[78-L] Question 1812 Overture

[Robert M. Bratcher Jr.]

Part of your horrible sound quality experience with LP's made by Varsity, Royal, 
Plymouth & other budget labels was the cheap low quality vinyl they all used 
plus the equilization wasn't RIAA but something else entirely. You have to 
remember that prior to 1955 many different recording curves were used such as 
AES & others I can't think of at the moment. Most of those early curves don't 
sound great when played on a modern system. Columbia's LP curve for example has 
weak bass when played on RIAA.

The first Columbia classical LP's came out around 1948 or 1949 & were all dubbed 
from the 16 inch masters that the original 78's were made from or they may have 
been dubbed from the 78 rpm stampers. I don't have the exact answer on the 
dubbing sources for these. Even if you the have a preamp that is able to 
reproduce the LP curve I don't think those early Columbia LP's sound as good as 
the 78 RPM issues as I've managed to find a few 78 sets for some of my early 
dark blue label Columbia LP's & the 78's sound better to my ears.

Oh & I've got a green label Columbia Beethoven set of the 9 symphonies that 
sounds ok however the dark blue label 78's (of the exact same recordings) sound 
much better.




________________________________
From: Dan Van Landingham <danvanlandingham at yahoo.com>
To: 78-L Mail List <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
Sent: Sat, April 2, 2011 2:47:51 PM
Subject: Re: [78-L] Question 1812 Overture

I've never  owned any of those Mercury LPs save those which were in the "Living 
Presence" series which,if I'm not mistaken,were produced by a woman named 
Cozart.As for Obie and Varsity,did he
own the Wright Record Company?I have a couple of Louis Prima 78s of his on 
Varsity.As for the 

quality of '40s and '50s,I had a number of Godawful classical music LPs issued 
on the Plymouth label
as well as some on Royale,Halo and even a few Columbias that were just as 
bad.The latter must have
been from the late '40s.Those I had were dubbed from 78s.The sound quality was 
just horrible.




________________________________
From: David Lennick <dlennick at sympatico.ca>
To: 78-L Mail List <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
Sent: Sat, April 2, 2011 9:20:29 AM
Subject: Re: [78-L] Question 1812 Overture

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