Dr. Feickert Protractor

@rauliruegas

For me it does not make sense sacrifice 20 minutes of the recorded LP surface in favor of the last 5 minutes especially because over those 20 minutes the distortion levels goes really higher against Löfgren A or B.

The answer is 45rpm 7’inch vinyl records, those records are small jukebox format, there are ONLY about 3 minutes of musical information on each side and the best alignment to reproduce this information is Stevenson alignment. Some of the rare singles released on 7’inch vinyl (aka 45s in collectors world) has never been releaeed on LPs, which make them unique and highly collectible. There are millions of records released in the USA on idependent labels ONLY in 7’inch (45rpm) format in the 50s, 60s and 80s. Even if the LP with the same track exist, the single (45 rpm / 7’inch) most likely will be a different take and different version, sometimes much better than LP version. Those signles made for radiostations, for dj use and for jukeboxes. But i will repead again that most of the 45s has never been released (originally) in any other format such as LPs or 10’inch for example. This phemomena is well know for Jazz, Soul, Latin, Reggae music lovers and collectors. Stevenson alignment is the best for 45s (7’inch records)

more info here: https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/time-to-choose-baerwald-lofgren-stevenson

Baerwald and Lofgren made their fundamental publications in the first half of 20th century. Later in the early 60s Stevenson (another mathematician) has calculated a new set of parameters taking into account that on records with classical music very often crescendos occur towards the innermost grooves! That make sence.

The key word for Stevenson is "crescendo" which is a passage played with a gradual increase in volume or intensity (in classical music). According to Stevenson's alignment method a new set of parameters taking into account that on records with classical music very often crescendos occur towards the innermost grooves.

It's about arrangment of the classical music and where is the most complicated grooves located on the record surface (beggining, middle or toward the end on the record). It can be true if we are listening to a long (17 min for example) classical music track on 12'inch or 10'inch (or even a short 3 min track on 7'inch record).

A crescendo is a way for composers to indicate that a passage of music should gradually increase in loudness over time (opposite of a decrease in volume which is described as a 'decrescendo'). It is also used in non-musical context to describe any situation in which volume is increasing.

BTW the most complicated grooves with cannon shots on Telarc 1812 Overture located in the end of the LP.

I not listen to classical music at all, but i do listen to 7'inch records (along with LPs) and for small size of the 7'inch where all information located close to the inner groove Stevenson is theoretically is optimal. But i do not hear any distortion if i play them with Baerwald, so my point is "theoretically".