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How does a record player work? I've never seen one up close.

I've seen them through windows at shops, in movies, and in pictures. I've always wondered how one worked. Wouldn't that big needle scratch the disc? Anyone care to explain how they work? 😊

Sarahroo29 8 Mar 30
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1

Not sure how it works. I use my turntable daily and it is called a stylus not a needle.

Oh, okay.

3

Okay, did you ever do that thing with 2 tin cans and a piece of string. As you speak into one can, the vibrations caused by your voice get transmitted along the string down to the other can. It is then converted back to sound. A record works in much the same fashion. When Edison 1st invented it he used aluminium foil and a cylinder, He said the words " Mary had a little lamb " into a trumpet like cone which had a needle on the end. Just as the string carried the vibrations, the needle made them on the revolving cylinder, Thus when he put the needle back to the start, it repeated his words.
Modern decks are basically the same except they convert the vibrations into electrical impulses. In the same way the microphone in your mobile does. These are then electrically amplified and travel to your speakers where they are converted back into sound again. Things are further complicated by the use of stereo. This done by using not only side to side vibrations but up and down as well. so you can hear both channels. Many Hifi buffs will still prefer Vinyl to digital as it is analogue. This means you get the whole of the sound rather than an approximation of it. I don`t know if you have ever used a slide rule but that is an analogue calculator. Very out of date now but it will give you a true number for such quirky things like the square root of prime numbers. Try this on your calculator. Square root 2 and then square it back again. The answer will by 1.99999999.
When they process music into digital form. Some of the nuances of the sound are lost. Especially in mp3. Also much depends on the DAC (digital analogue converter) which is used. Some are only 12 bit as opposed to 16 bit, leaving even more sounds lost. A record gives you the whole sound all be it with the odd crackle.
I hope that explains things for you.

Oh, cool.

@Sarahroo29 As point of interest pop songs are still defined by the technology used on old 78 records. The maximum amount of music these old 10" discs could store was only 3 minutes. Hence the 3 minute pop song.

@273kelvin That is interesting.

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All I’m going to say about this post is THANKS FOR MAKING ME FEEL OLD!

Lol.

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In time, the needle (which is actually very small - you can see in this image that only a tiny part toches the record) does in fact wear the record. However, as the needle is designed to wear out first and be easily replaceable, this is rarely a problem in the case of domestic use; but records that have spent a long time in an old-fashioned jukebox sometimes end up so worn they can no longer be played.

Jnei Level 8 Mar 30, 2018

Thanks for sharing.

One record that definitely wore out was " White christmas " by Bing Crosby. In those days recordings were made directly to disc. This was then the " master " and they would then play the master to copy it on to the records that you would buy. Unfortunately or fortunately depending, they sold so many records that the master wore out and Bing had to re-record it

@273kelvin I didn't know that - a fun bit of trivia! Thanks for sharing!

1

Thanks.

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