DCC Archive Q to Steve re: mastering 78 rpm discs

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Matt, Oct 19, 2001.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Matt

    Matt New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Illinois
    Steve,

    How do you get the needle to play the best, least worn part of the groove?

    I would assume you'd have a microscope set up over the disc, but is it essentially a steady hand and a good eye?
     
    Matt, Oct 19, 2001
    #1
  2. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Well, I don't do much of it (thank God), but it essentially involves having enough 78 styli to cover any type of vintage groove cut correctly. I have 7 different 78 styli. Sometimes I will use more than one needle on a single record....Covering a section at a time with whatever styli it takes for that section. Most restoration engineers would do the same.

    I usually transfer in stereo, and then choose the part of the groove that sounds the best in a certain section and splice 'em together on analog tape.

    I've cut pops and tics out of the tape with a splicing block, and I don't usually have to resort to any type of noise reduction computer program. I hate that swishing sound of a no-noise or cedar system trying to cope with surface noise....

    [ October 19, 2001: Message edited by: Steve Hoffman ]
     
    Steve Hoffman, Oct 19, 2001
    #2
  3. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    Say...has Steve (or anyone else) had experience with that laser turntable? I'm still very curious to actually hear the thing...
    http://www.elpj.com/welcome.html
     
    lukpac, Oct 19, 2001
    #3
  4. Matt

    Matt New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Illinois
    That's a very interesting method...it's so simple, I wonder why I didn't think of that.

    I've been looking into transferring 78's to digital, and it seems like such a painstaking task, it definitely demands a lot of time. I just found out about truncated stylus needles, which apparently are needed to avoid the immense wear caused by the steel needles used on old phonograph players. This among countless other considerations one should take in making the best possible transfer...
     
    Matt, Oct 20, 2001
    #4
  5. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Easier to find a cleaner copy of the record, untouched by steel or cactus needles...
     
    Steve Hoffman, Oct 20, 2001
    #5
  6. luke j. chung

    luke j. chung New Member

    Location:
    san francisco, ca., u.s.a.
    Hey,Steve: I know you don't often do pre-magnetic tape mastering, in so much that is clearly an art in and of itself. But I've always admired the work you did back in your MCA/Universal days with the Bing Crosby and Billie Holiday catalogs. As much of a hassle as it must often be to do, it's great to have these transfers done by someone who cares so much about the best presentation of this "vintage music". ;)
     
    luke j. chung, Oct 21, 2001
    #6
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine