Editor's Review (Jun. 1972)

THE HI-FI DEALERS Association of Delaware Valley has accomplished a number of praiseworthy things-campaigning against misleading Music Power and other phony ratings, educating the public about compacts and component systems, and so on. But, their recent communiqué--if that is the right word-regarding quadraphonic sound is to be deplored. Some of the criticisms are valid enough, i.e. the shortage of records, few stations broadcasting in the medium, the discrete vs. matrix confusion, but when Ed Gorak, the executive director, says "Retailers are generally agreed that the sound from four speakers offers very little more than present stereo sound," he is talking absolute nonsense. Later in the article (which appeared in the Daily News Hi-Fi Supplement), it is stated ".. . retailers are not equipped at this time to demonstrate four-channel sound," and this might well be the clue. An array of speakers on wall shelves might be good enough to demonstrate ordinary two-channel stereo but quadraphonic sound must be demonstrated under home conditions. It is no use putting four speakers all in line, as I saw a few weeks ago in a Philadelphia store-no use whatever. Care must be taken with speaker placement but results are well worth the extra effort. Quadraphonic sound can recreate a sound field more accurately than possible with two channel, it can be more realistic and exciting.

It can reduce the effects of poor room acoustics, and the listener is not so aware that he is listening to loudspeakers. Some of the most impressive four-channel sound I have heard has been in small rooms where ordinary two-channel stereo gives indifferent results.

Media Are Tools

From the NCAE ( National Center for Audio Experimentation) newsletter published by the University of Wisconsin, "The communications media are tools which convey a representation of reality. Except in a symbolic way, they do not transport reality to the presence of the viewer or listener. The media, whether they be considered art forms themselves or parallel to the arts, establish conventions which often offend when introduced but tend to be accepted by the public in a short time.... When new conventions are established, old conventions may be rejected or absorbed. Acceptance of the new seldom comes without a struggle."

Microsonic Grooves

Many years ago, the Dutch Philips company […] with high density microgroove records. I don't remember now how tight they squeezed those grooves but I know they were 78 rpm. So were the discs (unequalized) made by my good friend Cecil Watts. Anyway, a small company up in Revere, Mass., has just come up with a stereo disc with a density of 800 grooves per inch. First release is a 7-in., 45-rpm record that plays for over 30 minutes a side. As far as I could tell (the recording was "Jesus Christ, Superstar"), quality was comparable with a conventional disc although distortion is theoretically higher than that of a 12-in. record-particularly near the center.

Classical releases are promised in the near future and I hope to write a more detailed report in due course. A 12-in. disc playing for an hour each side sounds an attractive proposition-and I forgot to mention-there was no sign of mistracking or groove jumping when the record was playing with an ADC 25 cartridge at 1 1/2 grams. Amazing!

This Is Your Life

AUDIO has just had a large-scale readership survey conducted by a market research organization, and here is what you look like. About 22% are between the ages of 25 to 29, 20% 20 to 24, and just under 14% 30 to 34. Over 30% are engineers or technicians, 25% professional or managerial, and there are nearly 12% students plus 11% engaged in research. More than 24% have family incomes in the $10,000 bracket, 22% between $15,000 and $20,000, and 30% in the $20,000 to $50,000 range. A lucky 2.7% enjoy incomes over $50,000. No less than 42% are homeowners, and 21.4% have a second or vacation home.

The Youth Market

ABC-FM recently issued a market survey of the Youth Rock Stereo Listeners in the seven areas including New York, Detroit, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Houston, and San Francisco. Age group is given as 18 to 34 and the report covers magazine readership, cars, clothes, books, and beer, etc., etc. More than 84% own some kind of stereo equipment, and the majority plan to buy component systems. The stereo brand preferences are listed, with Garrard at the top, closely followed by Panasonic and Sony, then Fisher, KLH, Pioneer, Sansui, Dual, Scott, and Marantz. Under the section entitled Leisure Time Activities, Swimming, Spectator Sports, and Camping rate between 11 and 13% each, but Opposite Sex gets only 0.5%.... Times certainly have changed!

-G.W.T.

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(Source: Audio magazine.)

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