Maybe Larry and some others could chime in.
I got to go back through my collection of LPs. There were, I believe, some black RCA labels that were labeled Orthophonic High Fidelity. I don't think that some of them were true stereo recordings, but something "simulated". Please correct me if I'm wrong. Just curious about the "Orthophonic" thing.
Something else to consider....how do you folks insure your collection? My collection of 60's Maggies and other consoles won't help me retire any time soon. Do you just lump everything together with an estimated total value? Surely, there is no "replacement" value because they're no longer made. Just food for though. --BB
BobbyB
Tucson, Arizona
Orthophonic High Fidelity
A category about 45rpm vinyl records (a.k.a. singles) and 33rpm records (a.k.a. LP's).
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Bobby Basham
Topic author - Senior Member
- Posts: 498
- Joined: Sat Aug 26, 2006 2:50 pm
- Location: Tucson, Arizona, USA
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Record-changer
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1139
- Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 8:11 pm
- Location: Bloomington IN USA
ORTHOPHONIC was RCA's recording pre-emphasis curve intendced to extend the frequency range of a record, while fitting more playing time onto a 33 rpm record.
RCA used four different Orthophonic curves from 1948 to 1952.
Then in late 1952 RCA created NEW ORTHOPHONIC, which became the RIAA standard pre-emphasis curve still in use today.
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A short history of pre-emphasis in phono records:
- Early 78s had essentially a flat recording curve, with a roll-off on the bass imposed by disc cutter limitations. This curve made extremely wide stylus swings for bass, and very tiny swings for treble. The stylus velocity is proportional to voltage on a magnetic cutter.
- Later, that bass rolloff was done deiliberately to extend playing time. This was the standard 78 curve used with all electrical recording from 1931 to 1937.
- Around 1937, they started boosting the treble to get it above surface noise on the disc., This was the Decca FFRR curve, and the "modern" 78 curve in America.
- RCA and Columbia added more treble boost and bass cut to produce a quieter recording. But a different playback curve was needed. That's when tone controls appeared on phonographs.
- Radio transcriptions (recorded at 33 rpm) required a different recording curve because of the slow speed. The National Association of Broadcasters created a standard transcription curve, the NAB curve.
- The original Columbia LP used the NAB curve, but boosted the bass a bit in the rumble region. This was the original LP curve.
- The first RCA 45s used the NAB curve.
- Many record companies had trouble getting the LP curve to play on their phonographs, so they reduced the treble boost on their records. This resulted in the RCA Orthophonic curves, the London FFRR curve, and CCIR.
See below for a history on "London" and record company names.
- Other companies used the unmodified NAB transcription curve. Meanwhile, NAB changed it's name to the National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters (NARTB).
- The Audio Engineering Society came up with a curve which was designed to work with the pickups available. It was the AES curve.
- The record companies divided into two camps. One camp used LP or NARTB curves for maximum response, the other crowded toward AES and easier playback, at the expense of surface noise. All European companies except EMI went toward CCIR, which was even less demanding than AES (with more surface noise problems).
- Hi-Fi equipment had to have several positions on the phonograph de-emphasis compensator to play all of these records. Usually there were positions for LP, NAB, AES, RCA, LON (London = English Decca) and EUR (CCIR).
- In 1952, RCA developed the New Orthophonic curve, which was right in the middle between LP and AES. The NARTB and AES groups quickly approved the curve, as did the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), who wanted to end this battle of playback curves. By 1955, most companies had switched to RIAA, and by 1957, only a few US companies had not changed. The UK also made the change during this time.
- Europe took longer, because most of continental Europe had settled on CCIR. The change to RIAA there was between 1962 and 1966.
- Some square-dance 78s and childrens 78s were still being made using the original 78 curves into the 1970s. On the other hand, late USA popular 78 issues were made in RIAA on vinyl (the best 78s I ever heard).
- Some 33 rpm records were still being made in the Soviet Union in 1975 using 78 rpm curves. And India was still making 78s with 78 curves into the 1980s (including some Beatles records in the 1960s).
- The Library of Congress recently chose the 12" microgroove RIAA 78 rpm record for archival storage of irreplaceable sounds and music. It ius the only recording medium it trusts to last over 100 years.
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Records marked RIAA, New Orthophonic, New AES, New LP, New FFRR, and New NARTB play on most newer phonographs. They all have the RIAA curve.
Records marked LP, NAB, NARTB, FFRR, AES, CCIR, and Orthophonic need some equalization to sound right.
Records not marked with a recording curve and made before 1952 usually use the LP or NAB curve.
-----
Changes in patent and trademark laws in Great Britain, combined with the depression, caused several record companies to split apart in the 1930s:
Decca split into three companies in the 1930s. English Decca had to use the "London" label in the US, because US Decca had the trademark on "Decca". European Decca used "Philips" in the US.
Likewise, Victor split into 3 companies. RCA acquired Victor in the US, becoming RCA-Victor. They got the rights to Victor in Europe, but had the rights to the "Nipper" photo in only the US. His Master's Voice (HMV, or English Victor) had the rights to "Nipper" in the UK, but not the name Victor. It later became EMI. German Victor became Deutche Grammophone, and got the rights to "Nipper" in Europe.
RCA used four different Orthophonic curves from 1948 to 1952.
Then in late 1952 RCA created NEW ORTHOPHONIC, which became the RIAA standard pre-emphasis curve still in use today.
-----
A short history of pre-emphasis in phono records:
- Early 78s had essentially a flat recording curve, with a roll-off on the bass imposed by disc cutter limitations. This curve made extremely wide stylus swings for bass, and very tiny swings for treble. The stylus velocity is proportional to voltage on a magnetic cutter.
- Later, that bass rolloff was done deiliberately to extend playing time. This was the standard 78 curve used with all electrical recording from 1931 to 1937.
- Around 1937, they started boosting the treble to get it above surface noise on the disc., This was the Decca FFRR curve, and the "modern" 78 curve in America.
- RCA and Columbia added more treble boost and bass cut to produce a quieter recording. But a different playback curve was needed. That's when tone controls appeared on phonographs.
- Radio transcriptions (recorded at 33 rpm) required a different recording curve because of the slow speed. The National Association of Broadcasters created a standard transcription curve, the NAB curve.
- The original Columbia LP used the NAB curve, but boosted the bass a bit in the rumble region. This was the original LP curve.
- The first RCA 45s used the NAB curve.
- Many record companies had trouble getting the LP curve to play on their phonographs, so they reduced the treble boost on their records. This resulted in the RCA Orthophonic curves, the London FFRR curve, and CCIR.
See below for a history on "London" and record company names.
- Other companies used the unmodified NAB transcription curve. Meanwhile, NAB changed it's name to the National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters (NARTB).
- The Audio Engineering Society came up with a curve which was designed to work with the pickups available. It was the AES curve.
- The record companies divided into two camps. One camp used LP or NARTB curves for maximum response, the other crowded toward AES and easier playback, at the expense of surface noise. All European companies except EMI went toward CCIR, which was even less demanding than AES (with more surface noise problems).
- Hi-Fi equipment had to have several positions on the phonograph de-emphasis compensator to play all of these records. Usually there were positions for LP, NAB, AES, RCA, LON (London = English Decca) and EUR (CCIR).
- In 1952, RCA developed the New Orthophonic curve, which was right in the middle between LP and AES. The NARTB and AES groups quickly approved the curve, as did the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), who wanted to end this battle of playback curves. By 1955, most companies had switched to RIAA, and by 1957, only a few US companies had not changed. The UK also made the change during this time.
- Europe took longer, because most of continental Europe had settled on CCIR. The change to RIAA there was between 1962 and 1966.
- Some square-dance 78s and childrens 78s were still being made using the original 78 curves into the 1970s. On the other hand, late USA popular 78 issues were made in RIAA on vinyl (the best 78s I ever heard).
- Some 33 rpm records were still being made in the Soviet Union in 1975 using 78 rpm curves. And India was still making 78s with 78 curves into the 1980s (including some Beatles records in the 1960s).
- The Library of Congress recently chose the 12" microgroove RIAA 78 rpm record for archival storage of irreplaceable sounds and music. It ius the only recording medium it trusts to last over 100 years.
-----
Records marked RIAA, New Orthophonic, New AES, New LP, New FFRR, and New NARTB play on most newer phonographs. They all have the RIAA curve.
Records marked LP, NAB, NARTB, FFRR, AES, CCIR, and Orthophonic need some equalization to sound right.
Records not marked with a recording curve and made before 1952 usually use the LP or NAB curve.
-----
Changes in patent and trademark laws in Great Britain, combined with the depression, caused several record companies to split apart in the 1930s:
Decca split into three companies in the 1930s. English Decca had to use the "London" label in the US, because US Decca had the trademark on "Decca". European Decca used "Philips" in the US.
Likewise, Victor split into 3 companies. RCA acquired Victor in the US, becoming RCA-Victor. They got the rights to Victor in Europe, but had the rights to the "Nipper" photo in only the US. His Master's Voice (HMV, or English Victor) had the rights to "Nipper" in the UK, but not the name Victor. It later became EMI. German Victor became Deutche Grammophone, and got the rights to "Nipper" in Europe.
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Bobby Basham
Topic author - Senior Member
- Posts: 498
- Joined: Sat Aug 26, 2006 2:50 pm
- Location: Tucson, Arizona, USA
lol I'm gonna get off the subject here, but I bet you have a bunch of nice maggies! I am a 21 year old that has had many stereos, as well as a lot of the new ones that are on the market now. But, when I was little, my Great-Uncle had a 1950s RCA Orthophonic Console, and the sound on it was really good. When I was in my early teens, it stopped working, and someone gave them a 1960, or 61 Magnavox Console to replace it, it was quite nice.
If I had the room, I'd be collecting a lot of them. I have one now thats a 1963 Astro Sonic Model. I believe its called the Italian Provincial. But, a friend of mine has a 1960 or 61 Magnavox Imperial Micromatic French Provincial. I have been trying to get my hands on that for the longest time. I have heard a lot about those Magnavox Concert Grands but was never able to find one. I have had 3 or 4 different Magnavox Consoles, and I was amazingly surprised at how good they all sound. They all sounded a lot better than the stereo/sound systems on the market today.
If I had the room, I'd be collecting a lot of them. I have one now thats a 1963 Astro Sonic Model. I believe its called the Italian Provincial. But, a friend of mine has a 1960 or 61 Magnavox Imperial Micromatic French Provincial. I have been trying to get my hands on that for the longest time. I have heard a lot about those Magnavox Concert Grands but was never able to find one. I have had 3 or 4 different Magnavox Consoles, and I was amazingly surprised at how good they all sound. They all sounded a lot better than the stereo/sound systems on the market today.
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