Topic: Turntable

A Thorens turntable was rediscovered in an obscure closet, prompting a discussion on the mechanics of vintage audio formats. The conversation covers the collection of 78 RPM Broadway show tune albums from the 1920s and 1930s, which often contain recordings never re-released on modern formats. Technical details regarding 16, 33, 45, and 78 RPM speeds are explored, noting that higher rotation speeds were originally necessary to maintain audio fidelity in mechanical recordings.

Adam Curry shares a technical history of radio broadcasting, explaining how DJs used "quick start" turntables and slip mats to queue records. He defines "Q-burn" as the audible wear and tear at the beginning of a vinyl record caused by repeated queuing with a diamond needle. This anecdote is prompted by a gift of digitized 12-inch import records from his former colleagues at Decibel Radio.