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phonograph record

Also known as: disc, phonograph disc

Quick Summary

A phonograph record, or phonorecord, is a medium for reproducing sound. It stores sound waves as undulations in a groove on a rotating disc. A stylus, or needle, follows this groove, and its vibrations are converted back into sound. The invention of the phonograph is credited to Thomas Edison in 1877, with significant improvements by Emil Berliner in 1887, who introduced the flat disc format. Early records played at 78 revolutions per minute (RPM). Later advancements included the long-playing (LP) record in 1948, which played at 33⅓ RPM and offered much longer playing times, and the 45-RPM disc for singles. These technologies largely replaced earlier formats and dominated home audio until the rise of cassettes and compact discs.1

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