CURVES OF OLD RECORDS

Label	Identifying Features	Speed	Cut	Stylus	Curve Name	Parameters
Aeolian	All, to 1919	80.00	Vertical	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Allegro	1948-1956	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Allied	to 1958	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
American Recording Society	to 1958	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Angel	to 1952	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	Old Orthophonic	500N-12.7
Argo	?	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	American 78	250N-6
Argo	?	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	RIAA	500R-13.7
Arizona	to 1955	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	Capitol	400N-12.7
Atlantic	to 1953	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
Audio Fidelity	#901-#903	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
Audiophile	1948-1958	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	Audiophile	500N-8
Audiophile	1954-1958	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	MGM	500N-12
Label	Identifying Features	Speed	Cut	Stylus	Curve Name	Parameters
Bach Guild	to #500	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Bach Guild	#501-#529	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
Banner	?	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Bartok	to 1952	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Bartok	1952-1953	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Bartok	#301-#304,#309	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	Bartok	630C-16
Bartok	#906-#920	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	Bartok	630C-16
Berliner	10 inch	71.29	Lateral	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Berliner	10 inch	90.00	Lateral	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Blue Note	to 1955	45.00	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Blue Note	to 1955	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Boston	to 1958	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Broadcast	?	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	American 78	250N-6
Brunswick	to 1951	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	Modern 78	630N-8
Brunswick	1951-1955	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Label	Identifying Features	Speed	Cut	Stylus	Curve Name	Parameters
Cademon #	#1001-#1022	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	Bartok	630N-16
Caedmon	#1001-#1022	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	Bartok	630N-16
Canyon	to C6160	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Capitol	to 1951	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	American 78	250N-8
Capitol	1951-1955	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	Capitol	400N-12.7
Capitol	1948-1954	45.00	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
Capitol	1947-1955	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	Capitol	400N-12.7
Capitol-Cetra	1951-1955	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	Capitol	400N-12.7
Capitol-Cetra	1948-1954	45.00	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
Capitol-Cetra	1947-1955	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	Capitol	400N-12.7
Cetra-Soria	All	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	European 78	250N-0
Cetra-Soria	to 1961	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Clarion	All	80.00	Lateral	1-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Colosseum	to Jan 1954	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
Label	Identifying Features	Speed	Cut	Stylus	Curve Name	Parameters
Columbia	Large blue label	80.00	Vertical	3-mil	Acoustic	630N-12.7 †
Columbia	Runoff grooves	80.00	Lateral	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-12 †
Columbia	Electric, to 1940	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	American 78	250N-8
Columbia	1940 on	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	Columbia 78	300N-16
Columbia	1948-1953	45.00	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
Columbia	1947-1955	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Concert Hall	American to 1954	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Concert Hall	British to 1956	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	London	500C-10.5
Concert Hall	Marked AES	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Contemporary	#3501,#2501,#2502	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Contemporary	#2505,#2507	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Contemporary	#2001,#2002	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Contemporary	#2504	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
Cook ♣	to 1958?	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	Cook	500N-15
Coral	to 1958?	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
Label	Identifying Features	Speed	Cut	Stylus	Curve Name	Parameters
Decca (American)	to 1951	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	FFRR 78	250N-D
Decca (American)	very few	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	Modern 78	500N-D
Decca (American)	1951-1953	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	AES	400N-12
Decca (American)	1953-Nov 1955	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	NAB	500B-16
Decca (American)	1953	45.00	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Decca (American)	1953-Nov 1955	45.00	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
Decca (American)	1949-1951	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	London	500C-10.5
Decca (American)	1953-1953	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Decca (American)	1953-Nov 1955	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
Label	Identifying Features	Speed	Cut	Stylus	Curve Name	Parameters
Decca (British)	to 1944	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	European 78	250N-0
Decca (British)	1944-1956	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	FFRR 78	250N-D
Decca (British)	some 1949-1956	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	London	500C-10.5
Decca (British)	1949-1956	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	London	500C-10.5
Decca (European)	to 1944	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	European 78	250N-0
Decca (European)	1944-1950	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	FFRR 78	250N-D
Decca (European)	1950-1954	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	Telefunken	400N-0
Decca (European)	some 1954-1962	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	CCIR	350N-10
Decca (European)	1949-1954	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	Telefunken	400N-0
Decca (European)	most 1954-1962	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	RIAA	500R-13.7
Decca (European)	some 1954-1962	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	CCIR	350N-10
Dial	1948-1954	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Diva	All	80.00	Lateral	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Dot	to 1958	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	AES	400N-12
Dot	to 1958	45.00	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Dot	to 1958	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Label	Identifying Features	Speed	Cut	Stylus	Curve Name	Parameters
Edison	1912-1929	80.00	Vertical	1-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Edison	1929 very few	80.00	Lateral	1-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Elektra	#2-#15,#18-#20	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	Bartok	630N-16
Elektra	#24-#26	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	Bartok	630N-16
Elektra	#17,#22	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Elektra	#16,#21,#23,some #24	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	RIAA	500R-13.7
Emerson	1916-1918	70.59	Diagonal	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Emerson	1918-1926	80.00	Lateral	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Label	Identifying Features	Speed	Cut	Stylus	Curve Name	Parameters
EMI-Angel	to 1952	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	Old Orthophonic	500N-12.7
EMI-HMV	1909	71.29	Lateral	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-12 †
EMI-HMV	1909-1926	76.59	Lateral	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-12 †
EMI-HMV	1927-	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	European 78	250N-0
EMI-HMV	1951-1954	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
EMI-HMV	1954-1958?	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	HMV	500R-16
EMS	1951-1956	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Epic	1948-1954	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Esoteric	ES500,ES517	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Esoteric	EST5,EST6	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Exclusive	All	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	FFRR 78	250N-D
Festival	to 1955	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Folkways	to 1955	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Fonotipia	1904-1930	80.00	Lateral	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Label	Identifying Features	Speed	Cut	Stylus	Curve Name	Parameters
Gennett	All	80.00	Vertical	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Good Time Jazz	#1,#5-#8	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
Good Time Jazz	#3,#9-#19	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Good Time Jazz	#2,#4,#20-	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	RIAA	500R-13.7
Gramophone & Typewriter	to 1908	71.29	Lateral	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Handel Society	to 1957	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Haydn Society	to 1957	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
His Master's Voice	to 1909	71.29	Lateral	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-12 †
His Master's Voice	1909-1926	76.59	Lateral	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-12 †
His Master's Voice	1927-	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	European 78	250N-0
His Master's Voice	1951-1954	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
His Master's Voice	1954-1958?	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	HMV	500R-16
Label	Identifying Features	Speed	Cut	Stylus	Curve Name	Parameters
Kapp	#101-#103,#1000-#1001	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	Kapp	800N-16
Kendall	to 1958?	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
L'Oiseau-Lyre	to 1954	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	London	500C-10.5
London	first few	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
London	to #846	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	London	500C-10.5
London International	first few	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
London International	to #846	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	London	500C-10.5
Lyrichord	1948-1951	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Lyrichord	1951-1957?	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
Label	Identifying Features	Speed	Cut	Stylus	Curve Name	Parameters
MacGregor ‡	to 1965?	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	American 78	250N-8
Majestic	to 1918	80.00	Vertical	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Mercury	to 1951	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	American 78	250N-8
Mercury	1951-Oct 1954	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	AES	400N-12
Mercury	1951-Oct 1954	45.00	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Mercury	1951-Oct 1954	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
MGM	to 1952	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
MGM	to 1952 a few	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	MGM	500N-12
Musica	to 1925	76.59	Lateral	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Music Treasures	All	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Label	Identifying Features	Speed	Cut	Stylus	Curve Name	Parameters
New	to 1954	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Nixa	to 1955	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Nixa	to 1955 labeled AES	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Nixa	to 1955 labeled NAB	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
Nocturne	LP1-LP3,LP5	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Nocturne	XP1-XP10	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Oceanic	to 1958	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Odeon	to 1925, rest are EMI-HMV	70.59	Lateral	1-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Oiseau-Lyre #	to 1954	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	London	500C-10.5
Okeh	to 1918	80.00	Vertical	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Okeh	1918-1926	80.00	Lateral	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Okeh	1926-1941	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	American 78	250N-8
Okeh	1941 on	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	Modern 78	400N-8
Opera Disc	to 1925	76.59	Lateral	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Overtone	#1-#3	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
Oxford	to 1958?	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Label	Identifying Features	Speed	Cut	Stylus	Curve Name	Parameters
Pacific Jazz	#1-#13	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Pacific Jazz	to 1953	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	Pacific Jazz	500C-12
Paramount	to 1918	80.00	Vertical	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Pathé	to 1926 etch label	90.00	Vertical outward	7-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Pathé	to 1926 14 inch	90.00	Vertical outward	7-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Pathé	1926-1931 20 inch	120.00	Vertical outward	7-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Pathé	1926-1931 10 inch	80.00	Vertical	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Pathé	to 1926	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	European 78	250N-0
Period	1949-1953	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
Philharmonia	to 1958?	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Philips	to 1953	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	Philips	400N-6
Philips	to 1953	45.00	Lateral	1-mil	Philips	400N-6
Philips	to 1953	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	Philips	400N-6
Polymusic ♣	to 1958	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
Polydor	?	76.59	Lateral	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Label	Identifying Features	Speed	Cut	Stylus	Curve Name	Parameters
Rachmaninoff Society	to 1958?	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
RCA	1931-1941	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	American 78	250N-6
RCA	1931 "DUO"	33.33	Lateral	3-mil	American 78	250N-6
RCA	1941-1947	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	Old RCA	800N-8
RCA	some 1947-Sep 1952	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	Old RCA	800N-8
RCA	1947-1951	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	RCA	800N-12.7
RCA	1950-Sep 1952	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	Old Orthophonic	500N-12.7
RCA	some 1949-1952	45.00	Lateral	1-mil	Old RCA	800N-8
RCA	1949-1951	45.00	Lateral	1-mil	RCA	800N-12.7
RCA	1950-Sep 1952	45.00	Lateral	1-mil	Old Orthophonic	500N-12.7
RCA	1949-1951	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	RCA	800N-12.7
RCA	1950-Sep 1952	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	Old Orthophonic	500N-12.7
Remington	to 1958?	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
Renaissance	1949-1952	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Renaissance	1952-1954	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	Pacific Jazz	500C-12
Riverside	to 1955	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Label	Identifying Features	Speed	Cut	Stylus	Curve Name	Parameters
Stradivari	to 1958	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Technichord	All	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	Technichord	800N-12
Telefunken	1945-1950	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	FFRR 78	250N-D
Telefunken	1951-1953	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	Telefunken	400N-0
Telefunken	1951-1953	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	Telefunken	400N-0
Telefunken	1954-1962	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	CCIR	350N-10
Tempo	All	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	American 78	400N-6
Tempo	1948-1953	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Tempo	1954-1958?	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
Theme	All	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	American 78	250N-6
Transradio	to 1958?	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Urania	to 1954	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Urania	#7059,#7063,#7065,#7066	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Urania	#7069,#224,#603	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Label	Identifying Features	Speed	Cut	Stylus	Curve Name	Parameters
Vanguard	1948-1951	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Vanguard	#411-#442,#6000-#6018	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	NAB*	500B-16
Vanguard	#411-#442,#6000-#6018	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES*	400N-12
Vanguard	#7001-#7011,#8001-#8004	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Victor	1909	71.29	Lateral	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-12 †
Victor	1909-1926	76.59	Lateral	3-mil	Acoustic	630N-12 †
Victor	1926-1931	78.26	Lateral	3-mil	American 78	250N-6
Victor	1931 "DUO"	33.33	Lateral	3-mil	American 78	250N-6
Vocalion	to 1919	80.00	Vertical	3-mil	Acoustic	800N-16 †
Vox	1948-1951 or labeled LP	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Vox	1951-1954	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	NAB	500B-16
Vox	Labeled AES	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Westminster	to Oct 1955	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	LP	500C-16
Westminster	labeled AES	33.33	Lateral	1-mil	AES	400N-12
Zonophone	All	70.59	Lateral	3-mil	Acoustic	630N-16 †

# Included because one or more sources misspelled the record label name (quoted verbatim).

♣ These companies produced rare dual-groove binaural records using two pickups and a forked tonearm. The track closest to the spindle used 500N-0 (no treble EQ).

† These curves often work better with the "C" shelf setting (on preamps with separate shelf switches) because no music exists below 150 Hz on these records.

‡ This company made special machines and records for calling square dances. They continued to use the American 78 curve for their records and players well into the 1960s, so the aquare dance caller didn't have to mess with EQ settings during a square dance performance.

Some records issued by a record company have the wrong EQ because they received metal masters from a different record company. When a record company released a recording from another company (especially a foreign company), they were often given a metal mastering disc to make stampers from. This necessarily already has the other company's EQ in the grooves.

Another case where the wrong EQ is used is when a record company reissues or delays release of a record made with an older recording EQ. The alternative was the cost of cutting a new master disc.

EQ CURVES OF OLD RECORDS