Author: chris

Categories
Microphones

Beyerdynamic Microphones Headphones ETC: Complete 1974 Catalog

download a scan of the entire 24pp 1974 Beyerdynamic catalog:

DL: Beyerdynamic_1974

Products covered, with text, specs, and photos, include ribbon microphones M160n, M260n, M500c; moving coil mics m 55 LM, M 550 LM, M550, M 101 N, M 111 N, M 67 N, M 69 N, M 88 N, M 201 N, M 81 LM, M 818 LM, Soundstar X1 N, X1 HL, M 810 N, M 57, M 64 SH, M 410 N, M 411 N, M 412 N; a full line of accessories including stands, clips, bases, transformers, and windscreens.

Headphones covered include DT 100, DT 100 RR, DT 900, Sound Juwel DT 480 DT 100 V Induction headphones, DT 204, DT 48, DT 96A, DT 98, DT 109, DT 49, DT 109V, DT 302, DT 301, 302, 303; and various headphone accessories.  Wireless mic systems TS 73, TS 83, SM 84, NE 75, NE 84, TE 20 are also covered.

We have a pair of older M 260 ribbons at Gold Coast Recorders and they hand above the drum kit at all times. I love them, and I’ve never wanted for other overheads.  Even recording to analog they sound wonderful.  We also have three of these M69 dynamics, and while I can’t say they are any better at anything than an sm58 or sm57, they certainly aren’t bad mics.

Beyer M 201s have always intrigued me but I’ve never come across a ‘deal’ and $300 new seems a bit rich.  Anyone?

I am a big believer in Beyerdynamic headphones.  Their DT 770 M is a miracle product, esp. for tracking rap vocals when the vocalist is not very loud and they like the track loud in their cans.  Highly recommended for any situation where bleed is an issue.

Categories
Publications Recording Techniques

January 1946: The Broadcast Engineer as a Field of Endeavor

Download an 8-page scan from RADIO NEWS, January 1946, on the subject of ‘the modern broadcast engineer’:

DOWNLOAD: Radio_News_Jan_1946_From_Studio_To_Master_Control

It is January 1946.  The war is over.  Millions of young men and women in the United States are seeking peacetime employment.  Massive global R+D efforts undertaken during the war have made available incredible amounts of new technologies, surplus materials, and personnel trained in communications work.  I’m not exactly sure what the point of this article is, but it seems to be a call-to-action for young ppl to enter the field of broadcast engineering work, or at least define it as a career option.  DL and check it out.  Below: some highlights.

 

Categories
Connecticut Audio History

Columbia Records, Bridgeport CT 1922: ephemera items

According to Wikipedia, Columbia Records’ manufacturing operations were based in Bridgeport CT starting sometime between 1912 and 1923 and continuing until 1964.  I’ve been in Bridgeport for the better part of the past 13 years, constantly digging for audio-archival relics, and this small lot is the first batch of 1920s Columbia materials that I have ever come across.  Columbia material holds extra interest for me as I spent roughly a decade working for Sony Music (modern parent of Columbia Records) at their Manhattan Headquarters.

The Bridgeport Columbia plant still stands, now condos; little other reminders are present of this important part of Bridgeport’s industrial history.

If you, or a family member, worked at the Bridgeport Columbia plant, please drop us a line.  Chris@PreservationSound.com

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For earlier ‘Columbia Bridgeport’ coverage on Preservation Sound, click here and here

 

Categories
Microphones Pro Audio Archive Technical Uncategorized

“Microphones And Their Placement” from ‘The Aerovox Research Worker’ 1958

download a 6pp article on “Microphones And Their Placement” as published by the Aerovox Capacitor Corporation, 1958:
DOWNLOAD: Microphones and their placement
Written by Arthur Davis, Phillip Erhorn, and their team at Aerovox, the article offers an interesting historical perspective on microphone technique in the 1950s.

(image source)

If you’ve spent much time creeping around inside old electronic equipment, you have undoubtedly seen numerous examples of the capacitor shown above.  I really don’t have a super-strong sense of ‘how good’ Aerovox caps were as compared to their contemporaries, IE., how often they tend to need replacement, ETC,, but IIRC they tend to be more reliable than most 50’s foil caps.

“The Aerovox Research Worker” was a sort of ‘branded content’ marketing item that the company published from at least 1949 through 1958.  I recently picked up a large pile of these publications, and most focus on RF and TV applications.  This was the only one I could find that was audio-focused.  Enjoy. CR

Categories
Radio Shows

WPKN 89.5FM Preservation Sound Radio Show 101217 ::: Tracklist

Hey yall,,, here’s the tracklist for the 10.11.17 show.  This one is a bit eclectic cos the theme was “new acquisitions” IE new old junk so it’s a bit more varied than most shows.  also one nu thing hiding in there…  all vinyl as usual

You can stream the show at this link until October 26 2017.

  1. Odetta “Hit Or Miss”
  2. Flamin Groovies “She’s Falling Apart”
  3. Minnie Ripperton “Le Fleur”
  4. Anthem “Florida”
  5. Dr John “Familiar Reality”
  6. Funkadelic “I Got a Thing….” BREAK
  7.  Baby Huey “Runnin”
  8. Automatic Man “one and one”
  9. Lizzie Mercier Descloux “long voodoo ago”
  10. Siouxsie and the banshees “hong kong garden”
  11. Finacon “toto di tochetek”
  12. Colin Newman “Fish #5” BREAK
  13. Yello “Night Flanger”
  14. Gang of Four “To hell with poverty”
  15. Funkadelic “standing on the verge of getting it on”
  16. Arthur Verocai “Caboclo”
  17. Justen O Brien and Jake “Alone BREAK
  18. Michael Angelo “flight of pegasus”
  19. Lost and Found “There would be no doubt”
  20. Ariel Pink and Natalie Merring “Tears on Fire”
  21. Plain Jane “Not the same”
  22. Illinois speed press “Free Ride” BREAK
  23. Earth Opera “home to you”
  24. David Ackles “Down River”
  25. Coulson, Dean, McGuiness, Flint “The Death of Emmet Till”
  26. Francoise Hardy “Hallucigene”
  27. Dominique Guiot “The Two Fish”
  28. Louise Huebner “Orgies”
  29. Magical Power Mako “Sound, Mother Earth”
  30. Brian Eno “Shadow” BREAK
  31. Norma Tangea “You’re Dead”
  32. Sir Lord Baltimore “the man from manhattan”
  33. Plan 9 “Frustration” BREAK
  34. Truk “Sun Castle Magic”
Categories
Connecticut Audio History Pro Audio Archive RCA

Content! We got fresh content! 1940 RCA Sound System Proposal: Complete Documentation

Man how long has it been since i’ve posted some actual historical archival material? Months? Years? The problem is not a lack of new documents; quite the opposite.  I’ve amassed, and continue to horde, so much of this stuff that its totally fkkn overwhelming.  I need like an intern or seven to even have a chance of getting thru all this stuff before leave this earth.  So yeah instead i’ve been on Instagram instead.  It’s so much faster and easier and WTF even is a blog anyway?

DOWNLOAD A COMPLETE 13pp 1940 RCA SOUND SYSTEM PROPOSAL:  1940_RCA_PA_Proposal

Somethings, tho, are just too weird and interesting to ignore.  I found this jacketed proposal package for a 1940 church PA system.  Just the sort of audio historical flotsam that probably no one else ever bothered to preserve.  I can’t stand to see this stuff lost.  So here ya go.  If you ever wondered what those gigantic RCA amps and weird 77 variants cost new, who bought em, and how much those UrSoundBros got paid to install it… ANSWERS WITHIN.  enjoy. CR

Categories
Radio Shows

BUM TRIP ’73: Preservation Sound Radio: Wed July 19 8PM EST: WPKN 89.5 FM

THE DREAM WAS DEAD. IDEALS EXTINGUISHED. ALL THAT REMAINED WERE CHEAP THRILLS ON A ONE-WAY JOY RIDE

TOMORROW NIGHT:  WED JULY 18: A very special three-hour movie event

Tune in 8PM EST at 89.5 WPKN FM in the NYC metro area, and worldwide at WPKN.ORG

DO NOT MISS

THERE IS NO GOING BACK

Categories
Uncategorized

Gately IPM-8 Schematics

Years ago I bought the super-sweet Gately mixer system pictured above; it has long been sold-on (to a studio in TX IIRC) but wow really great kit. All UTC transformers, all discrete, modular, ETC.

You can learn more about Gately at these two earlier articles:

Gately Gear Overview

The system that I acquired and restored

Anyhow, reader M.Nathan has been so kind to scan some schematics of some of their later Series 8 kit.  Nathan: “Here are three pics of the imp8 series 8 input module schematics.  This section has the mic pre which, in isolation, is a pretty simple little thing.”

 

 

 

Categories
Radio Shows Uncategorized

Preservation Sound Radio: May 10 2017: setlist and link to listen

(this show was broadcast live on WPKN FM 89.5 on May 10, but you can listen to it at this archive link -click here)

Class Info “Out of Line” from The Minimal Wave Tapes, Vol. Two

Gary Numan “Me! I Disconnect from You” from Living Ornaments ‘79

Falco “auf der fluct” from auf der fluct

Polyrock “Romantic Me” from Polyrock

Nico and the Faction “My Heart is Empty” from Camera Obscura

Kate Bush “cloud busting” from cloud busting

Fleetwood Mac “Seven Wonders (Remastered)” from Tango In the Night (Remastered)

Au Pairs “Don’t Lie Back” from Sense and Sensuality

Sheila E. “The Glamorous Life” from The Glamorous Life

Orange Juice “Mud in Your Eye” from Coals to Newcastle

Allez Allez “Wrap Your Legs (Around Your Head)” from Allez Allez: Best of

The Style Council “All Gone Away” from Our Favourite Shop

Billy Ocean “African Queen” from African Queen – Single

The Human League “seconds” from Dare

Cameo “Word Up (Original 12″ Club Mix)” from Funk Essentials – The 12″ Collection and More: Cameo

Mechanical Servants “Problem What Problem” from Problem What Problem/Protecting – Single

Momus “The Hairstyle of the Devil” from single

New Order “Blue Monday (12″ Version)” from single

Martin Dupont “just because” from Lost and Late…

The Psychedelic Furs “Yes I Do (Merry-Go-Round)” from Forever Now

David Bowie “Cat People (Putting Out Fire)” from Let’s Dance – Single

Jane Birkin “Baby Alone In Babylone” from Birkin / Gainsbourg : Le symphonique

World Party “Ship of Fools” from Private Revolution

Crowded House “Don’t dream it’s over” from Crowded House

Corey Hart “Never Surrender” from Corey Hart: The Singles

Yaz “iN MY ROOM” from Upstairs at Eric’s

Warp 9 “Light Years Away (Original)” from single

Depeche Mode “Stripped” from Black Celebration

Simple Minds “Book of Brilliant Things” from Sparkle in the Rain

The Sugarcubes “birthday” from Life’s Too Good

Public Image Ltd. “Rise” from Album

Squeeze “Take Me I’m Yours” from Squeeze

Mazarati “stroke” from single

Neil Young “Mr. Soul” from Trans

Material “Busting Out (feat. Nona Hendryx, Fred Maher, Bill Laswell, Michael Beinhorn)” from One Down

Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark “Telegraph (2008 Remaster)” from Dazzle Ships

Tina Turner “better be good to me” from single

Missing Persons “Rock and Roll Suspension” from Spring Session M

Sharon “let the music play” from let the music play

Shannon “Let the Music Play” from Let the Music Play

Tears for Fears “Shout” from Songs From the Big Chair (Deluxe)

 

Categories
Uncategorized

Support Independent Free Form Radio! WPKN 89.5 FM needs a new transmitter – you can help

Hey y’all – if you’ve been reading this site for a while, you will know that I DJ regularly on WPKM FM 89.5 here in Bridgeport.  WPKN is a listener-supported 10,000-watt FM station which has been here, totally non-commercial and free-form since 1963.  It’s an incredible thing in this day and age.  All of the DJs (myself included) are volunteers, as are 99% of the staff.  Now, you know how much I love old janky sound equipment.  But sometimes, new really is better, and we need a new transmitter to blast our weirdo music thru another half-century.  Here’s how you can help.  And yes WPKN is a legit non-profit corp so your donation is tax-deductible.

Click here to read more, and to donate.  Thank you for listening!