Testing Speaker Reproduction

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 28, 24 January 1930, Page 15

Testing Speaker Reproduction

UDGING the accuracy of musical reproduction from a radio loudspeaker by ear alone is exceedingly . difficult, even for the trained musician. In fact, the musician is just.as likely to make mistakes as is the music lover who has had no musical training. The mere fact that the music sounds pleasing to the ear is no proof that the | speaker is faithfully putting on the air every tone frequency fed into it by the radio receiver. A jazz band, for example, which is actually producing harsh, strident tones in the broadcast . studio may be toned down by receiver and loudspeaker into an approximation of pleasant music. But that is not faithful reproduction, and if applied to better music, the toning down process may be quite unpleasant. The human voice affords a much harder test of a loudspeaker than does music-probably because the human ear is trained to know when the human voice sounds natural, Listen to the announcer, If the voice is resonant without being hollow or throaty, and the sibilants come through clearly, the reproduction is excellent. Do not be satisfied with mere traces of the "S" and "Th" sounds. They should be heard almost ag clearly as in normal speech. After hearing the human voice, listen to a musical selection containing drums and make sure that the drums retain their full resonant boom. ~