Ambisonics is back
It would seem to me that as soon as systems reach a certain level of comple=
xity, they also reach the point of diminishing returns - or wildly increasi=
ng cost.=20
It is my general contention that listening to music, once upon a time, was =
for other than the musician, almost inevitably a social event. I came to th=
at conclusion far back in time upon attending my first 'real' concert in Av=
ery Fisher Hall during its shakedown. My 6th grade music teacher had a rela=
tionship with the acoustic engineering firm that was "tuning" the hall befo=
re its first public debut - and we were privileged to sit in while the NY P=
hilharmonic was rehearsing for that opening.=20
Cutting to the chase, about any decent two-channel audio system may be conf=
igured for a fairly wide sound-stage and open "sweet spot" such that more t=
han one person may enjoy the experience. As each level of complexity is add=
ed (digital delay, Hafler Circuit, Surround-Sound) the listening area becom=
es more and more restricted. If what (superficial) reading I have done on A=
mbisonics is at all accurate, a sphere of sound is created - which would se=
em to be very restrictive indeed.=20
There is, indeed, a great deal of ego tied up in some systems - my neighbor=
has his set up such that his head may not vary by more than a couple of in=
ches in any direction (in his opinion) while listening. WOW! So, perhaps an=
Ambisonics system may be in his future?
Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA=20
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