Sounds – The Payphone Project

[VIDEO] Checking in from Yet Another “Last Payphone of New York City”

the payphone project — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 22:14:53 +0000

I have more triggers than I thought. Others to come?

VIDEO: What Happens When Trying to Make a Call Through CityBridge’s Last “Official” Street Payphones?

the payphone project — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 22:53:40 +0000

I brought out my boss field recorder to get all the audio of what happens when one tries to make phone calls through CityBridge’s West End Avenue phone booths. I’ve done this before but only with partial audio recorded through my camera’s mic. This time I brought a field recorder and a Radio Shack suction-cup thingy used to record phone calls.

Something Strange at the Old 718-729-9331

the payphone project — Sat, 18 Jul 2020 00:55:54 +0000

Why would a public pay telephone connect to a recorded message saying my call could not be completed because I don't have enough account credits?

Queensbridge Payphones: 718-784-8935, 718-729-9638

the payphone project — Sat, 14 Mar 2020 20:31:17 +0000

These back-to-back payphones at the Queensbridge Houses in Long Island City have some special meaning to me, on account of the circumstances under which I found them.

The Last Working Payphone in Central Park is No More

the payphone project — Tue, 07 Jan 2020 21:00:14 +0000

Of about a dozen or so payphones scattered throughout Central Park this one, at the Model Boat Sailing place, was the last one that worked.

Penn Station Payphones Disappearing

the payphone project — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 17:56:12 +0000

Development work at Penn Station has forced removal of about a ½ dozen working payphones. One of these phones was among my most-used devices to record sounds of nearby subway buskers, like Shobo Kubo and others.

Payphone Room at NYU Langone’s Tisch Hospital

the payphone project — Fri, 31 May 2019 21:05:42 +0000

The payphone room at NYU Langone's Tisch Hospital today functions as more of a broom closet than a place to make a phone call. Not only did one of these phones actually work, but its volume control button did as well. That's rare.

Shogo Kubo, Guitarist at Penn Station, Heard Through a Payphone

the payphone project — Tue, 09 Apr 2019 19:34:44 +0000

I picked up a payphone and let it listen to the sweet sounds of Shogo Kubo, whose guitar stylings frequently grace New York's Penn Station.

Trumpet Music Heard Through the Broadway/Lafayette Subway Station Payphone

the payphone project — Sun, 24 Mar 2019 00:34:43 +0000

I canvassed the Broadway/Lafayette BDFM and Bleecker Street 6 subway stations for payphones. This is what I saw. This is what I heard.

Best Payphone Audio Capture In Months

the payphone project — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 03:33:35 +0000

Live music sounds different when funneled through the crackly, rugged sound world of a landline payphone.

Union Square Mandolin Player, Heard Through A Payphone

the payphone project — Sat, 09 Jun 2018 21:27:37 +0000

It's the sound of someone playing what I am reasonably certain is a mandolin, as heard through a Union Square payphone.

This Times Square Payphone Still Works

the payphone project — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 16:57:39 +0000

You wouldn't think it from the looks of this old thing but a beaten-up payphone at the Times Square subway station actually works. I used it to make a one-way call. Listen in.

What Does a Payphone Call Sound Like?

the payphone project — Mon, 02 Apr 2018 21:35:52 +0000

My voice sounds mighty different through this payphone when compared to being captured by decent audio gear. Listen in.

Drumming Up the Links

the payphone project — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 16:07:54 +0000

Call quality on LinkNYC kiosks is generally very bad, and has actually gotten worse in recent months since CityBridge, the company that owns the kiosks, has decided to set a majority of the devices so the volume can only be turned up half way. I tried making calls from kiosks in noisy spots and found…

Street Mule — And The Howler — Heard Through a Times Square Payphone

the payphone project — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 17:54:01 +0000

Listen in as a payphone call goes horribly wrong, blasting The Howler into a call which should have been free of such noise.