I meant to include all the broadcasting technology, by the way. Maybe
consumers didn't need huge phonos and 16" discs, but all the other
transcription/broadcasting technology could've come into play decades before
1948, even with the concession that many transcriptions were intended to
only be played one time. (The electric pickup is basically a microphone
with the diaphragm replaced by a stylus on a cantilever, so if 1925 saw
electric recording, a lightweight pickup couldn't have been far behind.
Does anyone know when radio stations actually began using lightweight
pickups?)
One more quick thing about stylus size, etc. When I play these 12" vertical
transcriptions I mentioned earlier, both the 78 and LP stylii click
satisfyingly into place in the first groove. This can tell you a lot about
stylus/groove compatibility, that initial click (try a modern LP stylus with
a Columbia Viva-Tonal and you'll hear a huge difference than with a 78
stylus. The solidity of contact just isn't there). So I'm wondering if
transcriptions (as well as Victor Program Transcriptions) didn't all use a
different stylus size than standard LP or 78 sizes. Maybe Victor was trying
to ease the public into using broadcast technology and the timing just
sucked?
In the account that DanKJ linked, there's mention of a 2mil stylus ("If you
could get a new pressing of one of these records today and play it with a
modern lightweight 2-mil pickup, it probably would sound pretty good."). I
wonder. I play my PT's with either stylus and they sound pretty crummy, but
the surface noise isn't washy with either one (the way a Viva-Tonal would be
if played with an LP stylus).
So we're still no closer on finding out the exact stylus size to play PT's
with, hmm? This info has simply GOT to be in someone's files somewhere.
best,
r.
