78 opera record restoration

tis is a columbia 78 rpm record from 1900 it is as you can see an xl record of madam butterfly singing it is alice nielsen-one night i did this on my new imac.

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• 78
• record
• opera
• victrola
• phonagraph

[4925pine]

The composer/artist did not write the noises you love into his compositions.  You simply have poor taste in audio sound quality.

[VinylToVideo]

This aria is called "Un bel di vedremo." I have a couple of those real old Columbia "Ribbon" records (even posted 2 Barbara Maurel videos) and the sound is very good. Those were apparently some of the best records that could be bought in those days.

[beautman1]

@hammondmania Discographies list as second half of 1910

[hammondmania]

I think this disk would date to around 1908 or so - clues: check the banner on the label for the exposition dates, and also Madame Butterfly wasn't premiered until 1904. Nice performance!

[ORTIZ304]

many thanks

[TheJECAT]

I use W.D. 40 on the record if I am going to copy it.

[1926VictorCredenza]

Are you using a stylus made for 78rpm groove spacing?

[esroberto1]

blackpool, the Columbia Viva-Tonals weren't surfaced with shellac. They were a combo of plaster and shellac for the core, covered with onionskin paper, with a thin layer of celluloid on the outside (like Amberol cylinders), giving a much smoother and quieter surface with a more durable core. That's why we (thankfully) have so many of them left today.

[roskruge]

Keep up the good work. also a a Mac lover. Thanks

[blackpoolbarmpot]

I use the 'Magix Audio Cleaning Lab 12 Deluxe' system for removing unwanted noise and adding tonal quality to my fairly large "78's" collection, before transfering them to 'CD'

If this is done with great care, the results can be quite impressive.

Please note:- I have no financial or other interests in 'Magix' Company and believe there are other equally good products that do the same job as mentioned, on the market.

[blackpoolbarmpot]

About processing.... Well I look at it this way, it wasn't recorded with 'crackles & plops' these are purely generated from impurities in the shellac. Some of the 'budget' labels were particularly bad in this respect. Black labelled Columbia records had very refined high quality shellac surfaces and, when new, were all most silent (they were also laminated). So I think any system that can reduce unwanted noise with little or no effect to the actual recording, must be a very positive step forward