SIGNALS & NOISE (Letters to Editor) Jun. 1983

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Cover Competition

Dear Editor.

Couldn't help but notice your March 1983 cover reference to the NAD 4150 tuner, "Better Than Carver's?" Well, I'm happy that you hold my tuner as the benchmark, worldwide gold standard of tuners against which all others are judged, but also couldn't help but notice that the cover question went unanswered inside the magazine. I've had lots of phone calls about this. So, to help me and to serve the readers of Audio, let's take a look.

Len Feldman tested both tuners and measured the data as reported in Audio. The data presented in the accompanying chart includes everything that was reported for both tuners.

Inspection of Len Feldman's test results shows that the Carver TX-11 is better (with eight wins, four losses, and two ties) than the NAD 4150 (with four wins, eight losses, and two ties).

But the reality is that my chart of Len's numbers proves only one thing: Both tuners are state-of-the-art. Except for one very important exception-the single reason that I invented my special circuits. And that reason is related to only a single number. Look at the 50 dB stereo quieting sensitivity: NAD, 25.0 uV versus Carver, 6.9 uV. It is this number that defines, more than any other, what my tuner is all about.

Inspect Len Feldman's quieting and distortion graphs for the NAD 4150 (from the March 1983 issue) against those for the Carver TX-11 (December 1982 issue). They are virtually identical, i.e., they are both superb. But wait! As soon as one pushes, in Len Feldman's words, "those two magic but tons" on my tuner, an amazing thing happens! Next look at Len's quieting and distortion curves for the TX-11 with the magic buttons pushed in. The noise dropped 20 dB at 25 dBf! That's 10 times less noise! And 10 times more station pulling power. And five times less multipath-induced interference.

That's what my tuner is all about. No other tuner in the whole wide world even comes close.

In closing, I wish to compliment Larry Shotz, a very talented and disciplined designer, for his excellent work on the NAD tuner-and for that, my sincerest admiration.

-Bob Carver, President, Carver Corp., Woodinville, Wash.


--------- NAD 4150 tuner, FM mono and stereo quieting and distortion characteristics.

Carver TX-11 tuner, FM mono and stereo quieting and distortion characteristics, wide-band mode, without use of special circuits.

Carver TX-11, stereo quieting and distortion, wide-band mode, with noise- and multipath-reduction circuits activated.


------Specification NAD 4150 Carver TX-11

Satellite to Audio

Dear Editor:

Thank you for the article "WFMT: Satellite Superstation" which appeared in your February 1983 issue. It made very interesting reading for those of us who are involved in satellite audio.

One correction I would like to make concerns the list of other satellite audio services which are piggybacked with WGN-TV. While it is true that the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago operates an audio service by this means, it is not radio station WMBI-FM, but rather the Moody Broadcasting Network (MBN) which is distributed via satellite to affiliate radio stations and cable systems. MBN is a long-form, national pro gram service which can be segmented for local radio service use. There is no reference to local news, weather, etc. on MBN.

-Wayne Shepherd, Satellite Program Manager, Moody Broadcasting Network, Chicago, Ill.

Will the Real Superstation Please Stand Up?

Dear Editor:

I wish to bring to your attention two minor errors in a basically excellent article regarding WFMT in your February 1983 issue.

The first error is listing KTVU in Oak land as being the third superstation carried via satellite. While it's true that KTVU had been called a superstation, it has not been on satellite for over a year. Actually, the third superstation is WOR-TV from New York City.

The second error concerns the number of transponders the author states are in the Satcom satellites. The correct figure is 24, not 12. The original Western Union (Westar) satellites had only 12, and RCA does designate their transponders as broadcasting 12 vertical and 12 horizontal modes-but the series of RCA Satcom satellites have had and will have 24 transponders.

-Melvyn E. Shlank Orange, Conn.

Igor, Come Here!

Dear Editor:

In these uncertain times, when standards have come to mean so little and brand names have come to stand only for high prices, not quality, it has been comforting to know that one man and one line of components have made a stand for quality and fidelity, much as a beacon of light cuts through the darkness. Yes! Professor I. Lirpa has shown us the way. But if Audio is not to cover the achievements of this inventive genius, then surely all is lost. For years I have counted on Audio's cover age of Prof. Lirpa's unique and unsurpassed equipment. His shower micro phone has proved to give the cleanest sound available. Lirpa's 5-kg tonearm has been shown to be the undisputed master of the warped disc, and any other disc with which it should happen to come in contact. How can Audio call itself the authoritative publication while leaving out the one man and one line of components worthy of our continued admiration? The world will little note nor long remember what Audio says, but the words and deeds of Prof. Lirpa will live forever, or at least until tax time, whichever comes first. Bring back Prof. Lirpa! Such remarkable genius as his must not be hidden in some small, not quite inconspicuous classified ad (April 1982, pg. 76). Return him to his rightful full-page editorial glory, where he and his talents can be exposed for what they truly are.

-Ms. April Fieldsday, Miami, Fla.

Editor's Note:

Lirpa has not lapsed.

The Professor spent considerable time developing the ultimate one-brand system, which was subject to our careful scrutiny in the April issue.-E.P.

(Source: Audio magazine, Jun. 1983)

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