Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/3/84; site teddy.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!harvard!think!mit-eddie!genrad!panda!teddy!rdp From: rdp@teddy.UUCP Newsgroups: net.audio Subject: Audio anecdote of theMessage-ID: <1533@teddy.UUCP> Date: Tue, 29-Oct-85 15:57:53 EST Article-I.D.: teddy.1533 Posted: Tue Oct 29 15:57:53 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 31-Oct-85 09:09:01 EST Distribution: net Organization: GenRad, Inc., Concord, Mass. Lines: 144 Audio Anecdote of the This 's topic: Chrome-Dome and The Use of Loudspeakers as Offensive Weapons The last two anecdotes dealt with the problems dealers and custo- mers face when dealing with manufacturers. This , we take a look at some of the the problems dealers and manufacturers face when dealing with customers. The main character in our story here was a young (high-school) kid subsequently dubbed "Chrome-dome". Here is his (our) story: Way back when, shortly after I and several others had started a high-end hi-fi store in Boston, we were selling, amongst other things, the then completely new Yamaha electronics line and Celestion speakers. For those who may not be familiar with them, Celestion, at that time, made a line of speakers that combined reasonable accuracy with high efficiency and remarkable power handling. The top of the line speaker, the Ditton 66, consisted of a 12 inch woofer/passive radiator bass system, a phenominal 2" dome midrange that would handle untold power, and a very wide band uncollored 1" dome tweeter. One day, this kid walks in, carrying a copy of Pink Floydd's "Dark Side of the Moon". Seems he's looking for a killer hi-fi system. He had been sold on JBL speakers and Phase Linear amps and Crown preamps at another store. His budget, unfortunately, was about 40% shy. We suggested he listen to a system comprised of the Celestion 66's and a Yamaha CA-1000 integrated amp. The combination (once he got done with turntable, et al) was within his budget, the only remaining task was to convince him that the system met his needs. He handed us his record, and we said we already had a new copy. "No," he said, "I don't trust stores' records, they're usually awful." OK, we say, we'll play yours. To this person, record care was something you did with stuff you scrape of your sneakers and apply with 40 grit sandpaper! He agreed that his record was "a bit worn", but that was done by another store. We put our copy on, and he was happy. While it was playing (fairly loud), he asked that it be turned up. Up it went. Not loud enough for him, he wanted it even louder. At this point the level was approaching painful, but there was plenty of reserve left in the Yamaha, so we didn't care much. It was far louder than we had ever listened to things, but we were amazed at how the speakers were managing to handle things, and they showed no signs of distress. Louder and louder, he wanted things. He was not convinced until the strangest thing happened. The Celestion speakers were sitting on a couple of short pieces of 2x4's because, sitting directly on the floor, the bass could sometime be overwhelming. The 2x4's seemed to cure the problem. Well, whoever had set up the speakers didn't have them seated squarely, and, during a particularily loud passage, the left speaker slipped of one of the 2x4's, and, rocking on the verge of total imbalance, proceeded to walk forward about a foot or so! Well, this kid was impressed beyond recovery. At that point, he took out his and paid us for the system, cash! This despite our repeated attempts to convince him that the speaker had merely slipped, and wass not walking under its own bass prowess! He took the system home, and immediately called us up to tell us how wonderfull the system was. For several weeks we heard nothing. In the interim, it seems his father had gotten sick and tired of his hippy kid playing that rock music at deafening levels. So he grapped our hero, dragged him to a barber shop, and had his hair cut. This kid ended up with a crew cut the of which there has never been any whicher, before or since. I doubt there existed a single folicle exceeding 1/16"! At his next visit, we didn't even recognize him. He said of his fate, "Well, I guess you guys can call me Chrome-dome!" The name, of course, immediately stuck fast. This visit of his was not all that humorous. It seems that the speakers didn't sound as clear as they once did. A quick listen revealed the problem: the tweeters were very thoroughly fried. We replaced them no charge, and advised him that he should excersize some caution. He went away happy, while we tried to figure out how he had managed to fry two tweeters. A week later, our friend was back. Same problem. New tweeters were installed. This time, he was required to pay for them, since the problem seemd not with the equipment. At $36 a crack, this was to become an expensive lesson to learn. The next day, he was back again. This time he brought his amp along. I checked it out, just to make sure that it was not unstable or oscillating or anything like that. Well, we had warned him, and told him to get his $72 ready. I retired to the lab to replace the tweeters. WHen new units had been installed, I tested the speakers. There was no high frequencies still, and the midrange sounded truly strange!. I quick checked the feed to the tweeters and found nothing. So, out came the woofer, and all the damping, and there was the crossover before me, or what remained of the crossover. Both high frequency pass capacitors were gone. Simply not there anymore, quite totally in absentia. One of the midrange caps looked more like a sausage than an electronic component. There was the unmistakable odor of burnt plastic, and the rear wall of the enclosure looked like it had been hit by shrapnel. And there was a lot of paper and aluminum confetti just floating about! Well, Chrome-dome was put on the hotseat. "What happened?", we drilled. After a few minutes of questioning, he revealed that he like to play his harmonica along with whatever music was playing. And, conveniently, the Yamaha amp had a nice microphone jack on the front panel. Well, visions of infinite feedback squeal danced in our heads. Sure, I thought, that might be enough abuse to send an amp so far into clipping that it might destroy some tweeters. He even agreed to demonstrate. We, instead, suggested that we show him how, if he really had to do it, how it should be done. He hauled out his microphone, and we plugged it in, and carefully turned it up until it was at the level he wnted it at. The volume control was at about 2/3 full. He said, "No, that's not how I do it." At which point, he removed his microphone, turned the volume all the way up, and proceeded to slam the microphone plug back into the jack. There was, of course, a deafening "KABOOM", ac- compinied by a very sharp but muffled "CRACK". Simultaneous to this was the unmistakeable ring-like flash of light acround the periphery of the tweeter domes, signalling that the tweeters in our floor models had gone to join their compatriots in some direct-radiator nirvahna. A few seconds later, we detected the strong odor of burning plastic, tempered by a slight acid smell. Our floor models were destroyed! The capacitors had been blown apart, in one case fracturing the crossover PC board! And there, next to the Yamaha, which had shut down in protest, was Chrome-dome, smiling his toothy grin, saying, "Wasn't that awesome?" Dick Pierce