Signals & Noise (Letters to Editor) (Apr. 1991)

Perfect Sound, for Now

Dear Editor:

It seems highly ironic that an issue screaming the benefits of DAT on its cover ("How Can Anybody Resist Owning One?") would also contain an article pointing out that high-quality open-reel tapes are decaying after only 10 or 20 years (November 1990). The excellent article, "Archival Revival" by Michael N. Stosich, did an admirable job of documenting the problems and solutions involved in keeping these "old" (?) recordings. I note:

1. The highest quality tapes often have the worst problems, but, of course, DAT tapes will be of such high quality that this type of problem will never occur in the future.

2. Cures often involve treatment of the tape, head, guides, etc. This would be impossible with DAT.

3. Tapes only 10 or 20 years old are becoming unplayable. I certainly want my recordings to last longer. Of course, as noted in the article, bad tapes can often be "cured" long enough to make a copy, but since that may not last long either, there may be continual degradation through dubbing "new" copies. Digital recording would surmount this huge obstacle to longevity, as a 12th-generation copy would sound as good as the original.

Unfortunately [due to SCMS], we've been deprived of this feature; either the copy must go into the analog domain or be lost as the tape deteriorates.

From my vantage point, DAT packs a lot of convenience features and high quality sound, but it is still tape, with all its drawbacks. High-quality open reel is sonically equivalent for most applications, doesn't limit tape longevity options, and allows cheap editing. What I won't be able to resist is a recordable CD system without some form of SCMS. Thanks for a magazine that brings up these types of concerns.

-James Graham; Kalona, Iowa

Elevating Everest

Dear Editor:

It seems appropriate to commend Audio for a recent article and make a suggestion for a future follow-up piece.

I have drawn very great use from F. Alton Everest's "Muffling the Neighbors" in the November 1990 issue.

While my current project is not entirely aimed at the neighbors, I do have tremendous interest in the various attenuation characteristics for partitions and floors/ceilings.

I am now in the process of building a new sound room in my basement and am trying to lock out furnace noise, plus control extraneous transmission to the rest of the house. I had been immersed in various books, such as Noise Control by Harris, and was proceeding generally along the lines of Everest's article. I must say, however, that this article has been a fantastic boon to me, as it brings the noise attenuation issues into sharper focus.

Now I know just what my offset, dual plate, double-stud 2 x 4-inch partition with two layers of 1/2-inch gypsum will do to the furnace noise (which will be originating less than 10 feet behind where my speakers will be in the room). At least I think I do. The details of Fig. 9 don't quite cover this exact case, but I am assuming that offset double studs (as in Fig. 9-D) but on separate plates (as in Fig. 9-H) will perform at least as well, if not better.

Mr. Everest, thank you indeed for an informative article on a subject which is probably not universally understood.

Let's hope that sometime in the future you might find the time to do another, and discuss sound characteristics of doors and windows.

-Walter G. Jung; Fallston, Md.

Prima Dona

Dear Editor:

I had my Adcom GFA-555 power amp updated by Wavetrace Technologies of Florida. The resultant sound is more open, less grainy, and has significantly more bass--well worth the investment.

The reason for this letter, however, is to commend Don Hillebrand for providing repairs, free of charge, due to my having crossed speaker wires, not once, but twice within the last year! Also, Don has provided answers to questions I have had concerning other stereo components. I wish to thank him publicly not only for the update but also for the service and support he has given me since then.

-Gary Chalas; Boston, Mass.

(Source: Audio magazine, Apr. 1991)

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