Recording Horns for Phonograph data

Dataset description This dataset was compiled within the research project Voices in Wax, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) and hosted by the Hochschule für Musik (HSM), Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz (FHNW), Switzerland. The project examines sound recording technologies of the acoustic era, focusing on the physical characteristics and performance of recording horns used in pre-electrical phonograph recording. The dataset documents an original recording horn dating from approximately 1900–1925, preserved in a private collection. The horn represents a typical example of the apparatus used to capture sound mechanically. High-resolution photographs, detailed measurements, and profile drawings of the horn are provided. Based on these data and additional historical sources, three replica horns were constructed for experimental purposes: one following the exact dimensions of the original, one with a polygonal form of comparable proportions, and one inspired by a collapsible horn described in United States Patent No. 67,396 (1901). The dataset includes photographs of each replica alongside the original. These materials provide a reference for the study of historical recording equipment design, manufacturing techniques, and their role in shaping the sound of early phonograph recordings.