Can I play records of 40's and 50's on my HMV 102?

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dilhermandodidi
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Can I play records of 40's and 50's on my HMV 102?

Post by dilhermandodidi »

One question left me very confused this week ... If the records of the 40s and 50s are for electric models, can be damaging them in my hmv? But if my hmv 102 is 1948, I can listen to them without problems?

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Re: Can I play records of 40's and 50's on my HMV 102?

Post by Tinkerbell »

If the record is shellac and you are using a new soft tone needle for each play, you will probably be fine playing later era records (though you may suffer from some sound distortion).

What you want to try to stay away from is playing vinyl records on these older machines as the heavier tone arms and steel needles can possibly damage those records. :rose:

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Re: Can I play records of 40's and 50's on my HMV 102?

Post by mf77 »

This isn't a question that can simply be answered with a yes or no, as so many variables come into play.
How well your soundbox is restored & adjusted, the type, tone and quality of the needles you use, the brand/label of the record being play, the type of music & frequencies on the record itself, and even the country in which the record was press, can all effect how rapidly these later records will wear when played on an acoustic machine.
It's something that time and experience will teach you.
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Re: Can I play records of 40's and 50's on my HMV 102?

Post by epigramophone »

Some later 78's, particularly of popular music, play so loudly that some acoustic machines struggle even with a soft tone needle.

Extra soft tone needles are better for these records, but supplies can be harder to find that the usual soft, medium and loud varieties.

They are so fine that care needs to be taken when tightening the needle screw, otherwise there is a risk of snapping the needle in two.

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Re: Can I play records of 40's and 50's on my HMV 102?

Post by estott »

That is a tricky question since the 102 was built into the 50's. I'd say that you can play shellac records on it if you think they sound good, but I wouldn't play vinyl records - unless they are trash that you don't care about.

I've played late 78's on an acoustic machine, some sound decent but the majority blast and sound unpleasant.

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Re: Can I play records of 40's and 50's on my HMV 102?

Post by 2Bdecided »

dilhermandodidi wrote:One question left me very confused this week ... If the records of the 40s and 50s are for electric models, can be damaging them in my hmv? But if my hmv 102 is 1948, I can listen to them without problems?
I don't think HMV cared too much that their gramophones might wear out records - they would happily sell you a new record too. ;)

Even 1950s records will last quite a long time on a 102 before you can hear any damage during play. The problem is that increased record wear, especially with loud records, puts extra drag on the motor (especially with medium or heaven forbid loud tone needles). In the outer grooves, you can often hear worn loud discs slowing down with each strum of the electric guitar. Soft tone needles will avoid this problem.

Be under no illusions though: the actual damage is instant. One play with a steel needle, and the record is damaged. I'm sure you could prove this using an electron microscope. Sometimes it is visible to the naked eye. Usually it is audible IF you take the disc and play it back on a modern high quality elecrical set-up. However, the buyer in 1948 could not do this, so lived in blissful ignorance.

These are consumer products. They are designed to please long enough to satisfy the original purchaser. No great thought was given to longevity. People wanting their records to survive pristine for another century should not play them on acoustic gramophones.

Early 33/45rpm decks were similarly unforgiving on contemprary microgroove discs. It took a couple of decades of prgress before those discs could be played back substantially without wear, and even then only on the best equipment. Cheap record players wore out vinyl LPs for most of the vinyl era. The 102 wasn't cheap, but by 1948 it was getting out of date - though it remained convenient for portable use where electrocity was not available.

Cheers,
David.

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