Date:         Sun, 7 Jan 2007 17:20:46 -0600
Reply-To:     Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
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Sender:       Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
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From:         phillip holmes <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:      Re: Audio compression on radio,
              was Re: [ARSCLIST] Libraries disposing of records
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George,
Does this mean that you should use a .7 mil spherical tip to counter 
the  radius compensation?  It seems that everyone uses various 
elliptical styli (truncated and not) to play back 78s.  Is this a case 
where original playback practices (spherical tip, tube electronics, old 
fashioned treble controls) can be superior to state of the art?
Thanks,
phillip

George Brock-Nannestad wrote:
>
> pression:
>
> 1) Presto cutting systems, for instance those used by BBC, had radius 
> compensation. We are talking 78s and 1940s. This meant that the treble was 
> cranked up automatically as you got closer to the center. The reason was that 
> the tracing loss from a spherical stylus would not reproduce the higher 
> frequencies very well. It did not matter that the distortion became 
> unbearable, because that was outside the reproduced range. So, apparently, 
> the recorded range was kept reasonably constant over the whole record side.
>
> 2) even those who will only listen to "classical" or sub-category "vocal" may 
> experience what compression really means. My best example for this is the 
> Bryan Crimp EMI transfer of all Adelina Patti's recordings - an LP set. Her 
> last recording - la Calasera - has a recorded level of ca. 50 cm/s in a few 
> places, which was very far from being reproducible more than 3 times when it 
> was issued, and it was quickly withdrawn. On the LP, the whole song is 
> beautifully transferred (and it is her most liberated performance, a gem), 
> but the few places the compression sets in and the 10-15 dB overload is 
> tamed. I feel physically strangled when I hear it. The record was reissued in 
> the white V.B. series when pickups could cope, but it still gets worn
>
> 2½) I had a Source Engineering preamp in practical use for ca. 10 years, and 
> instead of replacing the ganged pots I changed to Elberg instead. However the 
> Source Engineering has an expander - an anti-compressor - that works very 
> well and will reduce as well as increase. I have used that on the Bestiary of 
> Flanders and Swann, "the Ostrich" (refrain: "Peek-a-boo, I can't see you 
> ......."). At the end (I won't spoil the fun for those who don't yet know it) 
> it is very worthwhile to use the Source Engineering feature if you have good 
> bass speakers. 
>
> Kind regards,
>
>
> George
>
>
>
>