With all the discussions about 78 RPM turntables during Victorian times. Does anyone really know why the RPM rates for the various record sizes were chosen? For example; "does the 78 RPM represent the best compromise speed at the time using the available technology to achieve reasonable frequency response?" 78 RPM speed dating back from the early Thomas Alva Edison's invention of the phonograph in 1877 leading unto the Victor Company relating to revolutionised non-standard speeds in the initial stages of early recording discs. Visitors to this site have requested information on the non standards revolutions per minute ( RPM) of the early sound recording. In his infinite wisdom the author has duly obliged with an elucidated view of how it was before a uniformed standardisation idea was reached to became an internationally all encompassing throughout the recording industry. In the early days there was no specialised standards relating to rpm for recording for sound recordings and it was notable that there were speeds as low as 16 rpm and diameter ranging from 7 inches to 16 inches. Most certainly, there was recordings with speeds of 84 rpm and as high as 100 rpm, and most discs replayed at speeds varied well above the generally led to believed 70 rpm that was electively given as reference in the official recognition of that time, discs that was recorded at 80 rpm although most could play quite well at speeds of 85 rpm, it has been noted also that playing times diversified from a ridiculous unrealistic diabolical 35 seconds to just over a minute. In the early days of recordings the recording companies would add any kind of speed and size of the record was not a specialised size either. In other words it was a war of speeds on rpm value of the record. | 
