SEAWOLF97
09-29-2009, 02:33 PM
I was looking thru a pile of old LPs yesterday ...and picked up on a Mercury Living Presence album ....since I usually grab my vinyl selections and head for a couch to check them out , had plenty of comfortable time to read the back cover ....it told the story of being mastered on 35mm film and the superiority of that process , got home and looked it up ..sure enuff..:applaud:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Records
In 1955, Mercury began using 3 omni-directional microphones to make stereo recordings on 3-track tape. The technique was an expansion on the mono process—center was still paramount. Once the center, single microphone was set, the sides were set to provide the depth and width heard in the stereo recordings. The center mike still fed the mono LP releases, which accompanied stereo LPs into the 1960s. In 1961, Mercury enhanced the three-microphone stereo technique by using 35 mm magnetic film instead of half-inch tape for recording. The greater emulsion thickness, track width and speed (90 feet per min or 18 ips) of 35 mm magnetic film increased prevention of tape layer print-through (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Print-through) and pre-echo and gained in addition extended frequency range and transient response. The Mercury 'Living Presence' stereo records were mastered directly from the 3-track tapes or films, with a 3-2 mix occurring in the mastering room. The same technique—and restored vintage equipment of the same type—was used during the CD reissues.
and that lead me to read up on Wilma Cozart Fine ....brought up in Steve Schell's thread on her recent death...interesting stuff.
http://www.soundfountain.com/amb/mercury.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Records
In 1955, Mercury began using 3 omni-directional microphones to make stereo recordings on 3-track tape. The technique was an expansion on the mono process—center was still paramount. Once the center, single microphone was set, the sides were set to provide the depth and width heard in the stereo recordings. The center mike still fed the mono LP releases, which accompanied stereo LPs into the 1960s. In 1961, Mercury enhanced the three-microphone stereo technique by using 35 mm magnetic film instead of half-inch tape for recording. The greater emulsion thickness, track width and speed (90 feet per min or 18 ips) of 35 mm magnetic film increased prevention of tape layer print-through (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Print-through) and pre-echo and gained in addition extended frequency range and transient response. The Mercury 'Living Presence' stereo records were mastered directly from the 3-track tapes or films, with a 3-2 mix occurring in the mastering room. The same technique—and restored vintage equipment of the same type—was used during the CD reissues.
and that lead me to read up on Wilma Cozart Fine ....brought up in Steve Schell's thread on her recent death...interesting stuff.
http://www.soundfountain.com/amb/mercury.html