[78-L] Record playing speed ^

[Chris Zwarg]

At 16:32 03.12.2008, you wrote:
>And is 160 rpm the standard speed for cylinders? 

For industrially moulded (post-1902) cylinders, yes, but all sorts of slower and occasionally faster speeds were used for direct recordings on brown-wax cylinders. Assuming the same groove-shape and stylus size, higher speed allows better fidelity and higher volume, but of course has the drawback of shorter playing time, so different compromises were found for different purposes. Some spoken-word cylinders e.g. for language teaching run as slow as 80 or 100 rpm, as they were intended for listening via ear-tubes so the low volume possible at the slow speed was quite sufficient. Early musical recordings often run at circa 120 rpm. At the other end of the line, some of Lionel Mapleson's experimental actual-performance recordings make up to 200rpm, as the distantly recorded sound registered apparently somewhat better at the high speed.

Chris Zwarg