Edison Cylinder vs. 78 rpm record - Edison Opera and Victor XVI L-door - Moonlight Bay

[@paulnicholson1906]

Very nice phonographs. I have a 1908 2/4 minute Edison and a Victor tabletop machine with the horn that is underneath. I think the Indestructible 2 minute records have the best sound. There is a big difference in the Edison blue amberols made by dubbing vs direct recorded as somebody says below. Personally I like the Opera sound the best.

[@theodorenovak3363]

The Edison cylinder record wins hands down. The definition of sound is so much sharper and clearer

[@neilmansfield8329]

We must preserve these beautiful players

[@filmguy600]

I love that song this is one of my favorite videos on KZbin

[@unclejosh4935]

There is no question - sonically, Edison Blue Amberols that pre-date Dec. 1914 that were directly recorded were the absolute "state-of-the-art" in 1912. The Edison Blue Amberol heard here [1848] was actually a early re-issue of Wax Amberol 962, recorded April 1912. Post Dec. 1914 cylinders were mainly dubbings taken from Edison discs and sonically they do not compare to the earlier - direct-to-cylinder recordings. Regarding sound comparison: direct vertical cut cylinders have more presence, more balance, - and the Blue Amberols could play for a bit over 4 minutes while a 10" Victor could not - - the result being the possibility of more verses. The Blue Amberol also is able to utilize different dynamic levels not as effective on pre-electric Victor lateral-cut acoustical discs. It is hard to directly compare sound as the Edison has a wooden Music Master goose-neck style horn while the Victor XVI has an enclosed horn - with a different shape/configuration. A interesting comparison would be to have the Victor XVI taped using a stationary microphone, transferring at some point in the music seamlessly into the Edison Blue Amberol version then edited as necessary to have a smooth seamless transition. This has been previously done. At the Library of Congress back in the mid 1980s, an experiment was done using five different versions of the Stars and Stripes forever - all played by Sousa's Band. The discs - All Victor and it's immediate related predecessor, Berliner, were originally recorded on the following dates: Berliner: April 7, 1898 (Berliner); Victor discs recorded April 1901, April 1904, Oct. 1908, and May 1926, recorded electrically on 20132. Even with all discs being lateral cut, the audio differences were quite noticeable - - obviously with the electrically recorded version standing well above the pre-1925 acoustic versions. Uncle Josh

[@timtoolmantaylor3245]

George Kipper hey! Yeah this was just for fun. I feel like I remember this name, do you frequent the TMF?

[@mitchellduhon1209]

Awesome comparison! First!!

[@GusadelsonPlaysRoblox]

1:40

[@newambassador376]

Do you have to change the needles on a Edison cylinder phonograph

[@timtoolmantaylor3245]

No you don’t! The stylus is permanent. However, over the course of 100 years, they can get worn, in which case they can be rotated to a fresh side, but it is not necessary.

[@davidlogansr8007]

It's close,!! But Edison is better. Victor has a mild bit of hollow, sung in a tunnel kind of thing.

[@mewhor]

I’ve wanted to do this for years thanks for posting. Tonal quality definitely better on the Opera Grand. Be interesting if this same recording were available on a Diamond Disc and Pathe

[@narendrashah3789]

Are you SELL IT .I WANT PURCHASE

[@timtoolmantaylor3245]

Which one? Lol

[@billybrooklyn]

Well clearly the disc sounds better but it would’ve sounded even more satisfying if you had closed the lid and given us the true experience of listening to the XVI as it was intended to be played. With the lid down all the extraneous surface noise… well most of it… is eliminated. We don’t have that luxury with outside horn machines. That’s why I very seldom listen to cylinder players because they just aren’t as enjoyable to my ear. Neat experiment!

[@timtoolmantaylor3245]

Yeah I’m sure, it was more for demonstrative purposes I guess lol

[@neilmansfield8329]

I think the record player is the best because not is bigger and better

[@steamerbv]

The Edison sounded like it had more motor flutter and it ran a bit slow and sound was so soft, fading nearer the end. Good base but dropping speed and loudness was a real turn off. Love the VV- XV!

[@GusadelsonPlaysRoblox]

6:53