SIGNALS & NOISE (Letters to Editor) (Oct. 1986)

Mea Culpa

Dear Editor:

In reviewing the Kenwood KRC-999 Car Stereo (April 1986) Leonard Feldman made the statement, "Azimuth error was only 53° for a 15.8-kHz signal recorded on both channels of the test tape. This is one of the lowest azimuth-error readings I have obtained for car cassette players recently." In examining Fig. 9, which shows azimuth error as displayed on the Sound Technology ST-1500A, that statement would appear to be valid.

However, one of the "problems" with the Sound Tech is that it can only directly display azimuth errors up to a maximum of 180°. In interpreting the display, it becomes necessary to look at the lower frequencies first, in order to establish a trend, so that an accurate assessment of high-frequency azimuth error can be made.

Specifically, if the azimuth error at the 2.8-kHz point is approximately-60° (as shown), the actual azimuth error at a shorter wavelength (15.8 kHz) must be greater. In this case, the correct figure at 15.8 kHz would be- 307°, or almost an entire wavelength off. This large an error may explain why the data was so easy to misinterpret. It would seem that the azimuth error is not "one of the lowest .. .," but rather one of the highest in recent memory.

-Michael W Silber, Palmdale, Cal.

Editor's Note: Mr. Silber is absolutely correct; I misinterpreted the data presented on the Sound Tech. Frankly, I never expected the azimuth error to be that great, so I assumed the lower number. But upon checking the Sound Tech manual I found that this type of indication does mean an error of greater than 180°.

-Leonard Feldman

Setting the Records Straight

Dear Editor:

I just read Ted Fox's interview with Bob Thiele (February 1986) and enjoyed it very much. Bob is an old friend of mine and I produced several sessions for his various labels over the years.

There's just one point I'd like to correct. Bob was not the first to record Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong together. I recorded them on my Es quire All Americans session for RCA in January 1946, 15 years before Bob's session. I mentioned this to Bob on the phone, and he said that it had slipped his mind.

That was one date I was particularly proud of. I've been making records even longer than Bob, starting in Eng land in 1936 with Benny Carter. Later I produced the record debuts of George Shearing, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington and quite a few others, also writing music, lyrics and arrangements for most of them. For a whsle I had my own company, Mercer Records, in partnership with Duke's son, Mercer Ellington.

Incidentally, I was responsible for the revival of the Impulse label five years ago and insisted they use the original cover color theme and spines.

The reissues I assembled, by McCoy Tyner, Mingus, Rollins, B. B. King and others, are still in the catalog.

Thought you might like to have these details for the record.

-Leonard Feather; Sherman Oaks, Cal.

Cultivating Quad

Dear Editor:

In your September 1977 issue you published a letter of mine. The letter concerned the state of quadraphonic sound and included a plea for all interested parties to gather together in a club and perpetuate the medium as best as possible.

Thanks to that one letter, I went on to publish a surround-sound newsletter through 1984. It brought together many people, from all over the world, who truly enjoyed the medium. Unfortunately, as the years have rolled by, surround-sound recordings have dwindled almost out of existence.

However, with the video craze in full swing, I have seen new hope on the horizon for this multi-channel medium and the people who still have not abandoned hope for that format. Many music videotapes are now encoded for four-channel playback, as are major motion pictures. Also, the videodisc format is fast becoming a shining star in this area.

I think a videodisc club is now in order. Not only is this one of the best video playback mediums available, but also a new breeding ground for surround sound to grow and prosper in. If other Audio readers agree with my thoughts, please write to me. I think we can all benefit from each other's input and assemble a new group of devoted quadraphiles.

Jay Frank, 7424 Sylvia Ave. Reseda, Cal. 91335

Powerful Congratulations

Dear Editor:

I rarely have been impressed enough with a story to respond with a letter, but Audio's two-part interview with Mitch Miller (November and December 1985) was such insightful reading that I was inspired to do so.

Ted Fox's probing questions were matched by Miller's energetic repartee, resulting in the most informative and engaging story I have ever read in a music publication. I wish all magazine articles were so wonderfully can did. And if there were more music business administrators who shared Miller's total honesty and talent, then a new influx of songwriters and producers would have an opportunity to prove themselves. As a record producer and studio owner, I regretfully share Mr. Miller's sentiment that "it's the lawyers and accountants who make the deals today, not the producers or artists." My congratulations to the Audio editorial staff for such frank reporting.

Keep up the good work.

Tony Bongiovi Co-owner, Power Station Studios New York, N.Y.

Commercial Support

Dear Editor:

As a 20-year member of the commercial radio broadcasting field, I would like to respond to a letter, titled "FM A-OK," which appeared in the June 1986 "Signals & Noise" column.

The gentleman who wrote the letter apparently knows a lot about radio tuners, but little about how the radio stations operate that broadcast the signals. It is incorrect to say that "commercial broadcasting is designed to serve the needs of the advertiser." It is designed to attract as many listeners as possible. The station that does this gets the most advertising and can charge the highest rates. It is also to tally misguided to imply that radio stations use processing of their audio so that advertisers' commercials will be louder, thus supposedly making them happy. Very often, listeners will tune in to the loudest signals on the dial. so processing is designed to get the most listeners. The advertiser has no idea whether his commercial is loud or not.

All he cares about is if it gets on the air and if it brings in business.

It is uninformed to say that "the consumer does not care about quality." Every indication is that American consumers are demanding more quality, not less. Also, it is unfair to label commercial broadcasting as "mindless noise." I'm sure that some radio stations could fit into that category, but a majority of commercial broadcasters are extremely concerned about airing a good product, one that will attract the most listeners. As for "mind-numbing advertising," certainly some of it could be called that. But I should point out that the noncommercial stations regularly engage in mind-numbing campaigns for money, which can stretch on for many painful days at a time.

The writer also suggests that commercial radio station operators are not interested in hearing from listeners concerning what they want. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I have seen some radio station General Man agers create almost an uproar over one listener complaint.

It never ceases to amaze me how little people understand the broadcasting business, and I guess that's the fault of those of us who are in it.

Mark Weaver Baltimore, Md.

A Summed Output

Dear Editor:

Just thought I'd share my observations on a few items that have appeared in Audio over these past months. Aren't you thrilled? I was pleased to see the "Auricle" by Anthony H. Cordesman, "One Listener's CD Player Survey," in the January 1986 issue. It was so refreshing and satisfying to see an article on the CD format that was intelligent and unbiased. I've always maintained that CD was not the horror that some critics would have us believe. On the other hand, I never accepted the premise that CDs were "perfect" and that further improvement was unnecessary or impossible. In fact, CD proponents have probably done the most damage because of their overly enthusiastic praise. Nevertheless, for me the CD is an ideal music source.

"Digital Ptomaine" in April 1986 threw me at first. I thought that Neknnaml Hop was writing a serious column, and only near the end did I catch on that it was a farce. The reason for my confusion was the write-up on the Bosendorfer 290 SE system in January's "Behind the Scenes." After that, the idea of a "pure-performance" ma chine didn't seem so strange to me.

But the joke's on Mr. Hop. He refers to research being done on a mechanical throat and mouth which, with the aid of computer control, can mimic the human singing voice. Well, the fact is, there is nothing unique about a lifeless automaton mimicking the human singing voice. Rita Coolidge has been doing it for years! Ivan Berger should carry a pair of ear plugs with him if loud rock music causes him to put his fingers in his ears! (See April "Spectrum.") Better yet, stay out of those places. I never found excessively loud music to have any appeal. In fact, it's not music at all, in my opinion.

-Francis Pivar, New Kensington, Pa.

Eagle Eye

Dear Editor:

I found Herman Burstein's article, "Build a Stereo/Balance Test Switch," in the July issue of particular interest since a vital component of his unit is an Eagle product, catalog No. 615 Knife Switch.

If any of your readers would like in formation regarding obtaining this switch, they may contact our Sales Dept. at (718) 937-8000.

Steven J. Nussbaum Eagle Electric Mfg. Co. 45-31 Court Sq., Long Island City, N.Y. 11101

Editor's Note:

Mr. Nussbaum is right; we did use an Eagle product in build ing the test switch shown in the photo accompanying the article. However, we should note that similar switches from other manufacturers will work equally well.

-E.M.

(Audio magazine, oct. 1986)

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