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Questions & Answers

Peter Kant

(Electrostatic Loudspeakers Consultant since 1965, author of 8 Inventions, AES member)

From: Denny Pinchbeck


To: kant@mail.inreach.com
Subject: QUAD ESL 63
Date: 02 Nov 1998

Q.I have recently purchased some used Quad Esl 63. I have a sony STR-AV 1070X tuner/amp and I am wondering if I use it to drive the Quads. Can I do it safely without damaging the speakers?


Thank You Keith

A. Dear Keith,
You can freely use any high-quality 50-100 Wats receiver/amplifier with QUAD ESL 63 Speakers SAFELY. Enjoy. Peter Kant.

From: RaadH2@aol.com (Rod)
To Peter Kant, kant@mail.inreach.com
Subject: Great Page!
Date: 21 Oct 1998

Peter, after "surfing" various pages on the subject, I found yours to be the most useful, no-nonsense, well written page. In this day of advertising- saturated, graphic-junk cluttered pages, yours was to the point. Bravo! Rod, Chicago

From: JReeper@aol.com
To: Peter Kant, kant@mail.inreach.com
Subject: (no subject)
Date: 12 Oct 1998

Just wanted to say I love your web page. I never thought I could get information like this on the Web that is this complete and informative. I haved loved music for all my life. I appreciate your sharing your talents. I also enjoy the background music. Thanks, Jeff. JReeper@aol.com

From: Kristopher Slocum
To Peter Kant, kant@mail.inreach.com
Subject: tape bias question.
Date: Feb 3 1998

Q.I just stumbled on your page and really like the data it provides. I have a question and am hoping you may have an answer. What I am trying to find out is WHY the bias settings for standard as opposed to metal tape is rated in microseconds. On several decks and most tapes, the bias is rated in microsoconds and I am very curious as to why ? If you know, I would greatly appriciate a response. Thank You, Kris Slocum

A.Dear Kris, The bias is not rated in microseconds; that only means, that 120 msec corespond to normal tape bias (low bias) and 70 mcsec corespond to chrom> (high bias) ets. Kant

From: Kristopher Slocum
To: Peter Kant, kant@mail.inreach.com
Subject: RE: Tape bias setting

Q. I understand that there is a certain number (whether it is 50, 70 or 120 mcsec. does not matter for this question). My question is why is it measured in microseconds instead of Hz, volts, ohms, etc. ?

A. Dear Kris, Now I got it ( your question). It is very technical. In sound recording a frequency equalization is often use. This means that from some frequency (Hz) onward, the level of the audio signal will be increased or decreased. This is achieved with combination of capacitor and resistor (R and C). Any RC combination specify the time of discharge of the Capasitor due to the Resistor. This is TIME ( seconds ). So RxC=T. Any frequency (Hz) corresponds to a RC combination or Time (microsecond in this case). The engineers desided to define the frequency of the begining of the equalization with microseconds instead of Hz. I hope that is a little more clear now. Peter Kant

From: Kristopher Slocum
To: Peter Kant, kant@mail.inreach.com
Subject: RE: microseconds

Thank you sir. That is exactly what I was looking for. It has taken me almost a year to get that answer. Even from several deck manufacturers could not give me that.
Thanks again, Kris Slocum

From: Silvio Fonseca, sjfonseca@mail.telepac.pt
To: Peter Kant, kant@mail.inreach.com
Subject: Just to say hello !?!
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998
Dear Kant

Q.I was searching for a site that could supply me with some information about sound recording or just sound, on officialsearch.com, and suddenly I found your Web Audio Magazine site.
For start learning sound recording subject I think every body should visit your site, wonderfull ideia. I will tell all my friends here in Portugal to visit your site. It's just great to have an information source about the basics things about audio because despite the courses that costs lot of money for us there are people interest in learning just with books and by themselves or with other information sources such as Internet and you have also a great sponsor to back you up , Amazon.com for people who really want to know further about the subject. Thank you !!??!!
I'll pay special attention to your site for the future, I want to grow up with your, together.
Best regards
Silvio Fonseca

From: Adrian Yong
To: Peter Kant, kant@mail.inreach.com
Subject: need help on cd/player demagnetizing

Q. I am only 23yrs old but I am fairly well exposed to Home theater sounds like THX , AC3 , SDDS or DTS. I do know a lot of brands of Hifi/amps/cdplayers/cd transports. But lately I have come across a cd which demagnetizes the player and transport. The CD is only 3 min long and a relatively loud tone is heard, something like the cassette demagnetizers. This cd is quite old and is called "demagic" from a brand which makes Hifi amps using HTS surround technology. There is also another brand which offers such a disc. Can u give your view on such discs as they do work ; on expensive Marataz CD players , Gold Kenwood CD player/transport set , my 2 Sony discmans and on my Sony V808 minicompo. The disc clears the slight muffles and gives the set a very crystal clear tones , enhancing mostly on voices yet giving very tight bass . do u know any sites which introduces such cd player demagnetizers or even sells tham. Some may cost from US$15-150 By the way I am living in Singapore
Thanks. Adrian Yong

A. Dear Adrian,
There is no such an animal as "CD or CD Player demagnetizer". This is annother mith as "special expensive miracle cables" for a price comparable to good CD player ( where the connectors only are very important).
Demagnetizing is important in the field of the Tape Recorders. CDs are pure optical, non magnetic devices. If you hear some improvement, this is in your imagination only. Do not waste your money for such a .....Kant

From: Adrian Yong
To: Peter Kant, kant@mail.inreach.com
Subject: Re: cd demagnetizing

Thanks for your advice. Can you mail me your website as I have lost the address.
Thanks Adrian

From: Alex-atheriot@Bayou.UH.EDU
To:Peter Kant, kant@mail.inreach.com
Subject:What degree...
Date:11 Nov 1997

Q. What kind of degrees do speaker designers have? Electromagnetic and electrostatic? Thanks, Alex

A. Dear Alex,
There is no direct relation between degrees and the successful speaker design. The best designers of electrostastic loudspeakers are self-taught! Peter

From: Flouse-flouse@ihug.co.nz
To:Peter Kant, kant@willie.inreach.com
Subject: bad vibrations
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 1997

Q.Greetings from New Zealand,
I was wondering if you could reccomend a solution to my problem. I play in a band with backing on mini disc, all loud bass heavy top 40 stuff. We switched to a new Cerwin Vega 10k rig and the mini disc has stated to skip.... what anti vibration products can we use to get rid of this problem ? Kind Regards, Craig

A. Dear Craig, The only possible remedy is to put the "mini disc" over thick elastic, springy cushion, or to hang it on springs, like the old microphones. Please call me back with the result. Peter

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