I am not one to fiddle with adjustments and options, but, I've played with phono stages that had different equalization curves. Even with modern records that were mastered with RIAA equalization, sometimes a different equalization sounds better. Some phono stages even offer infinitely variable equalization--you can change both the crossover point on a continuously variable scale, and the slope of curve, also on a continuously variable scale (FM Acoustics offers this). I would probably go nuts if I had that kind of choices.
"Users of wide-range playback equipment should compensate for the RIAA curve"
On a whim, I bought "Duke Ellington Presents ..." as an LP record from Presto. Well, it was half price and turned out to be mono. The sleeve has the title line printed on it and I am confused about what compensation means in this context.
Now the original recording was made in February 1956 and my copy is made in Czech by Bethlehem Records in 2022 and is described as High Fidelity.
The sleeve contains what could be original notes by one Joseph P Muranyi, immediately followed by compensation notice, then a list of similar recordings from Bethlehem.
There is a lot of treble energy on the record but that's expected because there’s four trumpets in the band! It sounds better than expected for 1956.
Surely Bethlehem in 2022 would have applied the RIAA curve reasonable correctly and only included the compensation warning for nostalgia? What am I missing?