First compressor? History question

[pstamler]

Hi folks:

What was the first audio compressor available for pro audio use? The Federal? An RCA design? Or something else? And does anyone know a patent number on whatever it was, or on some of the runners-up? Thanks in advance!

Peace,
Paul

 

[SkunkFunk]

I'd guess that limiters came before compressors and that the differences are too small too actually distinguish what was the first compressor.

Still interested to see if anyone know more about this! 

 

[dryman]

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-much-gear-so-little-time/126571-whats-history-compression.html mentioned the Siemens U13 as the first limiter: http://www.gearslutz.com/board/1303251-post20.html

 

[emrr]

http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=8756.msg183229#msg183229

Add to that J.L. Hathaway's articles which mention NBC's use of lightbulb types in 1929, well before commercial availability. 

 

[JohnRoberts]

Interesting question. I suspect CBS is in there somewhere for early commercial products, while first was probably DIY lightbulb tacked into an amplifier stage.

I just took a quick glance through my dad's engineering notebooks (he worked at WE during early '30s) and limiting as a separate function was not present in any of his old system block diagrams. Back in those days even a meter was a separate block (like Gates Radio volume indicator so GR=Gates Radio not gain reduction).  FWIW he was more of a machinery guy chasing wow and flutter, and mostly mechanical things, but several notebooks full of stuff we take for granted these days.

Too bad I can just ask him... he worked as a recording engineer for RCA in the '50s so probably has some interesting insights on the subject, but unfortunately he died in the late 50's.

JR

 

[ruffrecords]

I think it is worth remembering that well before the advent of magnetic recording the most common need for gain management (compression, limiting, expansion) outside the radio and music recording industries was in the film industry.

Cheers

Ian

 

[JohnRoberts]

I think it is worth remembering that well before the advent of magnetic recording the most common need for gain management (compression, limiting, expansion) outside the radio and music recording industries was in the film industry.

Cheers

Ian

My dad actually worked at Vitaphone the joint venture between WE and Warner brothers to make the first sound films, but he was a machinery guy back then. Later he evolved into a sound engineer and by the late 30's he was the sound engineer who travelled to GB to record the coronation of King George (1937) for US news reel shorts that were popular in movie theaters back then.

Sound for movies was a powerful force driving sound technology innovation and growth back then. Several modern audio companies evolved from the massive investment info sound systems for theaters.

JR

PS: a cute tidbit from one of his notebooks, in the early days they synchronized records to film to provide the sound for movies. On one page he described drilling out a notch on the outer edge of a record disc, a solenoid could then release a catch to electrically start the record that was slipping on an already turning platter (well precise fast start for the 1930s).  8)

 

[thermionic]

Slightly OT, but a few yrs back I attended an AES lecture given by the world-renowned audio history expert Sean Davies. The lecture was entitled 'A hundred years of audio development - 1880-1980'. It started with early mechanical technologies, finishing on what he (and I would agree) felt to be an example of the pinnacle of studio trickery - a King Tubby dub mix, no less.

Anyway - he played a variety of recordings from the '30s that utilised 'delta-mu' limiters. These records were pancaked to death... Thus, he proved the 'loudness race' was nothing new - indeed having its origins right back when label staff first realised a limiter could be used to make a recording sound 'louder'. So, there's nothing new under the sun...

Anyway - I think I've mentioned SD's lecture a few times on various groups. Probably the coolest lecture I've been to. If you ever get a chance to attend one of his lectures, do so.

Justin