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[Fwd: 16" recordings]



Here is a communication I received that pertains
to a recent thread on the list. Hope members will
find it helpful!

--
Bob Schmidt
Archives Listserve Coordinator
Miami University Archives
Oxford, Ohio 45056
513-529-6720
rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu

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Robert:
A collegue of mine sent me a copy of the recent list-serve discussion
relative to 16" transcriptions and other old recordings matters.

As an old sound engineer and now responsible for the Fred Waring Archives I
know a bit about the old recording formats. Our collection contains
thousands of radio broadcast recoridngs from 1933 - 1950 contained on
aluminum discs, 10" and 12" acetate discs (some on an aluminum base others
ion a glass base),  16" acetate and vinyl discs and wire recorings. Speeds
of those recordings varied between 78 rpm and 33 1/3 rpm (some even change
speed WITHIN the program).

Fortunately two 16" turntables and an RCA 16" transcription arm came with
the collection.  We purchased a 16" Shure SME playabck arm with a Stanton
500 Cartridge. We then purchased 16 different playback stylus to handle all
the many different cutting methods over the years. From 1.0 mil spherical
to 6.0.  4.75 and 6.0 stylii are good for Aluminum discs (you don't have to
use cactus needles).  We also use an OWL #1 Restoration Preamplifier to
handle all the different recording equalization curves used until 1942 when
the RIAA was formed and declared a standard.

Stylii can be purchased from KAB Electro-Acoustics, 1210 East 7th Street,
Plainfield, NJ 07062 for Stanton and Shure cartridges.

The Association of Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC) consists of
institutions as well as individual record collectors and is a wonderful
resource of people and informatiom relating to sound collections
(P.O. Box 543, Annapolis, MD 21404-0543). They have several publications.

Any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Peter T. Kiefer, Coordinator
Fred Waring's America
The Pennsylvania State University
Special Services Building
1127 Fox Hill Road
University Park, PA 16803-1824
(814)863-2911
Email: ptk@psulias.psu.edu

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