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While on the subject of foam diaphragms, I recently ran across an interesting article, by Dr. H. C. Bennet-Clark, in the March 1969 issue of Wireless World. Bennet-Clark is a zoologist and an avid audiophile. At the time he was involved in a research project examining the courtship of fruit flies, in the course of which pulses of sound were played to the flies to simulate their courtship sounds. This "love song" is apparently produced when the fly flaps its wings and consists of a single cycle of pressure change lasting 3ms. It was this sort…

The science of loudspeaker design is clearly dependent on measurements (footnote 1). Performance predictions of various loudspeaker models have to be verified experimentally. Once the validity of a particular model is established, it may be used to optimize a design to a given set of criteria. Most loudspeaker designs represent compromises in which a number of performance criteria have been juggled to achieve a hierarchy of priorities that appeals to the designer. The art of loudspeaker design lies in the ability of the designer to choose wisely. Which design…

Description: Two-way stand-mounted loudspeaker with passive radiator. Free-field frequency response: (pink-noise on axis at 1 meter), PA-1: 60Hz–20kHz, ±2.5dB; Reference: 60Hz–20kHz, ±2dB. Sensitivity: PA-1: 89dB/1m/1W, Reference: 90dB/1m/1W. Recommended amplifier power: 35Wpc minimum, 80Wpc maximum. Impedance: PA-1: 6 ohms nominal; Reference: 4 ohms nominal. Maximum spl (per pair at 2m): PA-1: 104dBA; Reference: 105dBA. Harmonic distortion (at 90dB spl, 150Hz–16kHz): PA-1: 2nd harmonic, 3% max; 3rd harmonic, 2% max); Reference: 2nd harmonic, 2% max; 3rd harmonic…

Hosted by Stereophile's John Marks, on Saturday February 4, the Connecticut Audio Society and the Boston Audio Society held a joint meeting in Providence, Rhode Island at The First Baptist Church in America. The Third Meeting House of the Church (1774–1775) is a US National Historical Landmark. The Auditorium retains almost all of its original 1775-vintage horsehair plaster, which contributes to its excellent acoustics.

The event was a Workshop on "Making Good Recordings in a Church." Those so interested were invited to bring their own recording…

Whenever Girls release a new limited-edition single, I go after it. These singles complement the band’s excellent full-length records, are lovingly and beautifully packaged, and are usually backed with great, exclusive tracks. I expect “My Ma” to be no different.

The band is set to tour throughout March in support of Father, Son, Holy Ghost, and will return to late night television with a March…

To be moved by Sharon Van Etten’s warm, sensuous voice, the remarkable power and soul in her phrasing and delivery, the heaviness of her sad words, you need only listen to her latest album, Tramp (see my review in the March issue, on sale now). Its effects are immediate. To be absolutely captivated, charmed, dazzled by her presence and promise, to want to get to know her better, it helps to see Van Etten perform live.

On Saturday, February 25th, Sharon Van Etten walked out…

The album utilizes Batoh’s Brain Pulse Music (BPM) machine, a wildly futuristic device partnered with headgear, goggles, and a motherboard, said to be developed and built by MKC, Inc. The BPM machine, editions of which will also be available for sale from Drag City, monitors brain waves and transmits them via radio waves to the motherboard, which, in turn, converts the radio waves into pulses that are then outputted as sound…

Wednesday, February 29, 5–9pm: Definitive Audio (6206 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA) will host an evening devoted to the reproduction of music and the joy of listening. Stereophile’s Editor John Atkinson and Assistant Editor/Entry Level columnist Stephen Mejias will be giving presentations in the Wilson/D’Agostino and Linn rooms, respectively. Manufacturers showcasing gear include Audio Research, D’Agostino, Linn, Meridian, Peachtree, Vienna Acoustics, Wilson Audio and Wisdom Audio.

For more on what goes on at a “Music Matters” event, JA’s highlights the last event in North…

Listen to what he does with the title tune, loping on not only a slow-simmer Latin rhythm but also a bass line (which occasionally gets passed to the piano, then the drums) from the refrain of Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme.” Or the…

Halfway into the interview in his management company's offices, as Steve Earle literally squirmed in his seat, I got the distinct impression that he had somewhere else to go, something more important to do. Turned out he was…