[78-L] Silence (no 78 hiss) on CD issues

[Steven C. Barr]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kristjan Saag" <saag at telia.com>
> Robert M. Bratcher Jr. wrote:
>> I wish they wouldn't filter down or take completely out the hiss we
>> collectors hear when a 78 is played on a turntable. I like that
>> record hiss!! It doesn't bother me at all & should be left intact on
>> CD issues.......
> Which leads to the inevitable question: what is it we collect? Music or
> hiss?
> There was no hiss in the studio when the recording was made (unless the
> windows were open and it was raining outside).
> The problem has been: eliminating hiss has also eliminated vital parts of
> the music. In recent years restoration technology has developed so that 
> more
> and more of the original recordings has been preserved, but without 
> surface
> noise.
> The bitter truth for (us) hiss loves, I guess, is that "clean" transfers
> devaluate the emotional (rather than the economical) value of our
> collections...
>
This comes down to a whole DIFFERENT question (as I have often
posted previously...?!)!?

When we set out to "improve" a copy of an extant sound recording...what
is or should be our goal?! Do we aim to recreate insofar as possible the
actual "sonic event" which was "incorrectly" recorded originally...?! Or,
are we trying to recreate the sound which was available if the extant
recording was played on the best available machines...?!

In the first case...are we allowed to adjust our resultsa to reflect what
"should have been" played...or are we limited to what was (or seems
to have been) actually played...?!

In the second, what limits should we place on our alterations...?!

Steven C. Barr