Bring Back the Edison (sic) wax (sic) cylinder!

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james
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Bring Back the Edison (sic) wax (sic) cylinder!

Post by james »

I have just read a fun article on tnt-audio.com ...

Here is the last paragraph that explains the "(sic)" bits in the title ...

"....
I'll close this segment of the review with a pedantic aside. In the popular press, when the sort of writers who like to lump all disk records together as “vinyls” mention cylinders at all -- invariably as a way to dismiss something as “quaint” -- you can bet your bottom dollar they'll call them generically “wax cylinders” or sometimes “Edison cylinders.” Having read this far, you know better now, don't you? By no means all cylinders were made of wax, and by no means all were made by Edison. Far from it, in fact. From now on, you'll get it right: just “cylinders” or “cylinder records.” The world will be a better place, and you can hold your head up high, nose firmly in the air.
...."

Basically it's about someone building a sub $2k player for enthusiasts (the professional players for cylinders are bought by libraries and are an order of magnitude more expensive).

Here is the article ...

http://www.tnt-audio.com/vintage ...

-----

As an aside a few years ago I was in contact with the author because I bought a 78-rpm album ... He confirmed that any attempt to play it would just destroy my cartridge since the diamond stylus was not designed for shellac. (I did not have the 78 speed but in theory I could record it at 33 and then process it).

-----

What is an album?
Basically I got a nice folder (album) with six (not sure?) 78-rpm records that play a Beethoven string quartet (not sure which one) in 3-minute segments. The album keeps them all together.
The records are arranged in a logical way in that you play top-side 1 2 3 4 5 6 -- turn over -- bottom-side 6 5 4 3 2 1

It's a curiosity and I don't intend to buy a 78 player with a special cartridge. (Apparently Rega make one).

James
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Fran
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Re: Bring Back the Edison (sic) wax (sic) cylinder!

Post by Fran »

Lencos and thorens decks often had 78rpm,,,, but they are no longer cheap!
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giant haystacks
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Re: Bring Back the Edison (sic) wax (sic) cylinder!

Post by giant haystacks »

There is an Irish man who is an authority on John mc cormack called gordan ledbettet he was on a programme playing a cylinder he was recently on RTE in a stately garden I think there is a John mc cormack museum in athlone they would have a lot of the older 78s . The library of congress in Washington have about 10 times BBC archives they got a man from co Durham to make there record player Simon Yorke it has a 16inch platter there is a man in cootehill has a series, 7 the speaker designer called devore plays 78s at shows
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Diapason
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Re: Bring Back the Edison (sic) wax (sic) cylinder!

Post by Diapason »

As a kid I used to delight in making everyone sound like a chipmunk by playing at 78 and then like The Incredible Hulk (it was the 80s, I was a fan) by playing at 16. We had a few ancient 78s, but I don't think I have ever seen a disc to be played at 16.
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Derek
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Re: Bring Back the Edison (sic) wax (sic) cylinder!

Post by Derek »

Si you need to see this guy in action it's just amazing:

https://thegramophonesocial.ie/

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Diapason
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Re: Bring Back the Edison (sic) wax (sic) cylinder!

Post by Diapason »

Well I love this! Might need to get married again so I can hire him...
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Derek
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Re: Bring Back the Edison (sic) wax (sic) cylinder!

Post by Derek »

Thought you might, he’s a sound lad, lives not far from me. I donated what 78s I had from when my folks passed, he was delighted to get them. The good in this for him was they were secular jazz and popular music mostly from the 50s, people could get up and dance to.
We talked music for an hour before he had to collect his daughter from school. 🎼😄
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cybot
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Re: Bring Back the Edison (sic) wax (sic) cylinder!

Post by cybot »

Brilliant absolutely brilliant!
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