The needs of users, the progress of technology (and the power of marketing) have given the world many audio formats. Each calls for both proper playback equipment and knowledge of how to get the best results. Sometimes this means acquiring and restoring old equipment (rarely a source of complaints from audio engineers!). And sometimes it's possible to marry the methods of yesterday with the technology of today.
 | | Interior of our custom built phono preamplifier for playback of old disc formats (especially 78rpm records) with variable equalization curves. Note the all discrete Jensen 990 op amps. The fidelity of the twin-servo topology in this phono-pre could not have been conceived when 78s were being made. Just one example of lengths Safe Sound Archive goes to deliver the highest standards for collections. |
Others include the design and construction of our storage, the custom solid-state output section of our wire recorder which delivers a full 20-20kHz output, and the construction of our transfer rooms.
- Examples of the formats passing through our studios every day:
- Flat discs:
- 7", 10", 12", 16"
- instant record
- commercial
- acetate (glass and steel based)
- paper and cardboard based
- start center
- start edge
- 16, 33, 45, 78rpm ±10%
- all playback curves
- all stylus sizes
- Analog Reel:
- 3", 5", 7", 10", 12", 14" wide
- 1/4", 1/2", 1", 2"
- mono, stereo, "Butterfly", 3-track, 4-track, 8-track,
16-track, 24-track
- NAB or CCIR equalization
- 15/16, 1 7/8, 3 3/4, 7 1/2, 15 and 30 ips ±50%
- Analog Cassette
- 15/16, 1 7/8, 3 3/4 ips ±10%
- mono, stereo
- microCassette
- Noise Reduction
- Dolby A, B, C, SR
- dbx Type I and Type II
- Wires
- Digital playback:
- PCM-F1 (14 and 16 bit w/ and w/o emphasis)
- CD
- DAT
- 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192kHz
- 16, 20 and 24 bit
- DA88
- single wire or dual wire AES
MiniDisc
Many other formats from VHS Hi-Fi and Hi8 to MiniDisc and Prism MR2024 format lurk in our closets.
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