The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Don asked me to try some of his 1890's K&R 5" re-makes. I have never played my K&R Grammophon with my original discs.... so, here is a test take using one of Don's for you to hear on a period 1890's K&R Grammophon. I had trouble obtaining the correct speed....sorry... . However, the demonstration gives insight on how embryonic this first disc system was.
Hope you enjoy it.

https://youtu.be/P8H7lbvROZs

A sound which probably hasn't been heard in over a century (for better or for worse )!
Thanks for sharing, being able to see and hear it is both unique and lots of fun!

Wayne

Thanks for posting your K&R in action with Don's re-makes.

Not much to listen to but it would have been absolutely astounding to any listener in it's time as it would be the first time in their lives to hear recorded music.

Bruce

First temptation of an engineer is to apply a little motor provided with a rubber wheel installed on its rotating axis to the edge of the crank wheel, a simple portable device that wouldn't change the machine, but you would hear the record at the correct stable speed... The records sound well, I didn't imagine before his week they sound!

Inigo wrote:First temptation of an engineer is to apply a little motor provided with a rubber wheel installed on its rotating axis to the edge of the crank wheel, a simple portable device that wouldn't change the machine, but you would hear the record at the correct stable speed... The records sound well, I didn't imagine before his week they sound!

It's very tempting but would take away the primitive element of the design. The original rubber drive wheel is very thin and has developed flat spots with age. Although I would never replace this, if a replacement rubber wheel was used....it would improve results somewhat.

An interesting side note....you can see ghost images of the paper labels found on the reverse of discs left on the base plate that holds the record stack.