HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: rlk@underprize.think.com (Robert Krawitz)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: Audio Test CDs - Worth the money ?
Date: 9 Oct 92 11:27:40
Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge Mass., USA
NNTP-Posting-Host: underprize.think.com
In-reply-to: gre253@mis.csiro.au's message of Fri, 9 Oct 92 00:58:46 GMT

In article <1992Oct9.005846.15706@mel.dit.csiro.au> gre253@mis.csiro.au
(Steven Green (+61 6 276 6813)) writes:

   Has anybody out there had any experience with "Audio Test CDs". Not
   the type the labs use with the amp and speakers disconnected, but the
   type designed to "tune" and evaluate your system. I've seen a few for
   sale from time to time.  Are they worth the $$$ or are they just a
   wank ?

I have the Denon "Audio Technical" CD.  It's one of the few exceptions
to my rule of never paying more than $10 for a CD, but I rationalized it
by considering it a test instrument rather than a CD.  I've found it
very useful for setting up tape decks, and for tweaking my subwoofer
crossover.

It's not the sort of thing you'll use often, but when you need it,
there's nothing else other than a tone/noise generator that will do the
job.
--
ames >>>>>>>>>  |	Robert Krawitz <rlk@think.com>	245 First St.
bloom-beacon >  |think!rlk				Cambridge, MA  02142
harvard >>>>>>  .	Thinking Machines Corp.		(617)234-2116

Member of the League for Programming Freedom -- write league@prep.ai.mit.edu
From: hhtra@usho21.hou281.chevron.com (T.M.Haddock)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: Advice needed for Extended Warranty
Date: 16 Oct 92 21:59:45 GMT
Organization: Chevron

In article <pwai-161092105022@maca512.mv.us.adobe.com>, pwai (Patrick Wai) writes:
|> Folks:
|> I will be purchasing 2 CD boom boxes ($175, $325) w/i the next few weeks.
|> The salesperson at Good Guys INSISTED that it's a good idea to get extended
|> warranties for them.
|> What do you guys think?

 Of course he INSISTED, he probably gets commission.

 Everyone from Consumer Reports says Extend Warranties
 are a RIP-OFF!

 Have the manufactures' quality gotten so BAD that you 
 need an extended warranty?  If so, why buy it?  When
 was the last time you had something break because of
 a manufacturing defect?

 BTW, if buy your stuff with an American Express or
 some Visa or Mastercards, the card company will usually
 add 1 or 2 years or double the manufacturers warranty
 just for using their card.

 TRAVIS
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: chiu@gpb-mac. (Norman Chiu)
Subject: Re: Science versus TechnoBabble and Golden Ears
Organization: SPS
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4
Distribution: usa 
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 15:48:06 GMT

kucharsk@solbourne.com (William Kucharski) writes:
: 
: 1) Pick up a copy of the October, 1992 issue of Stereophile.
: 2) Scan through both the "Recommended Components" and the advertisements
:    within, and note the number of companies located overseas.
: 
: As opposed to mass-fi, the locale of high-end audio manufacturers breaks down
: more or less as:
: 
: 	90%	United States
: 	 5%	Europe
: 	 3%	Canada
: 	 2%	Japan
: 

Just two followup questions to your stats:

What are the names of these U.S. manufacturers?

What overall audio market share do these U.S. manufacturers command? 

--
    chiu@gpb-mac.sps.mot.com : Norman Chiu : Motorola Inc. Austin, TX
    ___  ____  _______    ______     __  __  _____  _____  ___  ____
   /   \/   / /  ___  \  /      \   /  \/  \ \    \/    / /   \/   /
  /        / /  /  /  / /     __/  /        \ \        / /        /
 /        / /  /__/  / /      \   /          \ \      / /        /
/___/\___/  \_______/ /___/\___\ /___/\__/\___\ \____/ /___/\___/
"...We never gonna survive unless we get a little crazy..." - Seal
From: aphilip@cbnews.cb.att.com (ashwin.k.philip)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: Speaker recommendation ($1500/pair)
Summary: MB Quart and a sub
Date: 13 Oct 92 22:05:59 GMT
Article-I.D.: cbnews.1992Oct13.220559.29031
Organization: AT&T


Well, IMHO, I was looking for speakers in that same price range and listened
to quite a few.  What I ended up with was a pair of MB Quart 390's and a
310 subwoofer.  $800 + $800=$1600.  I listened to speakers up to $2500 and
found these to be the best.  A year later though I listened to a pair
of Accostats (forget the model... these were electrostatic and had built in
subs on each unit) and I wished I had bought them instead (esp. @ $1200).
Now these prices were all retail.  BUT I just saw the 390's advertised in
Stereo Review for like $475 a pair.. check out the latest stereo review for
the exact dealer and stuff... So anyway, if they also discount the 310 the
same way, you can get the system for $950 (at THAT price I don't know anything
that can touch them!)

-- 
Ashwin K. Philip_________________________________Email:  philip@mink.mt.att.com
Software Engineer________________________________AT&T Bell Labs, Middletown, NJ
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: DPierce@world.std.com (Richard d Pierce)
Subject: Re: Science versus TechnoBabble and Golden Ears
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1992 12:11:03 GMT

In article <1190775@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com> kurts@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Kurt Strain) writes:
>
>I know your understanding of psychology and perception leaves more doubt
>about what your senses perceive than what science can predict.  A good
>example is the flight of the bumblebee.  To an untrained observer he 
>might actually think the bee flies, but the scientific proof  from well
>known aeronautic principles proves flawlessly that it in fact does not.
>Pity those who might believe otherwise.  It's all due to wishful thinking.

This is probably the worst example to bring up. It, in fact, supports the
opposite of what I think you're trying to say.

The whole "bumblebee can't fly" myth is something of an urban legend
that's approaching 100 years old. It first surfaced about 100 years ago as
various "proofs" were advanced against the possibility of powered flight.
Those proofs, supposedly based on "known aeronautic principles", were
usually made by people who didn't have a clue about aeronautic principles
to begin with. The scientific principles that we know that allow
bumblebees to fly have been well established for some time.

Remember that for several hundred years, it was a "known fact" that dead
leaves became fish when the landed on water, and ground animal when the
landed on dry land.

Let's not take bad science, build ourselves a strawman, then knock it down
in the name of destroying good scientists. If you want to battle against
pseudo-science, poor science and rank amateur scientists who haven't a
clue, fine. Don't pick bad examples, though, and proceed with a holy crusade.




-- 
|                Dick Pierce                |
|    Loudspeaker and Software Consulting    |
| 17 Sartelle Street   Pepperell, MA  01463 |
|       (508) 433-9183 (Voice and FAX)      |
Xref: sparky rec.audio:13770 rec.video:12360 misc.consumers:17829
From: iac!simpson@uunet.uu.net (Scott Simpson)
Newsgroups: rec.audio,rec.video,misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Extended Warranties
Keywords: Electronic Wholesalers, Mitsubishi U57 VCR
Date: 15 Oct 92 01:52:15 GMT
Reply-To: iac!simpson@uunet.uu.net
Followup-To: rec.audio
Distribution: usa
Organization: Investment Technology Group, Culver City, CA

>chrisp@theory.TC.Cornell.EDU (Chris Pelkie) writes:
>>Consumer Reports determined a couple years ago that extended warranties
>>were darn close to the biggest scam going.

Yes. Consumer Reports says that you should virtually never buy an
extended warranty. The failure rate for cars and electronic equipment
usually follow a bathtub shaped curve. You may have a few problems
when you first get it or when it gets very old but you rarely have
problems in between. If you have problems in the beginning, then the
product is covered under the factory warranty. If you have problems
very late, then the extended warranty has expired anyways. If your
product does break down, you are betting that the price to repair the
product is more than the extended warranty, which often isn't true. In
fact, salesmen often get 20% commissions on extended warranties. If
they get this much commission, there is an enormous profit in extended
warranties.
-- 
Scott Simpson, Investment Technology Group, iac!simpson@uunet.uu.net
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: Janne.Anttila@lut.fi (Janne Anttila)
Subject: Re: Does Bang and Olufsen make good equipment?
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 19:20:25 GMT
Disclaimer: Graecum est, non legitur.
Organization: Lappeenranta University of Technology, Finland

In article <27110039@hpspkla.spk.hp.com> borowski@hpspkla.spk.hp.com (Don T. Borowski) writes:

   As far as I know, B&O builds their own stuff.  I am sure that certain
   parts, like CD player mechanics, come from other manufacturers.

B&O CD mechanics come from Philips. 

B&O CDs, turntables and tape decks are OK (not high end, though), but
their amplifiers are relicts from the '70s. Absolutely no capacity
for driving loads under 8 ohms. And DIN connectors...

Their speakers aren't that great, either.



--
	Spirits make me move in mysterious ways...
						   Janne Anttila
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: bill@bilver.uucp (Bill Vermillion)
Subject: CD skipping comment
Organization: W. J. Vermillion - Winter Park, FL
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 13:33:04 GMT

This is just a comment on a something I have noticed.

I have had a CD player in my car for a little over 5 years.  It
skips on some bumps in the road, but I have fairly stiff
suspension and tires.

I noticed that on one particular road I travel, sometimes it
skips, sometimes it doesn't.

It appears the discs that skip are usually the long discs, and
the ones that don't are much shorter in length.

Just a data point if anyone cares.

-- 
Bill Vermillion - bill@bilver.oau.org  bill.vermillion@oau.org
                - bill@bilver.uucp 
                - ..!{peora|ge-dab|tous|tarpit}!bilver!bill
From: bss+@cs.cmu.edu (Bruce S. Siegell)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Sony Receivers (was Regrets to this petty newsgroup)
Date: 7 Oct 92 15:38:53 GMT
Organization: ECE Department, Carnegie Mellon University

Aside from the quality control problems (noise in surround channels,
clicking relays, etc.), is there something wrong with Sony receivers when
compared with other receivers in the same price range?  (To make this
clearer, people have criticized Bose speakers, but I have not seen any
complaints that they don't work.  Assume that we're talking about receivers
that work.)

					Bruce Siegell
					bss@cs.cmu.edu
From: jj@alice.att.com (jj, curmudgeon and all-around grouch)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: Golden Ears?
Date: 12 Oct 92 21:12:01 GMT
Article-I.D.: alice.23862
Reply-To: jj@alice.UUCP (jj, curmudgeon and all-around grouch)
Organization: NJ State Home for Bewildered Terminals

In article <70930@hydra.gatech.EDU> gt0869a@prism.gatech.EDU (WATERS,CLYDE GORDON) writes:
>I have also read, and heard in an extremely limited number of 
>experiences that the ear hears extremely low frequency tones differently 
>in compression than rarefaction- one source called it a "rectification" 
>effect.


This, as far as it goes, it correct.  Inner hair cells fire
on a positive-going half-cycle.  Now, only at very low frequencies
will this direction have anything to do with the polarity
of the excitation because most of the basilar membrane
is driven by filter that is strongly band-pass.

This, of course, can mean that the excitation can change due
to polarity. It means that how it changes will be different
for each and every one of us, though, making that observation
somewhat useless.
-- 
Extremism *Copyright alice!jj 1992, all rights reserved, except transmission
   in the    *by USENET and like facilities granted.      Said permission is
  defense of     *granted only for complete copies that include this notice.
 liberty is no vice.  *Use on pay-for-read services specifically disallowed.
From: kmr4@po.CWRU.Edu (Keith M. Ryan)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: Stereo Review (was Re: Very expensive cables)
Date: 16 Oct 1992 20:14:33 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: kmr4@po.CWRU.Edu (Keith M. Ryan)
NNTP-Posting-Host: thor.ins.cwru.edu


In a previous article, bill@bilver.uucp (Bill Vermillion) says:
>
>The 'wiggling' would invalidate any results as you are not getting a
>good connection.   In the studio we ALWAYS soldered every one of these
>connections.  If you don't you can see corrosion in the bundles as time
>goes on and will affect the crimped connection unless they are
>ABSOLUTELY at maximum pressure.    

If you noticed, I admited that fact. However, I look at the cables as
a whole unit. Anyone buying cheap hardware cable, is not going to use
expensive connections. I use a very heavy, twin leaved crimper, which
is the best on I could possibly find.  

>
>You know that nice pretty gleaming MC.  Look at it in a couple of years
>and see the sickly green that shows through the transparent insulation.
>Thats not very good for conduction.

Funny, I have some older runs going on 8 years old. They are still 
spotless. ( I did shrink wrap and solder them )

But, your corrosion may vary.


< excuse my poor typing, I am only on a 10 yr old terminal today.... >




-- 
So there I was, snuggled in the leather seat of my brand new Ferreri [sic]
I had the oiled wood gear shift in one hands, and the leather wrapped Momo in
the other. And, I had the stereo cranking _Born to be Wild_...
	Only one problem, I was unside [sic] down, under six feet of water...
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: gre253@mis.csiro.au (Steven Green (+61 6 276 6813))
Subject: Audio Test CDs - Worth the money ?
Organization: CSIRO ITS
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 92 00:58:46 GMT

Has anybody out there had any experience with "Audio Test CDs". Not the type
the labs use with the amp and speakers disconnected, but the type designed to
"tune" and evaluate your system. I've seen a few for sale from time to time.
Are they worth the $$$ or are they just a wank ?

-- 
* Steve Green     *  "Hey Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit outa my hat!"    *
* Comms Group     *  "That trick never works"                            *
* ITS Branch      *  "Nothin' up my sleeve - PRESTO"                     *
* CSIRO Australia *  "No doubt about it - I gotta get another hat"       *
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: nau@ssesco.com (William Nau)
Subject: Re: optical vs. coax digital interconnects
Organization: SSESCO
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 12:24:41 GMT

>> This also applies to transports. Four hunderd doller CD-ROMs seem to
>> do fine reading every bit of a disc correctly. Why pay >$3000 for some
>> esoteric transports for the same behavior. Is not digital, digital?

>CD-ROM uses a much stronger Error Correction strategy, I believe.

I don't understand what difference that makes.  If it can get all of the
bits right for $400, why not do the same in audio?  Even on a CDrom errors
are not what one would consider frequent in the audio world.  This has
always confused me.
From: jreiser@scott.skidmore.edu (jason reiser)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Focal Drivers...
Date: 14 Oct 92 01:18:19 GMT
Article-I.D.: scott.1992Oct14.011819.5717
Organization: Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs NY

I have a question that some of you may be able to help me with...

I am looking for two different Focal speakers, and have found ones
that have very similar (though not identical) model numbers.
	The first is a model 7KN011 DBL
		The one I am able to locate is a 7K001 DBL (no N)
	Are these the same or what?

	The other is a T100Ti
		Again, I can only find tweeters T90Ti or T120Ti
		I suspect that 100 is the diameter of the mounting
		plate that the tweeter is on.  Right?

	Are the T100Ti's available?

Thanks for your help!

				- Jason

jreiser@scott.skidmore.edu
From: so690561@mbcr.bcm.tmc.edu (Susan Elizabeth Olson)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Older ('85) CD player problems
Date: 17 Oct 1992 02:04:44 GMT
Organization: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tx
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: mbcr.bcm.tmc.edu
Keywords: HELP

...I'm not sure if this is the right board, but lately my early
vintage Technics SL-PJ11 CD player has been refusing to play
brand new CDs (which work fine in a friend's newer portable CD
player).  It makes a cross between a grating and a high-pitched
hissing sound before it just gives up.  Just a few minutes ago,
the power button came out. My question is has this faithful
friend died (ie I heard about the laser/focusing mechanism
possibly wearing out - could this be what happened to my machine-
how do I tell?) and should I consider repairing it or do I go
ahead and replace it?  If this isn't the right board, could
someone mail me and tell me where I should repost this.  Any
suggestions/advice you may have, please send to me - I don't
subscribe to this board.

Thanks in advance
-Susan
so690561@mbcr.bcm.tmc.edu



Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: gfl@hera.uucp (22402-lenahan)
Subject: Re: Sony Receivers (was Regrets to this petty newsgroup)
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 92 17:58:39 GMT
Summary: confusion

I'm a bit confused with what you're asking;

bss+@cs.cmu.edu (Bruce S. Siegell) writes:
> Aside from the quality control problems (noise in surround channels,
> clicking relays, etc.), is there something wrong with Sony receivers when
> compared with other receivers in the same price range? 

I have no idea, compared with a median performance level.
There -are_, however, a few brands that significantly
exceeed the median performance level in terms of sound
quality and electrical performance (current drive cap, etc)

> (To make this
> clearer, people have criticized Bose speakers, but I have not seen any
> complaints that they don't work.  Assume that we're talking about receivers
> that work.)

This doesn't make anything clearer.  Speakers rarely "break",
so the comments focus on how they sound.  Right or wrong, many 
people don't feel that they sound all that great, compared to
other speakers at their price.  Mission, Infinity, BA, and others
all make solid, small $200-300/pr speakers.

Sony may do just fine.  They used to make some cassette decks that
were very reliable, and sounded better than average.  This was,
admittedly, nearly ten years ago and _anything_ could have 
happened since.

'later

Grant
gfl@hera.cc.bellcore.com
(gosh, I hate writing this out for those who
can't read header lines....)
From: MATGBB@LURE.LATROBE.EDU.AU (BYRNES,Graham)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: CD pre-emphasis
Date: 16 Oct 92 01:06:52 GMT
Organization: La Trobe University
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.24

In <183893@pyramid.pyramid.com> lstowell@pyrnova.mis.pyramid.com writes:

> In article <1992Oct14.165422.6335@news.eng.convex.com> moeller@convex.com (Tom Moellering) writes:
> 
>       [Does ANYONE still record with pre-emphasis????   ]
Yep. I recently built a DAC with an emphasis indicator:
BIS still uses it (their 1992 sampler has it )
Denon Still use it (a 1991 recording by the Carmina Quartet of Szymanowski)

I'm yet to find a Philips or DG or Chandos disc with it.

Some early discs from Gimmel (Tallis Scholars label), ASV and others
have it.
When I get round to doing the data entry in my newly written CD database,
I'll post some stats....
Graham B
From: cs108069@pandora.sdsu.edu (DeRose)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: Speaker recommendation ($1500/pair)
Date: 8 Oct 92 16:44:29 GMT
Organization: San Diego State University, College of Sciences
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5

Go with the Klipsch Forte II.  $1,300 retail.  Not a better deal
to be found.  :-)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: matth@progress.COM (Matthew J. Harper)
Subject: Re: Regrets to this petty newsgroup
Keywords: none that I care to type
Organization: Progress Software Corp.
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 18:11:36 GMT

jseiler@sei.cmu.edu (Joseph Seiler) writes:

  [ Many insults and baby toilet talk deleted ]

  It's funny how someone who says he doesn't care what anybody thinks about his
system got so bent out of shape because some used the generic term "cheapie"
in regards to his system...

  I'm glad he's a college student.  Maybe he could get into one of those 
remedial 'after_high_school_where_I_didn't_pay_attention" English classes to
help him a) understand the word cheapie, and b) learn how not to leave words
out of sentences.  Makes difficult reading for those of us who are used to
sentences full of abbreviations like THD, S/N Ratio, dbx, ...

-Matth
--
          Matthew J. Harper ! Progress Software Corp. ! {disclaimer.i}         
   God created heaven and earth to grow barley and hops. Now he homebrews !-)  
Newsgroups: rec.audio,misc.legal
From: eacj@theory.TC.Cornell.EDU (Julian Vrieslander)
Subject: Re: DAT TAX Legislation, may become law soon...act now!!!
Organization: Cornell Theory Center
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 20:51:24 GMT

If this bill gets past the Senate, it will be interesting to see whether
George "Read My Lips" Bush chooses to veto it.

Given that he almost always sides with big bizness, and that the DAT tax
has not received a lot of press, you would expect him to let the law pass.
Since it takes more than 15 seconds to explain the tax, it is not likely
to be used as an issue by the Democrats.  And if they do bring it up, Bush
will claim that it was a Democrat's tax, and throw smoke to explain
why he did not veto it.

But then again, if the "Media Elite" are all whores for the Democratic
Party, as Bush's people like to claim, then he should veto the bill to
spite them, right?
-- 
Julian Vrieslander 
Neurobiology & Behavior, Mudd Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853    
INTERNET: eacj@theory.tc.cornell.edu     BITNET: eacj@crnlthry
UUCP: ..cornell!batcomputer!eacj
Newsgroups: rec.audio,sci.electronics
From: es1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Ethan Solomita)
Subject: Headphone audio -- how do they simulate distance
Organization: Columbia U., New York City
Reply-To: es1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Ethan Solomita)
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 01:54:36 GMT
X-Posted-From: cunixb.cc.columbia.edu
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol.ctr.columbia.edu


	When you listen to music over headphones, it is possible
for the audio to be recorder such that it either sounds like it
is coming from the center of your head, or that it is coming from
both sides.

	How is this accomplished? And, please, I'm mildly
technical but not overly so.

	Thanks,
	-- Ethan


purgamentum init, exit purgamentum
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: drraymon@watdragon.uwaterloo.ca (Darrell Raymond)
Subject: Re: Audio Test CDs - Worth the money ?
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1992 13:35:32 GMT

In article <1992Oct10.070241.28989@leland.Stanford.EDU>, image@leland.Stanford.EDU (John B. Mooney) writes:
> In article <1992Oct10.014004.8153@henson.cc.wwu.edu> n8846069@henson.cc.wwu.edu (BarryB) writes:
> >
> >When I orginally subscribed to Stereophile about a year ago
> >I did so with one of those cards that said I'd get the test
> >CD for free.  Well, it's been a year and still no test CD.
> >The same thing happened to one of my friends.  Anyone else
> >have the same problem?  
> 
> I'm having the exact same problem.  Is anyone else?

  I didn't have this problem, but I've had problems trying to get
the full number of issues that I had paid for.   What's more, they've
ignore my letters in resubscription envelopes, so I just let the
subscription lapse.

-Darrell.
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: nau@ssesco.com (William Nau)
Subject: Re: cd player recommendations?
Organization: SSESCO
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 20:37:42 GMT

In article <1b2uh1INN6a1@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu>, smv3@po.CWRU.Edu (Sean M. Vadas) writes:
|> 
|> 
|> I am wondering if anyone could recommend a good cd player.
|> I'm interested in updating my old Sony carousel which was
|> junk.  I have a Denon receiver, a Nakamichi cassete deck, and
|> Pinnacle speakers.  What would you suggest?
|> 

I would suggest that you give us a price range.