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With GRAMOPHONE and RADIO

BY

B NATURAL

Why the Electric Gramophone is Superior

HE past season saw the introduction of the radio and gramophone combination and this coming season will see its firm establishment. It has and will be the means of diffustion of music into homes that have until now

been silent. But in many cases this has been so through the use of the gramophone and the problem faces many who are desirous of introducing music "Shall I have a gramophone or a combination?’ Of course, there is the extra cost of the combination or the question would need no solving, and so, before deciding, it is necessary to see what are the salient features of the combination and how they compare with the ordinary gramophone. H shall only briefiy refer to the radio part of the combination for the virtues of this instrument have been oft told and consider the gramophone aspect. "Why use a gramophone when there is a radio?" £ can almost hear someone say, "Surely one is in opposition to the other?" No! music to be enjoyed must be had when wanted and the taste of the individual changes from time to time. We could diverge into the realms of psychology to further this argument, but lines of thought other than those ostensibly covered by the title of this page must be left. "Then why the radio?" And now we have arrived at the basic argument. Music at will, and any class of entertainment for the evening. One could go on elaborating these two arguments, to show how the news and views of the world are brought to the home faster than the proverbial Mereury, the messenger of the Gods, how the world’s best music is introduced where it might never have been heard, how it is possible to have a Kreisler or a Jazz Band to entertain one’s friends, and how all this can be had merely by a rotation of a knob or the simple movement of transferring a record to the and from the turntable. These achievements sound hardly possible, but they are being accomplished in thousands of New Zealand homes to-day. UT now to facts. "How does a ‘wireless gramophone’ compare with an ordinary gramophone?" ‘They do not compare, they contrast. Let us then examine the facts a little more closely and see why. At a future date we shall see how a record is made and of what it consists, but for the present it can be assumed that the marvel of the gramophone is the result of an impression in wax made by the waves set up by the voice or instrument being recorded. Further, it has been shown that sound

consists of waves in the ether (space) and that each note is a definite number of waves per second. The lower the note the fewer the waves. The range is from about 16 to 15,000 per second, but the notes of the piano .all within the band 28 to 8192. The upper "frequencies" are overtones that must be xeproduced if absolute fidelity is required. Bach voice and instrument is characterised by certain peculiarities, and these are variatiouy in the number of "overtones." For the present we shall consider an overtone a note set up by the original or "fundamental" note. It cun be: seen then that faithful reproduction entails two achievements, the reproduction of both fundamental and overtone, and this is where the electric gramophone scores. To impress these notes on the wax recording discs, a diaphragm is macle to vibrate by the impulses urising through the voice or an instrument. The movement of the diaphragm is transferred to'the record by a needle -almost the reverse of the reproduction. Before the advent of the electric amplifier (part of the radio receiver) all the power imparted to the recording needle was that supplied by the voice so that the impressions were very weak and the deep notes which need to be strengthened to record were lost. The same thing happens when an ordinary gramophone is played there is no power in the reproduction and the needle moving in the sound grooves vibrated a diaphragm and this moves a column of air, which causes the notes to be audible. The function of the electric amplifier, which is part and parcel of both recording and reproducing outfits, is to strengthen the otherwise weak vibrations. It is a combination of valves, transformers, resistance and condensel;s that strengthen weak vibrations. It is employed in the recording to strengthen up the sounds produced by the voices or instruments to be recorded and this impresses a stronger and more balanced signal on the record. This gives the reproducer a "flying start," and with an amplifier at this end each little variation can be reproduced and our sensitive ear can detect the variation that classes the reproduction and the recording in a superior class. Beside these little variations that make or mar the quality there is the bass. This constitutes the body of all music and unless’ a very expensive gramophone is used it cannot be reproduced without an amplifier. The comparative costs are very much in the favour of the electric amplifier. Because of size and cost the popularity of the electric combination is

fairly restricted, but modern small and portable machines do much to fill the gap. When used with electrically produced records little can be desired when everything is considered. From all angles, then, the advantages are with the electric combination and in a future article we shall discuss the work of the pick-up and how this may be attached to any receiver and. used with any cheap gramophone.

REALIZING the growing popularity of the gramophone and radio "Symphony" combination we are this week commencing a section devoted to the gramophone sida of the combination. It is hoped to discuss in non-technical language some of the oft-asked questions, "Do pick-ups shorten the life of records?" "What type of needles should be used?" "How do pick-ups vary?" ‘Why is the Pick-up superior to the ordinary gramophone?" and a ‘host of other interesting and important points that concern the owner and the prospective owner of the combination or the electric gramophone. Further, the most important releases of the week will be reviewed in brief and from time to time short biographies of the better known composers and artists will be published. me

This article text was automatically generated and may include errors. View the full page to see article in its original form.I whakaputaina aunoatia ēnei kuputuhi tuhinga, e kitea ai pea ētahi hapa i roto. Tirohia te whārangi katoa kia kitea te āhuatanga taketake o te tuhinga.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/RADREC19300207.2.24

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 30, 7 February 1930, Page 8

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,067

With GRAMOPHONE and RADIO Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 30, 7 February 1930, Page 8

With GRAMOPHONE and RADIO Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 30, 7 February 1930, Page 8

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