[78-L] Question 1812 Overture

[David Lennick]

Okay, folks..comparing Varsity and Mercury LP transfers of the 1812 Overture, 
which are clearly the same recording. I've played up to the end of side 1 
(clearly audible since the last note is repeated intact on the Varsity and 
partially on the Mercury).

Varsity LP 31, VLP 6050, LP 6925 (all from same stampers): I've heard much 
worse. Some scuffs and clicks audible on the original 78s. Very little wow. EQ 
not great. LP surface noise, but I didn't hear hiss from the original 78s.

Mercury MG 15000: Better EQ and presence. Much wow and speed flux not 
associated with 78RPM playback. LP surface quieter but a bit gritty..hey, both 
issues are over 60 years old.

Unscientific test since I sampled only the first 4'05" of each disc.

dl

On 4/1/2011 11:49 PM, Robert M. Bratcher Jr. wrote:
> Well I've never owned any of the Oberstein label 78's. Nothing on one yet that I
> wanted to buy, keep&  play. On the other hand my experience with  Varsity&  most
> other 50's era budget LP's is that they all used lower quality vinyl&  many I've
> found have a lot of background hiss while the record is played. Oh&  what was
> that Varsity LP like as far as sound quality? Good, fair or what? Was there much
> hiss in it that didn't come from the 78's they were dubbed from?
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: David Lennick<dlennick at sympatico.ca>
> To: 78-L Mail List<78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
> Sent: Fri, April 1, 2011 9:47:32 PM
> Subject: Re: [78-L] Question 1812 Overture
>
> The LP. I don't have proof that the Mengelberg 1812 Overture appeared on an
> Oberstein 78 issue (more likely on Royale, as well as Masterpiece, Philharmonic
> and other budget labels) since WERM goes to "etc." after listing the known
> major recordings, but the LP label refers to "Parts 1-4". Actually I don't find
> the surfaces so terrible on Obie's 78s in the early 40s. Certainly better than
> Decca.
>
> dl
>
> On 4/1/2011 8:34 PM, Robert M. Bratcher Jr. wrote:
>> So did you sample a Varsity 78 or a Varsity LP? Oh&   whats the shellac quality
>> of Varsity 78's like? More noisy than Victor&   Columbia 78's I'm sure.....
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
>> From: David Lennick<dlennick at sympatico.ca>
>> To: 78-L Mail List<78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
>> Sent: Fri, April 1, 2011 6:54:23 PM
>> Subject: Re: [78-L] Question 1812 Overture
>>
>> I think I sampled it once to confirm that it was the same recording, but
>> Varsity had more direct access to Telefunken 78s going back to the early 40s.
>> So they wouldn't have lifted the Mercury transfer.
>>
>> dl
>>
>> On 4/1/2011 7:29 PM, Robert M. Bratcher Jr. wrote:
>>> Yes I know the vinyl (on Varsity LP issues) is lousy. I just wanted to know
> if
>>> they used the Mercury transfer with the wow problem in it.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ________________________________
>>> From: David Lennick<dlennick at sympatico.ca>
>>> To: 78-L Mail List<78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
>>> Sent: Fri, April 1, 2011 4:53:51 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [78-L] Question 1812 Overture
>>>
>>> What, me listen to a Varsity issue?
>>>
>>> dl
>>>
>>> On 4/1/2011 4:57 PM, Robert M. Bratcher Jr. wrote:
>>>> But does the wow in the recording show up in the Varsity&   related labels?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ________________________________
>>>> From: David Lennick<dlennick at sympatico.ca>
>>>> To: 78-L Mail List<78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
>>>> Sent: Thu, March 31, 2011 5:35:34 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [78-L] Question 1812 Overture
>>>>
>>>> Mercury Classics dubs from Czech Masters almost ALWAYS wowed. What a waste.
>>> And
>>>> then they'd dub THOSE to lp rather than work from the originals again.
>>> Although
>>>> I remember the ten inch Mercury lp of the 1812 as sounding pretty
>> decent..they
>>>> didn't bother to eliminate the repeated notes between sides 2&   3 though.
>> That
>>>> same Mengelberg set turns up on Varsity and related labels.
>>>>
>>>> dl
>>
>