[78-L] Question 1812 Overture

[David Lennick]

Columbia began recording 16-inch lacquers in late 1939, initially as safeties 
but before long as source material for 78 issues and later for lps. However, 
English and European Columbia didn't go near tape or 33rpm for a long time so 
those early Columbia LPs issued from England were dubbed from 78s, usually very 
poorly. Columbia eventually relegated these to their Entre label, unless the 
recordings were of historical importance (Szigeti, Weingartner et al). And yes, 
I've always felt that the 78 transfers sounded far superior and made a 
deliberate point of using them when I was doing reissues for Pearl and Dante. 
There are those who grew up with the early lps and preferred them. Note that 
echo was often added during the lp transfers. Note also that a lot of 
Columbia's early lps were dubbed direct from the lacquers, since they were 
working on the format well before 1948 and tape hadn't been introduced, so the 
engineers had to be pretty quick in accomplishing side joins LIVE. Nothing any 
competent radio operator of the 40s and 50s didn't know how to do in his sleep.

dl

On 4/2/2011 4:31 PM, Robert M. Bratcher Jr. wrote:
> 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
>
>
>
>