History of Record Players

The record player was an invention of the renowned Thomas Edison, in 1877. It could both record and reproduce sound, whereas previous devices, such as the phonautograph and the paleophone, had only been able to record. Alexander Graham Bell improved the design in the 1880s and in 1900 Emile Berliner developed the playable record, utilising disks rather than cylinders. Midway through the 19th century the record player became commercially available, enabled by Berliner’s invention of the Matrix Record, which could have multiple pressings made of the same recording. After WW2 the crank system was replaced by a rotating belt or motor drive.

Although replaced by CD players and tape machines to an extent, many still love the turntable for it’s stylish, nostalgic quality. Classical musicians and modern bands like Radiohead release vinyl pressings and contemporary electronic music has an involved relationship with the medium. You can purchase new, glossy Linn turntables from online retailers.