[78-L] Dumb Gennetts

[Sean Miller]

Right, EMG machines for one with their huge paper mache horns were in use
well into the 50s.  You'd have to hear one to believe it, but the sound one
of these (properly adjusted) machines is actually rather mind blowing to say
the least!  I'd love to find one on this side of the pond, but so far no
luck.  I do own an HMV 163 though, a relatively recent find, and it gives
the Credenza a run for it's money!

Sean

-----Original Message-----
From: 78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com
[mailto:78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com] On Behalf Of David Lennick
Sent: Saturday, January 09, 2010 1:17 PM
To: 78-L Mail List
Subject: Re: [78-L] Dumb Gennetts

If you read some of the old issues of Gramophone (and they're online),
you'll 
find a preference among some reviewers for the more "pure" sound of
acoustical 
machines as opposed to the tubbiness or distortion from radiograms. Reviews
of 
classical album sets even advise whether to play with steel or thorn
needles, 
down to individual sides in some cases.

dl

Matthew Duncan wrote:
> I think that record buyers in Britian had acoustical players until the 40s
on mass due to cost of more advanced equipment rather than a preference
coupled with the fact that so many homes didn't have electricity until the
WWII period at all or perhaps in only one part of any building.
> 
> I wouldn't know about the equivalent matters in the US surrounding this
though.
> 
> I definitely agree with you surrounding the 'wear test' and 78s recorded
'too well'.
> 
> Matthew Duncan
> UK
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: David Lennick <dlennick at sympatico.ca>
> To: 78-L Mail List <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
> Sent: Sat, 9 January, 2010 18:00:26
> Subject: Re: [78-L] Dumb Gennetts
> 
> I don't see how you could "dumb down" the sound without dubbing it or how 
> Varsity reissues could be better if dubbed from the issued versions,
unless 
> someone was a genius at EQing.  It is true however that records recorded
"too 
> well" would fail the wear test. I also understand that because so many 
> collectors in Britain preferred acoustical players, many recordings were 
> equalized to play well on those machines.
> 
> Then there are those Edith Piaf Polydors, which seem equalized to sound as
if 
> they're being PLAYED on an acoustic machine.
> 
> dl
> 
> Malcolm Rockwell wrote:
>> Thanks, Al.
>> So Gennett "dumbed down" the stampers? If the Varsity pressings are 
>> better that would mean that the mother was untouched and new stampers 
>> were pulled from the "clean" mother. Still can't see how low-end 
>> response would be cut doing that.
>> Malcolm
>>
>> *******
>>
>> Al Haug wrote:
>>> Kennedy in 78Q number 8, page 47. Opinion on Varsity is my own.
>>>
>>> 2010/1/8 Malcolm Rockwell <malcolm at 78data.com>
>>>
>>>   
>>>> Who wrote it and what issue is it in?
>>>> Malcolm
>>>>
>>>> *******
>>>>
>>>> Al Haug wrote:
>>>>     
>>>>> An article in 78 Quarterly stated that Gennett regularly "dumbed down"
>>>>>       
>>>> their
>>>>     
>>>>> sound quality so the records would sound ok on the wind-up phonographs
>>>>>       
>>>> that
>>>>     
>>>>> their hillbilly and blues customers were likely to have, much to the
>>>>>       
>>>> chagrin
>>>>     
>>>>> of their engineers. Varsity reissues of this material often sounds
>>>>>       
>>>> better.
>>>>     
>>>>> 2010/1/8 Michael Biel <mbiel at mbiel.com>
>>>>>
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