[78-L] Decca Specialty Series (DAU-x)

[Steven C. Barr]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "agp" <agp2176 at verizon.net>
> At 23:36 04/07/2009, DL wrote:
>>The U in the prefix almost always indicates "unbreakable".
> So -- I guess that means that DAU stands for D-ecca A-lbum U-nbreakable?
>
Per-zactly!
>>Deccalite pressings are translucent at that time (not Canadian pressings
>>though). Don't know if these would be by World Transcription or Vogue.
> Ah -- so what was Deccalite --plastic, vinyl, left over to hard
> raspberry gelatin? I'm sure this is answer somewhere, but just thought I'd 
> ask.
>
Presumably, these were some sort of mixture of polyvinyl and the usual
shellac-based compound of which 78's were made?!

> If such and similar stuff was available and used for promo records by
> the likes of RCA and Capitol, then why didn't the industry switch to
> it away from shellac. Naturally one can guess that they didn't want
> to make a better 78 to compete with the 45 and lp. I do note thought
> that late 50s Pye 78s in the UK are vinyl, and sound great, so
> obviously the situation was different there.
>
Two reasons...one (fairly) obvious! In the 1950's, MANY record
buyers had either "wind-up machines" or old horseshoe-magnet
electric players...as well, many record owners bought slightly-
improved "steel needles" (usually with a longer-lasting tip of
some variety!) with which to play their records! It is fairly
easy to imagine the effect that these sorts of players had
(or would have had?!) on vinyl-based records!

Second...existing record makers had major investments in
shellac-based record-pressing facilities...the thought of
investing MORE money in vinyl-based record pressing
would have raised hackles in the accounting dep'ts!

Once 45's became the new "standard single" format
(much lighter, easier to carry and effectively non-
breakable/non-crackable!) 78's were "on their way
out!" So, there was VERY LITTLE (read "none!")
interest in improving 78's; only a few audiophiles
were aware that the faster speed offered improvements
in fidelity.

...stevenc