Restoration Commentary

[richardfinegold]

When my Father passed years ago we were cleaning his apartment and I came across a trove of 78s. There were many interesting discs, including one of Toscanini leading Ravel's Bolero. I had to borrow a tt that could play 78s from someone and after all the effort and anticipation was dissapointed when I all that I encountered was a roar of surface noise.
Now, perhaps with a good ultrasonic cleaning system, a prper cartridge for playing 78s and the right phono pre amp and equalization, it would have been worth exploring

[Flosshilde]

That was very off topic, Flossy. Frankly, I don't give a sheet.

[Gordon]

Rather a moving experience. Perhaps you should be flushed with embarrassment.

[Flosshilde]

I didn't say anything to the other shopper - I thought it would be a bit cheeky.

[clive heath]

Can I just say:
"You've made me laugh, you,
You didn't have to do it, you didn't have to do it...".

[frankwm]

The Americans did employ playback equalisation (to slightly control treble hiss) - whereas EMI built some equalisation (treble lift) into the recording chain - which now played back (electrically) enables some slight reduction of 'scratch' - without curtailing the very high-frequencies too obviously.

You really should ignore the 78 'remasterers', as, being private individuals, they are unlikely to have access to metals (or vinyl copies of) for dubbing, unless commissioned by one of the companies...additionally, you cannot be confident the source (from one such) is not actually from LP - or CD!

You can find later EMI LP transfers from post-WW2 78rpm vinyl copies that actually exceed EMI 1950's LP frequency-range (my Constant Lambert conducted Bliss march "The Phoenix" is a very good example - goes to at least 16kHz)

I have never been too happy with my various experiments; but at least they are more 'realistic' than those artificial constructs employing oodles of processing...to disguise surface scratch..