Not so long ago, the real Hi Fi enthusiast used 15 ips or even 30 ips tape
to get the best results. Then about three years ago, he changed to 7 1/2 ips
and more recently many have accepted 3 3/4 ips as a possibility. I am often
asked: if I buy a top quality recorder like a Revox A77, Tandberg 9000, Sony
650 or TEAC 7030 or any other machine in the $600 to $800 class, is a Dolby
unit worth the extra expense? Adrian Horne answered that one (AUDIO, February)
by saying "can anyone afford to throw away 10 dB of noise reduction?" In
practice, of course the gain is not so great as it is with cassette units which
are not really Hi Fi without a Dolby or similar system.
How about that 15 ips facility--is that worth the extra cost? If you are just recording off the air, or from records, you are throwing your money away. However, if you are making direct recordings, with top-quality microphones then the extra expense might be justified. Even so, the difference for most recordings would be very slight and for some purposes even 3 3/4 ips would be perfectly adequate. Such is progress .... The photograph (courtesy, Science Museum, London) shows the first tape recorder-the Poulson Telegraphone, circa 1899. Tape recorder is really a misnomer as this machine like many others that followed after used steel wire.
Hi Fi at Washington
The Washington Hi Fi show was held in the Hotel Washington just a determined stone's throw from the White House. It seemed to be very successful in spite of complaints from some exhibitors who were not exactly pleased at the number of local dealers with demonstration rooms. Many exhibitors had to work far into the small hours to set up their equipment as the rooms were not available in good time. Still and all, it was a well attended show with an estimated 29,000 people tramping up and down the corridors. Biggest crowd-drawers were McIntosh with a spectrum analyzer demonstration using a bass drum expertly hit by Jimmy Carroll (who, unfortunately was not wearing the traditional leopard skin) the AR room with the new AR-7, the new Empire plastic speaker enclosure and the ESS Heil system. I listened to this unusual device for some time and was quite impressed. The EPI room was always crowded and the main attraction here was the 400 minitowers.
The Fisher Sound Panels attracted a lot of attention and the Pioneer, Sansui and Bose rooms were filled with milling crowds most of the time. JVC were demonstrating their 4-channel system using a large `scope display to prove that the channels were really separated. As always, the Garrard, Dual, Koss and JBL displays were well designed and most attractive. Next IHF show is at San Francisco from April 11 to 16 and one is scheduled for Philadelphia in October.
Recording Basics from 3M
This very popular guide to recording has now been revised. It covers all formats-open reel, 8 track and cassettes and explains the differences between the various kinds of tapes, describes tape editing techniques and has a well-written glossary.
All told, there are 50 pages and single copies can be obtained from 3M dealers or direct from 3M Magnetic Products, Dept. Ma 3-8, Box 33600, St. Paul, MN. 55133.
Synthesizers
Interested in synthesizers? The Boston School of Electronic Music has a handy brochure entitled "How to buy a Synthesizer" and it costs only $1.00. The address is: BSEM, 285 Beacon Street #3, Boston, Mass. 02116.
Ghosts
According to a UPI report, a witch doctor, an Indian mystic and a Buddhist monk were called in to exorcise evil spirits from the General Electric plant in Singapore. Many of the female employees said they saw ghosts--and promptly downed soldering irons. I am told that ghosts have been seen in various plants over here but it turned out that they were buyers for mail order discounters!
Price Increases
Owing to the devaluation of the Dollar, some of the prices quoted in the advertisements will not be correct. Sorry about that, but it's not our fault!
-G. W. T.
(Source: Audio magazine.)
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