[78-L] (no subject)

[Howard Friedman]

To Malcolm and others,

You're quite right, turntable speed is controlled and regulated according to gearing.  In the US using 60 cycle current, the turntable speed is 60 squared, or 3600, divided by a number usually between 60 and 40, i.e., between 60 and 90 rpm.  For 78.26 rpm, the gearing is 3600/46.  In Europe where the current is 50 cycles, the gearing would be between, say, 50 squared or 2500/50 to 2500/25, or from 50 to 100 rpm.  In the old days when recording machines were operated on batteries, or even electric motors that were operated on highly variable electricity, it was extremely difficult to control the recording speed.  It usually varied from day to day, even from session to session on the same day.  In the US the Victor Talking Machine Company was more likly to set its recording speed at something between 3600/50, or 72rpm, and 3600/45, or 80rpm.  In Europe, the most common recording speed was most likely between 2500/35, or 71.29 rpm, as in the first Caruso recording session in April 1902, and 2500/37, or 67.92 rpm, as in his second and third sessions in November and December 1902.

In the US Caruso's recording sessions from 1904 to 1920 were made at speeds as low as 75 and as high as 80.  The former might provide the singer with an additional few seconds for a selection!

Howard