SH Spotlight Bob Furmanek's research leading up to the first year of stereo records. It is fantastic reading..

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Steve Hoffman, Jan 7, 2018.

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  1. Lemon Curry

    Lemon Curry (A) Face In The Crowd

    Location:
    Mahwah, NJ
    Binaural, if memory serves, is a stereo recording made with mics positioned exactly where human ears would be, so that what's recorded, in theory, sounds as if you were there for the performance.
     
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  2. JLGB

    JLGB Senior Member

    Location:
    D.R.
    Exactly. The confusion starts with the two track recordings used solely for mixing purposes being referred to as binaural.
     
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2018
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  3. Sax-son

    Sax-son Forum Resident

    Location:
    Three Rivers, CA
    I heard some really early 1950's stereo records in Robert Van Epps studio that sounded really wonderful for being some of the early ones. I think Sauter Finegan Orchestra was one of them. He had an extremely trained ear, so he was pointing out to me some of the characteristics of the record(carrier level sound) that I was unaware of. He had some very early Marantz tube equipment and speakers from some sound studio speakers(may have been Altec's) that he got from somewhere. It was one of the first really incredibly sounding systems that I had heard up to that date (1975?).
     
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  4. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    There's a reason the original audiophiles invested so much money into their systems. I'm using a Fisher X-100-B with Altec 604c corner speakers and the sound is incredible. Friends are knocked out when they hear it.

    I had a skeptical musician friend visiting a few months ago. "1950's Hi-Fi? Yeah, sure."

    I put on some original mint pressings and he was blown away.
     
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  5. Jayson Wall

    Jayson Wall Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    \
    Bob---I've sent you an e-mail about the Elvis print and its history.
     
  6. Richard--W

    Richard--W Forum Resident

    ... not a sticky anymore?
     
  7. Richard--W

    Richard--W Forum Resident

    where do you get replacement tubes?
     
  8. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    Thanks, Jayson.

    Richard, the tubes are quite easy to get, both originals and new. Ebay is a good source.
     
  9. MrRom92

    MrRom92 Forum Supermodel

    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    I still haven’t been able to read through all of this - I guess that says it all about how thorough this is :)


    I really, reallllly love those early stereo 2 tracks… musical content aside, there’s still something magical about them
     
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  10. Richard--W

    Richard--W Forum Resident

    Okay, I'll go fishing for tubes. Years ago I wanted a McIntosh but they were too pricey. Someone recommended the Fisher X100 which he had sitting on a shelf and it was affordable so I bought that. Now you recommend the same Fisher. I never got the replacement tubes so I never actually turned it on. I haven't found the speakers to make it worthwhile.

    Now back to the regularly scheduled topic.
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2018
  11. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    Keep in mind, if it hasn't been used or serviced in a while, you should have it checked out by a technician familiar with vintage electronics. I can recommend an excellent one in New Jersey.
     
  12. Richard--W

    Richard--W Forum Resident

    They're a dying breed, aren't they. I'm not adverse to bringing it to New Jersey, so long as it's across the river from NYC part of New Jersey, but it's not necessary. I bought the Fisher from a vintage stereo enthusiast who used to repair electronics, before the digital era wiped him out. I'd heard it many times, hooked up to vintage Alison speakers. All it needed was a couple of tubes. It should work fine, when I get the right speakers. However, I do have a Sony TD 500 compact analog cassette recorder that I used to do concerts and lectures with in the 1980s that needs a repair.
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2018
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  13. Tony A.

    Tony A. Senior Member

    It always tickles me to see those first pressing covers. Many are simply a gold "stereo" sticker on the original mono cover. I remember seeing a Blue Note "Blue Train" like that - mono slick and gold stereo sticker. I like the colorful Vanguard Stereolab stickers on the LPs you have in the article.
    Later the majors came up with specific stereo covers. Someone at some point came up with the idea to print one slick and depending on how it wrapped the cardboard cover, displayed that the record inside was either stereo or monaural.
    The Columbia photos you have, the color arrows are much cooler than the later monochrome.
    Thanks for your work Bob. I also enjoyed your comments on the "How They Heard It – Blue Note Records and the Transition from Mono to Stereo" web article.

    Tony
     
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  14. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    Thanks very much, Tony.

    After the initial research was done, finding first-pressing covers was quite a challenge. Some of the more obscure titles were the most difficult but I'm quite pleased with the final results.

    I still need a better copy of the Cambridge MESSE SOLENNELLE cover but that record is SO obscure, I'm not optimistic.
     
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  15. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

  16. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    Sixty years ago - on February 14, 15 and 16, 1958 - Audio Fidelity's "Mr. Stereo" Sidney Frey distributes the first four Stereodiscs at the High Fidelity show in San Francisco.

    The stereo LP is born!

    First Year of Stereo Records - 3dfilmarchive
     
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  17. DRM

    DRM Forum Resident

    It's important to remember that stereo was, and still should be, rightfully viewed as a major advancement and step up in sound quality. Sometimes we can temporarily, for a season, lose sight of certain realities.
     
  18. How would that first stereo record compare to a modern all analog pressing?
     
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  19. therockman

    therockman Senior Member In Memoriam


    I missed this link before, thanks for all the work!!!!
     
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  20. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    Indeed. Consider the teen market then and well into the 1960's. LP discs (and mono at that) were expensive luxury items for a teen or for younger. $3.99 list price and usually $2.57 street price. Contrast that with $.99 list price for a 45 RPM single, usually then $.69 street price. Which teens could afford on a budget. Also, teens in that era usually had a hand me down console or a portable phono, neither of which would then play a Stereo record without damage. In this 1958 time frame $4.99-$5.99 Stereo LP prices were list (and not discounted very much, roughly less than $1)
     
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  21. DRM

    DRM Forum Resident

  22. DRM

    DRM Forum Resident

  23. DRM

    DRM Forum Resident

  24. DRM

    DRM Forum Resident

  25. The FRiNgE

    The FRiNgE Forum Resident

    I am Silly! Just listened to this, I think the sound effect clips are kinda "unreal" sounding, simple left-right panning without the correct out of phase signal presence for realistic stereo presentation... but the music excerpts do sound very good on my desk monitors here. (modified Celestion 3 for near field response)
     
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