No More Dissin' DAT
Dear Editor:
I have to respond to Danny Blatt's letter in your October 1991 issue. He is right that DAT is here, and that every one is raving about it, but he seems to focus on the down side of the format rather than looking at it as a whole.
As one who has DAT in both my home and car, I fully believe the format has much to offer both the audiophile and casual listener. I am fully aware that, since there is tape-to-head con tact, there will be some wear on both heads and tapes. Comparing DAT to videocassettes is legitimate; the operating principle is about the same. I fully accept the fact that these tapes, unlike my Compact Discs and LaserDiscs, won't last forever.
On the up side of the format, how ever, I like the fact that I can program up to four hours of music on a single cassette (the LP speed on the DAT still sounds better than standard cassettes) and enjoy it in my car or at home. The smaller cassettes are easier to handle and store, and when you get right down to it, tape cost per hour isn't that much different than a standard 100-minute Type IV cassette.
Another format making itself known these days as well is Philips' DCC.
While the idea of a cassette which is compatible in most respects to the standard Compact Cassette already in use is a good one, I can't agree on its execution. Making DCC decks able to play standard cassettes makes sense, but I have never seen anything about whether these decks will record analog on standard tapes. Also, I'm a firm disbeliever in using digital compression, such as the type proposed for DCC. I could be wrong, but I can't help feeling that you never get out of it quite what went in.
As for how long a DAT tape will last, Mr. Blatt, I can only say that it will likely last for a lot more plays than you'll ever give it. DAT is here to stay, whether you like it or not.
Jay Rudko; Hollywood, Fla.
Editor's Note:
There are presently no plans for DCC decks to have analog recording capability.
-J.W.
In the Change of Face
Dear Editor:
When are audio manufacturers going to return to producing components with silver faceplates ? Enough of this black [expletive deleted]. I've seen that Yamaha and, recently, JVC have started producing silver components.
It's so much easier to see the controls--and you can't see the dust, unlike black components. True, the new components sound better, but the outside looks really bad and cheap, especially with all the plastic that's been used recently.
-R. Puczke; Tucson, Ariz.
Coda:
B. V. Pisha
It is with profound sadness that I report the death of dear friend, colleague, and Associate Editor of Audio, B. V. Pisha, on November 6, 1991. He died of a heart attack following a prolonged affliction Parkinson's disease.
Born in New York in 1916, Barney Pisha spent part of his youth in Czechoslovakia before taking up permanent residence in the United States in 1926. He received an amateur radio license in 1927 as a result of his early interest in audio.
Although he pursued studies in mu sic and electrical engineering (audio), lack of employment opportunities diverted his interests to medicine. He became a physician in 1942 and served with the Army Medical Corps in North Africa during World War II.
While a practicing physician, Barney kept alive his love for music and audio by establishing a small, part time testing laboratory for evaluating audio products in 1953. He re tired from his medical practice in 1973 and became a consultant to a major drug company because of his expertise in clinical pharmacology.
During this time, Barney was instrumental in the development of a number of significant new drug modifications, currently in wide use.
It was also in 1973 that he expanded his testing laboratory and be came Audio's resident expert on phono cartridges, tonearms, and turntables.
Well-schooled in the disciplines of laboratory procedures, Barney's reviews of phono cartridges and associated equipment were widely viewed as authoritative because of his utilization of the most advanced ideas and instrumentation in measurement technology. He was a close friend of most of the scientists and design engineers in the phono industry and was greatly respected for his ability to discuss knowledge ably the most arcane aspects of phonograph record reproduction.
Barney was near-fanatic in his quest for accuracy and objectivity emphasized that technology must be a servant to the music. He had a life long love affair with opera and held season tickets to the Metropolitan and New York City Operas for many years. His expertise resulted in a collaboration with Tom Stockham (of Soundstream digital recorder fame) to restore Enrico Caruso recordings for RCA Victor, with digital processing of these early acoustic recordings.
In 1986, Barney was made a Fellow of the Audio Engineering Society for "significant contributions to the testing and evaluation of audio products." He had a very wide circle of friends in the audio industry who admired him as much for his probing questions as for his ready wit. Barney's unflagging courage in the face of a debilitating and disabling illness truly inspired all of us who loved and admired him.
-Bert Whyte
(Source: Audio magazine, 02/1992)
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