Dear Editor (Jan. 1979)

Discount Dilemma

Dear Sir:

I read the "Dear Editor" letter in the September, 1978, issue of Audio with interest, and I have a similar experience to relate. I used to buy records at a discount department store because they usually ran "Label Sales" at some nice savings.

I bought a number of records that were on sale. One of the nice things was that they would never give me a hassle when I brought back a noisy or warped record for exchange. Well, I finally found out why when I opened a "new" record and found a sales slip in the sleeve from that store dated two months previously.

Well, I don't buy records there anymore! The manufacturers should put some sort of seal right on the cover opening so the consumer can be assured that it's a new record. But, then again, most of the record manufacturers can't seem to make a decent record anyway.

Bill Scavuzzo Clark, N.J.

Vintage Stereo

Dear Sir:

In the early 1950s, Cook Laboratories in Stamford, Conn. were the first to manufacture stereo records. These records had two bands and required a tonearm fitted with two cartridges spaced 1 11/16 inches apart. One cartridge played the outer band, while the other played the inner band. The frequency response, stereo effect, and dynamic range of these Cook Records is outstanding, even by today's standards.

I have a number of these Cook records and the two-headed tonearm for playing them. There were, however, a sizeable number of records. made and I would be interested in locating a purchase source or readers that may have a collection for sale. Any assistance the readers of Audio can give me in locating such records will be deeply appreciated.

--K.O. Johnson P.O. Box 011751 Miami, FL 33101

Coincident Congrats

Dear Sir:

I have just finished reading "A Basic Guide to Coincident Mikes" by Charles P. Repka in the November issue of Audio, and would like to extend my compliments for a well-written piece on a subject previously thought of as "subversive" in the audio sense.

The subject of coincident miking and disclosure of the ORTF approach will, I believe, be invaluable information to your readers who are not already familiar with it.

Many of my colleagues and myself, living in the New York City area, use the ORTF method for stereo recordings with great success. It affords us a simple and relatively inexpensive way to achieve superb stereo imaging and clarity, which is often more effective than the more elaborate multi-mike techniques.

The ORTF miking technique has recently been used in a two album recording of the Musical Instruments of the Metropolitan Museum of Art using Schoeps mikes.

Although the author implies that the Schoeps name is not well-known in this country, it is rapidly gaining acceptance in both the film and music recording industries. There are only a few dealers in this country with the American representative being Posthorn Recordings, 185 Avenue C, New York, NY 10009. The service is personal and attentive to the needs of` amateur and professional recordists.

-Danny Michael; New York, N.Y.

Dealer Dealings

Dear Sir:

I am certain that complaints lodged against audio dealers and manufacturers have validity. I have often wondered, however, why little mention has been made of the exceptional dealer, the unique manufacturer, or special instances of customer service/ relations. The only public reference I can recall was that made of Dr. Clay Barclay ("the affable neurosurgeon"), and having spoken with Dr. Barclay on the phone, I can only concur that he is a most welcome dealer/enthusiast.

Two other individuals in the industry bear mentioning in a public forum.

Mr. Simon Zreczny of Audio Consultants ( Evanston, Illinois) has provided me with exceptional customer service since 1970. I have never met Mr. Zreczny and I feel that his ability to maintain my patronage over the years in such a competitive market place speaks for itself. Audio Consultants is a retail organization. They offer qualities beyond the selling price.

An unscrupulous dealer sold me a pair of discontinued Infinity QLS-1 speakers. Mr. Arnold Nudell, President of Infinity Systems, exchanged these units for the final versions at the manufacturer's expense. Infinity had absolutely no liability in the original transaction, and Mr. Nudell's gesture was based purely on pride in his product and concern for the consumer. A great company! Other Audiophiles must have similar stories.

-David B. Adams, Ph. D Columbia, S.C.

The Editor replies: My guess about why so little editorial mention is made of good service by a dealer or manufacturer is that folks such as yourself rarely write in to tell us of the good things that happen to them. Incidentally, the reason we don't publicize the "bad things" which happen is that al most universally we have found upon investigation that "the worst service in the world" boils down to either an un reasonable expectation or a missed communication, neither of which were necessarily by the dealer/manufacturer. E.P.

Namesake Number

Dear Sir:

We are looking for a copy of the song Shoo Shoo Baby, recorded in 1943 (Decca 18572) by the Andrews Sisters. The U.S. Air Force Reserve unit at Dover AFB is presently restoring a WW II B-17 bomber named "Shoo Shoo Baby." This is one of only two, out of the 12,000 manufactured, that exist today for public display.

Either a record or even the sheet music for the song would be helpful.

We will make a copy of it and return the original to the party, or we can dis play the material with the restoration project and then forward it to the Air Force Museum for permanent display when the project is completed in about two years. If anyone can help us in locating either the record or the sheet music, we would certainly find it a valuable part of our restoration work.

Please contact Mr. Wesley Bell, 512 MAW Information Officer, Dover AFB, Del 19901, or phone (302) 678-6961.

-Wesley Bell; Dover, Del.

(Source: Audio magazine, Jan. 1979 )

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