Audiophile

Small but legendary purist audiophile US label founded in 1947 by E. D. Nunn of Audiophile Records, Inc. in Saukville, Wisconsin, and sold to Happy Jazz Records in 1973. Nunn did all the recording and mastering on equipment he designed or modified. The label debuted with 12" sized monophonic 78 rpm microgroove records pressed on clear red vinyl, which were meant to be played with a one mil (not 78 type) needle only. These 78rpm recordings were mostly jazz and dixieland, with about a dozen classical titles and a famous sound effects record "Echoes of the Storm." They switched to standard LPs and eventually stereo recordings in the late 1950s and then black vinyl in 1962. Microphone techniques were either one mono or two stereo mics, with additional mics used only occasionally, on later titles.

George H. Buck, Jr. acquired the label while still living in Atlanta, then moved all of his operations to New Orleans during the late 1980s, where it was headquartered in the French Quarter in the Palm Court Cafe. Since Buck's death, the business has continued, though on a smaller scale with few new recording projects.

See Issue 35 of The Absolute Sound for a profile.