The Secret Society of Lathe Trolls

tape · Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 76

Hi

I am trying to fin out if this Sound Scriber machine, can actually cut records, or if it just a listening device?

- picture here: http://totem.menneske.dk/batch_totem/ARCHIVE/FORMATS/VINYL/dscf6348.jpg

Secondly I am trying to find out if this Wilcox Gay recorder/fm radio can cut in different materials, or only works with discs with prerecorded grooves?..

picture here:http://totem.menneske.dk/batch_totem/ARCHIVE/FORMATS/VINYL/83f1_1.JPG

thank you in advance

emorritt · Joined: 09 Nov 2006 Posts: 53 Location: Louisiana

Some soundscribers were only playback units for transcribing (they were dictation equipment), but others recorded as well as played back. These machines don't "cut" records in the sense of a professionally recorded disc, but rather they "emboss" ("scribe") the discs. The discs are soft plastic, and the recorder basically scratches the sound in the surface, making a shallow embossed groove. The playback arm traces the groove and plays back the sound. You can play Soundscriber, Audograph, and other types of disc-dictation discs on a standard turntable. They all turn at about 33 RPM. Dictabelts work the same way, but since they are moving plastic belts, you need the original equipment to play them back.

The Recordette has a feed screw underneath the turntable. To cut a record, you pull up on the back of the tonearm to engage the feed mechanism.

tape · Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 76

thank you for your reply -
still the questions remain unanswered...

1: there are many differnt Soundscriber models. Im trying to find out if the one pictured is a listening or an embossing device?

2: Some Wilcox Gay machines only accept special discs with prerecorded grooves. Im trying to find out if the one pictured is such one.

thnx

emorritt · Joined: 09 Nov 2006 Posts: 53 Location: Louisiana

The Soundscriber unit pictured seems to be a recorder/player, complete with foot switches and microphone.

No Wilcox-Gay products ever used pre-grooved blanks. I don't know where you got this information. The only system that used pre-grooved media was the RCA 'Electrola' "RE" series of radios. These units had recording capability, but no lateral drive mechanism. They sold pre-grooved plastic blanks that were embossed by a blunt "recording" stylus. The system didn't work well which is why it didn't last long.

Again, the Recordette pictured DOES have a feed screw located underneath the turntable. You raise the rear of the tonearm (there is a small black metal tab sticking out that you lift with your finger until a catch engages) which moves the pickup/cutter into recording position (the cartridge is usually a Shure P86R), and engages the feed screw. Make sure you position the business end of the tonearm over the area of the record you wish to record prior to lifting the other end - you can't move it once the feed screw is engaged.

tape · Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 76

Thank you very much Emoritt!

I am about to purchase these units, so I wanted to make sure.

emorritt · Joined: 09 Nov 2006 Posts: 53 Location: Louisiana

Again, I said it "looks" like a player/recorder. The brown thing to the side is the microphone/speaker that they sold with this older model unit. The player/recorder units usually had two tonearms, but later only one, so your chance is 50/50 that it will do both. I'd ask the seller first.

I hope you're not planning to do any serious recording with it; if that's your purpose get the recordette and not the soundscriber. The soundscriber's sound was barely above telephone quality. It's purpose was only dictation or court reporting, and the recordings were not meant to be permanent. Same goes for the Gray 'Audograph' (which used blue plastic discs), or any other plastic disc/belt dictation device. They just weren't meant for making quality - much less high quality - recordings. The recordette would sound much better, sonically speaking.