The first RCA "45" player

[KentTeffeteller]

Interesting facts. RCA had first conceived this format and was just ready to consider it when World War II happened. Referred to as "Project X". RCA again considered launching the 45 RPM format again post WW II, and held off due to brisk 78 RPM disc sales and phono sales. Then Columbia announced the LP in 1948, offered David Sarnoff at RCA a peek, General Sarnoff was livid. And then RCA Victor embarked on a crash program to launch the 45 RPM format and the RCA Victor 45 RPM changer in 1949, a temporary war of the speeds was in full force. RCA finally gave in and announced the RCA Victor introduction of the LP Record in 1950, when Arturo Toscanini, then with his contract up for renewal, threatened to jump ship to Columbia so his recordings would not be interrupted so often for disc changes. In turn, Columbia announced their decision to issue 45 RPM discs, and the rest was history. Both formats complemented each other, and served different budgets, listening tastes, and desires. I am also an ardent admirer of the RCA 45 RPM changers, a really nifty changer design innovation, and nicely thought out and engineered.

[decojoe67]

Originally Posted by KentTeffeteller

Interesting facts. RCA had first conceived this format and was just ready to consider it when World War II happened. Referred to as "Project X". RCA again considered launching the 45 RPM format again post WW II, and held off due to brisk 78 RPM disc sales and phono sales. Then Columbia announced the LP in 1948, offered David Sarnoff at RCA a peek, General Sarnoff was livid. And then RCA Victor embarked on a crash program to launch the 45 RPM format and the RCA Victor 45 RPM changer in 1949, a temporary war of the speeds was in full force. RCA finally gave in and announced the RCA Victor introduction of the LP Record in 1950, when Arturo Toscanini, then with his contract up for renewal, threatened to jump ship to Columbia so his recordings would not be interrupted so often for disc changes. In turn, Columbia announced their decision to issue 45 RPM discs, and the rest was history. Both formats complemented each other, and served different budgets, listening tastes, and desires. I am also an ardent admirer of the RCA 45 RPM changers, a really nifty changer design innovation, and nicely thought out and engineered.

Very interesting info. Thanks. leave it to RCA to want to be the first in everything electronic. Competition is good in business, but what the company did with Armstrong with his FM system shows it's ugly side. One thing I found with these early RCA units is the early 45's (pre-1955) sound so much better on them than the later rock and roll ones. The quality really went down on 45's by then.