[78-L] Record playing speed ^

[Steven C. Barr]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chris Zwarg" <doctordisc at truesoundtransfers.de>
> 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.
>
Note also there were two different cylinder speeds...one for the early 
two-minute
cylinders, and another lor the later four-minute type...!

...stevenc