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My understanding is that Phonograph Monthly Review was a victim of the Depression in 1932 and was reorganized and replaced somehow as The American Music Lover, which became The American Record Guide. Don Tait -----Original Message----- From: Tom Fine <[log in to unmask]> To: ARSCLIST <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Wed, Oct 17, 2012 7:00 am Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Phonograph Monthly Reviews @ Philadelphia Free Library...Light Ray Recording Exactly WHO is claiming to own the copyright on Phonograph Monthly Review magazines? There are apparently scans at Google Books, but the text is inaccessible. I can't imagine anyone remotely connected with this original magazine company is anywhere near Earth to claim a copyright, so this must be some sort of pirate/loophole-taker involved. There is a description of the Light Ray system included in the text for this video (I'm not vouching for any accuracy): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9EKFcP2TTA Here is more on the system, as used in Germany: http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4643 apparently, the Germans used a purely electrical system, rather than an acoustic horn as the sound collector as some descriptions have Brunswick's US system. Some mention of the Light Ray system here, again not vouching for any accuracy: http://zaydesturntable.wordpress.com/tag/light-ray-process/ Here is a Google Books excerpt where you can actually read the text, with detailed mention of the Brunswick Light Ray system in the US: http://tinyurl.com/ctrd7k9 In general, optical recording needed much refinement and mitigation to result in really excellent audio. It was always fine for dialog, field audio and some sound effects. But the high levels of distortion, limited dynamic range and vagueries of bulb brightness, film stock and the like would lead to less reliable fidelity than could be achieved via the WECO electronic groove-cutting system. There is a vast library of papers that were published in the SMPE/SMPTE Journal, IEEE Journal and other places, describing the many and continuous refinements in optical recording, up to the very recent past. Often, a telltale sign of optical recording (combined with SMPTE curves for dialog-intelligability) is a screaming midrange with very little bass or treble. This works OK in a cinema, because it makes the dialog crystal clear and people are generally munching popcorn and paying less attention to sound fidelity than what's happening on-screen. It does not work well in a home-theater setting, and thus the best home-video releases have always featured a remixed and often re-equalized soundtrack making for wider frequency range and bettter overall audibility through home speakers. Lower-budget home-video releasers have not gone to the trouble, and their lousy-sounding work is sometimes painful to watch! -- Tom Fine ----- Original Message ----- From: "Art Shifrin" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2012 7:28 AM Subject: [ARSCLIST] Phonograph Monthly Reviews @ Philadelphia Free Library...Light Ray Recording > Does anyone live near the Library who might attempt to get a copy made for > distribution to this list? If not, then I will ask someone if it's > feasible that this favor be done. I'm anxious to see the article but don't > want to impose if it's unnecessary. IF RESPONDING TO THIS ON THE LIST, > THEN PLEASE ALSO COPY ME DIRECTLY. > > Shiffy >