what is a transcription turntable?

[Karnie]

How different from other turntable......need a definition. many thanks.

[JaS]

I think it was originally a term used for professional turntables that can play 16" transcription records? More recently it has been used by manufacturers to differentiate their decks from run of the mill products, implying that theirs is of 'transcription quality'. Of course the term is no more a guarantee of 'quality' as the word 'professional' or 'Hi Fi'

Transcription

(b) the act of making a record (especially an audio record)

(b) a recording (e.g., from broadcast to tape recording)

Regards,
JaS

[cgb]

Hi,

yes, JaS, I agree: IMHO the word derives from the ability to play 16" ETs. But additionally my personal definition is that it is also capable of playing 78 RPM and has a pitch control, as most Shellac discs vary in recording speed from 72 to 86.

Apart from that, the term is as frequently mis-used as "Pro", "Studio", etc..

Best,

cgb

[idleman]

Hmmm...I smell a Lenco in the air!!

[euclid]

Everyone is getting this one right. Here is my understanding of the transcriptions.

Before tape recorders became common radio in the early 1950s, shows were either done live or recorded and distributed on records. They were called transcriptions. In radio they were also called ETs for Electrical Transcriptions.

The early ones were 16 inch 78 RPM discs. Later, programming and spots were distributed on smaller discs (especially 12 inch and 7 inch) and at other speeds (most commonly 33.33 RPM). Some of the later 78 RPM ETs may have been cut using a 1 mil needle.

Early records were recorded at a variety of speeds near 78 RPM. My 1918 Victrola XI has a speed adjustment with a calibrated scale for the governer on its spring motor. By the time ETs became popular for program distribution 78 RPM was standard and variable speed playback was rarely needed.

The earliest radio programs to be broadcast from tape instead of ETs or Live were done in Germany during World War 2. Some radio shows on this side of the pond were done live, because of problems recording high quality records, until Ampex introduced its Models 200 and 300 about 1950. After they became common most records were recorded on tape and then dubbed to disc in a mastering facility. Some audiophile records are still recorded "Direct to Disc" to avoid the tape losses.

In the mid 1960s WCWM-FM at William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA, USA recieved the Goon Show from the BBC on 12 inch 33s and some PSAs (Public Service Announcements) on 7 inch records.

[cgb]

Hi Euclid,

cool you're mentioning the early magnetic tape recordings / broadcasts in Berlin during WW2.

An experienced audio engineer told me this: the ETs were at that time recorded on 16" acetates at 33 RPM; two sides containing one hour.
To make up for the deteriorating high end towards the center of the record, the first half hour of the programme was recorded outside in, the second one was recorded inside out.
Thus the stations avoided a sudden change from dull to bright in the midst of the programme. Instead they had a soft curve from bright to dull to bright again. Also, the technicians at the station sort of mixed/cut these records st that point similar to later DJs.
When the Germans started broadcasting from magnetic tape in 1942, the English, who were of course monitoring the German stations, thought "what the * are these Germans doing there???" as there wasn't any change in brightness.
It took them till the end of the war to find out. The Americans then took the whole AEG/Telefunken factory & labs to the States and Ampex built from that. (Same as the Apollo moon rocket, hehe)

Cheers,

cgb

[Karnie]

once again. How many models of transcription TT are in marketing nowaday? Please tell,thank a lot.

[JaS]

How many models of transcription TT are in marketing nowaday?

If you mean true transcription tables I only know of the Simon Yorke range whose top model can play 20" discs! I'm sure there must be others though?

http://www.recordplayer.com/

Regards,
JaS

[euclid]

I did not know of any 16 inch turntables that are in current production until JaS replied. Harris (Gates) make the CB500 back in the 70s. I only saw a few. It had an extermely heavy platter, rim drive, a huge Ashland motor, and a large shift lever. I have two of the CB77 whick is its much mor common "little"12 inch brother. Other companies made 16 inch turntables also. One that I remember was made by RCA. It was another super heavy rim drive. These bemoths were so heavy and strong that they could run all day, every day for decades with just a few drops of oil to the bearings and an ocassional idler wheel change.

[misko]

Look at these pictures...
Link: http://www.coutant.org/rca70d/
And dont´t forget to download THE MANUAL. 14 MB = hi-res scan. I cannot imagine low res scan for such intesting piece of audio history
Very inspiring look in the history of broadcasting in before_tape_times. Imagine delayed transmissions of Bing Crosby or Benny Goodman from N.Y.C. to West Coast runnig from this mamouth
That´s the transcription turntable - in original sense. For me simply misused term if used without correct historical/technical context.
----
Regarding new and affordable TT for playing radio transcription disks:
Some basic hints are in this tutorial:
http://www.videointerchange.com/vintage_78s.htm
Tips for new "transcription TT":
http://www.esotericsound.com/turntable.htm
http://www.esotericsound.com/turntable1.htm
http://www.garage-a-records.com/alltt.html (Aten 16, low budget)
or http://www.kabusa.com
Don´t forget to find proprietary phono preamp equiped with older equalization curves!
One example of working configuration (used on very valuable audio collection): vintage discs from Alan Lomax Collection and technology used for reissues:
http://mixonline.com/recording/masterin ... _archives/
Recently is AL Collection "served" by Simon Yorke too, but such expansive tool is not for everyone.
Regards
Michal (MiSko)

[cgb]

Hi Misko,

right you ARE. & you've said it all!

Cheers,

cgb

NB: maybe mould em two threads: http://www.vinylengine.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2651

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