IN NOVEMBER 1931 VICTOR ANNOUNCED THEIR NEW 33 1/3 RPM LONG PLAYING PROGRAM TRANSCRIPTIONS. THE SLOWER SPEED ENABLED MORE THAN TWICE THE PLAYING TIME OF A CONVENTIONAL 78. BUYERS OF THE INITIAL OFFERINGS EXPERIENCED EXCESSIVE WEAR DUE TO THE HEAVY STYLUS WEIGHT OF THE HORSHOE PICKUPS. ALSO, THE SOUND, ON EARLY ISUES, TENDED TO WAIVER IN PITCH AND SURFACE NOISE WAS HIGH. BY MID 1932 MOST OF THE PROBLEMS WERE CORRECTED BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. POOR PERFORMANCE OF EARLY RECORDINGS KEPT BUYERS AWAY.
ECONOMIC TIMES DOOMED THE PROJECT FROM THE START. NOT ONLY WERE CONVENTIONAL RECORD SALES AT AN ALL TIME LOW, BUT FEW MACHINES WERE CAPABLE OF PLAYING THE NEW FORMAT. SALES OF THE PROGRAM TRANSCRIPTIONS STARTED OUT SLOW AND GOT WORSE.
PROGRAM TRANSCRIPTIONS APPEARED IN BOTH 10" AND 12" SIZES AND HAD EITHER A GOLD OR SILVER LABEL. CATALOG NUMBERS WERE PREFIXED WITH AN "L" OR AN "AL" , FOR RECORDS ARRANGED FOR AN AUTOMATIC CHANGER.
NINE SERIES WERE INITIALLY OFFERED, BUT WERE SHORTLY REDUCED TO THREE. A FEW GROUPINGS IN THE "LM" AND "LAM" PREFIXED "MUSICAL MASTERPIECE" SERIES WERE SHORT LIVED. SPECIAL LABELS USING A WHITE STOCK WITH COLORED PRINT WERE USED FOR A SPANISH SERIES.

PICTURED IS A 10" DEMONSTRATION RECORD #DL-5 FEATURING "THE VICTOR ARTISTS PARTY" ON THE "A" SIDE AND THE "VICTOR MUSIC FESTIVAL" ON THE "B" SIDE. A SPECIAL LABEL WAS USED ON THIS RECORD, WHICH SERVED AS A PROMOTION FOR THIS SHORT LIVED FORMAT.



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