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From: goodmon@encore.UUCP (Brian Goodmon)
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: 2 questions, 2 replies
Message-ID: <173@encore.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 27-Feb-85 14:32:16 EST
Article-I.D.: encore.173
Posted: Wed Feb 27 14:32:16 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 3-Mar-85 04:08:19 EST
Organization: Encore Computer Corp., Wellesley Hills, MA
Lines: 67

I've been wondering about a few things:

What speed does the tape run on the machine that is recording
the information for a digital master tape?  The reason that I ask is
that I was wondering if you could put that same info onto a cassette
tape, and have a D2A/A2D converter at home.  This would allow you to
reap the benifits of digital reproduction without a CD player, and would
have the added advantage that you could record digitally yourself.  However,
some quick figuring seems to suggest that this isn't feasible:  16 bit
samples at 44.1 K per second means roughly 800 K bits per second;  guessing
that a cassette tape runs at around 3 inches per second means that the
information density on the tape would have to be 266 K bits per inch.
That seems impossibly high, since I seem to remember that computer mag tapes
have a density on the order of 10 K bits per inch or less.  That makes me
wonder how fast a digital master tape runs, hence this question.  Have I
missed something in my calculating?  Also, I guess that another reason that
this isn't a great idea is that the cassette deck would probably need extra
functions, like logic to search for beginnings of "tracks", etc.  Oh well.

Are there advantages to a linear tracking tonearm other than the obvious
removal (you hope) of tracking error?  An article that I copied from Stereo
Review states that there is no need for anti-skating compensation.  Is this
true?  Can you explain why?  Their explanation was not clear.  Do they really
mean "since many linear tonearms are driven by servo motors, the servo motors
compensate for skating force so that no *additional* compensation is
necessary"?  What about linear tonearms that don't use servo motors (the
Souther, for instance)?  Also, what is the audible manifestation of tracking
error?

Now, some responses to questions by other readers:

To the person who asked for headphone suggestions:  listen to Stax.  Their
electrostatic "earspeakers" are wonderful.  They are also expensive.  Oh
well.  Even if you can't afford $400, listen just so that you can compare
other headphones to the best (the best that I've heard anyway).  A cheaper
brand that has very good sound is Sennheiser (sp?).  They don't have nearly
the resolution of the Stax, but come in a respectable second.  Unfortunately,
the only model that I found comfortable to wear (ie. fits around the ear
instead of pressing against it) is their top-of-the-line.  That translates
to "most expensive", but it is still cheaper than Stax's bottom-of-the-line.
Stax also makes electret headphones that beat the Sennheiser sound for only
slightly more money (around $150 I think).  This model (Lambda Junior it's
called) might be a good compromise cost/sound-wise.  Electret headphones
work in much the same way as electrostatics...the difference is that the
thing that moves to create the sound is a heavier, permanently magnetized
piece of metal rather than a thin, light, electrically polarized piece of
saran wrap.

To the person who asked about Harmon-Kardon T-60 turntables:  the T-60 is
a nice machine, with some nice features.  Before you decide though, give
a listen to an AR with a Linn Basik tonearm (this happens to be what I
ended up buying).  The T-60 is more convenient to use, what with the
auto shut-off/tonearm lift, and the front panel 33/45 rpm selector (on
the AR you must lift the platter off and change the belt to another pulley),
but the AR/Linn sounded better to me.  The bass is, to my ear, tighter and
more realistic.  The difference is due to the Linn being a better tonearm than
the one that comes with the H-K (ie, stiffer arm, and better, tighter
bearings).  The tonearm that AR makes is not held in high regard...most places
don't even sell it, usually mounting the Basik on the AR.  Another good
separate tonearm is the Grace 707; depending on the compliance of your
cartridge, it might work as well or better than the Linn.  The decision between
the H-K and AR/Linn is a tradeoff between slightly better sound and much greater
convenience.  Both the H-K and AR/Linn go for about $450.  Another table that
you might consider is the Kyocera.  It sounds at least as good as the H-K, is
even more convenient (more handy semi-automatic features), and, if I remember
right, costs less (around $375 I think).  For a medium cost manual or semi-auto
turntable, you won't go wrong with any of these three.