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On 04/12/2013, John Haley wrote: > Re Tom's dream of the future when all the masters have been > transferred and nobody needs the commercially produced records any > more, there's a huge factor in that fantasy that I think is > overlooked. When transfers are made from original sources, be they > masters or the commercial records resulting therefrom, and > particularly so in the realm of 78's, there is human judgment involved > at every step of the way. Creating the digital transfers is anything > but a simple mechanical exercise. What is the right speed of the > record? Were the performers actually performing at the standard pitch? > What phono EQ is built into the record, if any (a huge factor)? These apply just as much if you are simply playing the 78 without making a digital copy. > Has/should any noise be removed? If so, how, how much and at what > frequencies? The record needs to be well centered properly. What is > the stylus that will yield the best result? How good are the analog > electronics before the signal is digitized? What sampling rate and bit > depth has been used? Most importantly, does the person doing all this > have any conception of what the performers would have sounded like > when they made the recording? There are choices and decisions to be > made at every step of the way. There really is as much art as science > involved in this process, and one person's transfer result will > definitely not be the same as another person's result. We all know > examples where lots of time, energy, and fancy equipment have been > used, with all good intentions, to get a lousy result. I don't think > we can ever really throw out ANY high quality source material that > will persist, be it the masters, original pressings, whatever. > Although, yes, I will let you throw out all the digital lossy format > copies! And while you are at it, any 8-track car tape releases too. > Regards -- Don Cox [log in to unmask]