"Acoustically Recorded 78 rpm Discs Are Back"

[OrthoFan]

I stumbled upon this today --

https://syncopatedtimes.com/acousticall ... -comeback/

-- which proves that everything old is new again. As for the results.....

OrthoFan

[Inigo]

Wow, very nice!

[Wolfe]

Sounds better that I'd expect cutting with a Victrola reproducer, if it's using a mica diaphragm and not glass.

[Curt A]

"Some of These Days"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rFdfvTiiJ4&t=2s

"Spoonful"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr7wmq686VM&t=3s

"Cubanola Glide"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhYuE1WQkCg&t=2s

"Jig Walk"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxe7wtB4Vm0

"Midnight, The Stars And You"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXErCfrpYaw

Semper Phonograph Company
https://www.youtube.com/user/SemperPhonographCo

[Inigo]

Indeed sounds good... But there's a swoosh sound, don't know if it comes from the record pressed, or from the original recording...

[tim w]

That’s cool !! He really made it work. If anyone is interested, check out the Lathe Trolls forum. That will give you an idea of what factors, and what problems you encounter when cutting a successful disk. It makes you appreciate what the original engineers were able to accomplish.

[Wolfe]

Indeed sounds good... But there's a swoosh sound, don't know if it comes from the record pressed, or from the original recording...

They're playing the record with an Audio-Technica cartridge with what looks like it's "LP" stylus. I think it's the 3600L cartridge with it's white grip stylus.

Makes me wonder what size groove they're cutting. One presumes it has to be a "78" groove if they're using a Victrola reproducer as a cutter. If they are playing the thing back with an LP stylus, it could cause a swish.

[Inigo]

And what needle did they use for cutting?
This reminds me of my early days collecting 78s. I also tried to do some home recording. I used thin pvc sheets, the kind is sold in stationery as dividers for ring folders, which comes in bright colors yellow, red and blue. I cut the disks using a big horn, a viva tonal no15 Columbia reproducer and standard steel needles.
I only could record very loud shouting and the like. The groves were very shallow and the sound is faint. But I had a great time doing that. I even made an electrical cutter and recorded from cassette tapes. The groove was so sinuous that the playback was impossible! Haha! And the sound was almost nothing but the thumping of the bass in the music... Haha!
My electrical head was a simple small loudspeaker with a needlebar arrangement, made out of a hair clip. Just imagine! But that silly thing recorded on the pvc sheets!
I posted herein a photo, don't remember where, of the album of records I made...

[tim w]

They usually emboss this type of plastic. Any kind of unevenness would contribute to swishing. I was experimenting with cutting on a Presto k-8 for awhile until it stopped working. I tried a number of materials including some discs I made out of wax.

[gunnarthefeisty]

Did anything ever come of this? All the recordings sound really great.