Electronics-World-1959-05

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MICHIGANNN TICS, INC.
DISTRIBUTOR DIVISION
203 N. Wabash Avenue
Chicago I, III.
Please rush me information on 4-track stereo .
also details on heads for direct replacement and
up-grading.
NAME
1 ADDRESS
96
CITY
I am a Service Dealer I am a Hi Fi Dealer
I own a Recorder I am a Parts Jobber
STATE
J
doldrums and will be scudding smartly
before the "trade winds.'
!MAIMS
DOUBLE CONCERTO FOR VIOLIN
AND CELLO
David Oislrakll, violinist and Pierre
I' mice, cellist with Philharmonie Orchestra
conducted by Alece Galliera.
Angel Stereo ST6001. Price $14.95.
Well, I managed to scrounge an
Angel tape and I can tell those of you
who may be interested in Angel tapes
that the amount brought into this
country is quite limited and you have
to hunt in the shops of tape specialists
or check with some of the mail -order
houses to find them.
I have found the quality of the Angel
tapes I have heard so far to be quite
variable. As you probably know they
utilize the "M/S" stereo recording
technique (I have explained it in these
pages before) and I have come to the
conclusion that the results to be had
from it depend to a great extent on the
type of music that is recorded. As a
general observation, these tapes exhibit
far less directionality and more "middle
fill" than tapes made to our 3- channel
specification. Accordingly, in works of
large dimensions and large orchestrations,
the M/S works out fairly well.
In scores with leaner orchestration
where instrumental separation and directionality
is important to the proper
delineation of the music, it seems to
miss its mark.
This "Double Concerto" of Brahms is
a case in point . the superb cello
playing of Fournier can be fairly well
positioned in the right channel and the
fabulous Oistrakh violin occupies the
"middle" channel, but both are subject
to "wandering," especially the violin
which pops up in the left channel occasionally.
Beyond this, the over -all
sound is extremely diffuse, with an apparent
lack of energy in the left channel.
In other words, directionality in
this tape is definitely limited and I
don't think this will appeal to American
tastes.
The tape was unusually quiet, but
I am afraid that this was accomplished
at the expense of the top end as it
seems to be lacking in any appreciable
high frequencies. Nor do bass frequencies
extend very far down. Add to this
a recording perspective well away from
the orchestra which, with the reverberent
acoustics, adds to the "formlessness"
of the sound. Its very lack of
solid contours lends an unobtrusiveness
which may appeal to some, but hardly
endear it to the sound enthusiast. It is
really a shame for here is a much -
needed addition to the stereo tape
repertoire and the performances of
Oistrakh and Fournier are breathtakingly
beautiful.
RACHMANINOFF
PIANO CONCERTO #1
Byron Janis, pianist with Chicago Symphony
Orchestra conducted by Fritz
Reiner. Victor CCS65. Price $10.95.
This was one of the last Victor tape
releases before the drought set in and
somehow it got tucked away on my
shelves where I ,just the other day
found it! Janis is making something of
a name for himself as an interpreter of
Rachmaninoff and in this recording he
gives a very good account of his talents
in a reading that compares favorably
with Rachmaninoff's own.
The sound has all of the stereo virtues
and the plus of Chicago's Orchestra
Flail acoustics for fine depth
perspective. A good recording, but I
wouldn't say one of the very best from
Victor. But evidently the company
thinks otherwise, as this was one of the
tapes with which it did a great deal
of the early experimenting with the
stereo discs and many copies of it were
given to people as a demonstration of
the potentialities of the stereo discs. I
might add that on subsequent comparison,
the disc ran a very poor second to
the tape. Perhaps the disc has been
recut now in the light of more recent
experience and fares a good deal better,
but being admittedly prejudiced,
I'd still place my dough on the tape!
BEETHOVEN
PIANO CONCERTO NO. 5
( "EMI'EROR" )
Jacob Lateiner, pianist with Vienna State
Opera Orchestra conducted by Armando
Aliberti. Westminster Stereo SW119010.
Price $14.95.
Here is a stereo tape that should
enjoy a brisk sale. This is excellently
done on all counts. Lateiner may not
have quite the refinement of Rubenstein
in his version, but this is first -rate
playing with a very lovely tone production.
Soundwise this is a dandy, with fine
balance between piano and orchestra.
The piano is in "ghost" middle .
and stays put, and the orchestra is well
distributed left, middle, and right with
excellent directivity making for good
instrumental separation. Over -all
sound is very clean and spacious. Highly
recommended. -30-
NOVICE COURSE POPULAR
ALLIED RADIO'S "Novice Code and
Theory Course" for beginning radio
hums has drawn a record enrollment in
its just -completed Winter session.
A total of 110 students registered for
the 14 -week Winter course -an increase
of 50 over the Fall class. According to
the company, this is believed to be the
largest Novice course enrollment in the
country.
Classes are held in the company's
cafeteria Monday evenings from 7 to 9.
The course is filtered free and the firms
supplies telegraph keys, headphones,
and paper. Tapes and records are used
to broadcast the code and students having
difficulty can avail themselves of
personalized instruction. At the end of
the 14 -week course most students have
a receiving speed of 8 wpm -3 wpm
faster than required for the Novice license
exam.
Basic radio theory is given, covering
the questions on the Novice exam.
George Beret's, W9WOV, and Joe Huffman,
W9B11D, both of Allied are the
instructors. The class shows an amazing
record of 66% successful FCC exams on
the first try. -30-
ELECTRONICS WORLD