I've played only one of my Marconi discs (Everybody Works But Father, by Lew Dockstader) - and found that is sounded very well, indeed. I also have 4 doubled-sided Marconi records of Spanish band music (issued in South America, I assume) and a few other titles which I don't recall.
I am sure that damage to the records would occur long before damage to the machine, which is probably why both Columbia and Victor "dumbed-down" their recording ranges before 1910. Heavily recorded electrical discs experienced the same ground-into-crud fate, in the 1920s. ----- Original Message ----- From: <agw1...@aol.com> To: <phono-l@oldcrank.org> Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2007 2:13 PM Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Marconi Velvet Tone discs In a message dated 7/4/2007 10:23:43 AM Pacific Daylight Time, steve_nor...@msn.com writes: > Do you play yours? I thought they were too fragile to play. How do you > keep them from slipping? I am now curious how these sound. > Hi All, Well, I'm not Robert but I play my Marconi Records. I merely play them on a modern lightweight tone arm electric 78 rpm phonograph. The sound can be simple awsome! I have also played a few Columbias from the same era that seem to blow away the Victors with depth and roundness on tone. However, something changed in Columbia's recording equipment and by the time the Blue Label records came out the sound quality in the lower range seems to have greatly diminished. My only assumption is that the strong notes in the lower register were causing damage to the reproducers used in the Columbia. The mica would finally start to disintigrate from the extra strong vibration and caused that squealing sound at certain tones and if the reproducer was too stiff the damage to the grooves would soon become apparant. Just my personal observations. Sincerely. Rick A. Jorgensen
