The controversy continues, and I hope it continues to. Many a scientific debate has led to development, and each party has added a useful perspective. Crucial to the acceptance of the P.W.B. phenomenon is the understanding of any hierarchical order, and this continues to grip the imagination of many who write for the Newsletter. I think we are lucky to have Todd Cunliffe's piece, which benefits not only from the piano tuner's ear, but an opportunity to test the order of things. This is but one example, but it does possess a methodological soundness that is hard to challenge. Others stick to another perspective, and I call this the 'Sow's Ear' view. Where the truth lies, time will tell, but I am more wary of repetition of old ideas than new ones for the simple reason it is more difficult to throw off the old and see the new. I would like to share an observation that I think important, and may provide a lens through which the contents of the Newsletter may be viewed.
Each Monday I see a young child at the Tavistock Clinic for intensive therapy. I hate Monday mornings, and the 8.00am start helps not one bit. At 8.15am the Tavistock tests its fire alarms. It has slowly dawned upon me that this is an excellent way of ascertaining the effect of the P.W.B. Photograph Folder, and I cannot begin to tell you how musical this alarm bell now sounds. I mention this because I think we need to keep in mind that discussion of audio equipment alone is but part of the picture. It is the misfortune of P.W.B. to be tied to the world of audio, with its half-baked scientists, and money grabbing directors. Science, like art and religion, is no relative of politics and economics, but must fraternise if it is to survive.
These Newsletters are an attempt to maintain a space for experience and thought, away from the effects of money and power. Despite the carrot of a free gift for all contributions, few write. Grateful as I am to receive such articles, there is a sense that there is so much more out there; pieces of jigsaw, clues or ideas. In this field, there is no correct answer, since all is new. At such points, the collection of views can leads us to a more full understanding.
The above is my way of saying that what might even seem ridiculous can be extremely illuminating, and all views are important. Take out the pen and share the thought; none of us can totally grasp what is going on, so no one can make a mistake.
The 'Hierarchy' I suspect will fill our minds for some time to come, and there is good reason for it; thus the more views the better.
Thanks again for all those who have written for this edition.
Address for correspondence
P.W.B. Newsletter
P.W.B Electronics
18. Pasture Crescent
Leeds LS7 3QB
Or for you sophisticates
E-mail – to Newsletter@belt.demon.co.uk
I have to be clear that P.W.B. products are undergoing a considerable amount of revision at present, and that the products listed below may be subject to certain changes. Of course any product, no matter how different from my descriptions will be the best available, and products from the past, no matter how antiquated, are likely to be brought up to date, by the mysteries of resonance. The Co-ordinate products listed below are set to revolutionise P.W.B. products, so watch this space, and contact P.W.B. with any queries. Before describing these products, there are a couple of valuable additions to the armoury that must be mentioned, so off we go.
Boundary Ring Ties.
I suspect that many of us accept without much thought now the importance of knowing where our boundaries are, and feel very uncomfortable of they are penetrated by unknown, and unsavoury energies. Of course, it all leads to impaired recognition of what we need to recognise whilst listening to music, and a sense of strain and dissatisfaction, independent of the particular disc being played. Lord knows, there are plenty of recordings that induce strain and dissatisfaction in the listener, even before the disc is removed from its cover. P.W.B. has come up with a novel solution for some of these problems, but sadly has not been able as yet to help me enjoy the types of music that continue to upset me.
P.W.B. has developed special Green and Blue Ties that tackle a number of issues, and it will be easier to discuss each in turn. The Green Tie is mainly for all cables that connect in some way to the outside - the telephone cable, aerial cables etc. As is often the case with all things Green, it has a particular use with lights and lamps, and thus can be applied to the leads of lamps etc., but not to any other mains supply leads. For these leads, one needs the Blue Tie. The Blue Tie is more interesting in that by feeding it through the end of a safety pin, it can become a very useful tie-pin. The usefulness, Peter told me, was something to do with torture. Whilst thinking he was referring to certain programmes on Classic FM, I suspected he was using the term as a Physicist might. Compression, strain and stress of objects leads to all manner of aberrant patterns that, as usual, confound our senses, and impair enjoyment. Using a Blue Tie on a safety pin, and then pinning it to the foam of the chair one is listening in leads to an improvement that has to be heard to be believed. Much of this is addressed in the 'Visit to Peter Turner' piece, but before I end on these great devices, I will end on one of those weird but true notes. The Blue Tie is very effective when tied around the shank of the accelerator pedal of the car, and around one of the springs of the seats. Similarly, the Green Tie is very good on the car's aerial lead. Well, yes, you might say. The effect of this on the home audio system is really rather shocking. P.W.B. say it is because the car is effectively a member of the family; an expensive one in my experience. I think there is sense in this, because when one learns to drive a different car, the visual-spatial aspects take some adjusting to. Is this because one 'bonds' with the car, and does indeed adopt it ? Whatever, the Boundary Ties are excellent, and I particularly recommend the Blue ones for carpets, mattresses, seats etc., And accelerator pedals.......
Contracaps Update.
It will be seen in another part of this issue that Contracaps do not function in the way they might appear to. I mention that they can be fitted to wood! P.W.B. then told me that they can be very effective when applied to loft beams, and finally sent me a special Contracap fitted with the washer that is part of the Boundary Ties. Two Solder tags are fitted at the ends of the Contracap, so that it can be screwed easily to the loft beam. Now, other products may eventually deal with this issue, but in the meantime, this is a very useful product for certain applications. One, screwed into a single beam, lends a formidable improvement to the sound, and it is hard to conceive of what it might be like if one treated all wood in this way. I would urge you to at least try one, and then try to explain why you are doing it to family and friends...
Co-ordinate Products.
As stated above, these products herald a new phase in the development of P.W.B. ideas and products, and by taking a simple geometric model, an appealing model, we can make sense of our experience of P.W.B. products working. I am not sure I completely understand the thinking, but think it is related to the manner in which we perceive objects in the three physical dimensions (height, width and depth) plus time. The brain has developed certain ways to try to perceive objects, through evolution, but at present something is confounding our perceptions. I would not wish to either restate or reformulate previous ideas here, but the patterns we perceive are distorted, as if someone were broadcasting a different channel on the same frequency we were trying to receive. Confusion abounds, and descends like a cloud. P.W.B. is attempting to rectify this, as usual, and there are continuing developments on this front. There is a special Dome, that can later be adapted for brands, that is very good. Co-ordinate Stamps are available for many situations, especially for glass objects. The Stamps form part of the Co-ordinate Flat Pack, which is the same as the Dome, but for more permanent or discrete applications. There is more, but I sense that neither P.W.B. nor myself know where this is going as yet. It is a very exciting development, and possibly one in search of a theory to make sense of it. I think it pointless to say anything more than do contact P.W.B. about this item/range, it is early days, but the initial results are very promising. Very promising. The range of branded Stamps is wide, so most readers should be able to go a long way too. My mind is still boggling, and that is rather uncomfortable.
What is the difference between a reproduction of a painting by Braque and a CD by Eddie Lockjaw-Davis? Answer: None, as both can be improved, to the senses, by the application of P.W.B. techniques.
The question I would like to pose is: What is the continuum in which these improvements are taking place? I have personally experienced improvements in TV pictures, alleviation of certain stresses and anxieties, heightened visual appreciation of pictures and photographs, and of a whole set of instances where marked and frequently astonishing changes for the better have been picked up in the quality of Hi Fi sound.
What is the exact nature of this continuum in which so much can happen? I am satisfied that it does not consist of purely psychological factors; it is not just a question of 'thinking' it sounds better and therefore it is. There are countless testimonies on record which show that the phenomenon is something which is often spontaneously picked up. Frequently there could have been no way of knowing that a device had been introduced or removed, and yet a change was noticed or commented upon.
Equally I am fairly sure that we are not looking for a mechanical or purely electrical factor to define this continuum. P.W.B. devices appear to work by activating 'Morphic Resonances' and by supplanting negative , threatening energy fields with friendly, peaceful ones. Manufactured objects are somehow brought into the energy-reference of humans, Earth and Nature. Our senses and brains respond instinctively by perceiving more and more fully what is before them. The continuum then in which P.W.B. introduce changes and improvements is essentially environmental, but also functions through an interaction with omnipresent and universal laws.
Now let us turn to the few times when we may have upgraded an amplifier, pair of speakers or that one unforgettable day when we first introduced a high quality turntable to the system. This too is a continuum. It is a continuum in which the changes take place far less frequently than in the case of P.W.B. effects, but it is nonetheless a route where important landmarks are known.
I would like to underline that successes in the production of a superior piece of electronic equipment or a mechanically more advanced machine are significant in a separate continuum from P.W.B. products. The concept itself is different. A new design of speaker is purchased. It looks different, is made differently and it certainly sounds different. Arguably, it sound better because it is better constructed. The same goes for an amplifier or a CD player. So far so good. It starts to get complicated when we find that sometimes a cheap piece of equipment sounds better than a really expensive one - provided that is that you have taken the trouble to apply P.W.B. techniques to a cheap product. The reason for this is not that good design and expense in production are unimportant. P.W.B. alleviates negative energy fields; it doesn't suppress good design. The cheaper product sounds better because we hear it better.
Conversely, a good or highish end piece of equipment may sound better even when untreated by P.W.B. techniques than a less expensive treated item - particularly in a P.W.B. environment or when the listener has a Photographic Wallet. This illustrates that the two continuums while interdependent are not totally dependent on each other to create their effects.
So, having gone to some lengths to argue that there are two continuums, is that the end of the story.
No. First of all there are probably more than two continuums, and secondly, I am not claiming that in a single blind test I could distinguish between any of them. Functionally, what we hear is an improvement in sound and atmosphere. Richard Graham and Peter Turner have shown in their articles in P.W.B. Newsletters 4 & 5, just how difficult it can be to say exactly where the good sound is coming from.
I my opinion the true hierarchy is the hierarchy of the listening environment. Since P.W.B. effects are to do with the environment and the equipment itself is part of the environment., P.W.B. can and does enhance any listening experience. The mechanically based hierarchy is equally real but ultimately less stable.
What is certain is that both continuums can provide essential differences/improvements to the listener. Perhaps a genuinely cybernetic and ergonomic audio is within reach - but only when and if manufacturing incorporates the P.W.B. continuum. In this way, from performance through recording to sound reproduction in our living rooms, a new dimension could emerge.
Kenneth Hyam.
A lengthy session with my friend Dennis' player, courtesy of two visitors from a distance, sent me back home with the conviction that my own player, while providing a higher standard of reproduction than Dennis' - he uses the one I used to have, now put right by Arcam - was crying out for additional Belting. I had done a measure of Foiling on the transport drawer, and fitted to the circuit boards some Blue Magnadiscs which P.W.B. had sent me for this purpose. I also had dedicated labels on the boxes, and further treatment to the outside of the boxes; but I had refrained from Foiling the boards, deterred by warnings from Arcam, and my own supplied about the danger of static build-up which could damage the player. I decided to go ahead nevertheless, cautiously. After all, I had Foiled blithely on the older player, and here it was certainly not sounding damaged.
Starting with the transport, I carefully added Foils, taking special care to use the New Gold Foil on the bar-code labels, and not to touch the IC boxes which were plentifully scattered around. I could have done more, but that seemed enough for the present. I put the transport back and switched on, the difference was electrifying: the new sound was much further into the room, more detailed, and with a new radiance and life. I had intended not to do anything about the DAC at this stage, but what I heard made it mandatory to press on. So I carefully approached the boards in the DAC, and Foiled them in the same way I had in the transport.
This time the improvement, though quite audible, was not so great as it had been first time; more a matter of consolidation than innovation, one might say,
This had occupied the greater part of a Sunday morning very profitably and enjoyably. In the afternoon, Dennis came up to hear the new marvel, and readily agreed that the standard of reproduction I now had was the best ever heard in this room. I found myself wishing profoundly that it had been possible to give the visitors of yesterday a before-and-after demonstration: both of them are determined anti-Belters, and here was a change produced by nothing other than Belting, which must surely have clinched the matter. Incidentally, no harm came to the CD player from my activities; and when I get used to my transformed player, I may do further things, to see how much more can be squeezed out of the Arcam.
It was interesting to find, yet again, that the major effect was upon the transport rather than the DAC: one might have expected the contrary; but I have noted before that the transport has special importance. Explain that, somebody.
Has this incident any light to throw on the question of hierarchy ? To me, it demonstrates the folly of supposing that one can rely exclusively on hierarchical improvements to the exclusion of Belting. My player is better than the older one, but not as good as it can be made by the addition of Belt devices. But the more fundamental question is: can the older player be made to sound as well as the newer by Belt devices ? My suggestion, based on my own observations is that it cannot. Is there something I should know ?
Peter Turner.
I hadn't used this unusual oil since mid '88, and was convinced that it was old, and possibly irrelevant nowadays, but might just be good for the turntable bearing, which rather needed an oil change. Changed oil in turntable bearing, and yes it was quite good. Fair enough. Now what about some of those phono sockets on the CD getting a coating with what's left.
I could not have been prepared for the effect of this, and was struck that it was one of those really impressive Beltastic moments; one of those moments when sound becomes music. On a mains plug, more of the same. Remembered Paul Benson enthusing in 198... about putting it on screws, screws going into anything. Amazing. Effect so great, starting to think telegrammatically. Confirmed the effect at Peter Turner's; it is very, very good, Almost too good. It goes a long, long way too. Very, very effective.
In some sort of attempt to follow up my previous visit to Peter, I descended upon him and his wife again shortly after Easter, to have yet again a somewhat perplexing experience, but also one that was usefully challenging. I am personally responsible for some of this, as I ended up arriving hideously late, partly because I was unconsciously drawn to Leamington Spa. Although Peter was tolerant of this, fortuitously, I think it might have influenced the proceedings. As usual, not all the findings were expected, but all were of note.
After a fine, if delayed lunch (sorry again), we proceeded to test a number of items. Top of the list were the Boundary Ties, and Peter first applied one to his seat. I thought the effect as surprisingly great as usual; depth, richness and tunefulness all increased to a considerable degree. Peter was still concerned about the sound, and I think it was not as good as I had thought, but then this hierarchical stuff is so complex that it is difficult to know what to make of that. Peter felt despite this Tie, the sound was not as it should be, and I certainly thought it different but not better than I can achieve at home. This of course relieved me, but the precise meaning of the observation needs further thought; I suspect my more heavily treated home affords me certain advantages that Peter cannot achieve with his equipment alone. Curiously, the sound was very good, with a fabulous dynamic range, but if anything the sound reminded me of the Marantz CD player in that system; a sort of low level tunelessness that is hard to pin down. The reader should not disregard the impact of my lateness on the perceptions of Peter and myself in this area; something wasn't right, and my time keeping was part of it.
We proceeded regardless to add further Boundary Ties, Green and Blue, and the sound improved markedly, in my opinion, but was not right according to Peter, Concerned, I suggested tapping things with his Violet Pen and Photograph Wallet. Well this made a big difference but even so the sound was not quite right. It was good, but that indefinable sense of a good performance occurring was absent. I feel, in retrospect, that I added further stress to the listening by bringing a P.W.B. Interconnect, from the 1994 batch, which we could not fit, because of the Naims needing special leads etc. Frustration is a powerful influence on the senses.
We turned to audition an untreated and mega-treated CD, which I have left with Peter for his unconvinced friends. The treated CD was much as described in the last Newsletter, and I was relieved to hear a healthy 'Night and Day' difference; the treated disc was musical and attractive to listen to, the untreated one, superficially impressive, but splashy, muddled and tiring. I hope Peter can use these discs for good effect, although the content of the CD is fairly ghastly. (A Classic FM Magazine freebie).
My recent rediscovery of Sol Electret led me to suggest that we try this next, and for reasons I cannot comprehend, the effect on the Digital Interconnect was astonishing, and as impressive in effect as anything tried before. I felt shaken by this, but I think Peter felt less impressed.
The sound was much better now, but not what was hoped for. The Rawsthorne Piano Concerto (I think) certainly sounded stunning, but there was still a sense of the tune having vacated the premises, at least to some degree. When I left, Peter informed that the problem disappeared and so there may be many ways of interpreting the date !!
I would like to comment on something which I think is controversial, but of great importance, and of course does involve the concept of a hierarchy of audio products existing. I have heard more expensive systems than the one Peter has sound much worse. I also feel my own system, costing less, has the measure of Peter's system in certain respects. I suspect one can take different paths to good sound, and many of them are studiously avoided by retailers; they don't want anyone to get too satisfied after all, as sales would eventually drop, and no one would upgrade. My feeling at this moment is that P.W.B. products are crucial, and that direct treatment of the Hi Fi is but a small element of what one can do. I also feel that differences diminish with P.W.B. devices; I joke not when I tell you that I often think my TV sound is the video signal coming through the Hi Fi, and then realise the video is not on. The TV sounds that good. Clearly I use a lot of P.W.B. stuff. It is also a measure though of the possible.
What I cannot answer is what a similarly treated home would sound like with better equipment. Peter has good, very good sound now; what might be achieved is food for thought. This issue will run and run, as they say, and as they also say, you pays your money....
I was surprised by Peter Turner's account in the fifth P.W.B. Newsletter of how a conventional upgrade to his CD player so positively transformed the sound of his Hi Fi system prior to any P.W.B. treatments being applied.
Having now had several years experience of using Belt devices, the question of their effect as compared to that of more conventional changes has always been of prime importance. Indeed, once having accepted the existence of the 'Belt Effect' it seems natural enough to try to establish the degree and nature of the changes taking place. In writing about perceptual changes, it is important to acknowledge the inadequacy of verbal description in discussing any kind of sensory experience; but it is possible to elucidate, no matter how imprecisely. When trying to analyse the 'Belt Effect' (BE), I find it helpful to consider this in two ways: firstly, the nature or quality of the changes taking place, and secondly, the amount or degree of change.
In my own experience, I have found BE changes easiest to assess if a short section of music is repeated with and without the device(s) being evaluated in place. Changes in sound quality can be perceived when applying devices during a continuous stretch of music, but I find the process can become confusing. It seems that there are some characteristic changes which come about regardless of which P.W.B. treatment has been applied. This is not to say there are no differences between devices in their specific effect on sound quality, but for the present I will describe only general effects. One of the most consistent and overriding changes brought about by P.W.B. devices is a softening and refining of the sound. This makes the whole of the listening experience less 'threatening' with reduced anxiety as to whether one's ears will be pinned to the rear wall by the loud blaring sounds in the music! At the same time, the impact of the music, far from being diluted by this softening and refining process, is all the greater in that one is able, in every way, to make so much more sense of what is being heard.
This leads onto one of the central evaluation markers: that of relative volume levels. Whenever a beneficial change takes place it is most often accompanied by what initially seems to be an overall drop in volume level. The effect can be very startling, so much so that in the past I have momentarily thought the equipment must not be working correctly. Any such fear being speedily replaced by a realisation that a marked improvement had taken place. The perceived drop in volume level is obviously related to the softening and refining process mentioned above. It is as though the loudest peaks in the music became less objectionable, thereby reducing the aural retreat usually precipitated by loud sounds. This in turn allows a higher volume setting without causing any distress and at the same time allowing more delicate sounds to emerge which hitherto had been concealed or locked in. The net result is to widen and deepen one's perceptual capabilities by enabling the brain to interpret the incoming information more fully and accurately; one literally hears deeper into the music. One example, which may be the manifestation of this 'relative volume' phenomenon, is how the balance of instruments in a stretch of music can be considerably altered. This usually comes about by reducing the glare and dominance of the strongest musical lines, thereby allowing other more masked elements to emerge so that a much more full picture emerges.
Sometimes, after a series of major P.W.B. treatments, the musical texture is so radically different and so open to scrutiny that one wonders if the recording in question has ever before been heard in such detail and richness. At the risk of sounding fanciful, if one thinks of the brain as a sponge in its ability to take in perceptual information, then, as more P.W.B. treatments are applied to one's equipment and listening environment, so the brain's perceptual capacity continually increases before reaching saturation point - recording tape saturation comes to mind. Thus far, in my experience of P.W.B. evolution, this process of expanding the sensitivity and range of one's aural and general perceptual capabilities has proved to be unlimited, and at this time it is hard to see where the limits might be.
Having touched on some of the properties of P.W.B. sound improvements, it would seem more than a little interesting to consider their magnitude vis a vis conventional equipment upgrades and improvements. I have found that the use of P.W.B. devices has the effect of diminishing the differences between equipment, whatever its assumed status with the Hi-Fi hierarchy, to the point where such differences that remain are relatively unimportant when compared with the great differences that have taken place. Some time ago, I had occasion to directly compare a Linn Sondek (LP12) turntable fitted with a Linn arm and cartridge, costing about £1500, with a lowly Dual 505 turntable, costing a fraction of the price. The Linn set-up had already been transformed by several Belt devices, including a treated cartridge supplied by P.W.B., which, incidentally, significantly bettered the Linn Troika I had been using. One day, much to my consternation, the LP12 developed a motor board fault and became inoperable. A trip to the Linn dealer became necessary but not before removing, as best I could, all the previously fitted P.W.B. devices - after all, the use of such things would amount to sacrilege wouldn't it ?
As I was curious to know how great the effect of the P.W.B. devices would be on cheaper equipment, I dug out my old Dual 505, fitted with an ancient Ortofon cartridge, and plugged it in. The result was not what I expected, for although at this point the Dual was untreated, it already sounded quite respectable, and far better than I remembered it sounding. This I put down to other changes in the equipment and environment due to the addition of many P.W.B. devices since I last used the Dual. Subsequently, as far as possible, I fitted all the treatments that had been on the Linn, onto the Dual, significantly including the P.W.B. cartridge. At this point, I became seriously worried because the Dual was now delivering a sound as good as I ever had achieved before. I thought the only thing to do was to set up the newly repaired -Belted Linn with its cartridge, and pit it against the treated Dual. This, as can be imagined was a fascinating comparison. The Linn was not disgraced, but it was significantly outperformed by the Dual. The difference between them was that the Dual was rich and detailed, with an alluring sweetness and naturalness to the sound, and the Linn sounded 'not bad', but just ordinary, and somewhat dull and opaque in comparison.
My conclusion at the time was that the differences between equipment, though not totally insignificant, were of little importance when compared to the improvements that can be gained through the use of P.W.B. devices. Since making this comparison, several years ago now, the power and effectiveness of P.W.B. techniques has become far greater, making differences between equipment increasingly irrelevant.
The world of musical instruments, and live music making constitute a very rich vein for investigation, and I have found as a piano tuner and player, perhaps unsurprisingly, that they too can be transformed by the use of P.W.B. devices. I now routinely improve pianos with a basic treatment of Cream Electret (still in my opinion, one of the best overall treatments) and a selection of different foils, used in strategic places, on the instruments. In fact, just about every device I have tried has wrought a worthwhile improvement. In certain respects, it seems to me, the effects of P.W.B. devices are at their greatest in the way the instrument 'feels' and sounds when one plays it, probably because one's interaction with it is considerably altered. In practice, this makes the instrument seem more responsive and easier to control, and kinder to touch, as well as in all ways sounding better. At a basic level it becomes easier to hear one's own playing so that, for example, the 'voices' in a Bach fugue come out much more clearly and are easier to balance. The tonal characteristics are greatly improved, bringing about greater richness and depth of tone and a much more singing quality to the sound of the piano.
The possibilities of improvement to all musical instruments through the use of P.W.B. devices are I'm sure very great, and the few experiments I have tried on other instruments have been very positive. As far as the concept of hierarchy is concerned, when related to instruments, my feeling is that it does not work in quite the same way as it does for Hi-Fi equipment. Although all musical instruments are very beneficially effected by P.W.B. devices, the differences say between a small upright and a concert grand piano are not taken away - this would be rather like comparing a Mini Metro with a Rolls Royce. However, if you had two pianos of similar specification and size, one having superior sound and costing at least twice as much as the other, the more expensive could easily be out-performed by the cheaper instrument which has been 'treated'. The dominance by Steinway & Sons in the concert hall may yet be challenged !
Todd Cunliffe.
There was once a wise man who advised his pupil thus (the pupil had been complaining that his room was too small): "bring your goat inside to live". The pupil did accordingly. The wise man than advised his pupil, in stages, to bring the sheep inside, then the pig, then the donkey, then the horse. Not surprisingly the pupil felt extremely uncomfortable but did as his teacher suggested.
After some time had passed the wise man told his pupil to take the goat outside. The pupil immediately started feeling a little better. In stages, the pupil was given the go-ahead to take the other animals outside. By the time he took the horse outside he felt so happy and started to love his room totally and live life to the full. He thanked the wise man for showing him that there was nothing wrong with his little room. On the contrary, it was really a sort of palace.
This parable has an interesting parallel with my own recent experiences. About six months ago I suddenly took it into my head to buy a disco-style variable speed turntable. I then added a Pre-amp Cross Fader to my system. These items were not bought for their Hi-Fi potential but for their curious adaptability for mixing music and creating weird and wonderful tapes.
My Hi-Fi turntable and integrated amplifier were kept in position as part of my new 'SciFi' super system. P.W.B. foils and Smart Metal were attached, together with other devices such as the remarkable 600 Hz label. I was happy with my Cross Fader and imitation Technics turntable. But not for very long !!.
The Cross Fader seemed to boost the treble. It was harsh and unpleasant. The lower bass seemed to have disappeared and the upper bass to have lost a lot of its power.
Then one day I woke up and tried my decent Hi-Fi equipment without the Cross Fader. The difference was astonishing. It sounded rich, warm, mellow and magnificent. I quickly recycled the P.W.B. devices and reapplied P.W.B. techniques to my Rega-Sugden-JBL system, and was in Seventh Heaven.
My conclusion is that the cheap Cross Fader and Disc Turntable were only tolerable because of the application of P.W.B. techniques. But the inferior Hi-Fi quality of these gimmicky things could not be entirely cancelled. Good equipment cannot be underestimated in our scale of values. Poor equipment becomes less poor and good equipment becomes excellent.
The above experiences provide practical confirmation of my thesis that there are two continuums. P.W.B. techniques take us as far as it is possible to go in the continuum of psycho-enhancement. Hi-Fi manufacturers such as Sugden, Rega and JBL advance us in the mechanical continuum. They are interdependent, connected but ultimately separate continuums.
P.W.B. Electronics have given us the opportunity to bring these two continuums together in an active and exciting way.
It is a great pity that engineers like the ones I have mentioned remain oblivious or perhaps hostile to the brilliant efforts of P.W.B..
Perhaps they should start by bringing their goats (Brains? - RG) indoors.
Kenneth Hyam.
I recently upgraded my TV/FM aerial set up, partly because I felt P.W.B. products were exposing the aerial deficiencies, but mainly because the original set up wasn't very good. I wish I were a mountain goat, because the costs of such a change are considerable, and I was less than satisfied with the first result. However some of the blame lay with yours truly.
I was still getting much hiss on Radio 3, and thought the FM aerial not large enough. I had fitted contracaps across the signal/screen terminals in some plugs I had found at Tandy's Electrical Stores; the reason for buying these plugs is that contracaps could be fitted. The man who fitted the aerial liked neither these plugs, nor the contracaps, and was triumphant when he showed me the loss in output across the lead of many dbs. Thinking that he may have been bitter and twisted by character, I spoke to P.W.B. who confirmed that there may well be a loss. Oh no, thinks I, I have to remove a P.W.B. device. P.W.B. then suggested I solder the contracaps across one part of the plug, even a part not carrying signal.
A little dubious, and still wanting to surgically remove the smile from the aerial man's face, I moved and soldered the contracaps. Sure enough, the signal strength improved dramatically, and the sound got much better. I then moved similarly placed contracaps on the TV aerial lead, and the entry socket. Further improvements to picture, and sound !
Further discussion with P.W.B. revealed that the contracaps do not need to be in the signal path to be effective - they don't condition electrons, which was my anthropomorphic fantasy. Indeed, they are effective when soldered onto the Mu-metal screens inside equipment. Attempted to do so inside my Marantz CD player, and I was very happy with the result. They also work on wood! That is a story though that is best left for the New Products section.
So if you have any contracaps lying about, you may find a use yet.
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