The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I totally understand the two sides to this discussion. I relate this to buying a rare exotic collector car that has zero miles on it and paying the premium price for that, then taking it and driving it all over town. I personally would want to keep these cylinders in unplayed condition as I have many other cylinders that I do play. If someone buys these it will be their choice to do whatever they wish with them, save them or play them.

Rich Gordon

USCB cylinder preservation team has optical player. If any title hasn't been recorded down yet. you could use this tech to 'virtually' play them back for the good of history.

wtt11 wrote:USCB cylinder preservation team has optical player.

Where ?

A machine like the Archeophone or something of similar construct isn't an optical player. Optical playback is still slow and expensive and (I believe) only utilized in extreme cases, like playback of tinfoil recordings.

That's plausible. But yes, not worthy. I'll take my words back.

"USCB cylinder preservation team has optical player."

"Where?"

I'm not sure what U.S.C.B. is, but UC Berkeley's Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories developed a device to optically play cylinders and discs.

One of many links…

http://irene.lbl.gov/pahma.html

Best wishes, Mark

Werent these made in Chicago?

Having digitized many brown wax cylinders as early as from 1889, I am not concerned at all to use a light-weight modern pickup. While optical solutions may be available to the average collector in the distant future, it has also several drawbacks. A stylus in the groove will also keep it clean. That is also why the laser turntable for vinyl (and 78s) has not been widely in use, even at archives - aside from its lofty price.

I have reproductions of some of my most important cylinders, which I can now even enjoy on any vintage machine. Unless a record is not played on a daily routine, imho the real risk of damage is not electric playback but improper handling and storage, which does not require any playback at all.

The optical solution is called confocal microscopy and maintained by Carl Haber at Berkeley National Laboratory. Be prepared to pay a four-digit number to get a cylinder digitized.

WDC wrote: Be prepared to pay a four-digit number to get a cylinder digitized.

Hence my doubt that the USBC is utilizing optical retrieval/playback. I'm sure they are scratching for funds as it is.

Wow, this Yankee Trader posting listing cylinders for trade sure got off on a tangent.

Rich Gordon

rgordon939 wrote:Wow, this Yankee Trader posting listing cylinders for trade sure got off on a tangent.

Rich Gordon

Isn't this the "Music" section? It seems an appropriate place to discuss modern sound retrieval methods for certain records.

George P.