Re: [ARSCLIST] Thirties Stereo

["Steven C. Barr(x)" <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Roger and Allison Kulp" <thorenstd124@xxxxxxxxx>
> I have the Beecham centenary box,referenced on this
> board,which looks good thanks for the link.While EMI
> was behind the curve,in putting out thier first
> Lps,and getting into stereo,they weren't  the only
> ones.Victor,put out both 33 "Lps",and were into
> stereo,in the 30s.The Lps,were the famous "Program
> Transcriptions',there are a few pop ones,but there is
> also the Stokowski "Unfinished",which i own,and the
> Toscanini Wagner Preludes,which i am actively
> seeking,as well as a Beethoven #5,which i don't know
> who did.(Like to get this too.)
>    
>   As for stereo,I am aware of two systems.There is a
> very cumbersome Victor system,that used synchronized
> tandem turntables,with the left,and right channels,on
> two different records.I am aware of recordings of this
> type,by Duke Ellington,which I heard,when they were
> issued on CD,several years ago.
> 
>   And then there was Bell Telephone/Laboratories,with
> thier famous Stokowski recordings,of 1931,issued on
> private Lps,by Ma Bell,in 1979. Quoting from the liner
> notes "Another Bell Labs innovationfrom this era  was
> stereophonic recording and reproduction.As the quality
> of sound systems improved,some kinds of distortion
> became noticeable.A.C.Keller and I.S. Rafuse concieved
> a way of reducing them by seperating the high and low
> frequencies and recording them on parallel tracks on
> the same record.Later they fond a way of recording two
> complete sound tracks in one groove and using a single
> pickup to reproduce both tracks simultaneously with
> minimum interference.From this came the recording of
> two full range bands from left and right microphonesin
> the same groove-the stereo technique perfected by
> Keller and Rafuse in 1938.
> 
>   But Stereophonic records needed needed expensive
> pickups and two amplifiers and speakers,so it was
> difficult to find a market during the depression era
> of the 1930s.It wasn't until after World War II that
> stereo recordings and equipment for the home became
> popular."
> 
>  I have a duplicate of one of these Lps next to me,in
> a pile I want to stick on eBone.I can't get thier new
> photo upload system to work on my Mac here.If anyone
> can help me,please contact me offlist.
>                                  Roger Kulp
Actually, virtually all of this early "stereo" was inadvertant
and unintended...and was only identified MUCH "after the fact!"
Victor in particular used a "dual" system...two mikes or sound
sources, feeding two different cutting heads/turntables...mainly
to ensure that if "system 1" failed, they would still have an
issuable recording made by their backup system...and, when
later generations found both recordings, the result (after a
bit of finagling) proved to be a source of stereo sound!

Several companies used this dual system, but all too often it
was simply two recorders fed the same signal (which was, after
all, a bit cheaper!)

Steven C. Barr