[78-L] Speed for old Edison, and Victor 78s

[Michael Biel]

> Mike Biel wrote:
>
>   
>> because Victor advertised their speed as 78.  
>>     
>
>   
Chris Zwarg wrote:
> When was that? I remember noticing a stated speed of variously 75 or 76 in the prefaces of several Victor catalogues from the late '10s and early '20s.
Do you "remember" them or do you have them?  I have here the Victor 
catalogs from November 1916 (2nd 1916 ), 1920, 1921, 1922, and 1923 (all 
published the preceding December) and all of them specifically state 
78.  I have instruction manuals for Victrolas printed 2/11/16 (XI type 
G), 6/22/16 (XI Type G), 3/18/20 (XIV), 9/23/21 (90), 2/22/26 
(Orthophonic spring), and 7/22/26 (Orthophonic electric) and ALL of them 
state 78 RPM.

>  I was surprised when I first saw it that from one year to another at some point, the stated speed was changed from 76 to 75, although the contents of that catalogue were over 80% identical with the foregoing one that had the slightly higher nominal speed.
>
>   

I remember when there was a speed discussion 3 or 4 years ago someone 
came up with a mid-teens catalog that said 76 but the one before it and 
after it (and all others) said 78.  All of the speed indicators I have 
seen on Victrolas say 78, although once again, I remember that one 
person came up with a machine that had 76 on the plate.  Everyone else 
that checked theirs saw 78.