RCA Victrolac Sleeve Question

[Wolfe]

I can't say I've seen this particular sleeve before. Does anyone know an approximate date for it?

I know 'Victrolac' (vinyl) was used in the failed Victor long play records of 1931, but I think this sleeve is later than that.

[Henry]

Is this off a 45 rpm (7")? These were all vinyl AFAIK. Interesting to see the recommended tracking weight (3-4 oz. not to exceed 5 oz.); today I track 33-⅓ @ ¾ gram with the Stanton 681EEE cartridge.

[Wolfe]

No, it's a 12" 78 sleeve.

From the image, I can see how it could look like a 45 rpm sleeve though. My scanner isn't large enough for the entire thing. I thought I'd just post a salient part of it.

[barnettrp21122]

I was able to find this information from this link:
http://www.radioblvd.com/ConsolePhoto.htm
Bob

[gramophoneshane]

I dont think HMV (well, EMI) started issuing standard vinyl 78s, shadowgraph & greenshank needles until around 1947-48 (here in Australia anyway), So I would assume your cover wouldn't be any earlier than about 1945?? That's only a pure guess though

[Edisone]

RCA Victor began pressing syndicated radio transcriptions in Victrolac before the home "Program Transcriptions" came out, and continued throughout the 1930s. Radio programs, special industrial education records and the first books-on-record (for the blind) were made of Victrolac.

[Henry]

Distinguish between record speed and groove dimension. While speeds other than 78rpm were evidently produced throughout the history of recording, I believe that it was the development c. 1948 of the so-called "Microgroove" 33-1/3rpm by Peter Goldmark of the CBS Laboratory, and with it the use of "vinyl" as a record medium, that started the LP ("Long Playing") era as we know it.

[Swing Band Heaven]

Henry,
yes I think thats true - the LP for the mass market did start at that point rather than the dubious quality of the "program transcriptions" produced by RCA in the 1930's. At that point I just don't think the technology was sufficiently developed to allow it to be sucessful. Add to that the worst of financial situations and it was doomed from the start in my opinion. Also what I find strange is that a number of the program transcriptions were dubs rather than original recordings. I have one of these and I have to say the quality is very dissapointing. The same is also available as a standard 12" 78rpm disk for which the quality of sound is very much better.

Not wishing to lead the thread too far astray, but the other thing which might be of interest is that although the LP was the dawn of "hi-fi" for the masses high quality recordings on vinyl (or similar type materials) were availble for radio station use from the mid 1930's. The sound quality of some of these really is very remarkable for the time - very quiet surfaces and good frequency response.