PEASE PORRIDGE cording chain (Chesky Records, New Yo rk City), microphone to A-D con­ WHAT'S ALL THIS verter (justto the input, even we don't like a room full of tubes), to 800-watt triode OTL (output transformerless) tube amplifiers.We enjoy a very good SPEAKER CABLE STUFF, reputation for our ability to get the most fr om the equipment. I must also add that I am a recording engineer and a professional musician with 25 ANYHOW? years of performance experience. It's easy to poke fun at the high end ack in July of 1995, Ken that you scoff at have tried exactly as Kenneth Lundgren does in the July Lundgren of Bloomingdale, that, and have failed. 24, 1995 issue of ED, because what is B Ill. had some comments We are retailers and hi-fi is by na­ discernible only by ear may not be about some manufacturers' ture, a fashion and fad business. If it measurable with knobs and dials. The claims for their speaker cables.1 wasn't so, you'd still see amplifiers art of audio reproduction can only, in "There is a special digital cable which with wooden cases. But as in any the final analysis, be evaluated by ear imparts an 'analog-like warmth' to business, some things withstand the (which like a musician's ear or a tech­ digital signals." He made several test of time, like tuxedos, and some nician's eye, takes time and effort to other skeptical and disparaging com­ things don't, like leisure suits. So train). I assert that neither you nor ments about cables that cost hundreds time will tell. But, I tell you there is your skeptical following have actually and thousands of dollars-and I one hell of a wire business out there. listened, which is what true high­ agreed with him that most of these We can't all be deaf! end audio is all about. If you were to claims are absurd. On the other hand, I have heard do so, in time as your ear learns the A few weeks later, I got a letter many types of speaker cables and subtle differences in things such as from a person who appeared to be a they all sound different. I swear! soundstaging, instrument place­ strong supporter of high-end audio, Now you have to consider my back­ ment and timbre, and bass extension George Kaye. Af­ ground of having the trained ear of and speed, you too would be scratch­ ter I wrote him, I a working New Yo rk jazz bassist, ing your head and saying, "Who'd received the fol­ and I've been building amplifiers have thunk it!" By the way, there are lowing cover letter since I was 10 years old. I've made a many well-trained audio engineers and a revised ver­ lot of mistakes and have learned who do things "by the book," and sion of his original from them. So I have 30 years of ear fortunately they provide us with letter. and amplifier training. Also, some many types of equipment that can be people just hear it naturally without improved with modifications. "B ob: much ear training. Usually your debunking of a ques­ In response to I'll tell you I may be fo oled one day tionable theory is excellent, as you one of your letters and be absolutely right on another. demonstrated with the Taguchi BOB PEASE about speaker ca­ The cognitive ear skills are not always Method, and is done with a step-by­ OBTAINED A bles, I want you to at the fo re when it comes to listening, step methodical approach. However, I BSEE FROM MIT know that it makes so I make any critical judgments over am astounded that you attack some­ IN 1961 AND IS absolutely no dif­ time, days or weeks. thing outside your field of expertise STAFF ference what cable I just sent you a rewrite of my first on such an emotional level, and aban­ SCIENTIST AT I use. It's what letter. I hope you don't take offense don the scientific method. I have no NATIONAL gives you the most at my claiming that you are not an problem if you can mount an argu­ SEMICONDUCT­ pleasure that is im­ expert in this fi eld, but hell, it makes ment that trashes something in audio, OR CORP., portant, and I for good reading. but it has to stand up to the finaltest, SANTA CLARA, want people to be GEORGE KAYE" which is the listener's acceptance of CALIF. happy with their the experience. hi-fi. So if you can "D ear Bob: Anyone can get music out of a hand­ doctor up $10 worth of lamp cord with I enjoy reading your column, but I ful of components. The music fr om an a little C and L so that it sounds indis­ must stand up for the audio high-end early Vi ctrola was touted as realistic, tinguishable from a run of any high­ which has come under scathing attack undistinguishable fr om the original. end wire, let me know and believe me, by you and several of your readers. Our experience has proven this claim we'll make much $$, and I'll buy you We design, modify, and manufacture has been exaggerated over time. your next VW clutch. Unfortunately, vacuum tube audio gear. We've built Quality is measured in the domain of many of the people who sell the cable everything fromthe complete tube re- taste. The listening experience is rela- ELECTRONIC DESI GN/MAY 13, 1996 I PEASE PORRIDGE tive in terms of quality, and what is is a transducer. The type of capacitor, what harm does it do? Why does it pleasurable or realistic to one, may the tightness of winding, the dielectric make dial twisters mad, anyway? sound bad or false to another. You may and physical deformation properties The truly ineffective fads (yes, find a particular brand of scotch the of the dielectric, resonance, and damp­ there are some charlatans who sell * finest for years and then, as someone ing, all make the difference between a floobydust) die quickly, but others did for me, you are introduced to some violin sounding like a violin, or a fu zz­ open questions that spawn new areas 18-year-old single malt, and suddenly tone electric guitar-whether it is of development, such as digital jitter your allegiance is torn, or maybe you played ppp or fff. Run a square wave reduction (yeah, you can hear that, can't tell the difference. from an amp into any cap of about l /-lF too), power supply improvements I can't go into all the technical and it will sing!2 Polarize a cap with, (WaIt Jung, where are you?), etc. I things, that at first glance, may seem say, 50 V, through a 1-MQ resistor and recommend reading an issue or two of insignificantbut are really important, hook it up to the input of an amplifier Audio Amateur, Glass Audio, Stereo­ so here are a few items that we in or scope. Tap the cap with a pencil. phile, etc. audio ponder and actually research: Thump-thump! The whole art of audio is about ex­ What is the mechanism at the mo­ There are two camps of audio de­ panding the choice and ability to intro­ lecular level that governs how wire vices-tubes and transistors. While duce (or not) anything that wasn't conducts low-level signals, and is it solid-state equipment has made big there in the performance. How close dynamic? What really goes on in 02- strides in the last decade, I have yet are we toward that objective? I'd say free copper wire vs. regular wire to hear what is considered the best we're still a long ways from making with higher oxidation? How pure a solid-state amp outperform many of you believe that there really is a drum conductor is copper? Silver has dif­ the less-than-best tube amplifiers. set in your living room. Think about fe rent electrical properties. Audio Why? One of my theories is that tubes for a moment: 5 drums, 10 vibrating hookups with silver sound different. act as little echo plates adding a rever­ heads, and 4 cymbals, each aimed in a Is different better? Sometimes yes, berant warmth to the music and the different direction, perceived through sometimes no, but different is al­ more tubes the better. 2 loudspeakers. The world of audio for ways different. There are lots of other theories, pleasure (as opposed to function, like Did ' you ever start your car with such as even/odd harmonic genera­ your phone or PA system) is an ART jumper cables only to see them stiffen tion, of an FM-type distortion in a sili­ that balances what you see on your up under the magnetic fields of the con device-ask RF expert Dick Se­ test bench, with what you hear. Any­ current flow? Some of the energy in­ querra about this one. Sufficeit to say one who has been down that path will tended fro the speaker goes into mov­ this debate goes on. The question is, attest to that. ing the two speaker wires instead of "Which sounds better?" Only you can It is understandable that those the speaker, or is lost in the wire's make the call for you. who live and die by measurements dielectric absorption. Current peaks Does an amplifier with 0.0003% are skeptical because they've never of 50+ amps are not uncommon in low­ THD sound better than an amplifier played in this area, and the reported impedance 1-2Q speakers.