SH Spotlight Do you want to hear two amazing RCA-Victor 78s from 1932? Ted Weems, Isham Jones..

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Steve Hoffman, Oct 9, 2010.

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  1. apileocole

    apileocole Lush Life Gort

    Anyone who saw this thread earlier and hasn't checked Prozoot's Channel on YouTube since will be happy to see that a few more have been added.

    Those puppies were LOUD. Absolutely filled the room, in fact whenever hearing one in good condition playing I've always wished it was a larger room. :D

    Seeing something played on those old steel needle jobs though, I cringe a bit. They are wearing down the record every play. If one does use such a vintage machine, remember to always use a new steel needle for every play (new needles are still easy to find and cheap). I encourage folks to only use a more modern, quality turntable with proper cart/stylus etc so as not to wear the records we have left, especially if they're minty or rare.
     
  2. hi_watt

    hi_watt The Road Warrior

    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    I am very impressed. There is something warm and inviting about this music. I love it.
     
  3. action pact

    action pact Music Omnivore

    I'm kinda surprised that Steve isn't a proponent of 78 EQ curve tweaking, but I have to say I agree with him. RIAA has always been satisfactory on 78s for me too.

    I use a Dual 1019 with a Shure M78S, and it gets the job done very well indeed.
     
  4. chewy

    chewy Forum Resident

    Location:
    West Coast USA
    sometimes im disapointed when my AAA-looking mint rca red seal classical 12'' 78's still play with considerable background noise
     
  5. Greg1954

    Greg1954 New Member

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    The (mostly) metal Orthophonic reproducers like on that machine in the video track at about 5 ounces of pressure. Makes me cringe a little too.
     
  6. Greg1954

    Greg1954 New Member

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    A red label scroll Victor of late 20's vintage can play with high amount of noise. As go their black label records.

    Theory is that Victor was adding an abrasive filler to the records to aid in steel, and probably Tungstone, needle shaping. For the inverse, Victor's rival, Columbia were producing very quiet records in that time period (late 20's.)

    I actually think that Columbia records, with their quiet surfaces and Viva-Tonal process (whatever that was, still basically Western Electric) were a bit superior to Victor, in that time period, but that's just me.

    The good ship Victor did begin to right themselves, quality wise, again.
     
  7. Skyflash

    Skyflash Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mexico, NY
    Wow! what a revelation this is for me. I'll admit I've never had much appreciation for
    any popular music prior to 1967 let alone a classic 78 recording. I do have interest in
    recording technology though. I'm blown away at the quality of this stuff.
    Having heard it in such remarkable shape and fidelity one can appreciate the music more.
     
  8. Ere

    Ere Senior Member

    Location:
    The Silver Spring
    What do you all recommend or do to manage surface noise and/or crackles on needledrops from 78s?

    I understand the ethos to have it for what it is, but for those that venture into restoration or processing, what do you use and what settings?

    I've used light decrackle settings in the DeClick program for slightly worn records, and that has helped. Only experimented with noise reduction in Audacity, using the settings below by ear for a 1945 Capitol 78... but what is the function of each setting?
     

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  9. Greg1954

    Greg1954 New Member

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    I quite a fan of ClickRepair for my 78 'drops.

    It's amazing how much your perception of noise can go down when you simply reduce that little carpet of minor clicks n' ticks, before even getting into any band pass filtering or the like.

    ClickRepair does it quite well, without bad artifacting. Depending on settings, which vary from record to record.
     
  10. kelhard

    kelhard Forum Resident

    This is truly incredible. I was floored when I heard this. Thanks for the link :) I'm going to check out more Youtube videos of this caliber.
     
  11. Greg1954

    Greg1954 New Member

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    The Isham Jones side that Prozoot put on YouTube sounds powerful good. Nice channel he's got going there, too.
     
  12. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Had a request to open and bump. Here ya go.
     
  13. Greg1954

    Greg1954 New Member

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    I got recently of Stokowski / Philadelphia, March Of The Caucasian Chief, a VE Victor. Boy does that thing roar. They could get a lot of sound in those grooves. I know what you mean about others. Stokowski was interested in the recording process, from the early days on through the 1970's.
     
  14. Hamhead

    Hamhead The Bear From Delaware

    I always used to hear stories about Columbia buying out Okeh just to get their presses since they made the best records out there. Now when you see them, they're full of lam-cracks. The Okeh Ellington and Bix records sound out of this world. The Ellington Victors from the late 20's to the early 30's should be done over since the newest transfers (done for the centenial box) were done with No-Noise over excess to the point of high frequency ringing.
     
  15. Hamhead

    Hamhead The Bear From Delaware


    Have you heard those red vinyl Victor 78's of Stokowski,
    2 words: look out!
    Incredible sound
     
  16. Greg1954

    Greg1954 New Member

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    This guy has a nice collection of records going, in good sound, though only at 480p max.:sigh:

    http://www.youtube.com/user/Atticus70
     
  17. Greg1954

    Greg1954 New Member

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    I'm inclined to grab just about any Okeh electric, if only for the sound. Though I can't say I've yet had a big problem with lamination cracks.

    Columbia purchased Okeh in 1926, and is further testament to the quality of their product line in that time period. As I've said on other threads those budget Harmony records they were producing can be frightfully good, too.

    I don't think I have any red Heritage Series records of Stokowski. Wouldn't surprise me at all if those sounded real nice.
     
  18. ROLO46

    ROLO46 Forum Resident

    Everybody loves a Foxtrot.
     
  19. Hamhead

    Hamhead The Bear From Delaware

    I was always lead-on that those Harmony 78's were all acoustic.

    Since the Stokowski 78's were thick heavy red vinyl, I cleaned mine on a Nitty Gritty and inserted them in better sleeves. They play and sound great.
     
  20. Greg1954

    Greg1954 New Member

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    I think they were all acoustic until 1927. I have electric recorded Harmony's starting from '27. But there were acoustic Harmony's issued until 1929 or 30. Electric and acoustic issues overlapping each other. I also believe Harmony was the last label to issue acoustic records, in the U.S. anyway.
     
  21. jimac51

    jimac51 A mythical beast.

    Location:
    Allentown,pa.
  22. Greg1954

    Greg1954 New Member

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    Good as those 78 sound in the initial post of this thread. This was about the time that RCA were trying to get their 33 1/3 rpm long playing records off the ground. Problem with some of those is the fact that they didn't bother to cut fresh masters for them, rather, just dubbed them from 78's.:shake:
     
  23. Not quite as 'hi-fi' a capture/upload as the other stuff but this 8 min 43 second version of Sing, Sing, Sing by Benny Goodman from '37 smokes and filled up both sides of the 12" 78.

    Turn it up! This band ruled and, man oh man, was Gene something else or what! :D

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtB6dijjWl8
     
  24. Greg1954

    Greg1954 New Member

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    Yeah, that a great record. Also a good example of the duller, thudding, boxy sound that they were recording with by then, as Steve alluded to in the first post.
     
  25. Greg1954

    Greg1954 New Member

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