[78-L] Electronic stereo and Schwann

[David Lennick]

Chris Zwarg wrote:
> 
> Sorry for the misascription, David, it was Michael Biel who described this "split-n-echo" method as *RCA's* - I have however not noticed it on any RCA issues that ever came my way. You are much nearer the mark ascribing this method to Decca, and I can confirm they used it in Britain as well; I have some Gilbert & Sullivan complete operas (mis)treated this way. The odd thing is that the two channels, despite one having mainly midrange and the other bass+treble, do not add up to a complete mono signal. Apparently some phase-shifting - perhaps inadvertantly caused by the analogue equalizer circuitry - was involved, as certain frequency bands are out-of-phase between the two channels (and therefore disappear when you simply mix to mono) while others are in phase.
> 
> Chris Zwarg 
> 

Whew..English Decca's electronic stereo was even worse than many others. Many a 
performance ruined by reissue on Ace of Diamonds. Then there were the nostalgia 
issues on Ace of Clubs that were left in mono but drowned in echo.

dl