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People often ask us, "Why do the shows I get from Radio Archives sound so much better than the shows I purchase elsewhere?"
The answer is simple:
* We start with the best possible source recordings - usually 16" transcription discs, recorded while a program was first broadcast.
* Having first cleaned and closely examined the recording for physical defects, we digitally transfer its content using high-end, state-of-the art equipment.
* Once the recording is transferred, only the very best processing tools - including the full-range CEDAR audio restoration system - are used to restore the sound.
* After processing, each recording is closely examined on a second-by-second basis to seek out and repair any and all remaining defects. There are frequently more than sixty defects in one single minute of audio, so this is an extremely painstaking and time-consuming process.
* Our programs go through a three-step restoration process - meaning that every show is reviewed three full times to make sure that all of the defects are found and repaired. It is not uncommon for a 30 minute program to undergo five or six hours of close scrutiny before the restored version is finalized.
The best quality original source recordings, the highest quality equipment, painstaking restoration techniques, and a strong commitment to quality -- that's what makes every radio show released by Radio Archives sound so bright, fresh, and sparkling - almost as though it was being broadcast just yesterday, rather than many decades ago.
It's important to note, however, that Radio Archives is not simply another dealer selling radio shows - far from it. From the very beginning back in the year 2000, we have taken a truly archival approach to the preservation of programs from radio's "Golden Age". We believe it is our responsibility to treat the many rare, historic, and frequently one-of-a-kind recordings that come to us with the care and respect they deserve. After all, many if not most of these recordings are the only audio record of broadcasts that were performed live fifty, sixty, or even seventy years ago. This is our history, the history of broadcasting, and we take our work very seriously.
Too often in the past, programs were transferred to tape from transcriptions and only the most basic information (like titles and broadcast dates) was noted. In time, the original transcriptions deteriorated, were destroyed, were damaged, or were simply discarded once they were transferred. As a result, a great deal of valuable historic information has been lost forever -- information that could, if still available, answer many questions about the origins and history of particular shows and of radio broadcasting in general. As an archive, we believe it is our responsibility to not only preserve the shows themselves, but also preserve any additional information we can glean from the recordings- things like matrix numbers, information on distributors, and background on who recorded these shows in the first place. We make it a priority to not only transfer these shows using state-of-the-art technology, but we also optically scan images of the disc labels to add to our records. We keep a high resolution BMP file of these scans in our archives and, from time to time, you'll see a low resolution version of a scan used as an illustration in our lines notes. This way, we can preserve a full spectrum of information regarding the programs in our collection. We also keep a "raw" copy of all first generation shows in the Archives - that is, a digital version of each preserved recording, just as was taken from the original recording, with no restoration or modification whatsoever. This way, as technology continues to improve, we can return to the source and allow programs to benefit from even more advanced restoration techniques.
It's important to note that, while we go to considerable lengths to restore the programs we release, we do not over-restore them. We employ no form of noise reduction, compression, or sound "enhancement" - tools which, we believe, usually do more harm than good. You can often hear the results of these "improvements" in programs released by other companies. These techniques can cause the sound to seem stifled, constricted, isolated, claustrophobic, and perhaps even muffled - as though it was being heard through a heavy blanket. As a result of our restoration philosophy, you may occasionally hear very minor defects in a show or two you get from us - defects that could not be removed without compromising the content or fidelity of the original broadcast. We believe that preserving the often sparkling fidelity of an original recording is worth retaining the occasional scratch or two - and we hope you agree.
Using the audio player below, you can hear a real-time example of one of our most valuable restoration tools: the CEDAR audio restoration system. Listen to the 30 second sound clip. The first 12 seconds are totally 'raw', just as taken directly from an original network recording. The next 14 seconds are processed with the CEDAR DeClicker, which is the top box in the picture of all 4 CEDAR boxes (right). The last 3 seconds is, once again, the 'raw' recording. Quite a difference isn't it - and remember: CEDAR is just the first step in restoring these broadcasts for your listening pleasure.
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