Re: [ARSCLIST] Harmony acoustics, 1925

[Aaron Z Snyder <azs@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Steven C. Barr mentioned a few days ago that he found evidence of bass
content on a few Harmony acoustics in his possession. That spurred me on to
look at a couple of the Trumbauer/Beiderbecke and Miff Mole Harmony
recording which I own as CD transfers. In all cases, it readily apparent by
looking at the spectral content vs time that the restorers did no harm to
the bass end, i.e. the response (virtually all surface rumble) appears to be
strong all the way to below audibility. What was also readily apparent is
the fact that there's very little useful content below 200 Hz on these
recordings. It's a pity, since in a few isolated spots I have been able
improve the bass response, but this is only for a second or so. I assume
that Harmony was not only cheap on the market, but also cheap in their
acoustic studio equipment.

What got me started in restoring bass on acousticals was my serendipitous
discovery of lots of bass content on the 10 acoustical recordings by the
Coon-Sanders Nighthawks. I soon discovered that one can never predict what
one will find hidden in acoustical grooves. It can vary from nothing much to
quite a bit.

Aaron Z