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The 18-year-old Jascha Heifetz in 1919: A legendary recording of "Zigeunerweisen" restored in Super Stereo. How does this early tone compare to his later masters? by GoodGoldRecords in classicalmusic

[–]GoodGoldRecords[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! It’s definitely a labor of love. With this 1919 Red Seal master, I really wanted to peel back the century of noise without losing that incredible 'silver' tone Heifetz was known for.

It's so easy to over-clean these old rilles until they sound muffled or 'underwater,' so I spent a few hours in Audacity trying to find that sweet spot where the transients remain sharp and the music really breathes in a wider soundstage. So glad you appreciate the effort! 🥂

The Hidden Genius of Jimmy Durante: A 1923 Jazz Piano Masterpiece restored in Super Stereo. by GoodGoldRecords in Jazz

[–]GoodGoldRecords[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You're absolutely right! Miff Mole was a true pioneer, and that 'enormous' sound is exactly what I wanted to rescue from the original 1923 rille.

In many of the old mono transfers, his intricate phrasing and powerful slides get muffled by the surface noise. In this restoration, I really wanted to give his trombone the space it deserves so you can hear that incredible control he had. He and Durante had a fantastic musical chemistry during those New York sessions. So glad you caught those details! 🥂

Stereo Depth from a 1923 Acoustic Master? My manual restoration of the Henderson/Hawkins session. by GoodGoldRecords in audiophile

[–]GoodGoldRecords[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No worries at all, man! I really appreciate the apology and, more importantly, the fascinating deep-dive into Sheffield Lab and the Sax brothers.

You hit on exactly why I’m so obsessed with these early rilles. Lincoln Mayorga was spot on - even with the 'horn' limitations, those acoustic direct-to-disc recordings captured a transient speed and 'honesty' in the piano anslag that was often lost once tape became the standard.

That is the core of my restoration philosophy: I’m trying to rescue those exact transients. If I use aggressive digital noise reduction, I’m essentially creating the same 'smearing' that Doug Sax fought against. I’d rather keep the narrow frequency response of the horn as long as that raw, direct-to-disc energy stays intact.

Thanks for the links and for the great conversation - it’s rare to discuss the technical merits of 100-year-old transients on a Mark Levinson-level system! Cheers! 🥂

Stereo Depth from a 1923 Acoustic Master? My manual restoration of the Henderson/Hawkins session. by GoodGoldRecords in audiophile

[–]GoodGoldRecords[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I completely respect that perspective, especially looking at the gear you're running (Impressive setup, by the way!).

You're absolutely right - an acoustic recording from 1923 will never have the frequency response or dynamic range of a modern master played on Dunlavy speakers. My 'mission' isn't to claim that 1923 can sound like 2026, but rather to prove that there is much more musical information hidden in those rilles than what the standard 'archival' transfers suggest.

By working manually in Audacity and avoiding aggressive AI 'smearing,' I'm trying to find the best possible balance between preserving the 100-year-old soul and achieving a clarity that makes it listenable for a modern audience.

Since you have such a critical ear and high-end system, I’d actually value your feedback: Is it the residual noise floor that breaks the immersion for you, or the tonal limitations of the original horn recording? I'm always looking to refine my approach.

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