Imperfect Reproduction

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 25, 2 January 1931, Page 2

Imperfect Reproduction

Great Public Danger ee T the course of an article on "Quality Reception" in the "Wireless | World," Mr. John Harmon makes this interesting comment: ". . . We may say that unimpaired reproduction (of music) from 50 to 5000 cycles per second gives excellent, well-nigh perfect results. As the upper limit recedes to 4000, treble notes become thin and col.ourless, like boys’ voices accompanied by flutes.‘- As the lower: limit rises to 200, low notes, though still of considerable intensity, are, strangely altered, emasculated and reedy. Itcds estimated that half the wireless sets in use today transmit only between 250 and 8500; their owners are probably satisfied with this. performance once their ears have become accustomed to it. "Theréin’ lies a great public danger. Since speéch and music tend increasingly to reach our ears by mechanical ehannels rather than directly, there is ‘a prospect: that toleration of imperfect reproduction may lead to decay in the standard of pronunciation, and lack of appreciation’ of musical quality. If any reader doubts'this statement, let him reckon up the number of minutes each day during which he hears speech and music directly and free from a noisy background, and compare it wita the period spent in listening to the telephone, loud-speaker, gramophone, and talkies." .°