The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

A fun 1921 acoustic record with an irresistible name!

(Double-click the video above or click this link to watch the video on YouTube in HD.)

https://youtu.be/MCiujQxwX8g

Oh the perils of trying to de-crackle Columbia pressings of that period.

Fun tune ! Thanks for the upload.

Wolfe wrote:Oh the perils of trying to de-crackle Columbia pressings of that period.

Fun tune ! Thanks for the upload.

Yes, it is a challenge indeed. No matter how clean the Columbia record appears, and no matter how clean you get a record, they still play with quite a lot of crackle. This record was in good shape and is not worn out. So at least there were no distortions to deal with. It went fairly well and I used a few tricks I have learned to get a pretty clean sound from it. There is still noise if you play the transfer loudly, but I think it turned out pretty well.

melvind wrote:

Wolfe wrote:Oh the perils of trying to de-crackle Columbia pressings of that period.

Fun tune ! Thanks for the upload.

Yes, it is a challenge indeed. No matter how clean the Columbia record appears, and no matter how clean you get a record, they still play with quite a lot of crackle. This record was in good shape and is not worn out. So at least there were no distortions to deal with. It went fairly well and I used a few tricks I have learned to get a pretty clean sound from it. There is still noise if you play the transfer loudly, but I think it turned out pretty well.

Please tell of the tricks you use?

Steve

stetam wrote:
Please tell of the tricks you use?

Steve

It is hard to explain in a post and it will be kind of boring. But, basically I use two tools. Audacity to initially capture the record and set equalizations. I use ClickRepair for removing clicks and crackle. I find ClickRepair works better and is easier to mess with than the Click repair tool built into Audacity.

Here are the steps I use for most records. A really bad record requires experimentation, but this is my approach.

1) I record the record with Audacity.
2) Before saving the file I apply a Low-Pass filter for low noise followed by the following Equalizations:
a) Invert RIAA (I use the USB output from my turntable which outputs RIAA equalization for modern records and it needs to be removed from pre 1950 records)
b) Apply the American 78 equalization
c) Apply Bass Boost equalization
d) Apply Treble Boost equalization
3) I check Amplify to see if the volume needs to be boosted (it usually does, but not always)
4) I export the file to a WAV 96000/24 file (I never use MP3, it loses too much. An MP3 can be exported later when everything has been processed, but I hate Mp3)
5) Open ClickRepair and run the WAV file through it.
6) Open the WAV file again in Audacity
7) I always record a couple of seconds of leading grooves at the beginning. I use them for Noise Reduction.
a) Select the crackley quiet first few seconds and use Noise Reduction to capture the noise
b) Use Noise Reduction on the entire file which will apply the captured noise.
c) Check Amplify once more to see if it needs to be boosted.
8) Save the file and you are done.


All of this requires lots of trial and error to get the setting as you like them. It took me quite awhile to understand what I was doing and how to adjust. Some really bad records just simply never sound that great. But, a clean 78 can come out really well. Also, my process is likely different from everyone else that does this. We all figure out how to do the task and follow our own ways. There is no one clear answer.

If you can ever put up a clean recording of "Where Can I Meet You To-Night," Henry Burr & Ada Jones, that would be amazing. They did such a nice job on that song and it's almost faded away from us due to the Columbia records and their poor surfaces. The 1915 Sam Ash record of "My Lady of the Telephone" is another charming old song that is nearly gone...

"Dapper Dan" is good fun and I'm glad you put up a nice transfer! I have a copy on Brunswick...but that's a whole different performance. Glad to see a good song getting some credit!

Throw in Herbert Stuart's record of When The Lusitania Went Down too. If it's not too much trouble.

Great sound and great pictures. Interesting to see the "Exclusive Artist" label which UK Columbia never used. Thanks for sharing.