Technical description
No filtering is used in our transfers
When listening to transfers available on CD today,
we can't imagine the quality and wealth of sound hidden in the grooves
of the original 78 rpm records. When using filters to eliminate surface
noise inherent to the wax-engraving method of these recordings,
harmonics and dynamic nuances have unfortunately been lost. The
harmonics of the instruments and the high frequencies which define the
acoustics of the recording location are situated exactly in that same
register. The presence and the warmth of the interpretation are
destroyed in the process.
Therefore NO FILTERING is used in our transfers: when all these frequencies are preserved, the results bring out incredible musicality and presence, a true feeling of live performance. The instrumental and interpretative genius of the greatest musicians of the past is finally revealed.
The essential parameters of a 78 rpm record playback differ significantly from those of an LP: these include setting the exact rotation speed, choosing the appropriate stylus, finding the ideal equalization curve and re-centering the hole of each side of a disc for absolute stability of pitch.
Features of the transfers
- Restoration
Once the sound is extracted, we remove some of the most audible scratches and clicks one by one manually instead of using automatic de-clicking and de-crackling softwares, that tend to alter the sound.
- Exact speed
Early recordings were produced in a variety of speeds ranging from 70 to over 80 rpm. One needs to find the correct speed for each side of a record to obtain the exact pitch of instruments or voices.
- Disc re-centering
78 rpm discs are rarely perfectly centered, affecting pitch stability. Re-centering a disc is a highly subtle and difficult task but it corrects any pitch wobble.
- Needles (styli)
For an optimal reading of the groove, we need to choose between a variety of needles specially designed for 78 rpm records. The ideal stylus has to be determined for each side of a disc according to the label and the condition of the copy used.
- Cleaning
Each side of the record is cleaned with a professional machine using a specific liquid solution and a vacuuming brush to remove any dust or dirt accumulated in the grooves.
- Equalization curves
As RIAA equalization curve was only standardized in the fifties, each company was using their own recording parameters (Turnover and Rolloff) in the era of the 78s. It is therefore essential to find the equalization curve, characteristic of each label, that best suits the recorded music.