SIGNALS & NOISE (Letters to Editor) dec. 1984

Tube Bias

Dear Editor:

Recently, I have been concerned about a slight but noticeable tendency, in Audio, towards bias in favor of tube equipment. For example, Bert Whyte's June column cites "devotees of the [tube] technology" on "the 'smoothness of the sound, the absence of 'graininess' and 'over-bright, tizzy top end," illustrating how tube devotees feel about transistor equipment.

While I am a proud owner of fine transistor equipment, my quarrel is not with tube design but with tube-design devotees. I have seldom heard an owner of transistor equipment down grade tube equipment. I agree that tube equipment sounds excellent, maybe different, but definitely not better than transistor equipment.

When I read reports on transistor amplifiers, I get the impression that comments were not as positive as they would have been if the equipment had been of tube design. If their systems are designed around tube equipment, how can your writers formulate unbiased reports on transistor equipment? I realize that all listening comments are the opinions of the writers, but it is to these biased comments that thou sands of readers respond.

The reports of Leonard Feldman are quite unbiased. He reports on high-quality transistor equipment (among other things). But his tests do not specify the system components used with the piece being tested. Tube-equipment reports, on the other hand, include information on the cartridge, speaker cable, weather conditions and altitude. I feel this information is necessary for a complete analysis, but I only see it in regard to tube equipment. Is this another underlying bias of your writers, that high quality deserves more attention but transistor equipment is not of high quality? Another example of product bias was in the new column, "Auricle." The idea of having a high-end gear column without all tie technical measurements is great, but the idea was "high-end gear”--and hopefully the comments will not come only from high-end tube gear devotees. I refer to Anthony Cordesman's statement on the Innovative Techniques speaker, where he writes.

"The equalizer is comparatively neutral., although it will add a slight transistor quality to the sound if you are using tube equipment.- I can almost bear this sort of statement. He then adds, "This is reflected in a slight drying out of the sound and minor loss of life." I find this statement quite derogatory and unnecessary since it will lead the readers towards a negative opinion of transistor equipment.

I hope I nave made my point clear.

There have been other examples of this sort of bias which detracts from the overall reviews. (Why not design a system around transistor equipment to test tube equipment?) I will surely be amused to see the review that says.

"The Zeta amp will add a slight tube sound if using transistor equipment, and its sound is characterized by the inherent distortion qualities which will mask and smooth out flaws of analog recordings.

Richard D. Kelly; Davis. Cal.

New Dishcoveries

Dear Editor:

Your review in the April issue of the Lirpa Compact Dish Player was most enlightening. This product is certainly a masterpiece of technology, and its portent for the future of audio is indeed awesome.

One thing you failed to include was a dishcograpny of selections available for playback on the Lirpa. I have some old Bavarian dishes, but I wonder if they might not be too heavy for the Lirpa, consisting as they do of compositions by Wagner, Mahler and Bruckner. I have some Delft dishes which might be more suitable, but there isn't a very large repertoire of Dutch music, except old street barrel organs in Amsterdam. Wedgwood has some lovely British salon music available, but the mood is a little on the blue side. I did, however, come across a popular dish made by The Platters with some good old hits on it.

You also omitted any mention of discothèque music. Could it be that the Lirpa is deficient in the area of deep water bass? As to choice of detergents, Dawn dishwashing liquid did a nice job of cleaning up my copy of the soundtrack from Grease, and, by applying a dab of brilliantine to the brush, Hair becomes quite a glossy production.

Overall, Cascade left a sheen on the music that was hard to resist.

Perhaps at some future date, Professor Lirpa could add a tuner with FM and TV frequencies so that listeners could derive the ultimate pleasure from their soap operas.

I shall anxiously await the arrival of a Lirpa Si-02 Compact Dish player at my dealer's showroom. In the meantime, when you see him again, please thank tie good professor and tell him to keep up the good work.

-Don Charles; North Plainfield, N.J.

Editor's Note: This letter was passed on to Dr. Lirpa, who wishes to remark he considers it a Joy.

Erratum:

In "Cassette Test Update: 12 Formulations " which appeared in the September 1984 issue, the data for Type II tapes in Table I should have been as shown below:

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(Audio magazine, 1984)

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