In the days before digital music, the primary medium for sound reproduction was vinyl records. Sure, there were some who preferred reel-to-reel tapes, but they were in the minority. The turntable was king, and it had to be properly set up. Any audiophile worth his (or her) salt owned at least one or two test records specifically designed for that task.
Over the years, I’ve collected a disproportionate number of such discs (it helped that I worked in record stores for much of my adult life, so I could obtain the ones I wanted at reasonable prices).
In the first part of this series (Issue 205), the focus was on test records issued by record labels themselves. In Part Two (Issue 206), albums from phono cartridge manufacturers were featured. Part Three (Issue 207) looked at records created by speaker companies. Part Four (Issue 208) included LPs from publications. Part Five (Issue 209) showcased a variety of sources, including some albums that weren’t even meant to be played! In this, the last installment, Paul McGowan’s PS Audio setup disc is featured, along with a few more unusual demo LPs.
Audiophile’s Guide – The Stereo (2020)
All biases aside, this is one beautifully produced package. The cover of the informative and entertaining 210-page book and the gatefold cover of the accompanying 180-gram pressing share an understated, classy graphic design.
The album contains no test tones, but it has a number of tracks designed to check channel orientation, phasing, room bass response, etc. Some of the tracks use spoken explanations of what to listen for. Most of the others feature musical performances intended to help the listener evaluate parameters such as image depth, detail, separation of instruments and dynamic range. There are cuts showcasing everything from solo voice to synthesizers, small ensembles, solo piano or acoustic guitar, and even a drum solo. All are, of course, beautifully recorded at the Octave Records studio. One set of tracks present a cappella voices recorded at distances of three, six, and nine feet from the microphone.
The book includes whimsical illustrations from Copper contributor James Whitworth and a number of photographs, but the real focus is the in-depth system set-up information. Paul McGowan is an entertaining writer (between his daily “Paul’s Posts,” monthly PS Audio newsletter, supervising the Octave recordings, and shepherding new PS Audio products, I have to wonder where he finds the time to eat and sleep). The introduction chronicles his journey from casual listener of average equipment through to the moment he heard his first high-end system.
A brief history of stereo sound precedes the real meat of the book: how to get your sound system to disappear and provide a level of musical realism not previously experienced. Entire chapters are devoted to concerns such as budget, equipment choices (without naming names), room setup and treatments, system tuning, cables, AC power, and more. The section on “How to Listen” helps to hone evaluation skills.
All in all, this is an impressive and worthwhile addition to my arsenal of test records and demo discs.
The Fisher Fidelity Standard (1972)
Pre-1980s Fisher components, especially tube models, are held in high regard among a lot of audiophiles. Before the ascent of McIntosh and Marantz to the upper echelons of the high end, amps, tuners, and receivers from Fisher and H. H. Scott (along with Harman-Kardon and Heathkit) were highly prized.
As humorously illustrated by the cover photo, the album features a 50/50 mix of popular and classical pieces, all of which were recorded specifically for this disc. The cuts on the popular side alternate between rock and jazz. The rock band includes keyboardist Mike Zager (of Zager & Evans – “In the Year 2525”), Jay Berliner on guitar, and Randy Brecker on trumpet. The jazz band lists Grady Tate on drums and a Mel Davis on trumpet, among others. The classical side has performances from a string orchestra and a small instrumental ensemble playing pieces from Vivaldi, Stravinsky, Chopin, Mozart, and Bach. The Stravinsky work (“L’Histoire du Soldat Suite”) is described thusly: “This astringent music, composed by Stravinsky in 1917 – 18 to accompany a rather unclassifiable chamber play-dance skit, is probably the most spectacular high-fidelity showpiece there is for a small instrumental group…”
The liner notes in the gatefold cover explain the purpose of the record, how it was recorded, how to play it in stereo or 4-channel sound (it was encoded with the SQ quadrophonic system), and how to use it to evaluate equipment.
The executive producer of the album was Peter Aczel, the notoriously polarizing reviewer who published the magazine The Audio Critic in the latter part of the last century, and who passed away in 2017. Aczel delighted in calling conventional box loudspeakers “monkey coffins.” He was a champion of the Siegfried Linkwitz open-baffle speaker designs, from the Orion through the LX521. As an example of his contentious style of journalism, here’s the 10th entry from his article, “What I have learned after six decades in audio (call it my journalistic legacy)”:
“10) My greatest disappointment after six decades as an audio journalist is about today’s teenagers and twentysomethings. Most of them have never had a musical experience! I mean of any kind, not just good music. Whether they are listening to trash or Bach, they have no idea what the music sounds like in real life. The iPods, iPads, iPhones, and earbuds they use are of such low audio quality that what they hear bears no relationship to live music. And if they think that going to an arena “concert” to hop around in one square foot of space with their arms raised is a live-music experience, they are sadly deluded. It’s the most egregiously canned music of all. (To think that I used to question the fidelity of those small dormitory-room stereos of the 1960s!) Please, kids, listen to unamplified live music just once!“
The entire article can be found, along with an LX521 review, at: https://www.reddit.com/r/audiophile/comments/dt4xin/peter_aczel_what_i_have_learned_after_six_decades/?rdt=43130
Bose salutes the sound of…Mercury Records (1970?)
Ah, yes, Bose – the brand that gets a lot of disparaging commentary from audiophiles. Though Bose is often tagged as a triumph of marketing over sound quality, I have to give them kudos for choosing excerpts from the Mercury Living Presence series of classical recordings to demonstrate their flagship offering, the Bose 901 speakers.
The direct/reflecting 901s were a radical design for the time, with one front-firing full-range 4.5-inch speaker and two identical sets of four back-firing units at outward angles. A necessary outboard active equalization unit was provided. The distinctive design resulted in a unique sound presentation, and the speakers were wildly successful.
The back cover of the album features extensive liner notes written by Bert Whyte, a major figure in the hi-fi world at the time. He was an AES fellow, audio critic, and associate editor for Audio magazine. Also shown is a letter from John Eargle, a Mercury engineer, that provides additional background on the selection and formatting of the excerpts. New two-channel transfers were done from the original three-channel masters tapes. He cautions the listener to use only a high-quality, properly set-up cartridge.
The cover is clearly marked “Not for Sale,” so I would assume it was distributed to dealers for demo purposes without being offered to the general public.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Stereo (1960)
Well, there’s a cover photo that no major label would dare use these days! My only question is: Why a stethoscope and not headphones?
On the back cover, Director of Engineering for Warner Bros. Records, C. Lowell Frank, writes: “Each of these tracks has been recorded in stereo to demonstrate the advantages inherent in good stereo recording of many types of music. Basically, these advantages can be broken down into two qualities: spaciousness and depth. These combine to create the Third Dimension in sound reproduction: Stereo. On all of these test tracks, the listener using a properly balanced system and seated in a normal focal position will feel the illusion of a Center or Third Track.
The album (pressed in transparent orange vinyl) consists of musical selections from a range of sources, including Wurlitzer organ, a military band (conducted by Henry Mancini!), a jazz combo, and even one from the Spike Jones Orchestra. Most of the cuts might be considered “easy listening,” and all liner notes include identification of the instruments regarding their position in the stereo field (left, center, right).
The back cover also includes quotes from a number of audio critics writing for newspapers and magazines, all of whom were quite impressed with the sound quality of the recordings. High Fidelity Magazine raved in flowery terms, “From the stereo there issues forth a widespread cascade of sparkling notes from a golden background of sumptuous orchestral sound… so outstandingly transparent that these records positively shine with aural brilliance.”
And how does it sound on modern equipment after 64 years? Despite my copy having been purchased as a used record, the sound is pretty clean, with good instrumental separation, and a nice center channel effect, as opposed to so many stereo demo records from that era which focused on distinct left/right sounds with little in the middle (ping-pong stereo). I would not, however, rank it among my best “show-off” recordings.
One test record that I wish I had gotten is the Official National Lampoon Stereo Test and Demonstration Record. I’m ordering a used copy now and might write a review in the future.
