Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 (Tek) 9/12/84; site tekig1.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!zehntel!tektronix!tekig1!gregr From: gregr@tekig1.UUCP (Greg Rogers) Newsgroups: net.audio Subject: Re: dbx vs. Dolby B/C Message-ID: <1807@tekig1.UUCP> Date: Tue, 4-Dec-84 03:42:34 EST Article-I.D.: tekig1.1807 Posted: Tue Dec 4 03:42:34 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 5-Dec-84 01:00:24 EST References: <3582@ucbvax.ARPA> <723@watdcsu.UUCP> Reply-To: gregr@tekig1.UUCP (Greg Rogers) Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR Lines: 29 Summary: I don't think dBx is the "only suitable noise reduction system for tape" as stated. I own a dBx unit and have seldom used it because I find the breathing very objectionable as I've indicated several times before on the net. There is nothing wrong with my dBx unit, this is very normal and is simply a designed in side effect. The dBx home units are single band, 2:1 companders. The single band creates a problem whenever the program material consists of narrow frequency band information, such as a solo instrument. The program material is too narrow to mask the tape noise which then rises and falls with the solo instrument output. This effect is simply known as breathing. Note that professional compander systems like Dolby A split the frequency spectrum into multiple bands (4 for Dolby A). This allows the signal to rise in one band without allowing the noise to rise in another band. So I am afraid for most classical music the home dBx units are unacceptable for me. Now the good news. Sanyo makes (or did) a home noise reduction unit called Sanyo Super D. The Sanyo Plus N55 is a simultaneous record/play (4 channels) unit that is also a 2:1 compander BUT has TWO frequency bands. The two bands seem to solve most of the breathing problems of the single band units. I wouldn't have thought of Sanyo for this type of equipment but this is a very nice unit that is a dramatic improvement over my dBx unit. The N55 is about the same price as a dBx 224 (maybe $50-$100 more retail) but I'm not sure if they are still selling them. I can't emphasize enough how much better the Sanyo unit is and since I got both of them I have no reason to care which is better. Oh the best news, I got the Sanyo unit for $35 (new) last summer when a local high volume discount stereo store unloaded them along with other Sanyo amps and stuff. I don't think they even knew what they really were. Greg Rogers Tektronix