BAASnotes.com – Bay Area Audiophile Society

Making a B&W 802D (Not a DIY affair)

Resurrecting the First Recorded Sounds

I was just reading the latest Science magazine (here) and ran across an article highlighting the work of Patrick Feaster, audio archeologist.

This, in turn, led me to the First Sounds website, an outpost for the restoration and preservation of our earliest recorded sounds.

It turns out that Cal Berkeley plays a unique role in this process: they have developed a method for digitally scanning fragile wax cylinders to extract the signal without destroying the original.

I find this ironic – recovering man’s original analog signals using digital means. I wonder if they worry about jitter?

Bob

Is Music Math (and vice versa)?

Physicist Glenn Elert has included a nice exposition on the mathematical basis of music in his online physics text (click here).

From Beck "Sea Change" DVD-A

Glenn keeps the tech description at a “Popular Science” level for much of it, but descends to undergrad-college-level in parts. So there’s something for everyone. (nice illustrations too.)

If you think about the content, I believe you’ll emerge with a thing or two to enrich your listening – at home or in live venues.

Bob

PS  The pic at right shows some anamolies I’ve detected on a popular DVD-A. I am shocked and amazed at what I find in some “hi rez” material. (At least this one goes above 22kHz – some don’t.)

Can Androids Create Musical Art? – A Short Story

Fans of music and science fiction can find common ground in this enjoyable, award-winning short story by local software engineer Bill Katz.

In the story, the career of a concert pianist is ended in its prime with sudden onslaught of a debilitating disease. Future science has a “cure” – but can his art survive the process?

Plenty of humanity and neat tie-ins to the world of a classical pianist.

Enjoy,

Bob

The Music Industry Inflects in 2012 – Thanks Adele and Downloads

As reported here in the NYT, album sales actually grew – albeit slightly (1.3%) – in 2012.

Among the good news is that “digital retailers are getting better and better at giving customers what they want” says Nielsen.

So much for downloads killing the industry. People love music and will pay for it under reasonable terms. IMO, the only thing that can kill the industry is the industry.

The soulful Adele was credited with leading the charge in growth.

Bob

The Ultimate Blind Reference Test – Pick the Stradivarious!

I want to introduce you to NPR’s new classical music blog, Deceptive Cadence, and to this article.

The article describes research in which professional musicians could not tell the difference between a centuries-old classic violin and one minted in 1980. In fact, most preferred the sound of the 1980 job!

Based on the sound clips, I don’t know how. I could correctly identify the more sonorous sound of the Strad after 3 seconds of playing. It was obvious. I guess I’m just that good a listener. Or maybe that lucky!  lol

Have fun with it,

Bob

[Thanks to member JeremiahH for pointing this article out.]