Vinyl torture test!

[Rudy]

Few here probably heard of this one, but back when Telarc released this version of the 1812 Overture, it was notorious for its rendition using live cannons. Rather than compress them or reduce the volume, Telarc cut this to vinyl using its full dynamic range. It was notorious for two reasons. First, many turntables could not even track it; the stylus would jump right out of the groove. And second, it has destroyed many a speaker, and popped amplifier fuses, in its day.

Here is a video of an Ortofon cartridge barely making its way through. Kudos for it not jumping completely out of the groove! Although it does briefly (when the sound cuts out).



If the video starts at the beginning, fast forward to the 6:00 minute mark. (If you're like me, you can barely sit through this entire piece. )

And here's a close-up of the grooves in that section; it took some custom cutting to get all the cannon fire in there without destroying the surrounding grooves!



I do not own the vinyl, but have the SACD made from the original Soundstream 50kHz sampling rate digital recording. Regarding the warnings? They are not kidding! I can play it at a reasonable volume (not really all that loud) and it will easily clip a 200+ watt amplifier when the cannons hit.

"Caution! Digital Cannons." The yellow sticker is truth in advertising.

 

[Rudy]

The culprit on hybrid SACD, which also includes the full Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue/American in Paris CD:

Peter Tchaikovsky, Erich Kunzel, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, George Gershwin - Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture / Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue, An American in Paris - Amazon.com Music »

Also available on standard CD:

Kunzel/Cincinnati SO - Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture / Capriccio Italien / Cossack Dance from Mazeppa - Amazon.com Music »

 

[DeeInKY]

Pretty amazing stuff. The still photo is freakish. If you didn't know what it was it just looks like something went badly amiss there. I do enjoy a good 1812 Overture, but then again, my dad used to celebrate New Year's by firing shotguns at midnight. "Firing guns, Officer. Why, no, we haven't seen anyone doing that. "

 

[Bobberman]

Pretty amazing stuff. The still photo is freakish. If you didn't know what it was it just looks like something went badly amiss there. I do enjoy a good 1812 Overture, but then again, my dad used to celebrate New Year's by firing shotguns at midnight. "Firing guns, Officer. Why, no, we haven't seen anyone doing that. "

My Dad used to set off M 80S to wake us up every 4 th of july ( we lived out in the country and we had no neighbors nearby.) And he would get on his CB base station on the PA mode and give his usual Greeting. As for those Grooves i agree they are very freakish.

 

[DeeInKY]

My Dad used to set off M 80S to wake us up every 4 th of july ( we lived out in the country and we had no neighbors nearby.) And he would get on his CB base station on the PA mode and give his usual Greeting. As for those Grooves i agree they are very freakish.

We used to tie the M80s to the clothesline so we could get a good echo of the explosion since there was a small valley between us and the next street. (Don't try this at home, kids!)

 

[Rudy]

When I lived in Detroit for six years, they couldn't afford the firecrackers (or couldn't find where to buy them), so they all went outdoors and shot pistols. Every year, there were always people hurt by the stray bullets. I lived. Can't say I'd ever go back there again, though!

Sadly, no M-80s anymore. I bought something this past year but it had nowhere near the "boom" I was looking for. But there was so much mortar fire from fireworks and other loud bangy things that there was a constant rumble in our area last summer. Our own War of 1812 I guess.

I'm tempted to get a copy of that record if I see it. I have a few 12" singles that are cut quite hot, but nothing comes close to that!

BTW, there is a more recent SACD but it is a new recording, not this "classic" which was digitally recorded in 1978.

 

[Rudy]

We used to tie the M80s to the clothesline so we could get a good echo of the explosion since there was a small valley between us and the next street. (Don't try this at home, kids!)

You may want a recount on those fingers.

 

[Harry]

I have a few 12" singles that are cut quite hot, but nothing comes close to that!

I used to enjoy the way my tone-arm would wiggle through Sergio Mendes 12" of "Mas Que Nada" (the 89 version). Not quite as jumpy as that Telarc!

Harry

 

[Bobberman]

My aunt had a Vintage copy of the Rolling stones "Aftermath" (us version on London records) it was warped but it still played all the way through on both sides. And other than being warped it was in pristine condition. It was interesting the way the tone arm would move " Up &Down" you would think it was riding a wave.