g., false start for the song, "I'm Looking Through You" which sadly is no longer available as the CDs all have the correct version without the false starts). But ultimately it is the music and the arrangement that I find compelling.
I think I mentioned this, but the Scott Freiman videos, Deconstructing the Beatles, are superb in getting real insights into the Beatles music and technical (audio) aspects of the recordings. And even these videos do not go into all the musical bon mots embedded in the compositions.