What is the history of the Victrola?
History of Victrola. Victrola, one of the leading turntable manufacturers, was born in 1906 in Camden, NJ when first introduced to the American public by the Victor Talking Machine Company.
Do they still make Victrola Records?
His company, the Victor Talking Machine Company, still produces the Victrola record player. Of course, around this time in history, the radio was also becoming a popular staple of American life. For the first time in history, sound was not only being recorded but also being broadcast around the nation.
What is a Victrola phonograph?
The term Victrola thus applies ONLY to internal horn phonographs made by the Victor Talking Machine Company, and is not a generic term for all old phonographs. The first internal horn phonograph, initially designated as The Victor-Victrola, was marketed in 1906.
What is the history of the Victor Talking Machine?
History of the Victor Phonograph. The foundation of the Victor Talking Machine Company goes back to the late 1880's, when a creative entrepreneur named Emile Berliner invented the mass-producible flat phonograph record. Edison had invented the cylinder phonograph in 1877, but there was no practical way to mass-duplicate cylinders at that time.
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When was the first Victrola made?
1906History of Victrola Victrola, one of the leading turntable manufacturers, was born in 1906 in Camden, NJ when first introduced to the American public by the Victor Talking Machine Company.
Where did the name Victrola come from?
Victrola (n.) 1905, trademark of a phonograph, from Victor Talking Machine Co. According to a contemporary letter from company head Eldridge R. Johnson, coined because it had "a sound suggestive of music," with ending from pianola.
Who owns Victrola now?
Innovative TechnologyA Long Island consumer electronics company is rebranding its nostalgia turntable line after acquiring the historic Victrola trademark for a six-figure sum, the company's owner says.
Who made the first record player?
Thomas EdisonEmile BerlinerCharles CrosEldridge R. JohnsonJoseph SandersPhonograph/Inventors
How much is a Victrola worth?
Most Victrola (internal horn) models are still quite commonly found at estate sales and on EBay, with the average selling price in the $50 to $200 range for typical "attic-stored" machines.
What was the 1st record player called?
The phonographThe phonograph was invented in 1877 by Thomas Edison.
When did Victrola go out of business?
The Victor Talking Machine Company was an American recording company and phonograph manufacturer that operated independently from 1901 until 1929, when it was acquired by the Radio Corporation of America and subsequently operated as a subsidiary called RCA Victor.
Where is the Victrola company located?
Victrola was started in Camden, N.J., in 1906, when it was known as The Victor Talking Machine Co. Last year, the company moved its headquarters from New York City to Denver. “Our company was located just outside of Queens and Long Island, New York, on the North Shore,” said CEO Scott Hagen.
What was a Victrola?
Noun. victrola (plural victrolas) Any upright or console model phonograph from the early 1900s, usually with a wooden cabinet body and an interior horn for the projection of sound, that plays 78 rpm records using a steel needle.
What is the oldest vinyl record?
Sometime in 1889, Emile Berliner recorded the first album in the history of the world. Then, that record by the father of the gramophone was destroyed. Today, Patrick Feaster, a sound historian at Indiana University, recreated the album using just a printed photograph of the album. His technique defies belief…
What is the oldest recorder?
On April 9, 1860, 17 years before Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, Parisian inventor Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville made a recording on a "phonautograph," which worked by tracing sound waves onto paper blackened by smoke.
What was before vinyl?
And before vinyl was shellac and before shellac were gigantic cylinders made of zinc and glass. But that was way back in '87… 18-87. Reeling back to “what is vinyl,” vinyl is a synthetic plastic called polyvinyl chloride.
What is a Victrola?
Noun. victrola (plural victrolas) Any upright or console model phonograph from the early 1900s, usually with a wooden cabinet body and an interior horn for the projection of sound, that plays 78 rpm records using a steel needle.
Are Victrola records worth anything?
It is a fact that the vast majority of "old 78 RPM" records we come across are worth between 50 cents and $2.00 each (and often far less, depending on condition). Hundreds of thousands of early 78 RPM recordings survive today, and we often find them sold by the crates at swap meets and garage sales for a few bucks.
When did Victrola go out of business?
The Victor Talking Machine Company was an American recording company and phonograph manufacturer that operated independently from 1901 until 1929, when it was acquired by the Radio Corporation of America and subsequently operated as a subsidiary called RCA Victor.
When did people use Victrolas?
Founded in 1901 as the Victor Talking Machine Company, Victrola was essentially the Apple of its day. Phonographs existed before 1901, but Victrola made them cool—not just by improving the sound quality but by modernizing the look.
What is Victor turntable?
Full of entrepreneurial ideas and known for its use of quality materials, Victor (later becoming RCA) was the largest and most successful turntable manufacturer of its time. Victrola, much like music, has transcended time and endured the evolution of technology.
What is the mission of vinyl revival?
As an integral part of this vinyl revival era, it’s our mission to not only resurrect the antique audio styles of decades past, but to bring the warm, classic sound of vinyl to homes everywhere.
How did vinyl change the world?
Around the same time, though, the vinyl record was completely changing the world of music in disco s, clubs, and even homes around the world. Mass production of turntables and new entrants into the market had caused worldwide popularity and a cultural revolution.
What was the name of the machine that recorded the sounds of a voice?
His phonograph , which he sometimes referred to as a "speaking machine," used a steel needle that would carve the sound vibrations from a spoken voice into a sheet of tin foil. That foil wrapped around a cylinder and was hand-cranked to “record” the sounds.
What was the name of the tool used to record sound waves?
Disc, Not Cylinder – Instead of recording on a cylinder which rotated vertically, Berliner used small discs, no more than 20-30 cm wide, to record the sound waves by using a needle (the same tool Edison used to engrave his cylinders). By using a disc, both the length of recordings as well as the quality was significantly improved.
When did the master copy technique start?
In 1895 , Berliner found a way to create "master copies" of recordings utilizing this technique, which could be used to reproduce discs with inward grooves. With these methods, artists could reproduce recordings of a single track many times, seriously impacting the commercial value of the method for the better.
Who invented the record player?
Berliner no doubt laid the foundation for the modern record player, and his innovations are the reason why record players are so popular even now.
Who was the first person to record and reproduce his voice?
Humans have kept records of their experiences for hundreds of thousands of years, first with images and later with sound. In 1877, Thomas Edison became the first person to record and reproduce his voice. Edison’s invention, which he named the phonograph, utilized the same principles as a modern record player.
Who improved the stylus?
Alexander Graham Bell and The Volta Associates. Alexander Graham Bell improved upon the design pioneered by Edison by recording into wax on top of the tin foil. He and his associates at the time, known as the Volta Associates, also used different types of styluses, instead of the early steel versions that Edison had used.
What was the Victrola machine?
Unlike previous tabletop phonographs, the Victrola was a large floor-standing machine. Victor did not have the production facilities to make a large floor cabinet at that time, so the Pooley Furniture Company of Philadelphia was contracted to produce a limited quantity of custom-designed cabinets for these machines.
What is the problem with the Victrola?
The original Victrola design has several deficiencies though; the most problematic one being the need for the user to awkwardly "reach way down" into the deep cabinet opening on top in order to change a record or lift the tonearm (picture at right ). In less than a year, this was soon resolved through the use of a domed lid, which allowed the turntable and tone arm to sit nearly flush on top of the cabinet. Only several thousand of these early flat-lid "Pooley" Victrolas were produced, making them highly sought-after by collectors today.
What is the name of the phonograph company that Eldridge Johnson invented?
Eldridge Johnson's earliest phonograph business was operated as the "Consolidated Talking Machine Co. and this name appeared on tags attached to his machines.
Why did Victrola burn on the public square?
The near-worthless inventory of Victrola trade-ins would be burned on the public square as an advertising campaign. Obviously, this created bad press for the company. Victor stock had become virtually worthless by the spring of 1925.
How much was the VV-XIV?
In 1911, with an eye on the average family budget, Victor introduced several new low-priced models, the VV-IV, VV-VI, VV-VIII and VV-IX, with prices ranging from a remarkable $15.00 up to $50.00.
How many XVI's were sold in 1909?
By 1911, the Victrola had become the company's primary product line. Johnson knew he had struck gold with his Victrola. By 1909, approximately 15,000 XVI's had been sold (at $200.00 each) and he decided to capitalize on his success by introducing a lower-priced model.
Why was Victor's profit threatened?
Victor's profits were continually being threatened by patent infringements; competing businesses were producing variations of essentially the same product and were at each other's throats (legally) in an attempt to dominate the growing phonograph business.
When was the record player invented?
Though experimental mechanisms of this type appeared as early as 1857, the invention of the phonograph is generally credited to the American inventor Thomas Edison ( 1877 ).
When was the phonograph invented?
The first phonograph was invented in 1877 at the Menlo Park lab. A piece of tin-foil was wrapped around the cylinder in the middle.
How much is an original Victrola worth?
Original Mint Condition The condition of a Victrola often determines its value as an antique. According to Victor-Victrola.com, a VV-XI left exposed in an unfinished attic space is worth around $100-$150, while a Victrola of the same model in mint condition sells for over $750.
Who invented the Victrola record player?
The Victor-Victrola Page. The foundations for the Victor Talking Machine Company date back to the late 1880’s, when a creative entrepreneur named Emile Berliner invented the mass-production flat phonograph record.
Who invented record player?
The phonograph was invented in 1877 by Thomas Edison. Alexander Graham Bell’s Volta Laboratory made several improvements in the 1880s and introduced the graphophone, including the use of wax-coated cardboard cylinders and a cutting stylus that moved from side to side in a zigzag groove around the record.
Who owns Victrola brand?
A Long Island consumer electronics company is rebranding its nostalgia turntable line after acquiring the historic Victrola trademark for a six-figure sum, the company’s owner says.
How do you date a Victrola?
You may find a paper license sticker located on the back, the bottom or on an inside wall or underneath your Victor or Victrola photograph, depending on model (picture on right). This sticker has a veritable plethora of patent and copyright dates printed all over it.
Are Victrola products made in China?
Yes, these are made by the same OEMs in China that make the Crosley branded stuff. Most of these trademarks have expired or have been bought by these companies for Chinese stuff a long time ago.
What is the difference between a gramophone and a Victrola?
The Victor company used the word gramophone in England, so gramophone became an English term meaning phonograph. … Victrola always referred to a machine with the horn built into the cabinet, as made by the Victor Talking Machine Company. Victor introduced the Victrola in 1906.
How much is a Victrola worth?
Most Victrola (internal horn) models are still quite commonly found at estate sales and on EBay, with the average selling price in the $50 to $200 range for typical “attic-stored” machines.
