8mm Forum: British Sound Quality

This is topic British Sound Quality in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on August 25, 2013, 09:39 AM:

It seems to me that the sound quality of British made films, in the period of the 1930's, 40's, and 50's, was really inferior to American made films of the same period. I notice this all the time on TV and on DVD's. Why is this?

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on August 25, 2013, 09:42 AM:

In what way do you mean, Paul?

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on August 25, 2013, 09:48 AM:

I think the effect I hear most is that the sound is much more 'peakey', almost like the recording sound level has been too high, so that you get some distortion on the sound peaks. Not every film is like this for sure, but it seems much more prevalent to me than American films of that period. Did the UK have its own home grown version of RCA Photosound, or Westrex sound?

Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on August 25, 2013, 09:55 AM:

Personally, when I have seen some British films of the 1930s and sound was still in its infancy, I was surprised how good it was.
Tod Slaughter films are a good example.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on August 25, 2013, 10:04 AM:

A lot of British films in the 30s were recorded on the system of British Acoustic, and when a GB 16mm sound projector was introduced its sound system was advertised as "Now, English voices for English homes".

As a young boy going to Saturday morning pictures in the 40s I always found it very difficult to understand American accents.

The wheel has somewhat turned full circle as I still do not understand some American accents on television films, mainly caused nowadays by poor recording.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on August 25, 2013, 10:17 AM:

Not only poor recording Mairice, poor diction, no training.Every
film I view lately, the actors speak appalingly, including TV shows.

Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on August 25, 2013, 11:07 AM:

I bought a British 16mm feature from 1935, and the first thing that struck me was the quality of the sound, better than some films made 20 years later by Warner Bros. I don't think our sound was inferior to the American studios. If you look at any of the early Warner Vitaphone films 1931-1934 the sound was nothing to write home about.

Am I right in thinking that there was a Marconiphone system. How many different looking optical systems are we likely to come across in 16mm prints. I have 3 different, one looks like stalactites sideways. That's the best way I can describe it until I could scan an image.

Posted by David Ollerearnshaw (Member # 3296) on August 25, 2013, 12:45 PM:

Have a look at these pages Film Stock Near the bottom are 3 different types of optical sound. I did have a good picture comparing the different types, but lost in the magnetic partials of my hard disc.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on August 25, 2013, 02:04 PM:

The track referred to by Robert was Unilateral, often used in pre-war British films. It could be noisy when little sound was active due to the whiter sections becoming scratched by excessive use.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on August 25, 2013, 03:48 PM:

It could also be down to how the condition of some of these
masters and the re recording. As we all know in this hobby, one
can see a great version of a film that we have in our collection
on television with good clear sound, where ours might sound like it was recorded in a cellar.It depends on many factors.
I have been catching the odd episodes of "Kojak" on TV lately,
having missed it when first run.I have to say, the stories play
like mini Dirty Harry movies, beautifully photographed, and I can
hear EVERY word of dialogue, even through the New York accents, because the actors deliver the lines clearly, unlike some of what passes for delivery now, on BOTH sides of the
Atlantic.

Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on August 25, 2013, 03:51 PM:

Thanks for that info Maurice. Interesting page David. I have a feature from 1951 with a variable density soundtrack.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on August 25, 2013, 06:04 PM:

The only difference I have noticed is with the British vs. Us super 8 optical sound prints, but this is due to audioo levels and not the original master recordings.

Strangely, the image quality will be better on the british prints (and much longer lasting color as well!) but the audio level will be recorded at a much lower level which, with all the pops and hisses of a optical soundtrack, the louder is, of course, the better.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on August 25, 2013, 06:49 PM:

This is because when the opt. prints were done in the American labs Osi, the opt track was kept covered up when developing the film, not so on the British releases, where it led to a very low volume soundtrack.

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on August 28, 2013, 12:36 PM:

I have ‘Secret of the Lock’ on 9.5mm sound film and the sound was rather good for the time. You can now get this feature on DVD thanks to the Ealing Collection and I find this vintage sound movie filmed during late 1933 really quite remarkable for its day and as you will guess a bit of a favourite of mine.

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