Recent Advances in Wax Recording

This paper considers chiefly the frequency-response characteristics and limitations of the lateral cut "wax" record. It shows that the frequency range from 30 to 8,000 cycles can be recorded and reproduced from the record with practically negligible deviation from a flat frequencyresponse characteristic. The paper brings out the ease with which the record can immediately be replayed from the "wax" as an aid in assisting the artist to obtain the best results. A brief description is given of commercial processing methods including both plating and pressing. These methods give essentially a perfect copy of the original "wax." The time required for this work has been considerably reduced of late so that a test pressing can be obtained within three hours of the cutting of the original "wax." N the recording and reproducing of sound by the so-called "electric" method with the " w a x " disc, the process may be considered as consisting of eleven steps. In order, these are: (1) studio, with its acoustic conditions, (2) microphone, (3) amplifier, (4) electromechanical recorder, (5) " w a x " record, (6) copying or reproducing apparatus, (7) hard record or "pressing," (8) electric pickup, (9) amplifier, (10) loud speaker, (11) auditorium. With this chain of apparatus the chief problem is that of making the reproduced sound in the auditorium a perfect copy of that in the studio. This is a matter of quality or fidelity of reproduction. There are other problems of cost, reliability, time required, etc., which are important but secondary to that of fidelity.