Quiz on old record changers

Here is a quick quiz on old record changers. See how much you know:

1. Who was Victor Miller?

2. What company made the first drop record changer with a long spindle?

3. Name the 7 companies that made home record changers that played both sides of the records.

4. What company made the first record changer that could change intermixed odd record sizes?

5. What company made the first three-speed three-size record changer?

6. What company, starting in 1959, had record changers in its model line that could not change all standard record types?

7. What companies had models that could change records of different speeds in the same stack?

8. What are the three different side coupling orders used for multiple-disc record albums?

9. What company's changers moved the entire spindle to drop records?

10. What method is used by most record changers made since 1950 to separate the bottom record from the stack?

11. Is it possible to make a drop-type record changer that does all four of these:
- Change randomly intermixed record sizes
- Play odd sized records automatically
- Repeat any record in the stack (finding the correct size)
- Play a single record automatically with the short spindle

12. Does such a record changer actually exist?

13. What companies made record changers that could automatically play sizes other than the three standard sizes?

14. What four methods have been used to detect the end of the record to start the change cycle?

15. Which of these record speeds (in rpm) were actually used by record companies?
8.33, 16.67, 25, 33.33, 39.13, 45.00, 45.45, 62.50, 70.59, 71.29, 76.59, 78.26, 80.00, 85.00, 90.00, 100.00, 120.00

16. Which of these record diameters (in inches) have been used in commercially produced records?
3.875, 5.5, 6.00, 6.875, 7.25, 8.00, 9.00, 9.50, 9.875, 10.25, 11.00, 11.875, 12.125, 14.00. 16.00. 18.00. 20.00

17. What company made a record changer that could play many different speeds?

18. What unique feature existed on record changers made by Universal Camera, and on some V-M models?

19. What two record changer companies had models with tangent-tracking tonearms?

20. What is the main reason many record changers have overarms?

Here is a quick quiz on old record changers. See how much you know:

1. Who was Victor Miller?
-- Founded Voice of Music (V-M)

2. What company made the first drop record changer with a long spindle?
-- Garrard (RC-1)

3. Name the 7 companies that made home record changers that played both sides of the records.
-- HMV, Lincoln, Capehart, Garrard, Markel, Seeburg, Wiegandt

4. What company made the first record changer that could change intermixed odd record sizes?
-- Lincoln

5. What company made the first three-speed three-size record changer?
-- Webster-Chicago (356)

6. What company, starting in 1959, had record changers in its model line that could not change all standard record types?
-- Garrard

7. What companies had models that could change records of different speeds in the same stack?
-- Webcor, Glaser-Steers, Garrard

8. What are the three different side coupling orders used for multiple-disc record albums?
-- Manual (1+2, 3+4, 5+6, 7+8) For hand play and two-side changers
-- Drop (1+8, 2+7, 3+6, 4+5) for drop changers and other changers that do not reverse the stack
-- Slide (1+5, 2+6, 3+7, 4+8) for changers that reverse the stack

9. What company's changers moved the entire spindle to drop records?
-- Philco

10. What method is used by most record changers made since 1950 to separate the bottom record from the stack?
-- Pushing the bottom record to one side

11. Is it possible to make a drop-type record changer that does all four of these:
- Change randomly intermixed record sizes
- Play odd sized records automatically
- Repeat any record in the stack (finding the correct size)
- Play a single record automatically with the short spindle
-- Yes

12. Does such a record changer actually exist?
-- Dual 1003, 1004, 1005, 1006

13. What companies made record changers that could automatically play sizes other than the three standard sizes?
-- Lincoln, Collaro, Luxor, Dual, Perpetuum-Ebner, Thorens, V-M, Philips

14. What four methods have been used to detect the end of the record to start the change cycle?
-- Position trip - trips when the arm reaches a certain place (not reliable)
-- Eccentric trip - detects backward motion of arm to trip cycle (requires eccentric groove)
-- Velocity trip - detects the speed up of the arm when it enters the runout groove.
-- Progress trip - detects that the arm has stoppen moving closer to the spindle

15. Which of these record speeds (in rpm) were actually used by record companies?
8.33, 16.67, 25, 33.33, 39.13, 45.00, 45.45, 62.50, 70.59, 71.29, 76.59, 78.26, 80.00, 85.00, 90.00, 100.00, 120.00
-- 8.33, 16.67, 33.33, 45.00, 45.45, 70.59, 71.29, 76.59, 78.26, 80.00, 90.00, 120.00

16. Which of these record diameters (in inches) have been used in commercially produced records?
3.875, 5.5, 6.00, 6.875, 7.25, 8.00, 9.00, 9.50, 9.875, 10.25, 11.00, 11.875, 12.125, 14.00, 16.00, 18.00, 20.00
-- 3.875, 5.5, 6.00, 6.875, 8.00, 9.875, 11.00, 11.875, 12.125, 14.00, 16.00, 20.00

17. What company made a record changer that could play many different speeds?
-- Zenith

18. What unique feature existed on record changers made by Universal Camera, and on some V-M models?
-- Instead of dropping the record, these changers lowered it slowly to the turntable.

19. What two record changer companies had models with tangent-tracking tonearms?
-- Capehart, Garrard

20. What is the main reason many record changers have overarms?
-- The records won't stay level on a push-type spindle without it. If the records tilt, they fall off the spindle.

Thanks very much for the quiz and the answers. I had to tap out in the first round.

Round two - hard questions:

1. One record changer was made that could play 4 sizes: 12", 10", 8", and 7". Who made it?

2. What 2 companies used vacuum in the record changing system?

3. Name the 3 companies that made drop record changers that played both sides of the records.

4. What company made the first drop record changer that could change odd record sizes?

5. What company made the first three-speed three-size record changer that took all sizes randomly intermixed?

6. What company had a record changer spindle that combined the push type and umbrella technologies?

7. What three companies made recored changers that required users to tell the changer how many records were in the stack?

8. What four companies had changers that could repeat the entire stack indefinitely?

8. What 4 recored changers types played the slide-automatic sequence, instead of the drop-automatic sequence?

9. What company's changers drop the overarm after the last record plays?

10. What 5 companies used a balancing disk that fit over the spindle, instead of an overarm?

11. How do the changers that can do all four of these find the record size?
- Change randomly intermixed record sizes
- Play odd sized records automatically
- Repeat any record in the stack (finding the correct size)
- Play a single record automatically with the short spindle

12. Two other companies, Lincoln and Luxor, had changers that could do three of the four items mentioned above. Why couldn't they do the other one?

13. What 5 size-sensing methods were used in record changers that could automatically play sizes other than the three standard sizes?

14. What eight methods have been used to detect that no more records remain to be played, to shut the changer off?

15. What annoying property did many early drop changers (mostly made before 1953) and almost all of the little 45 changers have?

16. Early V-M, Zenith, and Markel changers had unusual shutoff mechanisms that did something different. What was it?

17. In the 1950s, Dual, Miracord, Philips, and Telefunken had record changers with repeat buttons that prevented the next record from dropping. Only the Dual button always worked as expected. What deficiencies did the others have?

18. Which company made changers that changed needle-size automatically when the speed was selected.

19. Most record changers made into the late 1940s, changers made by Garrard and RCA until the late 1960s, and most jukeboxes had a deficiency that could result in expensive repairs. What was it?

20. Which companies made record changers with change-cycle durations that do not change when the turntable speed is changed?

Round two - hard questions:

1. One record changer was made that could play 4 sizes: 12", 10", 8", and 7". Who made it?
-- Dual (1007).

2. What 2 companies used vacuum in the record changing system?
-- HMV, Lincoln

3. Name the 3 companies that made drop record changers that played both sides of the records.
-- Garrard (RC-100), RCA (magic-brain 2-side), Markel (71, 72, 73, 74, 75)

4. What company made the first drop record changer that could change odd record sizes?
-- Collaro (Conquest TC-340)

5. What company made the first three-speed three-size record changer that took all sizes randomly intermixed?
-- Collaro (RC-54)

6. What company had a record changer spindle that combined the push type and umbrella technologies?
-- Garrard (Lab-80)

7. What three companies made recored changers that required users to tell the changer how many records were in the stack?
-- Capehart, B.I.C., Technics

8. What four companies had changers that could repeat the entire stack indefinitely?
-- Capehart, RCA, Ristaucrat, Wiegandt

8A. What 4 record changers types played the slide-automatic sequence, instead of the drop-automatic sequence?
-- Capehart, RCA (Duo), Lincoln (60 and 70), Thorens (TD-224)

9. What company's changers drop the overarm after the last record plays?
-- Philips

10. What 5 companies used a balancing disk that fit over the spindle, instead of an overarm?
-- Philips, Centrum, Dual, Perpetuum-Ebner, Dekamix

11. How do the changers that can do all four of these find the record size?
- Change randomly intermixed record sizes
- Play odd sized records automatically
- Repeat any record in the stack (finding the correct size)
- Play a single record automatically with the short spindle
-- Rubber wheels in the end of the tonearm roll to the record edge.

12. Two other companies, Lincoln and Luxor, had changers that could do three of the four items mentioned above. Why couldn't they do the other one?
-- No repeat button was provided.

13. What 5 size-sensing methods were used in record changers that could automatically play sizes other than the three standard sizes?
-- Arm tip scans unplayed stack (Collaro, Philips)
-- Arm tip scans record separated from stack (Perpetuum_Ebner Rex series, 66, V-M 1555, 1585, 1701, 1702, Thorens TD-224)
-- Feeler wheels in pickup arm scan top record on turntable (Dual, Luxor)
-- Feeler wheels in sensor arm scan top record on turntable (Luxor RT-24)
-- Separate feeler arm scans single recored on turntable (Lincoln)

14. What eight methods have been used to detect that no more records remain to be played, to shut the changer off?
-- Overarm or record clamp drops below stack level
-- Weight of the record on the spindle or record shelf
-- Falling record sensor in spindle (Perpetuum-Ebner)
-- Record size sensor finds no record (Webster-Chicago, Collaro, Garrard, Lincoln, Thorens, V-M)
-- Spindle pusher moves backwards to sense record presence (Garrard)
-- Pickup arm drops below turntable level (no record in turntable - RCA Duo)
-- Record gripping expander travel (Dual, Miracord, BSR)
-- Pushed record rim motion (McGuire, Farnsworth)

15. What annoying property did many early drop changers (mostly made before 1953) and almost all of the little 45 changers have?
-- They repeat the last record over and over until they are manually turned off.

16. Early V-M, Zenith, and Markel changers had unusual shutoff mechanisms that did something different. What was it?
-- The shutoff turned off the turntable motor, but either left the arm on the record (Zenith, Markel), or returned the arm to the record (V-M)

17. In the 1950s, Dual, Miracord, Philips, and Telefunken had record changers with repeat buttons that prevented the next record from dropping. Only the Dual button always worked as expected. What deficiencies did the others have?
-- The Miracord button repeated the record only if at least two records were still on the spindle.
-- The Philips and Telefunken repeat buttons repeated a 12" record as a 10" record.

18. Which company made changers that changed needle-size automatically when the speed was selected.
-- Luxor

19. Most record changers made into the late 1940s, changers made by Garrard and RCA until the late 1960s, and most jukeboxes had a deficiency that could result in expensive repairs. What was it?
-- Lack of a safety drive, which prevented damage if someone grabbed the arm during the change cycle.

20. Which companies made record changers with change-cycle durations that do not change when the turntable speed is changed?[/quote]
-- Collaro, Philips, Lincoln, Capehart, Thorens, Dual (1006), V-M (1555, 1585, 1701, 1702)