early history of audio media
Phonograph
Invented by Thomas Edison, this is considered the first recording device. It worked by speaking into a diaphragm, which applies pressure into a needle that would then direct the force to a cylinder covered in tin foil, lead, or wax. The wavy lines produced by the needle would replicate the sound spoken into the diaphragm. The diaphragm worked with a mechanical motor. A sample is provided below
Invented by Thomas Edison, this is considered the first recording device. It worked by speaking into a diaphragm, which applies pressure into a needle that would then direct the force to a cylinder covered in tin foil, lead, or wax. The wavy lines produced by the needle would replicate the sound spoken into the diaphragm. The diaphragm worked with a mechanical motor. A sample is provided below
mechanical_phonograph.mp3 | |
File Size: | 5898 kb |
File Type: | mp3 |
Gramophone
Invented by Emile Berliner in 1887, the gramophone worked on the same principle as Edison’s invention, but a platter was used instead of a cylinder. Compared to the phonograph, it was cheaper to mass-produce. It worked by a person manually winding a crank.
As time went on, vinyl became the preferred material for recording. A sample is provided below.
Invented by Emile Berliner in 1887, the gramophone worked on the same principle as Edison’s invention, but a platter was used instead of a cylinder. Compared to the phonograph, it was cheaper to mass-produce. It worked by a person manually winding a crank.
As time went on, vinyl became the preferred material for recording. A sample is provided below.
mechanical_gramophone.mp3 | |
File Size: | 6051 kb |
File Type: | mp3 |
Electrical Recording
In the late 1920s/early 1930s, electrically-powered phonographs and gramophones soon became more popular than traditionally-powered ones due to the increased quality of sound being recorded on it. Through electrical recording, electric microphones, which can make a sound recording louder, can be used.
All three share a common characteristic: a recorded sound is permanently etched onto a disc. So, the one being recorded has no room to make any mistakes. Two samples are provided below.
electric_phonograph.mp3 | |
File Size: | 6855 kb |
File Type: | mp3 |
electric_gramophone.mp3 | |
File Size: | 6324 kb |
File Type: | mp3 |