Non-motoring > No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Falkirk Bairn	Replies: 50

Wed 6 Dec 17 08:36   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Falkirk Bairn

No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter of applause in Cambridge today. Ray Dolby Family have given Pembroke College £85m, 2/3 years ago they gave £35million. Ray did his Physics PhD @ Cambridge in the 50s, founded Dolby Labs........... he never forgot where his education took off. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 09:18   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - R.P.

Yes certainly part of my audio upbringing....Dolby B Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 09:23   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Zero

All it ever did was cut all the high frequency and make the sound flat and lifeless. One of the 20th centuries biggest marketing cons. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 09:26   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - R.P.

We knew that but even that was a miracle in those days Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 09:48   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Manatee

>> All it ever did was cut all the high frequency and make the sound flat >> and lifeless. One of the 20th centuries biggest marketing cons. As I'm sure you know, it was much smarter than that and worked really well. It made compact cassettes usable for listening to proper music. The higher frequencies were boosted in recording, and then cut back to the required response in playback taking the tape hiss away. (The calibration is more complicated, but that's the principle). If you were missing the top end then you must have been playing non-Dolby recordings with the Dolby on. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 10:09   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Zero

>> As I'm sure you know, it was much smarter than that and worked really well. >> It made compact cassettes usable for listening to proper music. >> >> The higher frequencies were boosted in recording, and then cut back to the required response >> in playback taking the tape hiss away. (The calibration is more complicated, but that's the >> principle). >> >> If you were missing the top end then you must have been playing non-Dolby recordings >> with the Dolby on. Err no I wasn't, I was playing Chrome and then Metal tapes (Memorex I recall was best) recorded with dolby. You are right I know the theory, and its not my fault you allowed your ears to believe the hype. It did make the sound flat and lifeless. If you knew the real depth of the theory you would realise it was always going to be flawed specially given the mostly analogue technology available of the day. Now can I sell you a bridge? Last edited by: Zero on Wed 6 Dec 17 at 10:11 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 13:28   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Hard Cheese

>> >> All it ever did was cut all the high frequency >> Nope, I was about signal to noise ratio and weighting, increasing the recording level as the sound level lowers and then reducing it again on playback so the noise is a lesser proportion of what is audible, i.e. creating an improved SNR. >> As I'm sure you know, it was much smarter than that and worked really well. It made compact cassettes usable for listening to proper music. >> I am with you on this Manatee. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 13:32   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Zero

>> I am with you on this Manatee. You are a renowned technical hype mug Last edited by: Zero on Wed 6 Dec 17 at 13:33 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 13:44   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Hard Cheese

You said >>All it ever did was cut all the high frequency >> No it didn't, it did a lot more than that. Read up on it. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 13:59   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Zero

If you care to read the post, you will see I said I knew the theory. I knew the technical theory while you were still chewing your nappy. I was merely telling you how it sounded in practise. Unlike you i dont take the technical hype and swallow it whole, I am actually pragmatic and realistic. Last edited by: Zero on Wed 6 Dec 17 at 14:00 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 09:34   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - DP

Completely unnecessary unless you were listening to music in a quiet room with lots of quiet passages. Otherwise, the hiss was masked by the music or by background noise. Does anyone actually miss the compact cassette? Ease of recording aside, I cannot think of a single redeeming feature of it. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 09:36   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - R.P.

They are rubbish. But for a teenager they were the best things ever. I've hours of music and broadcast material that I recorded in the 70s. At least giving a young lady your own mix tape was better than today's fashion of a photo of your nether regions ! Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 09:42   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Zero

>> Does anyone actually miss the compact cassette? Ease of recording aside, I cannot think of >> a single redeeming feature of it. No of course we don't miss it, because it has been superseded by something better in every respect. BUT At the time it was an enabler and a lifestyle signpost. In car music of your choice*, mobile music with headphones, music piracy, playlists, *Yes Yes the 8 track I know, best forgotten tho Last edited by: Zero on Wed 6 Dec 17 at 09:44 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 10:13   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - R.P.

I suppose the nearest that digital technology came close to cassettes was the recordable mini-disc. I still have my tiny little recorder somewhere. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 10:33   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Fenlander

>>> it was an enabler and a lifestyle signpost. In car music of your choice... Yes for our generation it was an absolute game changer massively improving the car beyond just transport. 60% of my first month's pay the same day I was paid went on this... www.philipsradios.nl/forum/images/uploaded/20131003155842524d78127fb45.jpg ... because of the promise the next night out you'd get this... i.pinimg.com/originals/13/c3/b5/13c3b5f93fa826d6daceb9ea41367ded.jpg The ability to play music of choice in a car... either pre-recorded or home recorded... has been a huge thing for me and the cassette started it all. My CD changer still holds CD versions of the two LPs I recorded to cassette that first pay day in 1974. >>>Does anyone actually miss the compact cassette? Nope... because I still have it! In the car, hi-fi and portable "boombox" type thing. I buy quite a lot of cassettes at house clearances. A carry case of say 20 1970s rock cassettes might come for £5 whereas the same 20 bought as individual vinyl LPs might be £100-£400. Re Dolby B, C & HX... they had their place but I mostly home recorded with it switched out. Reply to this message | Report message       4

Wed 6 Dec 17 14:02   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - No FM2R

>>At the time it was an enabler and a lifestyle signpost Absolutely. It's not really appropriate to criticise a technology by comparing it to what came after, at the time it was huge. Music in the car, mix tapes, walkman, music libraries which didn't weigh a ton, more than one album on a tape etc. etc. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 10:12   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - VxFan

>> Does anyone actually miss the compact cassette? I must get around to having a clear-out. I've still got loads of new and used C60 & C90 cassettes in one of my drawers, but nothing to play them on. Oh hang on, maybe I have. There's bound to be some old car stereo's in the loft. Another place that needs a good clear-out too. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 10:14   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - R.P.

Buy yourself a proper cassette deck ! (I have a tasty little Yamaha number for sale) Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 10:24   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - DP

I was using an Aiwa ADF-810 back in the day which used to work well with TDK AR, and BASF CRE-II from memory. Ironically, when I dug all my old hi-fi gear out of its 15 year hibernation last year, the cassette deck was the only bit that didn't work. It went to the tip, the same as all my tapes did about 10 years ago. 23 year old amplifier defied my prediction of dried out caps, fired up fine, and sounded as good as ever once warmed through, and the 20 year old CD player also worked (but the remote has gone AWOL) Last edited by: DP on Wed 6 Dec 17 at 10:26 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 10:32   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - R.P.

My lovely little Teac system was resurrected from a six year slumber last summer. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 10:37   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Fenlander

>>> when I dug all my old hi-fi gear out of its 15 year hibernation last year, the cassette deck was the only bit that didn't work. It went to the tip. That is so common now. The rubber drive belts have often turned to jelly and some are near impossible to change without dismantling circuit boards etc. I never pay much for a cassette deck however high end unless I can hear it's still fully working. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 10:34   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - commerdriver

>> Does anyone actually miss the compact cassette? >> My wife and daughter both belong to the "keep my car until it dies" club and both still use cassette players in their cars, although daughter occasionally connects her iPod via an adapter. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 10:48   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - DP

>> My wife and daughter both belong to the "keep my car until it dies" club >> and both still use cassette players in their cars, although daughter occasionally connects her iPod >> via an adapter. Our old mk4 Golf had a radio cassette unit with a physically separate DIN CD player in the dash. I don't think we ever used the tape deck Thinking about it, I have never even used the CD/DVD slot in the BMW dash. I have no idea if it even works. The only physical format I use now is vinyl at home. All my portable music is digital either played off a USB flash drive left plugged in to the car, or streamed via Napster. Funny how things change. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 11:17   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Fenlander

>>>only physical format I use now is vinyl at home. Not my only but it is now largely my format of choice for new albums. It's my impression vinyl quality control has massively improved in the last few years and most LPs are on the heavyweight stuff so it's a pretty good product. And it has proved very durable. I have only just sold a large 78 collection with quite a lot that were 100yrs old yet still able to reproduce music just as it was recorded. Also I have a few previously unplayed LPs that are now 50+yrs old and that classic 60s music leaps out at you. Wonder where those downloaded tracks on daughter's iPhone will be in 50-100yrs? Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 11:30   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - R.P.

Same with photos. Someone said that more photos have been taken in the last ten years than in the entire history of photography. Ironically the majority of these will be lost due to format obsolescence and people not printing them any more. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 11:38   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Fenlander

Yes very true. I've just sold a collection of large format glass plate negatives with amazing historical images of an English town. These were scenes from around 1905-20 and pin sharp. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 11:45   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Zero

>> Same with photos. Someone said that more photos have been taken in the last ten >> years than in the entire history of photography. Ironically the majority of these will be >> lost Thank god for that. Digital photography has been the enabler for crap quality useless photos. In the old days when you only had 36 shots in the camera, and it cost £3.60 to develop and print them, you took great care over what and how it was shot. Photography is now shotgun approach. >>due to format obsolescence and people not printing them any more. The technical formats have remained pretty stable, the medium its stored on however has not. Unless its in the cloud, and then google has it. Unlike photographic prints, that get lost, fade and thrown away. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 11:48   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - R.P.

Been watching and reading some stuff about WW1 photos. Most of them taken in contravention of the rules. We're so lucky to have this massive archive. I still have my old Pentax film camera and acquired a Canon and Zenit E. Once I get some time going to slowly commission them - I have some of the required hardware to process my own films. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 12:38   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Runfer D'Hills

The thought occurs to me that due to technology, future generations, as in those hundreds of years hence, will have a much better view of how we lived than we are able to have of our ancestors. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 13:02   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Fenlander

>>> future generations, as in those hundreds of years hence, will have a much better view of how we lived... Yep hopefully with my ancestors still listening to my record collection. Something that just requires a roundy and pointy thing for playback should endure. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 13:33   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - CGNorwich

Be realistic. It will all end up in a skip when you are gone. :-) Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 14:14   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Robin O'Reliant

>> Be realistic. It will all end up in a skip when you are gone. :-) >> I agree. Not much call for the Brotherhood of Man's greatest hits, even if he has both volumes. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 14:30   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Zero

>> >> Be realistic. It will all end up in a skip when you are gone. >> :-) >> >> >> I agree. Not much call for the Brotherhood of Man's greatest hits, even if he >> has both volumes. They had two volumes of hits? Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 14:32   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Robin O'Reliant

>> They had two volumes of hits? It wasn't what I meant to write. The swear filter made me rearrange the letters to the word "Hits". Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 6 Dec 17 at 19:17 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 14:18   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - commerdriver

>> Be realistic. It will all end up in a skip when you are gone. :-) >> Not necessarily, when we were clearing out SWMBO's parents' house, we (or rather I) chose to hang on to the 78rpm copy of the D'Oyly Carte version of the Gondoliers on, I think 9 78 rpm records just for posterity and the occasional listen. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 19:58   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Fenlander

>>>Be realistic. It will all end up in a skip when you are gone. :-) I know there's a smiley at the end but can't not rise to the bait. For anyone who does have the chance of a "skip" collection of 60/70s (and some 80s) vinyl LPs look every one up on Ebay or Discogs before disposal. The current early pressings of these periods of some LPs is beyond belief. I have or have just sold examples the same as these... www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BLOSSOM-TOES-Only-For-A-Moment-LP-1969-MARMALADE-1st-Press-BRILLIANT-EXAMPLE/263354976064?hash=item3d512e0740:g:76wAAOSwZtlaIH6J www.ebay.co.uk/itm/THE-ROLLING-STONES-Selftitled-Debut-LP-Decca-1964-UK-1st/322775690017?hash=item4b26ee2b21:g:jFYAAOSwVaVZxumi www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pink-Floyd-A-Saucerful-Of-Secrets-Uk-1st-Press-EX-Nr-Mint/302461711711?hash=item466c1f755f:g:tOoAAOSwwGdZw~U1 www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NIRVANA-The-Story-of-Simon-Simopath-LP-MINT-STEREO-Island-1st-Press-EYEBALL/162678532903?hash=item25e0656b27:g:eUkAAOSwQG5ZwBGE www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BLACK-SABBATH-Paranoid-LP-1970-VERTIGO-1st-Press-MINT-BIG-BEAR-CREDIT/332444182364?hash=item4d6737a75c:g:E6UAAOSw6OZaBR6x Just five albums and a value of £2100. Label type, pressing year, runout matrix codes all crucial... if you are lucky a "skip" collection can be worth thousands. So honestly... check carefully before throwing.... except B of M... they can go straight to recycle. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 14:50   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Runfer D'Hills

>> Yep hopefully with my ancestors still listening to my record collection... Now that would be impressive. If a little bit spooky! ;-) Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 10:55   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Cliff Pope

Dolby always reminds me of the Alas Smith and Jones sketch where Mel was a sales manager briefing his team. He explained that the new model had Dolby B, which they must emphasise to would-be customers. "What is Dolby B?" asked Griff Mel tried to explain, but knowing nothing about it all he could say was it's to differentiate the model from Dolby A, which obviously wasn't as good. Pressed, he agreed that Dolby C might be even better. "So what is the difference?" "Well obviously there isn't any difference, they just have different labels. But no one's going to buy something that doesn't say Dolby on it." Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 11:05   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Fenlander

Or as it's properly known... ih1.redbubble.net/image.124605895.8991/ra,relaxed_fit,x3104,101010:01c5ca27c6,front-c,600,650,900,850-bg,f8f8f8.1u13.jpg Last edited by: Fenlander on Wed 6 Dec 17 at 11:05 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 14:41   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - rtj70

I was only thinking yesterday about how we can and do take many more photos. With film cameras it expensive and you wouldn't carry around many rolls of film. My first digital camera in 2000 when flash memory was quiet expensive. So I had a couple of 32MB and a 48MB compact flash cards. Now you can get a 64GB SD card for a quarter of the price I paid for the 48MB card. And with my camera I can now take hundreds of photos if I wanted in a few seconds. (well 24 per second). I had the Golf mark 4 as well with it's Gamma cassette radio with the optional 6 CD auto changer in the boot (wheel arch location). Never did use the cassette player. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 15:45   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - devonite

I still play my cassettes that I recorded way back in the early seventies, I had the foresight then to use the best available - BASF chrome, better than the iron ones! still play perfect on our TECHNIKS system - brings back memories of my mis-spent youth! ;-) Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 16:14   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Dog

>>I had the foresight then to use the best available - BASF chrome TDK Super Avilyn. ;-) Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Dec 17 19:47   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Crankcase

It's a lot of money. Knowing what we they are going to do with it, there's going to be some interesting changes at Pembroke. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 12 Dec 17 12:41   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Mapmaker

Some accuracy required. In 2015 £35m was given to Pembroke College to fund a new Court. The current £85m gift is for the Cavendish Laboratories - the Physics Department at the University of Cambridge - where Dolby did his PhD. www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/ps85-million-gift-from-the-dolby-family-to-transform-cambridge-science Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 19 Dec 17 16:29   Hiss and Miss - R.P.

Powered up my Yamaha KX330 tape deck today. Wanted to copy a couple of tapes across to my laptop. I can confirm compared to modern re-production systems, it sounds crap. Dolby B & C does reduce the hiss but at the expense of treble reproduction. The tape was of my old school choir recorded in 1975..All the same it's quite remarkable it plays at all. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 19 Dec 17 20:22   Hiss and Miss - Hard Cheese

I've got a KX-500, my pride and joy in 1989, I say "I've got", though I loaned it to my dad about 10 years ago when I gave up on cassettes and he still uses it regularly. It's beautifully made, servo controlled, still works perfectly. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 20 Dec 17 08:58   Hiss and Miss - sherlock47

This thread has made look wistfully at the collection of jobs electronic to be done, piled in the corner of MY office. In her rarely allowed visits, SWMBO keeps trying to get rid, not understanding the true perfection of historic quality. Quad 303/33 noisy volume control & intermittent 1 channel 2 x 7 series Ferrograph 1 unknown, 1 with spare rubbers to replace melted idlers. 1 x brenell (valve)Tape machine unknown state. 1 x Onkyo - HDMI card faults, needs replacement electrolytics If I fail before the repairs they can join me in the crematorium. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 20 Dec 17 10:28   Hiss and Miss - Hard Cheese

I have got a few bits in the loft including a Yamaha RX-300 receiver I bought new in 1989. works perfectly as does the mid 80's Yamaha AX-300 amp I bought a few years ago, a timeless classic design and a great sound. I also have a Technics SLP-477 CD player that I bought new in 1990 tucked away, that still sounds great, it uses a particular Philips DAC that is still well thought of apparently. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 22 Dec 17 10:34   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Mapmaker

>> we they *NOW* I understand... Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 22 Dec 17 11:55   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - Crankcase

:) Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 22 Dec 17 15:43   No Hissing, a few wows and more than a flutter app - R.P.

I found a tape in my collection made by "That's" - they seemed to be quite popular close to the end of the tape era. Reply to this message | Report message