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The Armed Forces Radio Service will continue as a military operation of the War and Navy Departments into 1946. Thus, armed forces overseas are assured a continuous supply of AFRS programs via shortwave beams originating from San Francisco and New York City, Armed Forces Radio Stations located in the immediate vicinity of troops, and via AFRS transcriptions for playback aboard ship and over landbased sound systems.
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Webs on Peacetime Standard

The global broadcast outlets of the AFRS are still in daily operation overseas meeting the increased needs of soldiers, sailors and marines for information and entertainment through radio. GI networks have been converted into peacetime status by expansion into areas of occupation. The "Far Eastern Network," under General MacArthur, extends from New Guinea through the Philippines into Japan. The "American Forces Network" (das ist der bei uns bekannte "AFN Frankfurt Sender") formerly servicing troops in the British Isles and France has expanded its outlets into Austria, Germany, and Italy, Down in the South Pacific the "Mosquito Network" still has stations in operation from Guadalcanal to Samoa. Other AFRS Stations continue to function in the Middle East, the Aleutians, Panama, South America, Iceland, Greenland, India, Burma, and China.
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L. A. Headquarters Maintains Pace

To meet the needs of such AFRS outlets, the Armed Forces Radio Service plans to continue its production of broadcast material at its headquarters in Los Angeles at a pace equal to that established during war time. This means APRS headquarters will continue to produce 151 separate radio programs weekly, the equivalent of 60 transcribed hours of entertainment. Weekly air shipments will continue to key distribution points of clusters at APRS outlets with each shipment offering a fresh issue of 120 plastic transcriptions, 5 1/2 hours of script material, new selections for basic music libraries, and special educational
and informational programs.

In addition, APRS will maintain its shortwave operation offices in New York City and San Francisco. One thousand five hundred hours of APRS programs a week are now being beamed overseas from 19 powerful shortwave transmitters ranging from 20,000 to 100,000 watts in power.

New Recording Tricks Saved Day

Approximately one and one-half million APRS transcriptions have been shipped overseas since World War II began and ended. It is the general consensus of APRS headquarters that the enormous task of bringing radio entertainment programs of the highest technical quality and talent performance from Los Angeles to American Forces throughout the world would have been greatly impaired without the development of new transcription techniques given impetus by war time requirements.

The demands Armed Forces Radio Service made on the transcription industry were unprecedented. In many instances APRS reached out into overseas theaters and brought back recording experts who had been drafted from pressing plants earlier in the war. Pressing processes were streamlined. And plant personnel worked on a 24 hour basis. In some cases pressing plants increased their transcription output thirteen hundred per cent to meet demands of the APRS for more and more pressings !

New Year Plans Outlined

Today the transcription industry as a whole is turning out over 100,000 pressings per month for Armed Forces Radio Service. Sixty per cent of all APRS transcriptions are shipped to overseas broadcast outlets and to ships of the U.S. fleet. Forty per cent are distributed to hospital sound systems operated by the APRS in this country for wounded war veterans.

The outline of special APRS shows for 1946 follows the same pattern of programs carried throughout the war. Included on the 1946 production list are its four major productions: "Command Performance," "Mail Call," "G.I.Journal." and "Jubilee." Included among other original AFRS shows slated for "46 are "Hymns From Home," "Concert Hall," "Downbeat," "G.I.Jive," and "Jill's Juke Box."
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• Anmerkung: Die (angeblich) an die 100.000 aufgenommenen 40cm Platten beim AFN Frankfurt wurden erst nach dem Jahr 2000 entsorgt, nachdem schon viele Jahrzehnte alles auf Magnetband umgespielt worden war oder dann doch nicht mehr benutzt wurde. Diese ganzen 78er und vermutlich auch 33er Schellack- und Vinyl-Platten waren ja alle noch in Mono und nach 100mal Abspielen in einer bescheidenen Qualität.
  
  Und wenn Sie mal eine volle Kiste mit 30cm Platten 2 Treppen runter getragen haben, wissen wie, was es 1946 für eine Logistik bedeutete, solche gigantischen Mengen an sensiblen 40cm Platten in die entferntesten Enden der Welt zu schaffen. Die einzeln geschriebenen Folien-Platten waren dazu deutlich empfindlicher als die in Stückzahlen gepreßten Schellackplatten.

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By E. Franck, Research Engineer

Disc recordings played a vital part in the war, spreading information, propaganda and entertainment. They were also used in training and in morale bulding.

Great Demand On Industry

Some recordings were considered so important that air priorities were given to overseas shipments of vinylite pressings. To meet the greatly increased demand for pressings, the industry was expanded and production multiplied many fold. (Note the article in this same issue on the recording work of the Armed Forces Radio Service. - der Artikel steht eins oben drüber)

For the most part, the production of all these pressings depends on Master size lacquer discs (Das müssten die 40cm Platten sein) for the original recording. Discs for this type service must meet many requirements in addition to good cutting and playback qualities.

Uniformity in Quality Needed

We can understand these additional requirements best by following the Master disc through the steps of processing. First, the recorded surface must be rendered conductive to electricity so it can be electroplated. This is usually done either by a silvering process or by a gold sputtering method.

The silvering process consists of deposifing silver from a chemical solution, and requires all the care and control of mirror manufacture. If everything is not right, such as solution strengths, purity, work-room temperature and condition of the recorded surface, the deposit may be weak or splotchy and the results very erratic.

In general, the technique of silvering needs to be adjusted to the particular recording disc used. Of course, once the technique has been adjusted to give good results, the recording discs must be uniform in quality in order to give consistent results.

In the sputtering process, the Master disc is subjected to worse tortures. It is placed in a vacuum chamber and positioned next to a sheet of gold. The gold sheet is made a cathode of an electrical gaseous discharge and some of the gold is "splashed" off onto the disc.

Masters Copper Plated

After being coated with silver or gold, the lacquer Master disc is plated with copper to give a strong metal plate, and then stripped away from the disc. This gives a metal plate with ridges in place cf the grooves in the recording and is used to press out "pressings" or records.

Lacquer Must Be Good

If the recording lacquer of the Master disc is not good, the silver or gold may adhere too strongly to the lacquer coating and make the stripping troublesome or impossible. With a good lacquer Master disc, on the other hand, the stripping process is easy and the disc may be put either through the silvering or the gold sputtering process more than once if required.

Processing Often Delayed

Frequently, there may be a delay between the time of recording and processing. This places an additional requiiement on the Master disc, that is, that the recorded grooves shall not change shape during this period and that there shall be no increase in noise level.

By E. Franck, Researrch Engineer

• Anmerkung : Natürlich ist es die Aufgabe dieser hauseigenen Firmenzeitschrift, die eigenen Produkte erstmal in den Himmel zu heben. Also sind die "lacquer discs" von AUDIO DEVICE selbstverständlich die besten auf der ganzen Welt, was denn sonst.

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A good recording lacquer is one, that has been developed expressly for that purpose and none other. Experimental development work on this product includes a continuous process of testing each production run and, more important, a thorough study of other types of materials. This work requires careful tests of many different factors.

Some requirements are quite obvious. A smooth mirror-like surface, strong color and lack of unpleasant "odor" are basic essentials. There must also be good permanent adherence to the flat base material - usually aluminum or glass.

Cutting qualities are next tested. The coating materia! should offer low resistance to the cutting action of the stylus. At the same time, the material must be togs. As the grooves are cut, there must also be a consistent, positive thread throw and the thread must be free from any annoying static charge. The grooves cut must be shiny and the material should not cause undue wear of the stylus.

Playback tests are next in order. Good tracking, low noise level (background scratch) and high frequency response, after many playings, should be evident. While tests for noise level and high frequency response can be made, to seme extent, simply by listening, adequate results can only be obtained by precise measuring equipment.

Another major item to be considered is that the lacquer should "behave well" when processed for making pressings - either by the silver deposit or gold sputtering method.

For some applications of recording discs, one of the slowest tests is of major importance. That is the aging behavior of the grooves with regard to noise level and distortion. No "shortcuts" can be employed here. Careful, methodical, routine testing over a long period of time is required to see that initial noise level and distortion do not climb with age.

Other factors are also considered such as behavior with an advance ball, true groove contours and grease resistance.

Finally a good recording lacquer must stand up under varying degrees of temperature and humidity. The importance of such qualities was particularly emphasized during the war, when discs were subjected to sub-zero shipping conditions and were used in the heat and humidity of tropical areas.
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(Ein Ingenieur-Fach-Treffen beim Sapphire Nadel Spezialisten Frank L. Capps & Company) Miss. Isabel Capps, Speaker :

Frank L. Capps & Co., Inc., 244 W. 49th St., New York City, recently played host to a distinguished group of engineers in the first of what will probably become a series of meetings to consider the lacquer cutting stylus in relation to groove shape and to playback fit.

Miss Isabel Capps had arranged an interesting exhibit to demonstrate the incredibly small portion of the sapphire actually employed in cutting a record and the effect upon the groove of different treatment in the manufacture of the stylus.

Sapphire Portion Made of Lucite

The first exhibit consisted of 25 to 1 scale models which were passed among the audience. These models really looked like the familiar lacquer stylus, since the sapphire portion was made of lucite inserted into an aluminum shank. The effect upon the audience was nothing short of sensational because they revealed with such a dramatic highlight the actual proportion of cutting area to the whole stylus. On each model the effective portion of stylus used in cutting 100 lines to the inch at a 60/40 ratio had been inked over. The included angles continued above this inked out area for inches while the shank itself was over a foot long. The usual assumption in examining a stylus under a 20X glass (20-fache Vergrösserung)is that practically all of the angle thus magnified is involved in the cut. These models very effectively demonstrated how small the tip portion of the sapphire is that must be controlled in manufacture.

Image Enlarged Many Times

Miss Capps went on then to show cross sections of grooves cut with styli of varied specification. These were shown in shadowgraphs which enlarged the image 500 times. With the aid of scale charts she demonstrated how very small the actual difference of 5 degrees makes in the resultant groove and that because of the microscopic amount of the sapphire actually used in cutting, the slightest deviation in shape immediately above the radius gives a false picture of the true included angle unless the cut is deep.

All the record strips used to reveal these fractional effects were cut with master styli personally developed by Miss Capps and on which the included single and burnishing facet were controlled. She demonstrated in connection with the controlling of the burnishing facet that this facet must be very small at a point corresponding to the top of the groove if clean corners are to be obtained.

She also showed record strips cut with regular styli to show the normal error in shape that must be present in styli made on a mass production basis.

Finally, Miss Capps pointed out that if the portion of the Sapphire involved in cutting is incredibly small, the portion of the playback sapphire reproducing the cut is even smaller since it is expected in most cases not to ride the bottom but the side walls of the groove.
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Der Präsident von AUDIO DEVICES (wir würden ihn bei uns Geschäftsführer nennen) sieht einen Recording Boom voraus. - AUDIO DEVICES ist die Hersteller-Firma, die dieses Blättchen "audio record" herausgibt.

Audio Devices' President Mr. Speed Sees Recording Boom; (Recording Boom Predicted )
Education - Entertainment - Business to Benefit

Recently, speaking at a press luncheon in the Florentine Room of  New York's Hotel Lexington, Mr. William C Speed, President of Audio Devices, Inc., predicted a great expansion period for disc recording in the entertainment and educational fields.

Speaking of the educational possibilities of recording, Mr. Speed said, "Less than 1% of all primary and secondary educational institutions have recording equipment, yet trends point to recorded educational features in which the student participates as a prime factor in child and adult education. In addition, there is promise of immense increase in the use of recordings in our national school system. Thirtytwo states are now laying plans for state-wide educational radio networks in which recording will play an important part.

"Dramatized education is still in its infancy. Through the use of sound and motion films, together with records and transcriptions somewhat along the lines followed in recorded speech instruction courses, we shall be able to accelerate greatly the education of our children and add vastly to their store of knowledge."

In discussing the status of present-day recording methods, Mr. Speed, who presented historical high-lights of various stages of progress in recording history from 1890 to the present, demonstrated that disc recording has now reached a state of perfection undreamed of when Thomas A. Edison recorded his own voice in a recitation of "Mary Had a Little Lamb." "Because of the fact that the disc method now permits recording and reproduction of almost the complete tonal range audible to the human ear," Mr. Speed continued, "it now surpasses any other form of recording.

Wire Lacks Fidelity of Disc

• "The millions of phonographs now in America's homes," he added, "will never be made obsolete by wire or tape recording. Wire and tape recording lack the tonal fidelity and dynamic range necessary for accurate recording and reproduction of musical selections.

"Undoubtedly," Mr. Speed concluded. "each form of recording will find its own place in radio, educational, business and social fields."

• Anmerkung : Und das war erstmal ein großer Fehler von Mr. Speed. Ihm fehlte in diesem Moment die Vision des Besseren bzw. die Kenntnis von der Westseite Amerikas, (das war John Mullin), der ja bereits 2 deutsche Magnetophone mit einer irren Hifi-Qualität vorführbereit hatte. Nach ganz kurzer Zeit (es waren wenige Monate) musste auch AUDIO DEVICE (zwangsläufig) in die Entwicklung von Magnetbändern einsteigen.
  

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By E. Franck, Research Engineer

At a gathering of Recording Engineers in March 7th, reported on page 1 of this issue. Miss Isabelle Capps outlined the results of research she has been doing concerning lacquer cutting styli. Her study of the actual shape of grooves cut by styli of different forms will result in a distinct technical improvement in lacquer recording throughout the industry.

Better Top Corners

One of the types of groove distortion Miss Capps described, particularly interesting to us from a lacquer viewpoint, concerned the top corners. She found that the burnishing surface must be very small at a point corresponding to the top of the groove, if clean corners are desired, and has been able to get top corners that are almost perfectly clean through control of the burnishing surface. As far as actual groove shapes are concerned, this corner distortion probably accounts for most of the difference between wax and lacquer grooves.

Lacquer Formulation Also A Factor

In our own lacquer development work, we have been conscious of this corner effect and have found that lacquers themselves can vary in the amount of distortion produced even when cut with the identical stylus. In general, the effect is greater with a softer lacquer than a hard one, although the controlling factors seem to be more than mere hardness. No doubt, there is a tendency toward instantaneous cold flow, which is greater or less, depending on the particular lacquer formulation. We have always believed that a lacquer which has cold flow and produces this type of deformation is apt to flow back slowly after the grooves are cut, thereby giving rise to an ageing distortion. We find it heartening that this particular trouble can be attacked and progress made from two different directions - stylus shape and lacquer formulation.
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• Anmerkung : Auch wenn noch so viel "improoved" (verbessert) wurde, bekam man die Schellack-Qualität der 78er Platte nicht über 7.000 Hz hinaus, vom recht hohen Klirrfaktor gar nicht zu spechen.

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Sound Reproduction Methods Revolutionized with Altec Lansing's Multi-Cellular Two-Way Speaker.

The audio recording and reproducing system like a chain "is no stronger than it's weakest link." The fidelity of the sound at the output can be limited by any one of the components in the system. Thus, if a major improvement is made in the cutter head or recording blank performance, this improvement can not be delivered to the ear unless every unit in the series recording or reproducing system is like-capable. Many of the handicaps limiting the fidelity of sound reproduction result from the six primarily mechanical devices in the recording and reproducing system, namely the recording disc, cutter head, stylus, pick-up, turntable, and loudspeaker. Engineering development are constantly overcoming these mechanical bottlenecks.

The Duplex loudspeaker recently brought out by Altec Lansing Corporation, 250 W. 57th St., New York City, removes the bottleneck from this particular mechanical device. Faithful conversion of electrical to acoustic power is obtained with the Duplex because it is a two-way loudspeaker incorporating a separate lightweight aluminum diaphragm for reproduction of the frequencies above 2.000 cycles and a separate 15" molded cone diaphragm for reproducing those below 2.000 cycles. Also incorporated in this loudspeaker, is a multi-cellular horn, which spreads the sound from the high frequency portion of the speaker providing uniform quality distribution over a horizontal angle of 60° and a verticle angle of 40°.

No Cone Type Limitations

The design of the Duplex Loudspeaker overcomes the several serious limitations which conventional single unit cone type loudspeakers have as follows:

• (a) Inefficient reproduction of high frequencies which require the use of small diaphragms of extremely small mass.
• (b) The speed of propagation of sound in ordinary paper cone does not permit efficient radiation of high frequencies.
• (c) Non-uniform radiation of energy due to the fact that the angle of distribution decreases as the frequency increases which limits the size of the diaphragm.
• (d) Distortion due to intermodulation of low and high frequencies always present in single diaphragm type of speakers.

More Ampere Turns In Gap

The use of edgewise wound ribbon in the voice coils of both the low and high frequency diaphragms in the Duplex loudspeaker provides 27% more ampere turns in the gap, which almost alone accounts for 22% increase in acoustic efficiency. The compliance of the high frequency daphragm is provided by a tangential corrugation which allows three times the excursion for the same stress as is allowed by the ordinary annular corrugation. The new Alnico No.5 permanent magnets used in both the low and high frequency units is also a very important factor in the increased efficiency of this speaker.

Recording Industry Enthusiastic

The Duplex loudspeaker which represents Altec Lansing's offering in the non-theatrical field has been received with enthusiasm by the radio and recording industry. As mounted in several models of ported cabinets it is rated to give uniform reproduction thruout the entire F.M. range of 50 to 15,000 cycles. While this high frequency response is far above the best of present disc recordings, it is an engineering fact that a sound reproducing system should be capable of reproducing up to an octave higher than that which it is actually called upon to do.

In the recording field the Duplex loudspeaker is ideally adaptable for monitoring and for detecting high frequency distortion and intermodulation which may develop in the recording system. It is also offered for use in client's and audition rooms where it is imperative that the best presentation be made.
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• Anmerkung : Das würde doch bedeuten, daß bis dahin alle Studios in USA mit Breitband- Lautsprechersystemen gearbeitet hätten. Das hatte Klangfilm aber bereits 1936 verbessert. Oder irre ich mich da ? Klipsch hatte doch 1941 bereits sein Horn mit 2 Systemen vorgestellt.

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Last month in Los Angeles, Mr. V. T. Rupp, Audio Devices' Southern California representative, presented the 90,000th Audiodisc produced for the Armed Forces Radio Service, to Major Martin H. Works. APRS Commandant.

Although hostilities ceased eight months ago and millions of victorious servicemen have returned to civilian pursuits, the Armed Forces Radio Service continues to present some 800 radio programs monthly to troops still overseas.

APRS uses Audiodiscs 24 hours a day in transcribing continuously the top programs off the four major networks in this country. Past Air Transport Command planes carry these recordings to GI radio outlets overseas.

Of the 90,000 Audiodiscs supplied since the start of the war, over one third have been Master discs used in the production of a large part of the more than 1,500,000 vinylitc pressings made and distributed by the APRS.

• Anmerkung : An diesen Zahlen sieht man, daß das US-Militär beinahe der Hauptauftrag- geber für AUDIO DEVICE war und in 1946 noch ist. Während fast alle anderen Zulieferer - wie zum Beispiel AMPEX - dierekt nach Kriegsende abrupt (über Nacht) alle Verträge gekündigt bekamen, ging es hier es aufwärts - jedenfalls noch ein paar Jahre. Dann hatte Ampex sich gefangen und machte mit den deutschen Magnetophon- Nachbauten - jetzt aber von Ampex - der Firma AUDIO DEVICE mit den Lackplatten sehr zu schaffen. Gelesen hatte ich aber auch, daß AUDIO DEVICE nur einer von 4 etwa gleich großen amerikanischen Herstellern dieser "lacquer discs" Produkte war.

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The man with the responsibility of seeing that the proceedings of the United Nations Security Council, now in session at Hunter College in the Bronx - New York, are relayed to the outside world is Major Robert Vincent, chief of U.N.'s recording section.

Major Vincent, temporarily detached from the Army Signal Corps for the purpose of wiring U.N.O. for sound, admits the present installation is more complex than the sound equipment he used at the San Francisco Conference, but far simpler to assemble and employ.

Eleven Miles of Wire

The system, comprising in part an intricate network of eleven miles of wire and 15,000 solder connections, makes possible the simultaneous feeding of programs from the Security Council Chamber to forty-eight radio, recording and other outlets, and the distribution to these points of sound from any one or ´all of the twenty-four microphones.

Seventeen of these "mikes" are on the Council table and four are at the interpreters' table, with three in reserve. Voices picked up by the microphones enter a control booth, where an engineer at a mixer panel monitors them. The sound is then piped to the public-address system; to ten control rooms used by American and Canadian networks and radio stations; to another control room, operated jointly by several international agencies which are beaming short-wave broadcasts of the meetings overseas; to television and movie booths; to interpreters' earphones; and, by six separate channels, to the recording room. Here, the proceedings of the Council are recorded on high-fidelity Audiodiscs and other "recording blanks" for reference and documentary purposes. More than 2,500 such discs are expected to be used during the current session.

More Time This Time

Happy over the fact that he was given two whole weeks to get things in shape for the peace meet. Major Vincent recalled that at San Francisco the entire installation had to be set up and ready for action in two days.
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Large Attendance Forecast

The 1946 Ratdio Parts and Electronic Equipment Conference and Show will be held May 13 through May 16 at the Stevens Hotel in Chicago. The first day of the Conference will feature committee and organization meetings and a special keynote dinner in the Grand Ballroom. There are no meetings scheduled for the remaining three showdays and the Exhibition Hall will be open from 10 A. M. to 6 P. M. each day.

An unusually large attendance is certain as this is the first post-war get-to-gether of manufacturers and distributors. No displays were permitted during the war years. Audio Devices will display it's products in Booth Ninety-six.
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(Wie man ein Tonstudio aus dem Nichts aufbaut - 1946 !!)
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Building a recording studio in these days of material shortages is a mean assignment. At least, John Bubbers, engineering supervisor of Radio Station WOV- New York and designer of the new Replica Transcription Studios, 29 West 57th St., New York City, found it so.

Last June, Mr. Bubbers and Ted Rossi, young energetic owner of Replica, decided to wait no longer and immediately set out to find equipment and office space for their proposed studio. This was only the beginning of a venture that promptly provided the two recording enthusiasts with many headaches and sleepless nights.

Equipment Hard To Find

First, they surveyed the recording field, in the hope of finding usable equipment. After a lengthy search, two used recording tables were found. They were quickly reconditioned and readied for operation. Their cutting heads had to be entirely rebuilt. New or used commercial amplifiers were not to be had at any price, so, without alternative, Messers, Bubbers and Rossi proceeded to build their own. All other studio essentials were likewise procured from used stock sources or made by hand from spare parts. When new commercial units are again available, they will, of course, replace these home built equivalents.

There Was Always Something

Centrally located office space was finally found in October, but the two enterprising recordists" troubles were just beginning. Footsteps, singing and various other noises from the floor above were readily transmitted through the ceiling. The only possible solution to this problem was to hang a second ceiling on the walls below the original ceiling and the space between the two filled with insulation material. The walls were then sound treated with one of the new war-found materials. The doors were made airtight and a modern control room was constructed.

In December, the installation was completed except for the decorating. This, of course, proved to be a spiritual uplifting task. Colorful drapes and streamlined furniture soon provided the necessary encouragement for the pair to finish their commendable job. Justly proud of their efforts, Mr. Bubbers and Rossi opened Replica Transcriptions around the first of the year and judging from the few months of operation, the project is a financial success and plans are now being made for expansion.
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"Rendezvous with Destiny," a two volume record album of significant excerpts from the speeches of the late "Franklin Delano Roosevelt" was recently released by NBC, the National Broadcasting Company.

The album, compiled by Cesar Searchinger, noted author, historian, lecturer and news analyst, provides a permanent word picture of the years preceding and during the Second World War, highlighted by memorable utterances of America's Chief Executive, broadcast by NBC and recorded at the time.

Highlighting the significant events leading up to and during World War II, "Rendezvous with Destiny" is a complete two hour production. It constitutes a dramatic re-cap of current history and is the first in a scries of NBC Documentary Recordings, designed especially for educational use.

Ravel and St. Hilaire Here; Old Acquainfances (Bekanntschaft/Partnerschaft) Renewed
Monsieur Lucicn Ravel, managing director of "La Societe des Vernis Pyrolac," Audio Devices' associate in France, and his partner, production manager and engineer. Monsieur Albert St. Hilaire arrived a few weeks ago in the United States from Paris.

Present at La Guardia Field to meet their French contemporaries were William C. Speed, Audio Devices' president, and other Audio representatives as well as members of the press.

Monsieur Ravel, who, during the latter part of the European war, sheltered eighteen American airmen in the woods on his estate in the little town of Porcheux, outside Paris, until they were liberated by advancing Allied forces, and Monsieur St Hilaire, own controlling interest in La Societe des Vernis Pyrolac, a large paint and varnish company, located at 51, rue de L'Echat, Creteil (Seine), a suburb of Paris.

Their connection with the recording industry dates back to 1929 when they were approached by a customer who asked whether they could put a lacquer coating on a flat disc and thereby make a recording blank. Being keenly interested in various types of varnish and lacquer, they were immediately intrigued by such a project and in a short time, Mr. St. Hilaire developed a precision-machine method of coating which greatly accelerated quality production and Mr. Chadapaux, partner and chemist, developed special lacquer formulas.

This method was later patented and in 1938 Audio Devices made a contract with the French firm by which they were given exclusive rights to manufacture recording discs under the Pyrolac patent. And, so today, Audiodiscs are still manufactured under these same patents.
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• Anmerkung : Hier steht also, daß die Amerikaner (von AUDIO DEVICE in New York) im Jahr 1938 das französische Patent zur Herstellung von absolut blanken Schneidfolien gekauft (erworben) hatten und damit ab 1941 unter die nun veränderte Kriegspatentlage der amerikanischen Mitlitäverwaltung APC fielen. Die Amerikaner (alle Alliierten) durften ab 1941 für ein ganz geringes pauschales Entgelt diese (ausländischen) Patente zur Stärkung der eigenen Kriegslage (weiter) nutzen. Das wurde nach Kriegsende ab 1946 wieder in normale Bahnen gelenkt und darum wurden die Franzosen so hoffiert und der Präsident von AUDIO DEVICE empfing den Monsieur Ravel am Flughafen persönlich.

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By E. Franck, Research Engineer

The prospective increase in number of FM stations, with their goal of a 15 kc channel width (also ein Ton-Frequenzbereich bis 15.000 Hz), invites us, to consider the technical problem involved in getting a signal of this wide range into the listener's homes. Every element of the broadcast system will have to be considered, starting with the acoustical treatment at the studio and following through the microphone, amplifier equipment, telephone lines, transmitters, receivers and loudspeakers.

When this improved range is realized, recording equipment will be called on to do as well or better. Let's take a brief stock of present day disc recording equipment and consider what needs to be done to extend the range to 15 kc.

Ein Blick auf die aktuelle Qualität der Schneidtechnik :

Cutting heads which can handle 12 kc or higher are available and we have no doubt that this range can be extended easily. Loudspeakers going this high are already available. Telephone lines can be made to handle it, but we think, distortion will need to be reduced more. FM-Receivers capable of this range, we are sure, will soon be available.

This leaves for discussion the cutting and playback styli, the lacquer disc and the pickup. Present day cutting styli are already doing a good job at 10,000 cycles and there should be no particular trouble in going higher, although some reduction in tip dimension may be required. Several experimenters have reported to us no trouble in putting 15 kc on a lacquer disc, as determined by optical pattern but none is too happy about what he has been able to take off.

Pickups almost get to 15 kc and there have been recent improvements, particularly in the direction of greater stylus freedom. More can be made, we are certain.

There will be some temptation to go to higher pitch, particularly if the styli's tip dimensions are reduced. By putting the grooves closer together, the inside diameter could be increased. An increase in the inner diameter from 7" to 9" at 33-1/3 r.p.m. would mean going from 1,000 wave lengths per groove inch at 12,000 cycles to 775 wave lengths per groove inch at 9" diameter. The unfavorable feature of increasing the pitch to get larger minimum diameter is the greater danger of tracking failures and some slight increase in noise level.

On the whole, the problem is not very difficult and our own belief is that in a relatively short time disc recording of 15 kc quality will become commonplace.

• Anmerkung : Es war also bereits in 1946 eine neue Umdrehungsgeschwindigkeit für in Mengen gepreßte 30cm Platten "im Gespräch" bzw. in der Diskussion, das sind die 33 1/3 U/min. Irgendwo hatte ich auch etwas über das neue Plattenmaterial "Vinylite" für diese Pressungen gelesen, das zur Zeit nur zum Schneiden von damit beschichteten Alu-Rohlingen verwendet wurde. Doch vorgestellt wurden diese neuen Consumer-Platten erst Mitte 1948 (30cm) bzw. Jan 1949 (17cm) (diese Daten stimmen nicht ganz).

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Opening of a new research laboratory, believed to be the only one in the world devoted exclusively to sound recording and research in which product developments may be placed immediately in pilot production, then within a matter of a few hours subjectcd to rigorous performance tests, was recently announced by William C. Speed, Audio Devices' president.

Most Modern Equipment Available

The new laboratory, located at Stamford, Conn., is equipped with every
known modern piece of electrical, electronic and other scientific apparatus as well as numerous specially designed instruments for the study of recording. It will permit measurements of tone distortion, record surface noise, wearing qualities and other features with a precision never before even attempted.

Exhaustive Tests Scheduled

Available facilities include provisions for exhaustive tests of discs and recordings under varying temperatures and humidity, as well as conditions of usage with various cutting and playback equipment.

"In the company's continuing studies of untried lacquers and other composition materials," Mr. Speed explained, "the laboratory is expected to develop findings which will further improve recording fidelity and broaden the field of sound reproduction."
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• Anmerkung : Hier wird vermutlich um den heißen Brei herumgeredet (um die Pferde nicht scheu zu machen), denn anscheinend haben die Manager bzw. der Chef die Brisanz des neuen Mediums Magnetband schon erkannt. 18 Monate später wird bei der Markteinführung belobigt, daß man ja schon seit fast 2 Jahren an dem eigenen "audio tape" Magnetband geforscht hätte.

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After four years of experimental production, "Press Association, Inc." radio subsidiary of the "Associated Press", 50 Rockefeller Plaza, New York City, has introduced to radio a new recording technique that localizes and personalizes the transcribed broadcast.

Appropriately called "Cue-In", the new technique brings "big names" right into the smallest towns in America to talk with the communities' most popular announcer.

Only Replies Recorded "Cue-In" works this way: In one of the four major recording studios used by the "Press Association" in New York, a famous personality in the news is interviewed by a Gotham announcer. The interviewed party stands alone in the studio before a microphone, with a pair of earphones draped over his or her ears, while in an adjoining glass enclosed control room, the announcer proceeds with his interview, which is heard by the noted guest through the earphones.

The star answers each question and this reply is recorded. As only the replies are recorded, the disc naturally has a few skips or blank spots. These blanks, of course, represent the questions which,

when the show arrives at its destination, will be supplied by the station's local announcer. Following the interview, a recorded dramatisation featuring highlights in the star's life is presented. Then, the disc is packed, along with the program continuity, and sent to any of the many radio stations throughout the country.

Four Shows Now Available

"Cue-In" is not limited to interviews only. It may be used in dramatic skits with two or more persons, representing local talent, participating. At present, Press Assn. has made available to radio stations four "Cue-In" shows - STAR TIME, SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT, THE CLIFF EDWARDS SHOW and SPORTS STAR SPECIAL. These shows may be obtained either individually or as a package of four.

The "Cue-In" idea was created by Paul Girard, former program director of
WBAL - Baltimore. The shows are under the direction of Alexander Leftwich, Jr. and are written by such well known scripters as Louis Hayward, Margaret Miller, Rafael Hayes, and James Beach.

A new recorded series of thirteen fifteen-minute (15 Minuten!!) programs, entitled "The Melody of Life," are being cut for the American Medical Association by the NBC Chicago radio recording division, it has been announced by Frank Chizzini, manager of the division. The series, produced under the direction of Harriet Hester, will feature Dr. W. W. Bauer and Dr. William Boulton of the AMA as narrators on various medical subjects.

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