DESCRIPTION:
Starting in mid-May 1924 the Compo Company of Lachine Quebec started making test electric recordings using a Western Electric microphone and amplifier, under the technical stewardship of Thomas Harry Letts. These were called the "Electrotone Process." The first few Electric takes issued for release were piano solos, mid-August 1924. However the tests continued and full scale commercial electric recording did not commence until December 1924, which still makes Compo the only other company besides the small Marsh's Autograph label to issue electrically recorded masters anywhere in the world to this point. Columbia and Victor did not join the fray until March 1925. Despite the early start in electric recording, Compo continued to record many masters acoustically until the end of 1927. Interestingly, while up to 7 horns were sometimes used for ACOUSTIC recording, documentation seems to indicate that only one microphone was used for the Electrotone process, with room ambience and reflections from the wall behind the mic being used to good effect. In other words Mr. Letts was taking advantage of the greater sensitivity of the electronically-amplified microphone.

This is a straight performance of "Nobody's Sweetheart Now" by "Howe's Band" which is also identified as the "Peanut Orchestra" - All-Canadian obviously! This was only intended as a test, Compo documented all their microphone placements, equipment used, etc, so that a good technical Take could be recreated to Mr. Berliner's satisfaction. There is a microphonic resonance, and considerable stylus chatter during the more complex musical passages on this test recording.

Raw file http://soundcloud.com/vitajazz/compo-test-sept-14-1924
Here's a Marsh.. https://soundcloud.com/vitajazz/jack-penewell-hen-house-blues