i78s Posts 1,555 Indestructible Cylinders as Streaming Audio Files

David Giovannoni has made his collection of Indestructible cylinders (comprising virtually all of the two-minute releases and a substantial number of four-minutes, including multiple takes) available for free streaming on the i78s.org site. There are two streaming files for each record — a “flat” transfer for fans of surface noise, and a professional restoration for the rest of us.

i78s currently has more than 48,300 cylinders and early 78s available to stream free of charge (including many exceedingly rare items), all accompanied by high-quality rim or label scans, discographical details, histories of the producing companies from Mainspring’s American Record Producers and Companies, 1888–1950, and in many cases, scans of the matching sheet music. Registration is free and secure, requiring no personal information.

David and I are currently overhauling Mainspring Press’ earlier Indestructible book, inspecting and listening to every available cylinder to ensure the highest degree of accuracy. The revised edition will be released as a free PDF e-book, on the University of California–Santa Barbara’s DAHR site, later this year.

— Allan Sutton