[SPAM] Re: [Phono-L] Young collectors
Greg Bogantz
gbogantz1 at charter.net
Sat Jun 27 12:43:44 PDT 2009
An interesting thing about dynamic volume expanders/compressors for readers
of this antique phonograph forum is that they date back to the early 1930s.
dbx didn't invent them by any means. The earliest appearance of this
circuit in consumer products was in models by E.H. Scott in the Allwave 23
(a massive 23-tube radio divided into two or more chrome-plated chassis -
the volume expander was yet a separate chassis sold as an option), and the
RCA R-99 record player and D-22 radio/phonograph, both of which included the
volume expander as standard equipment. These models appeared about 1935.
Professional compressor circuits were being used a little earlier, mostly to
compress the signals for AM radio broadcasting (FM wasn't available yet).
These circuits really weren't technologically feasable until the invention
of the pentagrid tube (it had FIVE grids!) which was originally designed for
the purpose of providing the oscillator and mixer functions in a single tube
in superheterodyne radio circuits. But the extra grids allowed this tube to
be used as a DC-controlled transconductance amplifier - the variable gain
element necessary to accomplish dynamic volume control. Pentagrid tubes
were used for this purpose for many years until the development of solid
state technologies that could do the same thing. Curiously, though, the
most popular DC-controlled amplifiers used in recording studios then and
even NOW are a simpler technology employing light-dependent resistor (LDR)
elements. Even though this technology is 50 years old, modern recording
engineers still prefer the sound of LDR compressors over the more modern
circuits.
Greg Bogantz
----- Original Message -----
From: <Zonophone2006 at aol.com>
To: <phono-l at oldcrank.org>
Sent: Saturday, June 27, 2009 5:46 AM
Subject: Re: [SPAM] Re: [Phono-L] Young collectors
> does anyone remember the expanders of dbx fame
> i have and had used a lot of them back in the 70's for expanding and
> constricting the music
>
>
>
> In a message dated 6/26/2009 11:47:39 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> phonographs at charter.net writes:
>
> I used to work at a hi-fi stereo shop in Madison, WI about 2 years ago
> and
> found that many young people were into turntables and vinyl. They tended
> to
> be high school and college age students. The biggest reason why they
> liked
> vinyl was because it was cheap. They could buy used records at used
> record/CD stores and at garage sales for 99 cents or less, while the
> average
> used priced CD for popular music was $8.99.
>
> Even though these vinyl enthusiasts understood records and were familiar
> with them, they had little to no knowledge of 78s or cylinder records.
> When
> I would share this technology with them, they thought it was the coolest
> thing.
>
> Records have been making a comeback now for several years and new vinyl
> is
> being produced, although expensive at nearly $30 or more for an album.
> Just
> a few years ago there were high-resolution formats of digital music
> called
> SACD and DVD Audio. These formats were near record quality, but never
> really caught on as they needed special players to play these discs.
> Records actually began to overtake these formats and within a few years
> SACD
> and DVD-Audio was dead.
>
> When CDs came out around 1983-84, it was thought they would be record
> killers and records would go the way of the cassette tape. While there
> was
> a huge decline in record and turntable sales, the market never died. It
> faded away for a few years, but is coming back. There are many young
> people
> who appreciate the quality of high-end turntables and stereo systems to
> give
> these records the respect they deserve. A good stereo system will make
> records sound better than a CD. Records have an ambiance that CDs lack
> and
> can produce a 3D audio effect, while CDs have a monodimensional sound.
>
> Online music, including MP3, MP4, WMAs, etc have become very popular in
> recent years by people of all ages. It is a matter of convenience.
> Convenience always wins over quality. Take disc records to cylinders for
> example. Discs were more compact and soon provided two songs on one
> disc,
> even though they didn't sound quite as good as cylinders at the turn of
> the
> century. Online music also allows you to buy only the songs you want,
> eliminating the waste of a full album and is more cost effective. This
> is
> proving to be the demise of the CD. Many stores have reduced the space
> used
> to carry the once mighty CD. Perhaps the CD will one day go away as
> well.
> This awaits to be seen.
>
> Many of the younger people who are a product of the iPOD generation may
> not
> have heard records and probably have never heard a good sounding stereo
> system. That is a shame because it is an experience to behold. All we
> can
> do is educate and share this information with these younger generations
> in
> order to keep the analog recording alive and well.
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: phono-l-bounces at oldcrank.org
> [mailto:phono-l-bounces at oldcrank.org]On Behalf Of Robert Wright
> Sent: Friday, June 26, 2009 4:31 PM
> To: Antique Phonograph List
> Subject: [SPAM] Re: [Phono-L] Young collectors
>
>
> But because DJ'ing is 'cool', some of that mentality rubs off on (young)
> consumers. We have a more phono-conscious youth culture now than in the
> last 20 years because of it. Meanwhile, analog (vinyl, strictly
> speaking)
> has been strengthening its foothold in the audiophile market (and
> publications) VERY solidly since '97 or so, and there are more record
> labels
> (both large-scale that release on vinyl AND indie labels dedicated
> strictly
> to audiophile pressings) today than ever. Someone else on the list said
> it
> already -- it comes and goes in cycles, as it always has -- remember the
> pre-war blues 78 market back when Gayle Dean Wardlow risked his life
> canvassing for them in the 60's?
>
> The truth is, we only know the state of things as we can see them, and
> none
> of us ever really has an accurate idea of the overall picture
> (thankfully).
>
> Best to all,
> Robert
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John Maeder" <appywander at hotmail.com>
> To: "Antique Phonograph List" <phono-l at oldcrank.org>
> Sent: Friday, June 26, 2009 3:30 PM
> Subject: RE: [Phono-L] Young collectors
>
>
>
> Yes, that was my line of thinking exactly what with club DJs scratching,
> etc., when I planned my talk. I think, perhaps, that club DJ's are the
> primary consumer of vinyl and 'civilians' simply aren't exposed to it in
> a
> hands-on home environment anymore. Having said that, I recently read
> that
> vinyl record production is at its highest level in a couple of decades
> right
> now, although still just a very small fraction of unit sales. I guess
> just
> music 'geeks' buy vinyl nowadays? Even CDs and DVDs are in sales decline
> now because of MP3 and MP4.
>
> John M
>
>> From: jay.horenstein at gmail.com
>> To: phono-l at oldcrank.org
>> Subject: RE: [Phono-L] Young collectors
>> Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:18:34 -0700
>>
>> Vinyl isn't a thing of the past. It's still used in clubs. Turntables
> are
>> used as instruments in Rap, Hip Hop, R&B. Classes on how to use them
>> as instruments are given to aspiring DJ's. Stereos are still sold in
>> almost
>> every large store, and new artists are still recording on vinyl. It's
>> my
>> guess that the young people ignorant of the record player, download all
>> their music from the internet, and are probably just as clueless to the
>> CD.
>
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