Physics GRAMOPHONE

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GRAMOPHONE

Introduction

"Gramophone" is a term that can be used to refer to any record player (as can the term "phonograph"). In general, however, the term is used to refer to early record players that were driven by mechanical means and reproduced sound without electrical amplification.

The phonograph is a device invented in 1877 for the mechanical recording and reproduction of sound.

These record players are quite different from modern turntables, but the records that store the sound and the needles that turn it into audible music work in essentially the same way.

`text(The Gramophone Record:)`
Except for the early cylinder records invented by Thomas Edison, all records use a spiral groove to store sound. The earliest records had recordings on only one side, but soon companies started printing double-sided records which could store twice as much sound. The groove in the record looks straight and uniform, but it actually has small back-and-forth eddies which store the sound.

`text(The Gramophone Player:)`
Like other record players, gramophones read the sound with a small needle which fits into the groove in the record. That needle is attached to a diaphragm, which in turn is attached to a horn. The record is turned at a fairly constant speed by a spring-driven motor. As the record turns, the grooves make the needle vibrate back and forth. These vibrations are transmitted to the diaphragm, which itself vibrates, creating sound. That sound is then channeled out of the horn into the room.

`text(Early Records:)`
Early records were made by machines that worked like gramophone players, only in reverse. Musicians would play into the horn, which would channel the sound into the diaphragm. The diaphragm would transfer the sound vibrations into a needle. The needle itself rested on a record topped with a layer of wax. As the needle wiggled, it would inscribe the sound into the wax. Finally, the record would be treated to fix the recording so it could be played back.

"Gramophone" is a term that can be used to refer to any record player (as can the term "phonograph"). In general, however, the term is used to refer to early record players that were driven by mechanical means and reproduced sound without electrical amplification.

The phonograph is a device invented in 1877 for the mechanical recording and reproduction of sound.

These record players are quite different from modern turntables, but the records that store the sound and the needles that turn it into audible music work in essentially the same way.

`text(The Gramophone Record:)`
Except for the early cylinder records invented by Thomas Edison, all records use a spiral groove to store sound. The earliest records had recordings on only one side, but soon companies started printing double-sided records which could store twice as much sound. The groove in the record looks straight and uniform, but it actually has small back-and-forth eddies which store the sound.

`text(The Gramophone Player:)`
Like other record players, gramophones read the sound with a small needle which fits into the groove in the record. That needle is attached to a diaphragm, which in turn is attached to a horn. The record is turned at a fairly constant speed by a spring-driven motor. As the record turns, the grooves make the needle vibrate back and forth. These vibrations are transmitted to the diaphragm, which itself vibrates, creating sound. That sound is then channeled out of the horn into the room.

`text(Early Records:)`
Early records were made by machines that worked like gramophone players, only in reverse. Musicians would play into the horn, which would channel the sound into the diaphragm. The diaphragm would transfer the sound vibrations into a needle. The needle itself rested on a record topped with a layer of wax. As the needle wiggled, it would inscribe the sound into the wax. Finally, the record would be treated to fix the recording so it could be played back.

Different Parts of a Gramophone

`text(Records:)`
The sound vibration waveforms are recorded as corresponding physical deviations of a spiral groove engraved, etched, incised, or impressed into the surface of a rotating cylinder or disc, called a "record".
One of the most important parts of a gramophone is the disc record. First introduced in 1892, these discs were available in a variety of sizes from 5 to 10 inches and eventually, in 1908, a double-sided version.

`text(Turntable:)`
The turntable portion of the gramophone used a round steel or aluminum spindle topped with a rubber disc. This assisted in keeping the audio disc in place and isolate the vibrations as the steel disc turned.

`text(Spindle:)`
Inside the gramophone, the spindle would be run with either a belt or an idler wheel. To reduce friction and noise from the rotation, the device employed roller bearings.

`text(Stylus:)`
The stylus is the part of the gramophone that made contact with the audio disc to read the music. Early models employed sapphires and diamonds until being replaced by copper or steel in the early 1900s.

`text(Horn:)`
Early models of the gramophone used a large horn protruding from the device to project the sound. Later models integrated the horn into a full cabinet design. Volume was controlled with a large muffling ball placed in the opening of the horn.

`text(Records:)`
The sound vibration waveforms are recorded as corresponding physical deviations of a spiral groove engraved, etched, incised, or impressed into the surface of a rotating cylinder or disc, called a "record".
One of the most important parts of a gramophone is the disc record. First introduced in 1892, these discs were available in a variety of sizes from 5 to 10 inches and eventually, in 1908, a double-sided version.

`text(Turntable:)`
The turntable portion of the gramophone used a round steel or aluminum spindle topped with a rubber disc. This assisted in keeping the audio disc in place and isolate the vibrations as the steel disc turned.

`text(Spindle:)`
Inside the gramophone, the spindle would be run with either a belt or an idler wheel. To reduce friction and noise from the rotation, the device employed roller bearings.

`text(Stylus:)`
The stylus is the part of the gramophone that made contact with the audio disc to read the music. Early models employed sapphires and diamonds until being replaced by copper or steel in the early 1900s.

`text(Horn:)`
Early models of the gramophone used a large horn protruding from the device to project the sound. Later models integrated the horn into a full cabinet design. Volume was controlled with a large muffling ball placed in the opening of the horn.

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