Long before magnetic tape, magnetic wire recorders were a thing
Mr Carlson’s Lab – “Another great video. This voice on the wire is from someone probably long dead. Interesting and mysterious to think about. A ghost voice from somewhere in time.”
Voices are trapped in this wire, let’s hear what they have to say! Join me in this adventure as I resurrect and old Peirce Wire Recorder Model 55B from the 1940s, just so we can listen to what’s on that wire!
I had a Webster Chicago wire recorder when I was a teenager in the 1950s. I made a recording of Glen Gould playing Bach’s Kunst der Fuge and the tone quality was actually stunning. The recorder had been built into a big Zenith “HiFi” cabinet with AM/FM radio, 33/45/78 turntable and tweeters and a big woofer.
They say the audio quality og magwire was superior to magnetic tape. Apparently the inconvenience of the perilously fragile magwire (and the relative inability to fix or patch it, as tape can be spliced/taped together) caused the downfall making way for mag tape.
“The real assassin of JFK was……….” Thanks Paul, that was interesting.
LOL LOL Imagine the virality of THAT video.
According to the book “Church of Spies,” the Vatican used this type of recording device during WWII
A full restoration of this thing would be delightful to see! Also shows how well made things were back then…this thing still more or less works after 70, 80 years even with a lot of badly failing components in it. Modern devices last maybe 5-6 years at most and when just one eentsy weentsy little guy shits itself the whole device just dies.
Perhaps this is because the ‘offshoring’ and ‘opening of China’ etc was far more an internal act of sabotage, to gut the American Middle Class, weakening it to makeway for globalization into United Nations…like was done with the auto industry, and pretty much every industry…
“Its master’s voice”
You know what struck me instantly as most interesting — you know how when you listen to a recording of a recording, the sound quality is HIDEOUS. This listening to a recording of a recording thru a Carlson Ultra Probe then thru youtube compression digitization, and the soundquality was not half bad. Found you via the SOUND QUALITY ORG
Mr. Carlson, this is one of your most interesting videos. My husband’s dad began his radio career when he was 16 years old working at 1000 AM CKBW Bridgewater Nova Scotia, Bruce Rafuse worked his way up to general manager of then 580 AM CJFX in Antigonish Nova Scotia. During the early days of 1000 AM CKBW he worked with/used wire recorders. Half of his day was on air and in the production room and half was spent tending the all tube transmitter. In summer it was so hot at the transmitter that he was attired in a bathing suit. My husband’s dad passed away in February 1980. Your program has helped my husband Reverend Peter Rafuse feel very close to his dad today. Thankyou for this and for all the wonderous things you do! Mary Rafuse.
Just a small piece of advice: I was taught in the Air Force that touching tubes with bare hands can leave oils that create hot spots, potentially causing cracks. A simple fix is to wear cotton gloves or use a cotton handkerchief while handling them. Every tube you touch should be wiped clean—no solvents needed.
Indeed it’s very strange to hear a voice recording from so long ago. It’s ethereal and haunting. I’m looking forward to hearing it when the audio output stage is fixed. That glowing grid on the 6V6 makes me think that the output transformer may be cremated, but we shall see!
Similar aura but in an horror film — “SESSIONS 9”
