These two options were
expensive, time consuming, and produced poor quality
recordings. provide these recordings, part the top floor of
the laboratory was converted into recording studio. Edison recognized the great profit opportunity in
mass producing recorded cylinders and set about finding cheap
. (Illus 4-4, Music Room,
29.IV-22
music (rather than the voice alone) demanded more sensitivity
and more volume from the diaphragm.430, #7058. cheap method of
duplicating these recordings had found before the
amusement phonograph had commercial future. The
functions this "Music Room" ranged from experiments on
recording techniques providing musical cylinders the
North American Phonograph Company. These were conflicting
goals while the spectacle format was used with the soft soap
wax cylinders— the heavier the weight the reproducer the
greater the volume, but heavier tracking pressure marred
fidelty and damaged the wax surface. Moving separate
device for recording and reproducing functions opened the way
38
for better sound recreation. The only way to
duplicate recordings cylinders was either make the artist
repeat the performance several times copy the cut the
cylinder pantograph process.) These would then sold businessmen who
were using the phonographs arcades.
The musical phonograph was not only different machine
from the business phonograph, also needed supply of
prerecorded cylinders augment the musical recordings made in
the home
