Why 16, 33 1/3, 45 and 78 rpm?

Baloo55th

Strictly 16 2/3 rather than 16, and was used for speech records where range didn't matter. The wider the range of pitch, the further apart the grooves (OK, I know it's only one groove really) have to be. Easy numbers for gearing, I suppose, in the case of the modern ones. The old ones had to be fast as the sound was mechanically produced and a lot of needle movement was needed to produce this. Electric reproduction enabled the 'microgroove' vinyl record to be brought in. Incidentally, 78 rpm wasn't universal. Columbia (UK, that is) and Regal turned at 80 rpm until the merger with HMV and standardisation. I've got quite a few of them. And I've got a very old one on the National label that appears to be labelled for 79 rpm! World records didn't have a fixed speed, as they changed speed depending on where the needle was. This gave a constant needle to surface speed (and a rather complex mechanical system as well!). They also ran from the inside to the outside, which gives an interesting chance for reverse messages if played on the wrong type of player. I don't know why 78 was standardised on, off the top of my head. Feb 27 05, 4:46 PM

queproblema

78.26 happened to be the speed a common, mass-produced 3600 RPM motor would yield if fitted with an equally common 46:1 gear. Around this same time the original acoustic method of recording was made obsolete by a new, and far superior, electric system. The fidelity possible at 78 RPM could now be had at a much slower speed--33-1/3. And then RCA came up with the 45 just to compete with Columbia's 33 1/3. http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_258b.html Oct 06 07, 1:30 AM

MonkeyOnALeash

Technically speaking....More sound or VPS (vibrations per second) can be transmitted up the tone arm at higher speeds. This leads to more information for the ear to hear and the greater the sound reproduction. Similar to the modern bit-rate of CD's and other electronic sound data. Oct 06 07, 2:48 AM

Create a Free FunTrivia ID to add to, request more/new answers, or edit this entry

Why the big hole in 45 RPM records? How many grooves are there in a 33 rpm record? What is the RPM of an old record? In what year were 45 rpm singles first produced and what year was the last single released on 78 rpm?

1 My 45 rpm Record Collection I've looked through my dusty old collection of vinyl and hauled out a few that I am still able to sing all the way through. (This drives my son crazy.) The tunes and artists are all of the 1960 to 1967 vintage. 1960s Music Average 10 Q monopod53 Oct 31 03 1098 plays