I have learned and obtained the below information over many years of research of vinyl records and vinyl history.jerryd6818 wrote: ↑Sun Dec 29, 2019 2:04 pm Over the years, there were five speeds, 8 1⁄3, 16 2⁄3, 33 1⁄3, 45 and 78. I don't recall seeing 8 1/3. That must have been very early.
Actually throughout the history of the recording industry, numerous unusual turn-speeds ranging from 3 to 130 RPM have been utilized for a variety of purposes.
Most are oblivious or latent to us because they are not used in our day to day activities or occupation, especially for those of us here at AAPK.
I have listed below 10 separate speeds and their "most" obvious reason for original introduction. I have not listed uses for 45, or 33 rpm because they are quite obvious.
Of course there may be others that I have not listed, and as technology advances there may be a need or demand for new speeds.
Turn Speed and Uses:
3 RPM
On March 28, 2012, Jack White held a party to celebrate the third anniversary of his Nashville label/record store Third Man Records. The attendees were each given a copy of an LP entitled The First Three Years of Blue Series Singles On One LP at 3 RPM. It consists of 56 songs by 28 bands previously released on Third Man's Blue Series 7" single line compiled on one blue vinyl 12" record, mastered at 3 RPM (approximately 1/11 of standard LP speed) as a further expression of White's obsession with the number 3. In reality though, if one synchronizes this 'catalog' LP with the various CDs containing the music recorded at the correct speed, they will discover that the record in question was actually mastered to play back properly at 4 1/6 RPM. However, as no recording lathe can engrave a record accurately at such a slow speed, in actuality the disc was mastered at four-times speed or 16 RPM with the program material similarly being played at quadruple speed.
4 1/6 RPM
Audiobooks for the blind. In 1966, experiments were conducted by the American Printing House for the Blind in cooperation with the American Foundation for the Blind to create extra-high density discs so that a book or magazine could be contained on fewer records. Test pressings were made at the normal 12-inch and 10-inch sizes in addition to the 7-inch sizes noted below for both 8 1/3 as well as 16 2/3. However, with mastering facilities of the period only going as low as 16 RPM, the quadruple-speed mastering required to get a playback speed of 4 RPM was deemed to have an insufficient audio quality. The highest successful density tested for in the experiment was 10 hours on one side of a 12-inch disc although it was surmised by engineers that this could be extended to 12 hours per side if needed. No books or periodicals were ever produced in the format, and it is not known if any of the experimental discs survive into the modern age.
8 1/3 RPM
Audiobooks for the blind — Beginning in 1969, 8 1/3 RPM records began to be produced (normally in 10-inch format, although 12-inch and 7-inch discs were also produced). This recording format's development was sponsored by the American Foundation for the Blind. One 10-inch record holds four hours of speech with the 12-inch variety holding six hours and the 7-inch variety holding roughly 90 minutes. The format was later used to distribute magazines on nine-inch "flexible discs" recorded at the same 8 1/3 RPM. These discs were made of thin plastic and were literally flexible, similar to an overhead projector transparency sheet. The first magazine to be circulated widely in the flexible disc format to blind individuals was U.S. News & World Report. The National Library Service for the Blind ceased using analog discs as a format for audio book and magazine distribution in 2001.
16 2/3 RPM
Spoken word records — The 16 2/3 RPM speed was used almost exclusively for spoken word content, in particular for earlier versions of the "talking books" used by the visually impaired, though it was also employed in the Seeburg 1000 Background Music System. For this reason, the inclusion of a 16 2/3 speed setting on turntables was compulsory in some countries for many years, despite the records themselves being a rarity. Cassette tapes proved to be a far more popular format for such spoken content. 16 2/3 RPM talking books require a 0.5 (half) mil stylus to avoid being destroyed.
Chrysler's short-lived Highway Hi-Fi format also used 16 2/3 7-inch discs. Some manufacturers of very low-speed discs such as Highway Hi-Fi used shallow and narrow "ultra-microgrooves," requiring a 0.25 mil stylus - modern styluses of 0.7-1.0 mil will damage these fine grooves.
Another notable example of a "16 RPM" record was a 7" single of the song Orouburous by drone band Earth.
The Prestige Jazz double-album MONO series are 12-inch 16-RPM discs. They can be played with a normal mono or stereo stylus (0.7 to 1.0 mil) stylus without damage.
24 RPM
Talking books for the blind in Europe. During the same period, especially in the UK, producers manufactured this speed prior to the days when 16 RPM could provide intelligible voice recognition quality over repeated plays.
Dictation records in the U.S. such as the Edison Voicewriter which recorded on thin flexible plastic discs.
60 RPM
Pre-standardization period — Before 1930, particularly before 1925, a number of proprietary formats existed, with recordings made at speeds including 60 RPM (although most were between 72 and 82 RPM).
77.92 RPM
Pre-standardization period — Before 1930, and before the 78 RPM was considered a worldwide standard, European records were often recorded at 77.92 RPM.
78.26 RPM
Pre-standardization period — Before 1930, and before the 78 RPM was considered a worldwide standard, American records were often recorded at 78.26 RPM.
80 RPM
Edison Disc Records — Standardized to run at 80 RPM, these records were vertically cut, ¼-inch thick with a core of wood flour and, later, china clay.
130 RPM
Pre-standardization period — Before 1930, particularly before 1925, a number of proprietary formats existed, with recordings made at speeds including 130 RPM (although most were between 72 and 82 RPM).
J.O'.
Stay with it. J.O'.
Sid’s brother Billy was also in the band (lead guitar) and also a barber in the same shop. Often when not cutting hair they jammed in the shop.