[78-L] Fake stereo

[Michael Biel]

From: Cary Ginell <soundthink at live.com>
> 1) Were any of the Toscanini reissues on Victrola done in electronic stereo?

MANY of the Toscanini Victrolas were done in electronic stereo but just
using a formula, not taking the care of the three LMEs.  I have some --
mostly gotten in collections -- but I may not have ever listened to
them!  Most were available in mono as well, but eventually when the mono
prices were raised to stereo in July 1967 and later most companies
eiminated their mono catalog, we got to the point that the only things
available were the (e) versions.  

> 2) Theory: Could companies have converted mono LPs to electronic
> stereo so they could charge an extra buck on the list price?
> Cary Ginell

Yes that is mainly true. I think I recall that the (e) was exempt from
the price bump for a while.  I have a 1966 Schwann right here (I'd have
to get up to go for others) and I see that LME is 4.79 just like LM is
4.79, but LME is the prefix that was ONLY used for those 3 Toscaninis,
so I think that was a special case.  Regular electronic stereo were
given the regular stereo prefixes like LSP and LSC with an (e) suffix.  

By this time most record companies were controlled by bean counters even
if the "record men" were still "in charge".  Bean counters set the
pricing rules.

Mike (I hate beans)  Biel  mbiel at mbiel.com


> From: mbiel at mbiel.com
> 
> I have all three of the Toscanini electronic stereo LPs ...