Re: [ARSCLIST] "All hail the analogue revolution..."

[Karl Miller <lyaa071@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sun, 24 Sep 2006, Peter Hirsch wrote:

> Strangely
> enough, the recent comments about 78s being or not being High Fidelity
> reminded me of an experience that I had about 10 years ago when someone
> at the Institute of Jazz Studies (OK, it was Vinny Pelote) played me one
> of the Armstrong Hot 5s or 7s on a windup 78 console. I listened to it
> up close, literally with my ears inches from the horn, and I have to say
> that it was one of the most immediate sounding things I have ever heard.

Many years ago I did some research on the public reaction to the first
mass produced electrical recordings. Many of the writers back in the 20s
said that they found the sound "unnatural." Some even went so far as to
call the electrical process "unnatural" and "immoral." Indeed, it changed
the mechanical vibration in air, to electrical energy.

When listening on a properly adjusted acoustic machine, I find an almost
"unearthly" realism in the quality of the sound of a well done
acoustic recording...within the context of its limited frequency and
dynamic range...once I can tune out the surface noise. True, each
reproducer and horn will add coloration to the sound, but I still do find
it remarkable. Is it hi-fi...well, I guess that within the range of what
it could do, the fidelity was quite remarkable...at least to these ears.

Karl