Odd that Blumlein is not better known in audio circles, in
particular due to this important circuit which many of us have used.

http://www.doramusic.com/patents/496883.htm

Dave McDonald over at RAR+P came up with this link. Thankyou Dave.

Cheers, John Stewart

"John Stewart"

Odd that Blumlein is not better known in audio circles, in
particular due to this important circuit which many of us have used.

http://www.doramusic.com/patents/496883.htm




** This page has some additional info on the matter:

http://web.telia.com/~u43200663/blocks/ulaudioamps.htm




............. Phil

As far as I know he is well known in audio circles for many things. He
had several stereo patents as well.

Bret Ludwig wrote:

As far as I know he is well known in audio circles for many things.

Perhaps with some. But we don't hear of him nearly as much as say
Armstrong, DeForest, Hafler & others, many of lesser importance.

He had several stereo patents as well.

Yes, more than 100 patents in all. Many outside the realm of audio.

David Hafler & Herb Keroes popularized the UL connexion more than anyone
in
the early 50's. And if you read Haflers interview in the Issues 14 & 15 of

Vacuum Tube Valley (VTV) it seems he would have us believe UL was
'hatched'
in their product. No mention of Blumlein at all!

Cheers, John Stewart

Phil Allison wrote:

"John Stewart"

Odd that Blumlein is not better known in audio circles, in
particular due to this important circuit which many of us have used.

http://www.doramusic.com/patents/496883.htm



** This page has some additional info on the matter:

http://web.telia.com/~u43200663/blocks/ulaudioamps.htm

............ Phil

An interesting page, but one of the references seems a bit odd. In the
Robert Alexander part he states as follows-

"The Ultra-Linear circuit in its push-pull form became widely used in
high-fidelity valve amplifiers during the second world war, though it was=

a good many years before general practice
caught up with Blumlein=92s thinking."

I can't think of a single UL connected amp from the WW2 era. Things reall=
y
got off the ground with UL in North America at least when Hafler & Keroes=

got going. However, they don't seem ever to have given Blumlein much
credit.

Cheers, John Stewart

"Bret Ludwig" wrote in message
oups.com...
As far as I know he is well known in audio circles for many things. He
had several stereo patents as well.


Blumlein's patent no's are also listed here
http://www.alanturing.net/turing_arc...es/blumlein/#4

-=Mike=-

"John Stewart" wrote

Odd that Blumlein is not better known in audio circles, in
particular due to this important circuit which many of us have
used.

http://www.doramusic.com/patents/496883.htm

Probably much more well known in Europe. I come across the name
frequently in connection with the maths of stereo reproduction,
particularly wrt recording.

eg http://www.doramusic.com/patents/394325.htm

Apparently he invented stereo. I wouldn't be surprised if, in
America, it was invented by an American.

So did he get royalties from recording companies and UL amp makers?
The connection with UL is new to me...it's generally credited to
H&K.

cheers, Ian

Ian Iveson wrote:

"John Stewart" wrote

Odd that Blumlein is not better known in audio circles, in
particular due to this important circuit which many of us have
used.

http://www.doramusic.com/patents/496883.htm

Probably much more well known in Europe. I come across the name
frequently in connection with the maths of stereo reproduction,
particularly wrt recording.

eg http://www.doramusic.com/patents/394325.htm

Apparently he invented stereo. I wouldn't be surprised if, in
America, it was invented by an American.

So did he get royalties from recording companies and UL amp makers?
The connection with UL is new to me...it's generally credited to
H&K.

cheers, Ian

Not sure Ian, but I think the Blumlein Binaural? system used two tracks
on the same disc. There are photos of some of the reproduction
equipment somewhere in copies of Audio Anthology.

Seems to me the 45/45 system using one track was by Westrex? Not sure.
That would probably make that one American, anyway. I need to cheat &
look it up.

I've got some of the very first discs by the Westrex method. Not too
good! They were done by Audio Fidelity in their early days. One is
music played for Bull Fights (not BS) in Mexico.
Still have a GE VRll stereo phono cartridge. It was a step back from
their very good mono pickups. Lots of hum pickup. My turntable of the
time could have been a problem too. A Garrard 4HF, it was probably not
fixed at all for vertical rumble. That didn't help at all with the GE
45/45 pickup. But the disc doesn't sound much better at present on my
Sony PS-X6.

I've also got some 'Transcriptions'. The program material is recorded
vertically, as opposed to horizontally. Seems to me some of those discs
play from the inside out. Also quite large. All that discourages theft!
Guess that is why they did it!

Cheers, John Stewart

In article , "Ian Iveson"
wrote:

"John Stewart" wrote

Odd that Blumlein is not better known in audio circles, in
particular due to this important circuit which many of us have
used.

http://www.doramusic.com/patents/496883.htm

Probably much more well known in Europe. I come across the name
frequently in connection with the maths of stereo reproduction,
particularly wrt recording.

eg http://www.doramusic.com/patents/394325.htm

Apparently he invented stereo. I wouldn't be surprised if, in
America, it was invented by an American.

When did Blumlein invent stereo? Stereo goes back pretty far so it may be
hard to ascribe its invention to a particular person either European or
US. I suspect that Blumlein's unique contributions to stereo are more
likely in the area of "maths" and technique. Everything under the sun
wasn't invented in Europe.


Regards,

John Byrns


Surf my web pages at, http://users.rcn.com/jbyrns/

In article , wrote:

I've also got some 'Transcriptions'. The program material is recorded
vertically, as opposed to horizontally. Seems to me some of those discs
play from the inside out. Also quite large. All that discourages theft!
Guess that is why they did it!

Or maybe they just needed to be that large to accommodate 15 minutes
uninterrupted on a single side when cut with a standard grove,
representing half or a quarter of a radio program. A few transcriptions
have some sides cut outside in, and other sides cut inside out, so that
the change in tonal quality will not be as noticeable when the sides are
played with one immediately following another.


Regards,

John Byrns


Surf my web pages at, http://users.rcn.com/jbyrns/

On Fri, 29 Jul 2005 12:18:42 -0500, (John Byrns) wrote:

Everything under the sun
wasn't invented in Europe.

But most things subsequently claimed by Americans were.

d

Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

In article ,
(Don Pearce) wrote:

On Fri, 29 Jul 2005 12:18:42 -0500, (John Byrns) wrote:

Everything under the sun
wasn't invented in Europe.

But most things subsequently claimed by Americans were.

And European's seem unable to parse a simple English sentence. The claim
was that Blumlein "invented stereo". That seems highly unlikely given
that experiments in binaural and stereo go back quite a way, probably to a
time before Blumlein was working in the field, and no evidence has yet
been presented here that his work might have predated other binaural and
stereo demonstrations.

I think the problem is that people are equating "stereo" with the single
groove stereo disc, which Blumlein may very well have invented, although
like many such inventions there were others working in the field that came
up with the same idea at approximately the same time.

"stereo" does not equal "stereo disk".


Regards,

John Byrns


Surf my web pages at, http://users.rcn.com/jbyrns/

Hi John

Not sure Ian, but I think the Blumlein Binaural? system used two
tracks
on the same disc. There are photos of some of the reproduction
equipment somewhere in copies of Audio Anthology.

Seems to me the 45/45 system using one track was by Westrex? Not
sure.
That would probably make that one American, anyway. I need to
cheat &
look it up.

Looking at the patent, it seems it's the modern idea of stereo per
se that he is on about.

The purpose was primarily for moving film, so the sound could track
whoever was speaking across the picture. He acknowledges that some
work had already been done, but only using relative amplitude. He
produces the maths including phase difference, and suggests
practical methods of accomplishing this so that true "binaural"
sound can be reproduced with speakers rather than just earphones.
Much is about sum and difference signals, what looks like a 2-axis
cartridge, and loads of stuff I might read later.

It doesn't appear that our idea of 'space' figures much, and I
suspect all that was yet to be experienced at the time. The first
stereo recording must have given them a shock.

Looking at what his work has in common, it seems he was fascinated
by positioning systems using signal processing. The UL and
differential amp stuff were probably offshoots of the need for
accurate processing.

I've got some of the very first discs by the Westrex method. Not
too
good! They were done by Audio Fidelity in their early days. One is
music played for Bull Fights (not BS) in Mexico.
Still have a GE VRll stereo phono cartridge. It was a step back
from
their very good mono pickups. Lots of hum pickup. My turntable of
the
time could have been a problem too. A Garrard 4HF, it was probably
not
fixed at all for vertical rumble. That didn't help at all with the
GE
45/45 pickup. But the disc doesn't sound much better at present on
my
Sony PS-X6.

Until quite recently I just listened to the best stuff I could find
with no sense of history, and I regret that now. I know I can only
truly appreciate what is, if I have also experienced what isn't.

Anyone in Bradford, UK with some proper old stuff I can listen
to?...sigh...

I've also got some 'Transcriptions'. The program material is
recorded
vertically, as opposed to horizontally. Seems to me some of those
discs
play from the inside out. Also quite large. All that discourages
theft!
Guess that is why they did it!

Absolutely. Things are far too easy to steal these days. Audio
equipment is like ballpoint pens and plastic cigarette lighters now:
always shifting around so you usually have a system but it's never
the same one. The good ones circulate really quick and the poor end
up with the **** so in Africa they have to rub sticks together.
Don't let the *******s get you down, that's what my granddad said.
They put him in prison for making half-crowns.

cheers, Ian.

"John Byrns
Ian Iveson

Apparently he invented stereo. I wouldn't be surprised if, in
America, it was invented by an American.

When did Blumlein invent stereo?


** In 1930.

Stereo = system using only 2 channels and two speakers to create a
virtual image of sound field for a centrally positioned listener.


Stereo goes back pretty far


** Yep - to 1930.

The first stereo recordings were optical tracks on film made by Blumlein's
team.


so it may be hard to ascribe its invention to a particular person either
European or US.


** The Blumlein 1930 patent on the "crossed pair" mic technique for
recording stereo with two channels nails it.


I suspect that Blumlein's unique contributions to stereo are more
likely in the area of "maths" and technique.


** How else would anyone invent and demonstrate a METHOD !!!

By having two crossed & directional mics at the same spot ( instead of
spaced apart) all sounds arrive simultaneously - so a sound source in the
middle produces equal and "in phase" left and right signals, one that is
off to the left also produces "in phase" signals but of greater amplitude in
the left than the right.

This was Blumlein's major discovery in 1930, ie that left - right amplitude
differences alone will supply all the cues needed for humans to perceive a
stereo image.

He could not patent the discovery, but he did patent the mic technique that
exploited it.
This was the invention of "stereophonic sound" as it later became known. It
was much simpler to achieve than folk had previously though possible. Only
two channels were needed ( not 3, 4 or 5 ) but they must be in close phase
and amplitude match. Once a practical method of putting two such tracks on a
vinyl disk was found - successful commercial use was assured.




.......... Phil

On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 11:43:05 +1000, "Phil Allison"
wrote:

snipped for bandwidth, but saved for reference

Excellent. Thanks. Any comments about the 45/45
analogy of Blumlein micing and stereo phonograph
records? You can definitely do some serious
writing when ya want ta.

Keep 'em flying,

Chris Hornbeck

"Chris Hornbeck"
"Phil Allison"

Any comments about the 45/45
analogy of Blumlein micing and stereo phonograph
records?



** I think it is pretty much a *co-incidence*.




........... Phil ;-)

On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 13:06:45 +1000, "Phil Allison"
Any comments about the 45/45
analogy of Blumlein micing and stereo phonograph
records?

** I think it is pretty much a *co-incidence*.

Arf! Perfect.

Chris Hornbeck

In article , "Phil Allison"
wrote:

"John Byrns
Ian Iveson

Apparently he invented stereo. I wouldn't be surprised if, in
America, it was invented by an American.

When did Blumlein invent stereo?


** In 1930.

So it is you contention that before 1930 nobody had thought of the idea of
connecting two microphones to two speakers or to a pair of earphones?


Regards,

John Byrns


Surf my web pages at, http://users.rcn.com/jbyrns/

"John Byrns"
"Phil Allison"

Apparently he invented stereo. I wouldn't be surprised if, in
America, it was invented by an American.

When did Blumlein invent stereo?


** In 1930.

So it is you contention that before 1930 nobody had thought of the idea of
connecting two microphones to two speakers or to a pair of earphones?



** So, by that same logic, if a cheeky kid in 1901 stuck a cardboard box on
his head with a 9 inch dia hole in the side to look out through - **
HE ** invented TV ??





............ Phil

John Byrns wrote:
So it is you contention that before 1930 nobody had thought of the idea of
connecting two microphones to two speakers or to a pair of earphones?


Regards,

John Byrns


Plenty of non Americans have had worthwhile inventions over the years.
Satelites, computers, AA spectrometers, Aircraft automatic instrument
landing systems to name a few of them.

Regards
Mark

Mark Harriss wrote:
John Byrns wrote:

So it is you contention that before 1930 nobody had thought of the
idea of
connecting two microphones to two speakers or to a pair of earphones?


Regards,

John Byrns



Plenty of non Americans have had worthwhile inventions over the years.
Satelites, computers, AA spectrometers, Aircraft automatic instrument
landing systems to name a few of them.

Regards
Mark


small correction: "satelites" should read "geosynchronous satelites"

"Mark Harriss"
John Byrns wrote:

So it is you contention that before 1930 nobody had thought of the idea
of
connecting two microphones to two speakers or to a pair of earphones?



Plenty of non Americans have had worthwhile inventions over the years.
Satellites, computers, AA spectrometers, Aircraft automatic instrument
landing systems to name a few of them.



** Please do not forget the famous "black box" flight recorder - for
analysis after an air mishap or crash.

An Aussie invention.





............ Phil

Phil Allison wrote:
"Mark Harriss"

John Byrns wrote:

So it is you contention that before 1930 nobody had thought of the idea
of
connecting two microphones to two speakers or to a pair of earphones?



Plenty of non Americans have had worthwhile inventions over the years.
Satellites, computers, AA spectrometers, Aircraft automatic instrument
landing systems to name a few of them.




** Please do not forget the famous "black box" flight recorder - for
analysis after an air mishap or crash.

An Aussie invention.





........... Phil



Ahh yes... another good old CSIRO invention.

John Byrns wrote:

In article , "Phil Allison"
wrote:

"John Byrns
Ian Iveson

Apparently he invented stereo. I wouldn't be surprised if, in
America, it was invented by an American.

When did Blumlein invent stereo?


** In 1930.

So it is you contention that before 1930 nobody had thought of the idea of
connecting two microphones to two speakers or to a pair of earphones?

Its probable that someone did farnarkle around with stereo before 1930.
But maybe they couldn't afford the time and effort and expense of applying for
a
patent.

So who invented 4.1?

What about 6.1, 8.1?

The stereo invention wasn't anything like a big deal compared
to say the invention of the telephone, TV, motor car, or the atom bomb.



Patrick Turner.



Regards,

John Byrns

Surf my web pages at, http://users.rcn.com/jbyrns/

Phil Allison wrote:

"John Byrns"
"Phil Allison"

Apparently he invented stereo. I wouldn't be surprised if, in
America, it was invented by an American.

When did Blumlein invent stereo?


** In 1930.

So it is you contention that before 1930 nobody had thought of the idea of
connecting two microphones to two speakers or to a pair of earphones?

** So, by that same logic, if a cheeky kid in 1901 stuck a cardboard box on
his head with a 9 inch dia hole in the side to look out through - **
HE ** invented TV ??

Yeah, but the kid would have been watching the world's first reality TV
show...........

Patrick Turner.



........... Phil

In article , "Phil Allison"
wrote:

"John Byrns"
"Phil Allison"

Apparently he invented stereo. I wouldn't be surprised if, in
America, it was invented by an American.

When did Blumlein invent stereo?


** In 1930.

So it is you contention that before 1930 nobody had thought of the idea of
connecting two microphones to two speakers or to a pair of earphones?

** So, by that same logic, if a cheeky kid in 1901 stuck a cardboard box on
his head with a 9 inch dia hole in the side to look out through - **
HE ** invented TV ??

Come on Phil, you can come up with a better analogy than that! I have
heard of numerous stereo demonstrations that pre date 1930, I'm just too
lazy to dig around at the moment for citations and dates.

Fortunately Alan Douglas has come to the rescue, check out his post in
this group about "Stereo in 1881". Was Blumlein even born yet at the time
of that demonstration of stereo. It is preposterous to say that Blumlein
"invented stereo".


Regards,

John Byrns


Surf my web pages at, http://users.rcn.com/jbyrns/

John Byrns" wrote

...I have
heard of numerous stereo demonstrations that pre date 1930, I'm
just too
lazy to dig around at the moment for citations and dates.

Fortunately Alan Douglas has come to the rescue, check out his
post in
this group about "Stereo in 1881". Was Blumlein even born yet at
the time
of that demonstration of stereo. It is preposterous to say that
Blumlein
"invented stereo"...

Some say that Leonardo da Vinci invented the helicopter, which is
silly. He just toyed with an idea.

Inventions can't just be ideas, they have to work. It appears from
Blumlein's patent that others didn't and his did, in the sense we
understand it today. If you read it, there is a preamble about how
his system differs from other attempts.

Specifically, his intention was to obtain stereo reproduction from
speakers rather than headphones. He says that contemporary systems
stopped working when headphones were replaced with speakers.

So it is plausible that he originated what is now the universally
accepted form of stereo. "Inventor" is a fairly loose term in the
real world anyway. Technology takes its own path, and uses whoever
it can on the way.

If stereo was established before him, then what did he invent do you
think? And why did he need to invent it?

cheers, Ian

In article , "Ian
Iveson" wrote:

John Byrns" wrote

...I have
heard of numerous stereo demonstrations that pre date 1930, I'm
just too
lazy to dig around at the moment for citations and dates.

Fortunately Alan Douglas has come to the rescue, check out his
post in
this group about "Stereo in 1881". Was Blumlein even born yet at
the time
of that demonstration of stereo. It is preposterous to say that
Blumlein
"invented stereo"...

Some say that Leonardo da Vinci invented the helicopter, which is
silly. He just toyed with an idea.

Inventions can't just be ideas, they have to work. It appears from
Blumlein's patent that others didn't and his did, in the sense we
understand it today. If you read it, there is a preamble about how
his system differs from other attempts.

Specifically, his intention was to obtain stereo reproduction from
speakers rather than headphones. He says that contemporary systems
stopped working when headphones were replaced with speakers.

So it is plausible that he originated what is now the universally
accepted form of stereo. "Inventor" is a fairly loose term in the
real world anyway. Technology takes its own path, and uses whoever
it can on the way.

If stereo was established before him, then what did he invent do you
think? And why did he need to invent it?

Interesting question, why does anyone need to invent anything? As far as
what I think Blumlein invented, I don't follow Blumlein, or know much
about him, but I have the impression that he may have invented the stereo
disc recording that used to be popular before the rise of the CD, but then
again maybe he didn't, and even if he had the first stereo disc patent
that doesn't actually prove he invented the stereo disc except in a legal
sense.


Regards,

John Byrns


Surf my web pages at, http://users.rcn.com/jbyrns/

"John Byrns"
"Phil Allison"


When did Blumlein invent stereo?


** In 1930.

So it is you contention that before 1930 nobody had thought of the idea
of
connecting two microphones to two speakers or to a pair of earphones?

** So, by that same logic, if a cheeky kid in 1901 stuck a cardboard box
on
his head with a 9 inch dia hole in the side to look out through - **
HE ** invented TV ??


Come on Phil, you can come up with a better analogy than that!


** It is a fine analogy - of how an utter ****wit like you thinks.



It is preposterous to say that Blumlein "invented stereo".


** Seeing as you snipped the case I posted, you have no bloody idea.




........... Phil

"John Byrns" = one king size, ignorant asshole.


I think the problem is that people are equating "stereo" with the single
groove stereo disc, which Blumlein may very well have invented,


** The 45/45 stereo groove was developed by Westrex circa 1957.

Blumlein's stereo patents were lodged circa 1931.

His death was in 1942.


See:

http://www.doramusic.com/blumlein.htm

and

http://www.doramusic.com/Stereo.htm




.......... Phil

Phil Allison wrote:

"John Byrns" = one king size, ignorant asshole.


I think the problem is that people are equating "stereo" with the single
groove stereo disc, which Blumlein may very well have invented,

** The 45/45 stereo groove was developed by Westrex circa 1957.

Blumlein's stereo patents were lodged circa 1931.

His death was in 1942.

See:

http://www.doramusic.com/blumlein.htm

and

http://www.doramusic.com/Stereo.htm

......... Phil

Somebody asked....

When did Blumlein invent stereo?


** In 1930.


John commented......

So it is your contention that before 1930 nobody had thought of the idea of
connecting two microphones to two speakers or to a pair of earphones?

I replied ..........

Its probable that someone did farnarkle around with stereo before 1930.
But maybe they couldn't afford the time and effort and expense of applying
for
a patent.

I din't think John disputes that Blumlein was able to gain a patent on stereo;

but he does suggest that others may have been experimenting with stereo.

Its a bit like saying there were no christians in Oz before european
settlement.
In a sense that is correct, but in practice, the native aborigines
conducted their human affairs virtuously, with basic ideas about right and
wrong
which they deemed necessary to their survival, so even without a copy
of the ten commandments, they were in effect obeying them,
and were in effect de-facto christians were entitled to go to heaven
if there was an afterlife.

Christ may have invented chrisendom, but many ppl before and since
practised virtually the same tenets of faith.
People also sinned a lot along the way.
I don't know who inveted sin,
maybe Adam or Eve, but a patent on sin didn't need to be taken out because
the wages of sin were so widespread and universal that
control of profits by the patent method was impossible to police.

Some say Adam and Eve were located in Oz when it was a garden of eden
and not the harsh dry largely desert island it is now.
The Snake wriggled up towards Eve.
"Duz ya wanna nice apple?, it hissed...
Eve was quick, picked a rock and killed dat snake real quick,
put 'im on de fire, made Adam some mighty fine feed wen 'e got
back from huntin, bugger dat apple, dat lousy white trash tucker....

The Lord hasn't got a sense of humour, and He wasn't amused with what
Eve had done.....
So he turned off the sprinkler system for the Garden.

Patrick Turner.

Phil Allison wrote:

"John Byrns" = one king size, ignorant asshole.


I think the problem is that people are equating "stereo" with the single
groove stereo disc, which Blumlein may very well have invented,

** The 45/45 stereo groove was developed by Westrex circa 1957.

Blumlein's stereo patents were lodged circa 1931.

His death was in 1942.

See:

http://www.doramusic.com/blumlein.htm

and

http://www.doramusic.com/Stereo.htm

......... Phil

Rather a long time ago Columbia had a guy called Shoenberg who eventually
hired Blumlein.

From the page at http://www.doramusic.com/chapterthree.htm we can see.......


Shoenberg, in the meantime, approached Eric Nind for information. He was one
of the new young men at Columbia and had
been one of the students that Blumlein had helped when he had been an
assistant demonstrator at City & Guilds. Nind
remembered Blumlein as a "Delightful man, very human indeed, and very good at
explaining anything. He didn't get exasperated
if you did not understand, and would go through a point again and again. He
had plenty of inexhaustible patience and a great
facility for converting quite complicated mathematics into very simple circuit
elements". Shoenberg was convinced and invited
Alan Blumlein to attend an interview.



I suggest that the manner in which Blumlein conducted his relationships
with other men is exemplary, and should be perpetuated here at r.a.t
instead of the usual BS and name calling that so often goes on.

Patrick Turner.

Phil Allison wrote:

"John Byrns" = one king size, ignorant asshole.


I think the problem is that people are equating "stereo" with the single
groove stereo disc, which Blumlein may very well have invented,

** The 45/45 stereo groove was developed by Westrex circa 1957.

Blumlein's stereo patents were lodged circa 1931.

His death was in 1942.

See:

http://www.doramusic.com/blumlein.htm

and

http://www.doramusic.com/Stereo.htm

......... Phil

I cannot resist quoting from one of the above URLs which Phil has so
kindly directed us towards.
Take this passage...

"""" Alan Blumlein was 29, and Doreen Lane 24. Their courtship would last
another two and half years before they married on 22
April 1933, with J. B. Kaye as best man. Before that, Doreen would be
forewarned about some of Alan's 'peculiarities'. "There
was a joke amongst some of his friends, they used to call it 'Blumlein-itis'
or 'First Class Mind'. It seems that he didn't want to
know anyone who didn't have a first class mind. And, some friends of his,
before I married him, said to me, 'Now Doreen,
you're going to come up against Blumlein-itis'. I said 'What do you mean?'
They said, 'Alan won't have anything to do with
anyone who hasn't got a first class mind'; and I did come up against it, but
that was him you see, and it was, at times, very
awkward, because at times he was unintentionally very rude to some people; he
didn't seem to be able to get his brain down to
their level". J. B. Kaye, however, was in no doubt that Doreen was the right
woman for Alan Blumlein: "I was delighted when I
met Doreen because she was a character, and she had a sense of humour, very
charming and I thought 'Yes, this girl will be
able to keep Blumlein under a sufficient degree of domestic control that will
avoid any serious rifts'. I thought to myself there will
be a few brick-ends flying about the kitchen, but that's all part of life's
rich pageant" """"


Alan must have thought himself rather precious doncha think?

There are of course some fine minds about, but if they were denied education
then they'd still deserve civility and respect, something omitted by many of
the "brightest" minds.

Patrick Turner.

"Patrick Turner

Alan must have thought himself rather precious doncha think?


** His father was German - became a naturalised Pom.

Alan had a learning disability, not reading until 13 years old.



See:

http://www.ieee-virtual-museum.org/c...=1234681&lid=1

Alan Dower Blumlein
Born: 29 June 1903
Died: 07 June 1942

Alan Dower Blumlein was such a poor student when he was a child in
London that he did not learn to read until he was thirteen years old. Then
he discovered the wonders of electrical things and from that moment on he
pored over detailed reference books on subjects that interested him.
Although his name isn't as famous as some other inventors, Blumlein was one
of the most prolific inventors of the first half of the twentieth century.
He earned one hundred and twenty eight patents in electronic and audio
engineering before he died at the age of thirty-nine.

In 1921 Blumlein earned a degree in electrical engineering and went to
work at Standard Telephone and Cables in England. By 1929 he was an engineer
at Columbia Graphophone, which in 1931 merged with The Gramophone Company to
become Electrical and Musical Industries (EMI).

At EMI, Blumlein helped develop many advanced technologies used to
record sound, including an important type of microphone called the "moving
coil" microphone. In December of 1931, Blumlein patented a remarkable new
system of recording that he called "binaural sound." Binaural sound was
similar to what we would call "stereo" today. It used two microphones,
recorded two separate recordings, and reproduced them from two separate
loudspeakers. It was intended to duplicate the way we hear sounds through
our two separate ears.

EMI was not quite sure what to do with Blumlein's invention and put it
aside for a few years. However, they had foresight, and in 1931, when the
company opened a new studio at Abbey Road in London, Blumlein's electrical
recording system was installed. EMI made the first few stereo recordings and
films in the 1930s and then shelved the technology.

Blumlein spent the mid-1930s developing electrical circuitry for an
electronic method of picture transmission for television. He was the leader
of the team that convinced the BBC in 1937 to opt for electrical rather than
mechanical television. He next turned his attention to sound detection
systems to detect aircraft. Blumlein incorporated the binaural sound system
into aircraft sound detectors and displayed the results visually using a
cathode ray tube. This system could offer obvious military benefits for a
nation at war. But EMI was initially shut out of British radar research
because the company was not perceived as a producer of defense equipment.
However, Blumlein brought EMI into radar research by helping develop an
airborne interception system that could detect aircraft by night. He was
part of a team testing the H2S system, which could locate and detect targets
from the air regardless of weather conditions. Tragically, Blumlein and many
of the other members of the scientific development team were killed in a
1942 plane crash that also destroyed the H2S system prototype. The detection
system was completed later in the war by a new research team.

When interest in stereo sound revived in the 1950s, Blumlein's work
was remembered. Around 1957, both RCA and EMI were close to offering a new
stereo system based on the existing long playing (LP) record, which had been
introduced in 1949. The two companies teamed up and shared information so
their products would be compatible. The next year, in 1958, the first stereo
records appeared.

Phil Allison wrote:

"Patrick Turner

Alan must have thought himself rather precious doncha think?


** His father was German - became a naturalised Pom.

Alan had a learning disability, not reading until 13 years old.

See:

http://www.ieee-virtual-museum.org/c...=1234681&lid=1

Alan Dower Blumlein
Born: 29 June 1903
Died: 07 June 1942

Alan Dower Blumlein was such a poor student when he was a child in
London that he did not learn to read until he was thirteen years old. Then
he discovered the wonders of electrical things and from that moment on he
pored over detailed reference books on subjects that interested him.
Although his name isn't as famous as some other inventors, Blumlein was one
of the most prolific inventors of the first half of the twentieth century.
He earned one hundred and twenty eight patents in electronic and audio
engineering before he died at the age of thirty-nine.

In 1921 Blumlein earned a degree in electrical engineering and went to
work at Standard Telephone and Cables in England. By 1929 he was an engineer
at Columbia Graphophone, which in 1931 merged with The Gramophone Company to
become Electrical and Musical Industries (EMI).

At EMI, Blumlein helped develop many advanced technologies used to
record sound, including an important type of microphone called the "moving
coil" microphone. In December of 1931, Blumlein patented a remarkable new
system of recording that he called "binaural sound." Binaural sound was
similar to what we would call "stereo" today. It used two microphones,
recorded two separate recordings, and reproduced them from two separate
loudspeakers. It was intended to duplicate the way we hear sounds through
our two separate ears.

EMI was not quite sure what to do with Blumlein's invention and put it
aside for a few years. However, they had foresight, and in 1931, when the
company opened a new studio at Abbey Road in London, Blumlein's electrical
recording system was installed. EMI made the first few stereo recordings and
films in the 1930s and then shelved the technology.

Blumlein spent the mid-1930s developing electrical circuitry for an
electronic method of picture transmission for television. He was the leader
of the team that convinced the BBC in 1937 to opt for electrical rather than
mechanical television. He next turned his attention to sound detection
systems to detect aircraft. Blumlein incorporated the binaural sound system
into aircraft sound detectors and displayed the results visually using a
cathode ray tube. This system could offer obvious military benefits for a
nation at war. But EMI was initially shut out of British radar research
because the company was not perceived as a producer of defense equipment.
However, Blumlein brought EMI into radar research by helping develop an
airborne interception system that could detect aircraft by night. He was
part of a team testing the H2S system, which could locate and detect targets
from the air regardless of weather conditions. Tragically, Blumlein and many
of the other members of the scientific development team were killed in a
1942 plane crash that also destroyed the H2S system prototype. The detection
system was completed later in the war by a new research team.

When interest in stereo sound revived in the 1950s, Blumlein's work
was remembered. Around 1957, both RCA and EMI were close to offering a new
stereo system based on the existing long playing (LP) record, which had been
introduced in 1949. The two companies teamed up and shared information so
their products would be compatible. The next year, in 1958, the first stereo
records appeared.

Yes, I read all that about him. Quite a remarkable man.

This stereo business caused considerable consternation amougnst audio
fans who then had to upgrade to stereo systems.

But now I get a stream of guys wanting me to fix their old stereos
and winging that the damn younger set is screamin' out for dad to buy
a surround sound system of 5.1 or whatever.

And just imagine what a world we could have if everyone could read well early,
and have access to a decent basic education.

Patrick Turner.

Patrick Turner said:

This stereo business caused considerable consternation amougnst audio
fans who then had to upgrade to stereo systems.


But it seemed more sensible to upgrade from 1 to 2 channels than now
from 2 to 5.1 or whatever.


But now I get a stream of guys wanting me to fix their old stereos
and winging that the damn younger set is screamin' out for dad to buy
a surround sound system of 5.1 or whatever.


Funny, I found that, from the younger people that are interested in
music, almost all are interested in 2-channel reproduction only, and
not surround sound.
Some are even interested in tube audio :-)

I reckon stereo will be around for a long time.

--

"Audio as a serious hobby is going down the tubes."
- Howard Ferstler, 25/4/2005

Sander deWaal wrote:

Patrick Turner said:

This stereo business caused considerable consternation amougnst audio
fans who then had to upgrade to stereo systems.

But it seemed more sensible to upgrade from 1 to 2 channels than now
from 2 to 5.1 or whatever.

Many folks resisted the change from mono to stereo for about 10 years,
then dumped the tube gear for the new fangled SS gear.

Try telling young folks it isn't sensible to buy 5.1.
You will be thought of as a dopey old fart.



But now I get a stream of guys wanting me to fix their old stereos
and winging that the damn younger set is screamin' out for dad to buy
a surround sound system of 5.1 or whatever.

Funny, I found that, from the younger people that are interested in
music, almost all are interested in 2-channel reproduction only, and
not surround sound.

The bulk of young folks want surround sound for their DVDs
and wide screen TV sets.
The music industry and film theatre industry is a bit in crisis.....


Some are even interested in tube audio :-)

I reckon stereo will be around for a long time.

A minority will be interested in music and good two channel stereo,
and of them some will find the sublime performance of good tube gear to be

intoxicating, sensuous, and something they must have.

Since there are so damn many folks who do like music, regardless of
their majority/minority status, there will always be two channel audio.

Patrick Turner.



--

"Audio as a serious hobby is going down the tubes."
- Howard Ferstler, 25/4/2005

John
Further to my last epistle,
Your Blumlein topic in Rec.Audio.Tubes NG sure started a good thread to
read, as you know.
Have you seen the recent volleys in Rec.Audio.Tubes NG about "Stereo in
1881"?
That's about the M.Ader demo that I had outlined in my last msg (I got the
Paris date slightly out!).
But I can't throw any more light on the early 20th C acoustic image spread
achieved by using two independent horns coupled to two Berliner gramophone
lathes (or was it via independent wax cylinders on two Edison phonographs?)
and the
cuts (or pressings) reproduced later on.
But the spatial phenomenon has both happened and been chronicled. How else
would I know about this flook?

But, to answer your poser on who first brought about (surely not invented?)
Stereo, any diversional plaything could have been devised many decades
earlier with two speaking tubes, two ear trumpets (early deaf
aids) and two lengths of gutta-percha or similar tubing. The system wasn't
necessarily "invented" or patented, but such a discovered set-up fascinated
and amused
some parlour participators, especially if the tubes ran through a door or a
window kept
ajar, and a musician had excited the sending end.
Maybe such human originality - no Big Deal yet akin to science fiction - was
mentioned somewhere in a novel or a diary, by the by.
It was *not necessarily* done by an electric or an electronic means.

But the achievement in Stereophony as we tend to recognise it is of,
capturing and relaying two or more distinct sets of syncronous,
complementary audio info in ONE multiplexed carrier, be it via disc, radio
(FM and AM), Nicam TV, or optical fibre, or digitally (with waveforms'
approximation and inevitable time-delaying offsets).

[Grooved disc is the one area where '30s Blumlein UK patent based on his
stereo maths comes in, as a start, not forgetting others devising
Ambi(o)phonics, various rival Quadraphonic disc systems in the '70s, and
later the superb Soundfield mic after Michael Gerzon's elaborate modelling
experiments resulted in setting it up with its novel width, depth AND height
info.
And we also have the M-S format, often used on location work, but it's
nevertheless handled on 2 audio channels for eventual decoding.
Stereo reproduced via optical/magnetic film and tape tracks is not so
clever, being based on wholly discreet systems of at least two channels.]

Regs
Jim

----- Original Message -----
From: "John Byrns"
To: "Jim Gregory"
Sent: Friday, July 29, 2005 9:46 PM
Subject: Blumlein's UL Patent


I don't know if Blumlein "invented stereo" or not, but I would be very
surprised if he did, there is just too much involved in the history of
stereo
and it goes back too far. What you are talking about is not the
invention of
stereo, but the invention of the single groove stereo phonograph record,
which
Blumlein may very well have invented for all I know, but even there, a
number
of people seem to have been playing with similar technology at about the
same time.


Regards,

John Byrns