# Philly company digitizes 25,000 old records and they're free to download **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 12, 2017, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-company-digitizes-25-000-old-records-and-theyre-free-to-download/793407 "2017-08-12T03:52:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2017, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-company-digitizes-25-000-old-records-and-theyre-free-to-download/793407/21 "2017-08-13T10:07:41Z")
Using the “free downloadable audacity software” you can easily digitize music from any source you can plug into your computer. I have used it to digitize the output from an amplifier (as music was being created) and also old tapes, using a tape player with a headphone jack. BUT, my tape player is cheap and adds hiss to the sound. (And isn’t very good about playing the tape at exactly the right speed, it goes faster or slower, probably depending on the friction in the old tape.) If anyone could recommend a decent tape player, currently on the market, with a headphone jack, AC power, and decent sound quality, is be grateful. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-company-digitizes-25-000-old-records-and-theyre-free-to-download/793407/22 "2017-08-16T17:06:25Z")
[The Blob](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzpUQVXElNk) sounds remarkably like a slowed down [Mambo #5](https://archive.org/details/78_mambo-5-stardust-mambo_nat-charles-and-his-orchestra_gbia0008873a) in places. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-company-digitizes-25-000-old-records-and-theyre-free-to-download/793407/23 "2017-08-16T20:03:53Z")
> [@JohnGalt](#): > > The local Goodwill had someone’s estate collection of 78 RPM records in about ten albums with ten or so sleeves in each, and each sleeve had a different record along these lines. They weren’t priced, and my wife would have killed me if I bought them, but I alerted them to get them off the main store floor (records are $1.49!) and into their showcase. I stopped by a few days later and they were gone. Now I don’t feel bad, because I can listen to any of these at any time. Please continue making recommendations! I was under the impression - mainly from a book from the producers of _Antiques Roadshow_ - that says that 78 RPM records (especially Enrico Caruso ones) are not nearly as rare or valuable as people think, especially if they have been played quite a bit. Is 100 78s for $149 that low, especially as few people still have 78 RPM turntables? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-company-digitizes-25-000-old-records-and-theyre-free-to-download/793407/24 "2017-08-16T20:35:30Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I found this gem right on the first page 🙂 > > [Pussy, Pussy, Pussy : Light Crust Doughboys : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive](https://archive.org/details/78_pussy-pussy-pussy_light-crust-doughboys-montgomery_gbia0002907b) > > “…it ain’t never smelled like that…” :-o Some damn fine guitar work for a novelty record. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-company-digitizes-25-000-old-records-and-theyre-free-to-download/793407/25 "2017-08-16T21:08:50Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > I was under the impression - mainly from a book from the producers of _Antiques Roadshow_ - that says that 78 RPM records (especially Enrico Caruso ones) are not nearly as rare or valuable as people think, especially if they have been played quite a bit. Caruso, probably so. He was hitsville in his day. But I understand “race records” are quite valuable now. They were made in small quantities for a limited audience that didn’t have much money, and very few have been preserved. That pretty much makes them rare. So if you find an old blues record on an obscure label, it could be valuable to collectors. ---
**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2017, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-company-digitizes-25-000-old-records-and-theyre-free-to-download/793407/26 "2017-08-19T04:25:51Z")
Thanks for this, looking forward to more DeZurik Sisters (aka Cackle Sisters) uploads: ---
**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2017, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-company-digitizes-25-000-old-records-and-theyre-free-to-download/793407/27 "2017-08-19T04:41:24Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > I wasn’t expecting that from a 1938 record. Oh man, prepare to be amazed! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2017, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-company-digitizes-25-000-old-records-and-theyre-free-to-download/793407/28 "2017-08-19T16:22:19Z")
I zoomed instantly to the Gilbert and Sullivan highlights albums. Oh, sweet! Thank you for this info! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-company-digitizes-25-000-old-records-and-theyre-free-to-download/793407.md?page=1)