During the century and a half of the existence of the record, its technology has not undergone fundamental changes. On the surface of any record there is a groove, during the passage of which the needle vibrates, and these vibrations are converted into an audible signal.
The method of storing audio information on the tracks of disks forming a spiral is also used on modern media, however, in digital binary code.
For decades, LP (long-playing) and EP (one number per side) vinyl records have been the main source of quality sound for music lovers around the world. Both disc manufacturing technology and reproducing equipment were constantly upgraded. At the end of the eighties of the XX century, they reached, it would seem, complete perfection, and immediately became obsolete, giving way to optical digital media.
Any turntable consists of two main components: a rotating stand and a pickup. Both elements have evolved and improved over the history of the record.
In gramophones and gramophones, mechanical motors were used, which were based on a mainspring, and the uniformity of rotation was ensuredmechanical stabilizers.
Then came the time for electric motors, which had greater stability of angular velocity, but also needed additional measures to maintain a given speed. The apogee of achievements in solving the problem of uniformity of rotation was a turntable equipped with a quartz stabilizer.
The pickup has also undergone no less metamorphosis, going from a gramophone needle connected to a membrane to a complex electromechanical system that requires proper adjustment, tuning and compensation. A high-quality turntable often looks very impressive, its tonearm, equipped with counterweights and anti-skating, gives the impression of a high-tech device, which it is.
Flaws in mechanical
which record, of course, there is. Any damage to the surface of the record will significantly affect the sound quality, causing clicks, hiss and other unpleasant playback effects.
Unlike CDs, any EP or LP cannot be played an infinite number of times, they wear out and “cut down”, no matter how high-end the vinyl player is. Pollution also interferes with the enjoyment of music, and eliminating them is a whole science. Even proper storage of "layers" is of great importance. The resin from which they are made is amorphous and may bend over time.
Despite the complete and unconditional victory of digital discs, analog recording has not sunk into oblivion. Salevinyl, of course, has declined. At the same time, records have become an elite product produced for gourmet music lovers who believe that only gramophone recording provides natural, natural and “live” music reproduction.
The vinyl record player has not become an unnecessary thing also because LP collections, sometimes collected for decades, contain rare recordings that are dear to their owners. It is possible that representatives of the next generations, analyzing parental things, will be interested in the music that their "ancestors" listened to.
