"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Iain Churches wrote:
I went to a very interesting demo some years ago, organised by
loudspeaker manufacturer Bowers and Wilkins (now B+W)
John Bowers came onto the stage with a clarinet and began to
play. After perhaps two minutes, he took the instrument from his
mouth and the clarinet solo continued.

In this case, no one perceived audibly the seque from live to
recorded performance, even though we could see after a
few seconds what had happened. There was spontaneous
applause.

Presumably by a naive audience.

AES European convention. Amsterdam IIRC.
You can't get less naive than that.

The clarinet is pretty well the least
demanding instrument of all for this sort of test.

Get away!You don't say! Do you think
John Bowers didn't know that? :-)

But this interesting personal interlude made a very
good introduction to an impressive demonstration
of some very good loudspeakers.

A much more severe test
would be if he'd simply been talking. But then that wouldn't have sold his
product...

Yes a speech test with music studio monitors would have been
novel to say the least. There would probably have been a rush
for the canteen - for the last remaining slices of Dutch apple cake.

Since the 1980s. B+W monitors have been the loudspeaker
of choice of major classical labels. John Bowers certainly
knew what he was doing.


Iain

In article ,
Iain Churches wrote:
Presumably by a naive audience.

AES European convention. Amsterdam IIRC.
You can't get less naive than that.

The clarinet is pretty well the least
demanding instrument of all for this sort of test.

Get away!You don't say! Do you think
John Bowers didn't know that? :-)

So as I said the audience was naive if they gave him a round of applause
rather than a wry chuckle. Of course I forgot you only move in 'polite'
circles. ;-)

But this interesting personal interlude made a very
good introduction to an impressive demonstration
of some very good loudspeakers.

Not denying they make good speakers. But a demonstration using something
more taxing have been even more impressive.

A much more severe test would be if he'd simply been talking. But then
that wouldn't have sold his product...

Yes a speech test with music studio monitors would have been
novel to say the least. There would probably have been a rush
for the canteen - for the last remaining slices of Dutch apple cake.

I take it by your reference to 'studio monitors' that you think speech
reproduction unimportant? And a solo clarinet hardly is a test of any of
the other parameters you'd need for those anyway.

Since the 1980s. B+W monitors have been the loudspeaker
of choice of major classical labels. John Bowers certainly
knew what he was doing.

I think you're exaggerating again.

--
*If a mute swears, does his mother wash his hands with soap?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Iain Churches wrote:
Presumably by a naive audience.

AES European convention. Amsterdam IIRC.
You can't get less naive than that.

The clarinet is pretty well the least
demanding instrument of all for this sort of test.

Get away!You don't say! Do you think
John Bowers didn't know that? :-)

So as I said the audience was naive if they gave him a round of applause
rather than a wry chuckle. Of course I forgot you only move in 'polite'
circles. ;-)

Yes. I take it you are not a member of the AES:-))

But this interesting personal interlude made a very
good introduction to an impressive demonstration
of some very good loudspeakers.

Not denying they make good speakers. But a demonstration using something
more taxing have been even more impressive.

You miss the point. Most manufacturers start their
demonstration off with an introductory talk about
design philosophy etc. John just came on the stage
with a clarinet. This was an innovative way to start
what turned out to be a very good demonstration
which many people still remember and talk about.

A much more severe test would be if he'd simply been talking. But then
that wouldn't have sold his product...

Yes a speech test with music studio monitors would have been
novel to say the least. There would probably have been a rush
for the canteen - for the last remaining slices of Dutch apple cake.

I take it by your reference to 'studio monitors' that you think speech
reproduction unimportant?

No of course not. But the speakers were there to demonstrate
large format orchestral recordings with large dynamic, and that
is what people wanted to hear.

And a solo clarinet hardly is a test of any of
the other parameters you'd need for those anyway.

As I said, you missed the point. This was John's way of
introducing himself and his company's products. He got a
very interestig demonstration off to a good start.

Since the 1980s. B+W monitors have been the loudspeaker
of choice of major classical labels. John Bowers certainly
knew what he was doing.

I think you're exaggerating again.

So you don't think he knew what he was doing?

He led a company which in a short space of time became
one of the most highly regarded speaker manufacturers.


Iain