Okay, so remember vinyl discs? If 16-, 33.3-, and 78-RPM records had the small spindle hole, then why such the
big hub hole for 45-RPM discs (even though small-shaft players can be adapted for those)?
Will you come back and see my responses to yours, please?
Thanks,
Mike Christensen
Whow, thanks, Kim! That's quite an article! It seems odd and shallow and selfishly lame that a company would change the hole size just to lock consumers in, but that article sounds like it's speaking the truth. That speed optimization info. sounds pretty interesting.
But then other manufacturers defeated that lock-in effect by making hole-size adapters. Hmm, imagine that!
Thanks!
Mike
Per everythingradio.com:
"The 45 RPM record was developed by RCA Victor company in 1948 - immediately following the invention of "vinyl" plastic and the development of the 12" LP record by CBS engineers (also in 1948). The 45 RPM speed was the only one to be decided by a precise optimization procedure. The optimum use of a disc record of constant rotational speed occurs when the innermost recorded diameter is half of the outermost recorded diameter. "
RCA marketed the new 45 format by producing and selling hundreds of thousands of 45-ONLY turntables at near cost. Of course, these new turntables with the big center spindle could not play other records with the small holes, so owners were locked into buying only the new style records. By the mid 1950’s, the 45 format had become the accepted standard for selling singles, serving RCA through licensing fees (as the patent holders) for both record production and record player production by other companies.
The 45 held sway until the CD revolutionized music distribution with digital sound. This was a full thirty years, from 1955 through 1985. Not even the offshoot formats of reel-to-reel tapes, 4-track tapes, 8-track tapes, and cassette tapes had any significant impact on 45 sales during this period.
They have not gone away completely. I can still get some new album releases on vinyl. But you have to be quick to snatch them up.