The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

The subject line of the thread reads, "loudest and clearest acoustic".

Maybe it should have read, loudest and clearest and most accurately reproduced acoustic.

I like loudly, clearly, accurately reproduced acoustic records. They best demonstrate the true possiblities the technology could deliver at the time. I've yet to have one run me out of my living room.

Lucius1958 wrote: ... I did use a loud needle on this one ...

I also have "The Swiss Shepherd" on Victor, and it's effectively loud. I'm a "newbie" for these arguments; do you think that playing that record with a LOUD or a MIDDLE tone steel needle can damage my Exhibition Sound Box?

Thank you.

Hands down, a batwing copy of Victor 87194, Titta Ruffo selection from Verdi's Nabucco "Tremin gl'insani" recorded 1914. I played it in my mostly empty (new house) living room with hardwood flooring which makes it resonant and bright on a Victor III with large brass belled horn , steel needle.
My ears were ringing with that stentorian high baritone sound , I had to put my hands over my ears to protect them. I mean it was LOUD.
The other hugely loud records seem to be whistlers and I have one ocarina acoustic disc on Victor that could be heard in the next state with a steel needle.

"Black and white rag", a Vulcan cylinder, is LOUD (very loud) on a Columbia BQ.

Many of the brass band recordings of Beka origin which appear on the orange label foreign series Odeon discs are outstandingly loud and clear, most particularly the "Bayrische Blaskapelle" sort of items listed with titles in several languages under the heading "Polyglot - Band". Most of these recordings appear to have been recorded in Prague by Herman's Band. European issues are often found on the "Starkton" label. These "Starkton" records are exceedingly loud and clear, as their branding might suggest.

In my opinion, the simpler the instrumentation the better the acoustics sound.
I play them on my Victor IV with the larger (11 panel) metal horn and Victrola #4 soundbox.