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Have you ever heard of a long forgotten vinyl format, the 16 2/3 RPM record? They were half the speed of the 33 1/3 RPM albums that were the traditional standard for recorded music. Most record players in the 1950s and 1960s came with a speed setting to play these long forgotten discs that were even considered novelties back in the day. Because most of them had big holes and were 7" in diameter many of them could be mistaken for 45 RPMs but the speed allowed for up to 15 to 20 minutes of playing time per side. Just like the other speeds and formats they could be played one record at a time or stacked on a changer for continuous play.
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The famous Seeburg 1000 was a record player that was used exclusively to play background music in offices and restaurants. The system used 16 RPM discs that were 9 inches in diameter and could be stacked on traditional 45 RPM spindle adapters. The records for this system were monaural and could play up to 40 minutes per side. Because the Seeburg's usage was strictly intended for background music the sound quality was not a major concern. You can find out a lot more details on this subject here.
Finally, believe it or not, Chrysler Corporation created Highway Hi-Fi, an audio format that enabled the 16 RPM records to be played in their cars from 1956 to 1958. The system employed a sapphire stylus with a ceramic pick up on a turntable that was installed below the instrument panel. A record player installed in a car? Yes, it really happened. Here is the Wikipedia article about it should you be interested in learning more.
It is obvious why the format died. Cassettes came along allowing people to listen to books in their cars or while jogging around town. Broadcasters also discovered superior sounding and more efficient ways to solve their transcription needs but, for a brief era, the 16 RPM record served a specific and useful purpose.
Even back in the day these records were hard to find because most of them were manufactured for commercial usage only. I have never seen one nor do I know anyone who ever owned one. Have any of you ever had the pleasure?
I've never seen one of them either, but our old RCA portable stereo had a setting for it. My buddies and I got some hoots one evening playing 45s at 16 rpm. (The stereo also had a setting - and a second needle - for 78s.)
ReplyDeleteYes. I saw a Victrola with this feature. It's a metal lever near the plate,
DeleteI've seen 16s once in my life...about 30 years ago at a garage sale when I was 10. I didn't buy them as I didn't have the option on my stereo, nor do I remember what they contained. (I do, however, recall picking up decent-condition originals...stereo, i believe...of Beatles '65 and Something New at the same sale for cheap.) I'm still waiting to see a few blow through my used-media day job and I've been with the company since '93.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this. My church had record players in their Sunday School classrooms that had a 16 RPM setting (in addition to 33 & 45 RPM settings). I've long wondered about 16 RPM records.
ReplyDeleteWhat about the opposite extreme, the 78 RPM records? Do you have any plans to do a write-up on those as well?
I had at least one 16 rpm record when I was a child - IIRC it was a recording of Quick Draw McGraw (the cartoon character horse of the 60's and 70's).
ReplyDeleteI have set of five 16RPM records by the Audio Book Company, Los Angeles, CA. The records look like new and four of them have sleeves. They are in the original box, titled "The Adventures of Pinocchio" read by Marvin Miller. I would like to pass these on to someone who is interested and knows their value.
ReplyDeletedo you still have The Adventures of Pinocchio 16 rpm I have,nt any idea of their value . I have The adventures of tom sawyer and the wizard of oz. I picked up an old record player that plays 16rpms. my e mail address is marlenej2001@hotmail.com
DeleteWe have a complete set of "Voice of Scripture" Talking Bible album
ReplyDeletebut ann't find a 16 2/3 rpm player
I have the turntable itself with the records in it.
DeleteI have a copy of the New Testament on these records. there is supposed to be an adapter that came with it, to allow them to be played by a record player at 33 1/3 speed.
ReplyDeleteAn uncle who was blind had a collection of 16 rpm Recordings for the Blind as well as classical music; and he converted his wire recordings of family gatherings into 16 rpms. We have a few recordings of a family member's violin recordings done for a radio program but no one's heard them. I have no idea of how to have them digitized.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Ron and I have the turntable it was made in 1962 hawthore,calif. It has the records at the speed 16 2/3. e-mail me if interested in this turntable. rita2045@att.net
ReplyDeleteArgo Records, particularly, if I'm remembering correctly, offered a series of full-cast Shakespeare plays on single lps at 16 rpm sometime in the 1960s and early '70s, and those were the only discs I ever used my early '70s Panasonic's setting to play back when not simply screwing around. Sapphire styli, btw, were pretty common in the 1950s...if you wanted to go even cheaper, there were cadmium styli (though of course any self-respect Hi-Fi obsessive would plump for a diamond stylus).
ReplyDeleteI don't remember what the industry standard was for "transcribed" and syndicated radio programming was in 1930s and '40s radio, but I do remember it involved large discs...that should be easy enough to look up.
I just purchased two 16 RPM records by accident while digging at a used shop. I'm dying to hear them (both are Jimmy Swaggert lecturing... one on what the Bible says about drugs and one about how the atomic bomb relates to the second coming of Jesus).
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know any modern equipment to play a 16 RPM record?
The 16 RPM has always remained in the memory and I have often wondered at it. It resurfaced just the other day when I was talking music and records with a chance acquaintance. Back in the late 40s when I was growing up in India, I remember Dad placing a small disc with a brown label on the hand-cranked HMV turntable and disgruntled sounds emanating from it, which Dad identified to me as being Bolero on the one side and La Paloma on the other. Both were truncated versions of the two classics. And, from what I have been reading above, the 16 RPM was never used to record music, which tells me I may be under an illusion. However, I am quite sure that the 45 RPM did not make make its appearance in India until the early 50s. The disc is no longer in my possession, dad's been gone these 15 years and I am in my late 60s, still fascinated by the image of that 16 RPM disc but unable to corroborate what I have just written. Perhaps someone with a more vivid memory can help?
ReplyDeleteI am from South Africa and was fortunate enough to play a 16 rpm music record belonging to an aunt. This was quite a rare LP of the late Jim Reeves, one he recorded while filming "Kimberly Jim" here in our country, IIRC. There is also a video of it on Youtube. The music quality is quite decent but then again, modern pop music would not sound too good on such a slow record. Interesting to note that there are also 8 rpm records still around, these were produced for the blind or visually impaired.
ReplyDeleteI have a stereo LP at 16 2/3 rpm titled "Enjoy An Hour In Stereoland with Will Kennedy & His Orchestra." It's on a label called Dancetime Music, in "Ultra-Astro-Sonic Sound." The disc contains 32 instrumentals with titles like "Swinging Out Tonight" and "Happiness Highway." It has a $6.98 price on the jacket, but is also marked "Produced exclusively for Magnavox dealers," so it may have been a promotional give-away with Magnavox players. I can only play it at 33 1/3, and the effect is exactly like what Benny Hill did back in the 70's, playing nondescript dance band records at double speed behind his comedy sketches!
ReplyDeleteI actually have the 1956 Audio Book company Music series on 16 2/3. Most still in plastic. They have collections like "all time favorites", "Famous show tunes", and "world's greatest music (classical)". I have no player for them, so I couldn't even tell you if the songs are done by the original artists.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I can, I'll post pictures of an old machine thay played 16, 33, 45 and 78 RPM.
ReplyDelete