Edison's goal for the
phonograph was the most realistic recreation the sound of
the soloist and accompaniment.) Edison and his laboratory had advanced the
science acoustical recording almost the point of
perfection, especially reproducing the brilliance the
upper registers the human voice. Edison's quest for the perfect sound was not
in tune with changing market place; the development work done
at the laboratory was driven the inventor's own
. directed the staff of
the recording studios built the West Orange complex, few
blocks from the laboratory. Edison and the
recording staff carried out research advance the science of
acoustics and apply the phonograph. Yet Edison's market
research showed that the customer wanted loudness first and a
good tone second. had labored for years to
produce the the right combination reproducer technology,
record quality, and recording technique.XIII-10
the vaunted Edison phonograph technology was out step with
the market; was designed for accurate reproduction rather
than loudness and the finely crafted reproducer tended to
"blast" the sound high volume. (SEE SIDEBAR,
The Tone Tests. Their success can be
measured the Tone Tests which thousands listeners were
unable distinguish between the live performance and the
recreation the Edison Diamond Disc Phonograph. soon returned
to West Orange after the war, resumed the work reducing
the surface noise the diamond disc. The Columbia Street studios
produced both disc and cylinder masters
