I have this machine in my living room....its 18" square,5" deep with the
lid on.
You switch it on(it requires plugging into it's own electrical supply)
and a platter rotates,there's a pin in the middle and onto this pin you
place a 12" circular vinyl record ,they're basically a plastic disc with
grooves cut into them in an inward spiralling direction.
A 7" version of this 12" disc used to exist in the late 20th century but
by the time the Millenium had been reached they were largely
unavailable,hitherto being part of mass appeal sales,selling by the
million in some cases......."singles",as they were called.
(if you wish to play the 7" version of the vinyl record you must turn
off the power supply,wait for the platter to stop,remove the platter
carefully and change the "drive belt" onto it's other pulley-otherwise
the 7" single will play back at the wrong speed-which may amuse you and
your friends,should you mistakenly not carry out this
procedure.....equally when you wish to play the 12" vinyl record you
must remember to change the pulley back again).
NB**-some "turntables" were manufactured with a simple switch from which
to change the "rotation speed"-typically 33 RPM for the 12" L.P.(long
playing) or 45RPM for the 7" record.
I digress............
Into the groove...... you must(delicately)place the "turntable" arm on
the record,upon which is fixed a stylus or "needle",this stylus "rides"
in the grooves and traces the musical signal inscribed in the record
groove,conversion of the "sound" contained in the record
grooves,amplification and so on is is carried out by the stylus,it's
cartridge,your amplifier and speakers.
Place the stylus where you think the beginning of the record is,with
practice you will be able to gauge this accurately,take care when
placing the stylus.
Wait a few moments once the stylus is on the rotating record-you hear
that noise??...... that's just static and dust in the grooves being
amplified by the stylus......
wait........wait.............wait............!!!!
PRESTO.......the music begins.
further technical explanation of the stylus can be found here...
http://www.shure.com/phono/phono_howitworks.html
http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/webproject...ressey/how.htm
Turntables-
http://www.rega.co.uk/html/p2.htm
http://www.rega.co.uk/html/p9.htm
One day kids will gaze in awe at such "appliances" and wonder what they
were used for.
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