Kevin Sutton ([log in to unmask]) wrote:

>On the back of an old lp of mine (VOX, Debussy Preludes I, Novaes),
>there is a set of care instructions on the back.  One of the items
>says:"For those with wide range equipment, it is advised to adjust for
>the RIAA curve." Would someone please explain to me what this means?
>This collector of old records feels left out of some techno-history
>here.

This is from memory...

The problem with vinyl records (well, not just vinyl) is that the lower
notes require more energy to reproduce and hence physically far larger
grooves.

In order to get a good frequency response range with reasonable grooves,
the RIAA curve specifies the equlaisation that must be applied to what
comes off the groove in order to achive a flat (or as near as possible)
frequency response.

All record playing equipment I've ever encountered had the RIAA curve
parameters built in.

I'm sure someone out there knows more detail and can correct any errors
I have made.

deryk barker
([log in to unmask], http://www.camosun.bc.ca/~dbarker)