Our #ObjectOfTheWeek is also a #NewAcquisition: How To Give Yourself A Stereo Check-Out by Decca Records (1967).

This 12” LP was not only a standard test record of the time, but is also a mini crash course in important audio concepts like wow & flutter, Sound coloration, channel phasing and more.

#LPRecords #stereo #records #VinylRecords #WowAndFlutter #ChannelPhasing #SoundColoration #decca #DeccaRecords #TestRecord #CultureOfSound #SoundBeyondMusic #MuseumOfPortableSound

Just arrived here at Museum of Portable Sound Laboratories: a specially designed archival box to store our newly-acquired Edison Gold-Moulded 'Black Wax' Cylinder (see this week's #ObjectOfTheWeek post), courtesy an anonymous donor! We're extremely grateful for this bit of kit. 🙏 🎁 😍

Our #ObjectOfTheWeek: Unopened Maxell Original UR IEC Type I Normal Bias Compact Cassette (date unknown; presumed 1990s). Detail images courtesy Museum of Portable Sound Archives.

#Maxell #CompactCassette #CassetteTape #NormalBias #MagneticTape #Cassettes #Archives #MuseumOfPortableSound #ItsOkayToBeNormal

Our #ObjectOfTheWeek is also a #NewAcquisition for our #ResearchLibrary! On Recording: A Manifesto, by musician, producer, studio co-owner, and thinker Chris Schlarb is a beautiful 50-page philosophical treatise on the art of recording that’s focused on intent instead of gear. He & his wife Adriana opened Big Ego Studios n Long Beach, California in 2015 (the same year we opened our museum), but Chris has spent a lifetime absorbing recording knowledge.

#ChrisSchlarb #BigEgo #book

Our #ObjectOfTheWeek is a #NewAcquisition: The 2nd MP3 Player in the World, the Diamond Rio PMP300 (Sept 1998, after S.Korea’s MPMan in March) – the 1st commercially successful MP3 player.

The Rio provoked the 1st RIAA’s lawsuit trying to kill MP3s (they lost bc their suit was based on the misunderstanding that the Rio was a recording device).

Even after 25 years, our Rio still plays the (terrible) files on its built-in 32MB storage.
#diamondrio #pmp300 #mp3player #mp3 #90s #portablesound

Our #ObjectOfTheWeek is our first #NewAcquisition of 2023: an IBM 224 ‘Executary’ Dictation Unit (1965) in a leather carrying case, for allegedly smart white men to record their thoughts on the go - onto large ‘dictabelts’- for their women secretaries to listen to & type up. (1/2)

#dictation #VoiceRecorder #1960s #dictabelt #IBM #BusinessMarket

#objectoftheweek William Ratcliffe captured this scene depicting the construction of a defensive shelter building on land between houses. Dating to around 1938 or 1939 this part finished work shows how ordinary residential streets in #Letchworth or #Baldock prepared for #war.

Our #ObjectOfTheWeek is a Creative Zen Micro (2004), a 5GB hard drive- based portable audio player that also features a built-in FM radio tuner/recorder, voice recorder & microphone. Donated by @msmarypoppers.

#MP3Player #mp3 #creative #CreativeZen #CreativeZenMicro #MuseumObject #PortableSound #MuseumOfPortableSound

RT @mi_intel@twitter.com

Today’s #ObjectOfTheWeek is an explosive device disguised as a lump of coal, which was used by the Special Operations Executive, a secret WW2 organisation which operated behind enemy lines in occupied Europe to gather intelligence, commit sabotage and aid resistance fighters.

🐦🔗: https://twitter.com/mi_intel/status/1617447430412189696

#objectoftheweek this wonderful fire pump stands in the museum window on Brand Street. Dating to about 1890 the pump was found in the early 70's by #Hitchin Fire Station Fire Officer Alan Patmore. Local fire engine expert Derek Wheeler MBE restored this pump in Alan's memory. #museum

#objectoftheweek in 2020 we acquired a large number of works by the Haggo family. Based in #Letchworth the Haggo's painted scenes from all around our district, giving us an amazing record of how things used to be. This one, painted by Margaret Haggo in 2002 is very close to home in #hitchin! On the back the very modest Margaret wrote "My sister (Christina) painted a similar view on the same day. It was much better and she sold it".

#objectoftheweek A top Christmas present of years gone by, who else owned a Spirograph? The Spirograph has an enduring appeal and is still a popular option for Christmas, decades on from its invention. These days you can also get variations such as travel sized Spirograph, Spirograph Junior and Spirograph Animator with light effects.

#objectoftheweek A top Christmas present of years gone by, who else owned a Spirograph? The Spirograph has an enduring appeal and is still a popular option for Christmas, decades on from its invention. These days you can also get variations such as travel sized Spirograph, Spirograph Junior and Spirograph Animator with light effects.

#Objectoftheweek Mother and daughter Agnes and Christina Haggo both created this similar view of Graveley. In Christina's version her mother Agnes is seen working on her own painting. #hitchin #hertfordshire

#Objectoftheweek Mother and daughter Agnes and Christina Haggo both created this similar view of Graveley. In Christina's version her mother Agnes is seen working on her own painting. #hitchin #hertfordshire

Our #ObjectOfTheWeek: Ever Ready Batrymax B114 (1947), 1,5 & 69 volt. Used for powering portable radios, these batteries had to be wire-connected by the user in radios like the Marconiphone P17B.

#EverReady #EverReadyBattery #Batrymax #radio #PortableSound #SoundBeyondMusic #MuseumOfPortableSound #batteries #battery #power #voltage #1940s #1950s