SIGNALS & NOISE (Letters to Editor) Apr. 1985

What a Tangled Web ...

Dear Editor:

I find it most perplexing, considering the current proliferation of Compact Disc players, that no manufacturer has yet put one inside a receiver-or rather put a receiver inside a CD player. One advantage of a CDeceiver (can anyone think of a better name?) would be the elimination of the traditional preamp and RIAA equalization circuitry, which is included with all receivers and integrated amps since they are designed to be used with turntables.

The CDeceiver could also come with a remote-control unit to select FM presets and CD tracks and to adjust volume, tone, and on/off functions; perhaps it could even be programmed to display the artist, CD title, and current track! Indeed, if the player could hold about 200 discs and catalog them all, the CDeceiver could be sold sans front panel since the remote control could access the entire library of music.

Now, add a programmable equalizer (10 bands would be sufficient) and a tape deck, too (in which case kindly disregard what I said about no front panel); this would permit us to record cassette tapes from our CDs to use in the car (no-I'm not putting my meager collection of $20 CDs in my glove compartment). And, while we're at it, let's make sure the integrated amplifier is a Magnetic Field type (a.k.a. Carver) and that the tuner has something to do with Mr. Shotz; these things tend to improve marketability. There we have it, the CDeceiver-able to play CDs and FM (and why not AM stereo?), and record and play cassette tapes all in a single bound. Just add headphones and speakers (and 200 CDs-gulp) and plug it in. Include a microphone and mixing capability (I always liked this feature on my old Yamaha amp, and some day I shall honestly use it), so we can play our digital discs, sing along, add some guitar of our own liking, and record the whole mess onto cassette in Dolby C (remember-for the car) while preserving stereo sound and simultaneously mixing the singing and guitar into both channels.

What we're talking about here is the greatest thing in high fidelity since the Lirpa One-Brand System (Audio, April 1983). Granted, it won't do (or rather, play) dishes, but since it requires no lid, the up-to-now unsolved dilemma of right/left lid options (see Lirpa Labs Compact Dish Player, Audio, April 1984) would no longer be a problem.

(Sorry, Professor.) Indeed, the function-selector button on the remote control should have a special tape modekaraoke with "Digital Vocalizer (mistake?) Plus 2." This would allow the American-built CDeceiver to successfully penetrate the Japanese market! An optional preamp (order it, just in case) would permit us to play our un-Compact Discs if we so desire (and we do). And a front-panel button labeled "3WDS" (What's Wrong with Doug Sax?) would invoke Random Record Noise, or "RRN," in analog increments from a minor rumble to a devastating warp-3 crescendo.

As far as adding new technology, how about a computer-interface jack so that we can read CDs loaded with software (it's only a matter of time, and money), with our home computer accessing 500 or so megabytes at a time? Possibly, the CDeceiver could even come with a keyboard and 500K of RAM so we won't even have to buy a home computer.

When all of this is finished, and my product hits the market (as far as I know, the CDeceiver is my original idea), I certainly hope that I get at least some of the credit.

John P. Taylor; Eagle, Idaho

Take Direction

Dear Editor:

You are certainly to be thanked for publishing the December 1984 "Auricle" on the Dennesen Polaris indoor FM antenna. I am sure many people will find the antenna helpful. However, Leonard Feldman should briefly review Yagi antenna theory. From his description of how the passive element is adjusted and used, it is clearly a director, rather than a reflector, as Mr. Feldman identified it.

-Charles G. Nelson; Sacramento, Cal.

Editor's Note: We, here at home base, must take the blame for this error which came about through somewhat too casual an editing job on this "Auricle." Please rest assured that Mr. Feldman knows what a director is. -E.P.

Split Personality?

Dear Editor:

The contrasts to be found within the pages of Audio continually astonish me; it is almost as if two magazines somehow manage to occupy the same covers.

Compare the hair-raising irrationality of most "Auricle" reviews with :he rigorously scientific speaker reviews by Richard Heyser. Or compare a scholarly book review by Bob Berkovitz with Bascom King's casual damnation of a $2,300 power amplifier because its "spatial replication and localization were judged to be less precise than with the other amps used ...." It seems to me that one of these magazines is diminished by the other's presence.

-Roy Allison; Allison Acoustics, Natick, Mass.

Kudos Due

Dear Editor: I have subscribed to your magazine for the last two years. Recently, I ordered a Tandberg stereo system from one of your advertisers, Reference Audio Systems of Gardena, Cal. I received excellent advice and super-fast service from them. My order arrived four days after I placed it. In fact, the salesman called me to verify that the order had arrived! I have ordered from other advertisers before, but none has equaled the service of Reference.

Jim Martin Spring, Texas Kudos Due II Dear Editor: It is not unusual to read complaints castigating manufacturers for their curtness, obstinacy, etc. But how about a letter concerning a company that goes out of its way to show good will and trust toward its customers? That company is Haller.

After building the Haller 500 amplifier kit, I found that the power-indicator light in the power switch did not function and that somewhere along the line a scratch appeared on the faceplate.

I wrote to Haller, asking them how I could cover the scratch and suggesting that if they would send me a new switch, I would then return the faulty one. (I did not relish being without music for two to four weeks.) About three weeks later, a UPS parcel arrived, and, lo and behold, in that package was not only a new switch but a new faceplate as well. I was (and still am) truly pleased and astonished. I feel that incidents like this should be publicized.

Truly, it is heartening to learn of reputable and o manufacturers who produce superior products and back them and who have trust and confidence in their customers.

-Ben Berris, Rancho Palos Verdes, Cal.

Kudos Due III

Dear Editor:

It is well known that Roy Allison of Allison Acoustics makes superb loudspeakers. It may not be as well known that he also provides superb after-the-sale service, above and beyond his 5-year full warranty. During the 5 years that I have happily owned Allison: Four speakers, I have had numerous questions regarding the speakers and various other aspects of my audio system, as they relate to speakers. And no matter how dumb my question or irrational my concern, I have always received a prompt reply by return mail, almost always from Mr. Allison himself. I have also received advice over the telephone, again often from Mr. Allison.

This represents much more than just the individual attention one can receive from a small company interested in doing what is good for business. It also bespeaks tremendous personal integrity on the part of Mr. Allison, which infuses his products and his company. Such performance should be publicly lauded.

-Marc Richman Silver Spring, Md.

Erratum

In Fig. 3 of Richard J. Kaufman's article, "Frequency Contouring for Image Enhancement" (February 1985), connections between R6 and R8, leading to IC1B of the right-left to middle-side schematic, should be omitted.

Please note, both the kit of resistors and op-amps and the demonstration and data to help create new musical works are available from Brunswick Tape Media, 580 Eighth Ave., New York, N.Y. 10018; the prices remain the same as mentioned in the article.

(Source: Audio magazine, Apr. 1985)

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