As predicted, the main interest at the recent Consumer Electronic Show was on quadraphonics, and the majority of the exhibitors (in the audio field) were playing 4 -channel sound of some kind or another. Both Wollensak and Philips had quad cassette players-the latter using 8-mil tracks! Track width on the Quad-Eight format is 20 mils and when you realize that the speed is twice that of cassette machines-to quote Bert Whyte "You don't have to be a genius to figure out which gives the best sound." Philips say their decision to use such a small track width is in the interests of standardization and this configuration gives 4 tracks in each direction ... Several new reel-to-reel machines were on show and more "under the counter." Most of the tapes played were from the Vanguard range but JVC had some of the new Enoch Light Project 3 series tapes. One I heard featured bongos and other instruments from left and right, front and rear, in a frenetic 4 -channel tour-de-force ( fours?) . I thought this gimmickry very much overdone-certainly unmusical, but I must say many of the audience seemed to enjoy it. Ampex made their own tapes-so did Teac's Arne Berg who put on the most convincing 4 -channel demonstration of the Show. He had obviously taken a great deal of trouble in making the tapes which ranged from Mahler 3 to some fascinating street scenes. Both Harman-Kardon and Dynaco attracted a great deal of interest with their respective systems but the general impression was that they lacked the impact, the excitement of "genuine" 4 channel sound. I heard the Harman-Kardon processor ( developed by Robert Orban) in Los Angeles and I was most impressed by the way it lent a sense of spaciousness that really gave a new lease of life to old mono records. Sansui used a system of indicator lights to explain their "psycho -acoustic" synthesizer but I did not hear an actual demonstration. Louis Dorren used a small FM transmitter to show off his MPX system which is not unlike the Halstead -Feldman arrangement-without the compromises. In other words, all four channels have a response up to 15 kHz. More about this system later. Meanwhile, yet another MPX system has appeared on the scene. This one is from the other side of the Atlantic and is described on page 26.
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Advertising humor-or per degree ad astra From Magnavox "... sound in the round, .. . 360 degrees of smooth, rich bass and perfect treble channeled onto an aspirator with 7000 little openings to release the music in all directions." And Electrophonic "... built-in cross -over networks recreate all the vibrant lows, mellow mid -ranges and vivid highs ... sensitive upper and lower cones expand and circulate a double -peak stereo performance that's 720 degrees of sound." Let's hope the copywriter gets paid for a 48 -hour day! .. . You-read-it-first-in-Audio dept: The video disks mentioned in the February issue have now been demonstrated and we have managed-at the last minute--to squeeze in some details on pages 10 and 86. ( Sorry, Sherwood W. and Edward C!) The fantastic new recording techniques will probably make a tremendous impact on the recording industry--but time will tell.
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Editor's Review and Dear Editor (nov. 1970)
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(Source: Audio magazine.)
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