Re: arsclist Gray Audograph Recordings

["Richard L. Hess" <ArcLists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Molly,

I haven't done it, so we cannot correspond. I want to make two obvious points:

(1) If you're looking to best capture the nuances of the sound on the 
recordings with the least wear on the recordings, then I suggest using 
contemporary reproduction equipment (and I don't even know what that is).

(2) If you're looking to reproduce the feel of the original, then you're on 
the right track.

If you have original recordings, it might be worthwhile to transfer them 
off using contemporary equipment and then reproduce a demo recording that 
would satisfy (2).

For example. The Pavek Museum in Minneapolis has one of the two original 
Magnetophons that Jack Mullin used to do the first commercial broadcasts of 
Philco Radio Time with Bing Crosby. The Museum was playing old out-take 
tapes of Crosby, but wearing them out. They also had some new-old-stock 
(NOS) tape of the same type Mullin used to record in 1947. Someone else had 
made an excellent transfer about 20 years ago of the 1 Oct 47 show which 
was the first taped show in U.S. Radio Network history.

I took a copy of that show and after much complaining by a contemporary 
tape recorder, was able to make a good recording onto the vintage (and 
amazingly different) circa 1944 German tape. They now use that for demos. 
The public is treated not just to a random set of outtakes but rather to 
the first taped radio show being played off the same type of tape it was 
recorded on using one of the two machines that originally recorded the 
show. The museum experience is actually enhanced in my opinion (and the 
opinion of others) while the important originals are preserved (and copied).

Just my two cents on this.

Cheers,

Richard

At 11:24 PM 10/21/2002 -0500, you wrote:
> Dear ARSC Community:
>
> Has anyone out there used original machines to transfer Gray Audographs? I
> understand that there are considerations that advise against using
> original machines in some cases for transfers, and I am sure there are
> many people out there that feel very strongly about such an idea, but I am
> interested in discussing the machines and their playback with someone.
>
> Please reply off-list if you can be of any help.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Molly Wheeler
> Harry Ransom Center
>
> -
> For subscription instructions, see the ARSC home page
> http://www.arsc-audio.org/arsclist.html
> Copyright of individual posting is owned by the author of the posting and
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Richard L. Hess                              richard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Glendale, CA USA                           http://www.richardhess.com/
Web page: folk and church music, photography, and
                 broadcast engineering

-
For subscription instructions, see the ARSC home page
http://www.arsc-audio.org/arsclist.html
Copyright of individual posting is owned by the author of the posting and
permission to re-transmit or publish a post must be secured
from the author of the post.