[78-L] 78 rpm bandwidth

[DAVID BURNHAM]

S.C.Barr wrote:

all but the very last 78's had a "bandwidth" of about 60-6500 Hz; pre-1926
acoustically-recorded 78's have NO "low end" content!

This statement is not entirely true.  I have many records made between 1926 and the mid 30s which have substantial content at 30 hz and below, (recordings with organ containing 16 foot and 32 foot stops).

For example:

Stainer's Crucifixion on Victor, Side 3 during the "Fling Wide the Gates" chorus has a clear 32 foot pedal.  I don't have the score with me so I don't know what note it is.  (I recently saw a CD transfer of this recording on Amazon selling at over $200.00.)

Bach's Organ music played by Albert Schweitzer has lots of content in this range.

The Fiedler/ Boston Pops recordings of "Prayer of Thanksgiving" (10 inch) and Handel's "Largo" (12 inch) also employ the organ in Symphony Hall with very rich bass.

Similarly for many of the recordings in the series "Society of English Church Music"

These are just a few  that come to mind, if I thought about it I'm sure I could come up with many more examples.

As far as acoustics are concerned they, of course, don't have the same low end content as even the earliest electrical recordings but I did find years ago, when playing with a parametric equalizer, I was able to exhort substantial bass from a Stokowski/Philadelphia recording, I think it was the Prelude to Act I of Carmen.

db