The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I'm not sure if some blue amberol cylinders are louder than others, but I have some that are very quiet and others that are unpleasantly loud. One cylinder I have that is very loud is "When You and I Were Young Maggie", and it is super loud. I'm not sure if it's just Will Oakland being Will Oakland or the cylinder. thanks

You may have some dubbed ones. Blue Amberol records were not all direct recordings, as after July 1914 they were dubbed from masters on Diamond Disc.

Acoustic dubs are somewhat quieter at least in my experience.

https://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/hist ... mberol.php

I find that the earlier Blue Amberols that were originally issued as wax Amberols between 1908 and 1912 tend to be louder and more strident. I believe after 1912, the Edison recording process damped the stridentness.

You will find the last of the direct recordings from 1913 thru 1914 sound smoother and bright without being strident. And perhaps a little quieter overall.

There certainly are considerable variations in volume.
In my collection the quietest is 1501 "Semiramide Overture" by the American Standard Orchestra, and among the loudest are 2174 "King Karl March" by the New York Military Band and 28149 "Voci di Primavera" sung by Melitta Heim.