I am struck that this Newsletter is emerging during some sort of time of transition. There is only one new product to comment upon, although it is a considerable product, and PWB has been building upon his previous work, whilst tentatively pushing further into new territories. Consequently, the products have never been better, and this will include devices that saw their introduction even in the 1980s. In other words, the patterns that the products carry have improved, and all products of that type acquire the new pattern, now that it is established. I don't think I will attempt to explain again how such patterns help our perceptual apparatus, and merely draw attention to a theme that runs throughout this Newsletter. The theme I have in mind is the effect of PWB devices, in recent months perhaps, on the reproduction of music in the home. Many of the articles in this Newsletter draw our attention to the experience of the music coming into the room, of it becoming real, and less like a recording. This sounds rather commonplace, but I think the immediacy with which many writers describe this process, and their comparisons with past experiences, suggests that this is truly a major step forward, and gratifyingly so.
One of the exciting aspects of the P.W.B. phenomenon is that one can do as much or as little as one wishes. This applies to cost too, and the Newsletter involves pieces on the more and less costly devices. The ingenuity of certain writers, and I have in mind the endeavours of John Dymond, shows how a product can be used to astonishing effect if only the time and imagination can be devoted to the task. What John has done with one
X-Pen I suspect would cost hundreds of pounds, if one tried to use conventional audio thinking to reach the same end. When a new Seismic Sink costing £400 is released, to positive reviews, one sees that the X-Pen really is amazing value. Yet it also highlights our struggle to value P.W.B. devices, where the engineering is invisible. The only comparison I can think of is that of the pharmaceutical industry, where tiny pills, have massive effects; this is accepted of course. To see and feel the new Quantum Clip, and then witness what it can do, is a sobering experience, and a challenge to ones view of the universe. For too long we have seen the universe as substance, but it is really patterns and information. Until we can shift to this view, we are bound to the concrete thinking of nineteenth century science, and the physicalist tradition.
On a lighter note there are two questions I would like to pose. Firstly, after a discussion with John Dymond about his article, to clarify a few points, I was struck that readers, writers or interested parties might like it if the authors telephone number were printed at the end of a piece. I think this is somewhat related to a previous thought that it might be good to have more contact between P.W.B. customers. I will await your views on this. Secondly, is it worth opening up the Newsletter to other avenues, such as suggested discs? This did not evolve beyond a suggestion before, but if someone comes across an exciting disc, especially if it is a mid-price/budget selection, I think it would be good to share this.
Thanks again to all those that have struggled to describe the indescribable, and I think readers will see exciting hints of what might be in store for the next Newsletter. As usual thanks to Peter, May and Graham for their endless work and enthusiasm, and any queries re. any of the products should be put to them. If there are any other queries, I would be happy to try and answer them. However, as this phase of transition continues, I may simply report yesterdays news, and not today's reality.
Thanks again to Peter Turner for his excellent correction of my diabolical typing/grasp of the English language, and please send any thoughts or comments or articles to the usual address of :-
Until September..
Richard Graham
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
Here, I am in the fortunate, yet unfortunate position of trying to describe a product that is far from inexpensive. Before I do so I think it is helpful to bear in mind two things: value-for-money, and the order of things. I will comment on these issues as I discuss the introduction of..
THE QUANTUM CLIP
There have been many products over the years that I have found particularly helpful, because the range of application has been vast. I have in mind the Polarizers, the Tweezers, the Piezo devices, and the most recently perhaps, the White Dome. Using these devices, one could treat almost anything, and those items such as cutlery or keys, really benefited from the treatment; more accurately my ears did. Well, the Quantum Clip is like the above devices, only more so.
I don't think it is enormously helpful for me to attempt to explain how it works, but I have certainly found that some of Peters suggested experiments, including the use of Polaroid Glass to affect the sound from a Photograph Folder, typically challenging - how can a piece of glass affect the sound? Were back in the field of quantum mechanics, and things get very strange. The useful result though is that one can get a device which puts something into an object that has a beneficial effect on our perceptions - the usual P.W.B. effect. I will leave it for the interested reader to contact P.W.B. for further information on the background thinking, as I turn to the important matter of what the device can do.
Opening the packet and taking out the Clip is a disappointing experience. It appears to be a crocodile clip, with a curious tail of twisted wire, plus a number of ring ties and other devices. It is small, unremarkable in many ways, but so was a Koetsu cartridge, and one now receives a cigarette lighter with the Clip. This is not part of a P.W.B. campaign to increase smoking in the population, but the means of activating the Clip. The method of activating, if that is the correct word, this device is to ignite the lighter, and pass the flame across/through the very end of the Clip; across its wire tail. This can be problematic, as one has to be very careful not to have the flame of the lighter too great, or the angle of the Clip such that the lacquer on the Clip is burnt. Whilst this looks unattractive if it occurs, id does not alter the effectiveness of the Clip. Thus, if like myself, you have an accident, worry not. However, caution is advisable.
Well, what of the results? The Clip cab literally work anywhere. By placing an object between its teeth, or placing the end of the Clip against an object, and then activating it with a lighter, leads to the object acquiring a treatment. There are various aspects to this, for different sites, but first I should comment on what the end result sounds like. Many readers will be aware that over the past year, many P.W.B. products have led to an amazing increase in volume when listening to music. This is something that occurs more so with the Clip. I am aware that this perceived increase in volume might be undesirable, were it not accompanied by other improvements. It is not simply that the volume increases, but that the performance comes into the room. The sound appears to take on an uncanny sense of balance, with musical lines organised in a realistic, yet easily audible manner. In other words, a layer of artificiality dissipates, and the sound pours into the room. One feels more there, and this does not depend upon the quality of the recording, its age, or the medium relaying it. Increases in detail, tunefulness, ambient information are all there, but it is the realness that really hits one. Of course this can initially seem a little disappointing, as any glamorous frequencies, high or low , are pulled more into balance, and those Hi-Fi sounds simply become more natural. However, it merely takes a few more moments to realise what has occurred, or perhaps a change of recording to a favourite, but not recently played recording, leads one to a full appreciation of what has happened - much like it does with any new piece of equipment.
So, it works, where can I use it? Everywhere. I think that anything made of wood is the best target to begin with, possibly because furniture is often neglected (wrongly so) when we treat items with P.W.B. devices. This Clip is very good with wood in any case, and one simply rests its closed teeth against the object, and activates, with the lighter. Doors, cupboards, tables, chairs, window frames, banisters, skirting boards all come up a treat. For the very active, treating the beams in the loft has to be heard to be believed. It is also so easy to treat items with the Clip that the limit is oneself, and time, not the Clip! When in the loft I discovered something else that became quite important. With the Clip, one can treat a wire, whatever its length, simply by treating the outer insulation at one point. Thus the wiring for the lights in the flat became available for the treatment, and led to a huge improvement.
More down to earth, all electrical items are treated by simply Clipping onto one of the pins of a mains plug. The exception is the item with the detachable cord, where one also Clips onto the pins on the object that the leas attaches to. The effect goes a long way down a path, so a cartridge becomes treated if the mains plug of the turntable is Clipped. However, if there is a hinge, one needs to treat the hinged bit separately e.g. the turntable cover. I hope the reader is starting to get the notion that anything can be treated. There are extra bonuses too if the Clip is attached to Blue Ring Ties on a cable, and anything with Foil on. But plates, forks, mugs, vases, windows, baths are all important too, as are books, tapes and discs (with passive Electret Disc inside). There is a special Clip Film as well, which brings everything up further, and one strip on an item has to be heard to be believed. The Clip is also good on old P.W.B. devices, including the Photo Folder/Photos.
I want to just comment now on value for money. If you wish to try a Clip you need to bear two things in mind. If you cant afford it, don't try it, because there is no turning back after hearing what it does to a disc, for example. When also thinking about it, do not consider how much it cost to construct etc. Think of what one might get for ones money if upgrading to a different piece of equipment for a similar price. The Clip then starts to look more of a bargain. For the cost of a mid-range CD player or DAC, you go a lot further, and change the sound in a more balanced manner. It really does make more sense to try this option if you are thinking of upgrading, and as the Clip often improves with what happens at P.W.B. Central, the benefits simply increase with time.
THINGS TO COME
There is little space here to comment on some other developments, perhaps still rather in embryo, but Dome technology is marching forwards. I recently obtained a Photo Folder for my car, which has been quite amazing, especially when one puts a photocopy of the car picture inside. Of course, this Folder made a dramatic difference to the sound, and vision in the home; perhaps more so than in the car. The improvement was very special, even by P.W.B. standards. So, everyone might need to think of getting a Polaroid camera, especially as peter has spoken of doing a Folder for the Photo of the Front Door!
Philip Turner has also taken a specially treated CD player, of which we may hear more .(Subtle hint for Philip).
I think it is also worth reminding readers at this time that all previous products can benefit from the above developments, and even strips of ordinary (!) Rainbow Foil can have a dramatic impact. Ring Ties too remain excellent, and recently a White X-Tie came in, to further enhance previous developments.
If you're feeling brave, wealthy(ish) or just too curious, try the Clip
Richard Graham
When I originally ordered the new X-Pen, I was under the impression this would generally improve the overall sound of my present system, and yes, this is exactly what happened! The more labels attached to fixtures and fittings, the better the improvement. In excess of two hundred labels, just for downstairs alone, were used - everyone out of sight. I have found that labels, made from the adhesive labels available from any stationer, are better than the X-Pen on the object alone. I have also found that printing my name in capital letters is more effective than using my signature, which itself is better than drawing a line through a bar-code. On most labels, I print my name, and the name of manufacturer of the piece of furniture, followed by the arrow, and OK, as is the usual practice. I would urge readers to experience the effect of such labels on the bases of kitchen units. All can be placed discreetly, out of sight.
The idea of moving into the loft seemed a logical step, after completing the rest of the house. Once more the X-Pen went into action! I wrote out 50 labels to be attached to vertical joists and outer support beams, the message reading:
These TIMBERS > Strong
So, after sticking and tapping was completed, I came downstairs to have a cup of tea and listen to my system. First I played a few CD's, and yes the improvement was there; but then I turned my tuner on. WHOOSH! The sound flooded the room with great verve and increased volume. My wife informs me that neurological transmission is enhanced after drinking water, but the effect has stayed at this improved level ever since.
I wonder if these improvements are due to having placed these labels close to the roof aerial? Also, I believe that the TV picture has become more sharply focused. Like Kenneth Hyam said in the last issue of the P.W.B. Newsletter The encouragement of May Belt really helps.
John Dymond
A universal system of flats and apartments, a society where pipes and wires entered every home in hundreds of clusters, each citizen wrapped in a spiders web of invasive technology: such was the totalitarian dystopia depicted in the film Brazil. This nightmarish vision plays on the real fears that haunt the closed-in inhabitants of modern urban environments. P.W.B. products and techniques have been seen to neutralise and reverse the threats to well-being from Gas, Electricity, Water supplies, and their appliances, including Hi-Fi equipment. This, resulting in, is also measured by an improved perception of reproduced music or live music as the case may be. However, there is another extreme of our centuries living pattern: not technological but human proximity.
Zamyatins We and Orwells 1984 depicted a society where no-one is ever alone. Somehow they are overlooked or overheard by their neighbours, their own or other people children, not to mention the critical, prying eye of the all-powerful state.
When Hi-Fi writers frequently make fleeting references to the neighbours this is a jovial or jocular attempt to side-step a perennial problem. Their humour only obliquely addresses an awkward question: is real world loudness a key building block in the edifice of a good Hi-Fi sound? If so, real flesh and blood players and singers would pose something of a problem in our living rooms. Even an acoustic guitar, with an accompaniment of a percussive right heel could be extremely audible through plaster. Imagine a whole choir!
The room boundaries of Hi-Fi reviewers (although not necessarily their awareness) seem to expand infinitely - as they twizzle their volume controls to test for harshness or clipping. This uncompromising approach to volume extends to the aesthetic appreciation of symphonic music. David Nice, reviewing a Prokoviev CD (Hi-Fi News, March 95) writes:-
Loudness is a constant feature of these three works from the 1920s
He goes on to lament the lack in the first movement of the expected Heady, raucous drive. He exhorts:
The steel outer panels of the finale need to make the hair stand on end
This sounds pretty uncompromising to me. Elsewhere, Alvin Gold in an A/B amplifier comparison comments This amplifier has hair on its chest.
The average listener, however, is not bound by the unmanliness of their equipment nor by the politeness of their recorded versions of major works but by the mores and survival tactics of their sonic territories that they share: the no-mans land that surrounds four walls of private space.
Biologically, the sense of hearing is paramount in waning that danger is near. In the human jungle the reluctance to be overheard is also part of our inherited self-preservation kit. Consequently, most people opt to play music at comfortable levels, and at reasonable times. The resulting split in consciousness can be summed up as follows:-
a) To enjoy Hi-Fi you apparently need to turn the volume up.
a) To preserve your fragile good-neighbourly atmosphere, you need to moderate your sound.
If we are serious about Hi-Fi, the above realisation should be terrifying; if we are not Hi-Fi adepts (some would say addicts) then of course it doesn't amount to much!
Of course there is such a thing as accommodation. This excellent property of the human brain means that once a sound has been identified and categorised, it retreats into the background. A friend of mine who lived for ten years next to a railway line was asked at the time how he coped with the noise of passing trains. What noise? he replied. A shift -worker who lived next to the activity of a construction-site couldn't get to sleep when the work was complete. The silence was keeping him awake. If this element of accommodation were to enter into our attitude to other peoples music, much could be learnt about life. The temptation of risking a pub about accommodation and living with others is strong. However, playing Hi-Fi at home is more problematic, precisely because most of us have a mind-set about loud music. In this mind-set, it either seems to express or court aggression of some kind.
Without suppressing our sensitivity to others (which arguably would also suppress our ability to perceive music) is there a way to square this circle?
Readers familiar with previous issues of this Newsletter may well recall that the factor of volume control has been raised before. Turning to P.W.B. Newsletter No. 8, I am struck by Kevin Chess observation of an increase in dynamics after applying the new Foils:-
I have the amp. Volume set at quarter to nine nearly all the time, and I know that this presents no problem next door.
I am tempted to go round and ask if they are aware of the recent volume increase!
The exclamation mark is not mine, but Kevin's. Others have reported similar surges or alterations in volume after applying P.W.B. devices. Significantly, the change does not always imply volume increase, but its precise opposite. All That Glisters, Todd Cunliffe article in P.W.B. Newsletter No. 6, describes a softening and refining of sound after P.W.B. treatments. This softening, far from reducing ones appreciation of the music is characterised as marked improvement; it:-
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.
When we put together the two extracts they first appear contradictory. One P.W.B. user reports an increase in volume, the other a decrease. One turns up the volume, the other leaves it alone. However what they each have in common is that both describes an improvement in the perceived sound. Could these experiments be alternate sides of the same coin? If so, then the inescapable conclusion must be that the products from P.W.B. optimise our listening experience in whatever environment we happen to be. Clarity, volume, and dynamics are enhanced in a hostile way, with far reaching predictions for owners of Hi-Fi equipment in small abodes.
My suggestion is that through judicious application of P.W.B. materials, a significant improvement in listening to music at impressive volumes will be experienced. Difficult to measure as this might turn out to be, perceived as something approximating to,
Yes. It is OK for my system to sound this good and this loud, all this time.
The experiment, is indeed experiment is the right word in this context, should involve only monitoring the subjective feeling of listening to our systems not trying to find out whether or not a neighbour is disquieted by what they hear. Variables in the latter are simply too great and the results would not be meaningful. Clearly, the exact terms of reference need more attention.
There are a number of P.W.B. treatments which suggest themselves for this project. One could say that any and every P.W.B. device would be OK, since, they all take into account the territorial aspect of the listening event. However the ones which appear obvious are listed at the end of this article. I shall carry out some of the treatments myself and report on the results.
1. The Dominant Male/Female Green and Red Labels
2. Quantum, Comfort and Safehole Foils and Electret Cream
3. Boundary Territory Ring Ties
4. Telephone Tapping
(a) Purple Pen
(b) Photographic Folder
5. Signing CD's/Records with the Red X-Pen
6. Tapping with the pot of Quantum Electret Cream
Kenneth Hyam
Any reader of this NEWSLETTER who has not tried the newest Foils should certainly do so without delay: they are in for a revelation .
I had already treated my own system; but, as usual, I had been too hasty about the job: I lack the ability to approach these things gradually, listening carefully to each stage. As there are several of these new Foils, this takes a little time: I am an impatient creature. I greatly enjoyed the results that I obtained, but I know that to gain something of an understanding of what the Foils do, it is necessary to be more contemplative about the process.
The opportunity for this occurred when a friend with a system similar to, though not identical with mine, decided to make the experiment. Denies - that's the friend -is a much more deliberate person than I, and we spent three Sunday afternoons, slowly going through his boxes. The last stage was the CD player: Dennis is a committed LP man, and uses a CD player which used to belong to me: an Arcam Transport and a Meridian DAC. The two go very well together, I have often wondered why I made the change. I was not expecting to hear more than a superficial change with the new Foils: I had treated these boxes extensively when I had them, and I don't do things by half: those boxes were foiled to an extent which left little space for more. Never expect, or at least do so with an open mind.
We did the boxes one at a time, starting with the transport. The extra clarity and detail enchanted us; the change wrought by the addition of a few new Foils was truly astonishing. We proceeded to the DAC. My initial impression was of little change - not that that would have mattered after the joy of the transport. But as I listened on, I became aware of what the DAC was now doing. Everything prior to the DAC had been improved sound: less distortion more detail, and all those other things that are listed in the reviews in the journals: important and welcome they are too. What I was now hearing was different: the music was being revealed to me as never before: not improved sound in the conventional sense; not more of the qualities manufacturers strive for and enthusiasts revel in; but what is really being sought by all those changes: THE MUSIC itself.
Have you ever stopped to wonder what drives us on in this endless quest? I think I know: it is the unconscious recognition that amidst the splendour of a first-class audio system, something is missing, something that will drive us on towards an even better system, which will thrill us for a time, and then lead us on, seeking precisely what, we do not know. I remember one night at Hoddeson years ago, what a group of audio celebrities - now mostly dead, alas - were circulating the whiskey and brooding profoundly. The maker of the KEF empire leaned back in his chair and remarked My business is sustained by compulsive neurotics. In vino veritas.
But now, P.W.B. has begun to reach the heart of the matter: he is giving us what he has spent so many years seeking: that elusive ghost which caused him to abandon the conventional design road, which could not give him what he was seeking, and go off on what was soon dismissed as a lunatic path. Thank God he did.
Peter Turner
I think it is possible with P.W.B. devices to grow rather complacent, and then start the process of doubting or questioning the benefits. All of us do this, even P.W.B. himself. In recent articles however, there has been an increasing trend towards acknowledging the mistakes on doing this i.e. spending galactic sums of money on products that are thought to be better, then finding out that P.W.B. devices invert such thinking.
Peter Turner is someone who has not been frightened to challenge preconceptions, be they from Julian Vereker or Peter Belt, and I think this makes this contribution all the more valuable. The Foils described really do turn upside down the apparent order of things. I say apparent because in previous discussions of Hierarchy I think what was often missed was the point that man orders the universe in theories and hierarchies that are to some degree arbitrary; Nature simply is, and perhaps evolves further as you read this. I am impressed that all of us add a good/bad or superior/inferior dimension to all that we come across. This is more related to emotions than thought, and strong feelings support our views. I am sure I have written in this Newsletter before that science makes only a small contribution to society due to its ignoring of the political dimensions of human existence; witness the BSE fiasco. Peter Belt also struggles with this, and many cast him as bad before there is an opportunity to listen. Such is life. It is notable though that in the pages of this Newsletter the realisation of P.W.B.'s achievements becomes clearer; there is no need to apologise or gush, but simply to report experiences as honestly as possible. The new Foils help; they do make such a difference, and a strip on an object can be alarmingly successful.
Peter brings up the question of neurosis in his piece, and I think we need to think carefully before conceding to such cynicism. Pursuit of truthful experience is not neurotic, although the quest may take on something akin to neurosis. When the music comes alive in the room, and pours out the emotional meaning of a piece, perhaps thanks to P.W.B., it is art and not something used to distance oneself from life. The neurotic, I suspect, wishes for the pale copy, not experience of real music. I have thought recently that the experience of P.W.B.'s work is rather akin to those that suffered shell shock during World War One. Their reaction was perhaps the sensible one to a situation that was insane; yet it was seen as illness and madness to see it as so. The world of audio at the moment may see P.W.B. as insane, but history, I am sure, will reveal the current struggles as that of someone who is more able to see the world for what it is, and not as political forces model it. I also think shell-shocked (with no disrespect to those that experienced such horrors) is as good a word as any for the P.W.B. experience; only this time the experience is positive. Except when on realises that one has spent good money in a manner that no longer makes sense. Oh well..
RG.
Who would have believed a clip could have such a fantastic effect on our perceptions? As with all P.W.B. products, appearances give no clue to the astonishing results that can be achieved with use. In the palm of my hand, lies what I can only describe as the most incredible (literally!) device I have ever had the good fortune to come across.
Initially, I didn't realise the superlative benefits of the Quantum Clip, and still felt concerned over its cost. Id received the usual exclamations from friends and relations - How Much!?, This guys taking the ****, and Phill's lost it!. Insane and his Clip on the head. I commented on how Id previously spent tens of thousands of pounds on equipment in an attempt to reproduce music, and had never been satisfied or satiated.
My experience with the Clip was limited though (an hour or so before visitors arrived), and must admit to a little trepidation. Even thought at that stage, with only a few items Clipped, the sound had already soared into a different league.
Later, I really got stuck in, Clipping: Doors, Radiators, Pipes, Carpets, Cables. Everything in the building came up, more so for sensitised products composed of : Copper, Wood/Paper, plus Blue Tied and Rainbow Foiled objects. Generally the more treated the object, the greater the response, I spent some time experimenting with the Clip. Wondering about the best way to use this miraculous device. I tried Clipping the interconnects separately, connected to the Amp., connected to the source etc.. Adding another Foil and Clipping made a far more discernible improvement, but I found it good practice to initially disconnect and Clip all the Blue Ties throughout the system (internally fitted too) before Clipping the cable through its plugs/pins. Then I reconnected and Clipped each item in the system through its mains plug/input. In retrospect though, time would have been better spent Clipping more objects, rather than all that plugging in and out.
IT IS GENERALLY A GOOD IDEA TO AVOID ELECTRIC SHOCKS WHEN APPLYING TREATMENT. SHORTING LOUDSPEAKER OUTPUTS IS NOT RECOMMENDED EITHER. I'VE FOUND THAT REMOVING THE MAINS PLUG IS A VERY WISE PRECAUTION.
Where Electret discs were present under the feet of equipment, I found it necessary to Clip the item and the support structure with the Electret (feet) Discs in place, attuning them to that piece of equipment and support. Clipping the Foot somewhere else will knock the sound down. Also Clipping a CD player with the disc loaded can attune the disc to the player, so that it only works with that particular disc loaded. This is also applicable to any software loading device, where you have to swap storage mediums: Turntables, VCRs, ADT, Computers etc. The software should be treated separately. Not all detachable parts need to be treated as separate objects, as with detachable mains cables. This object field interface, or interference is a whole new concept to me, but I prefer not to think about it: there doesn't seem to be any hard and fast rules regarding what makes a whole object. Everything seems to affect everything and each thing has its own individuality or space time co-ordinates? The Clip seems to allow us to interact with all this!... The mind boggles... I had much more fun simply getting on with it.
There's a general flow of material in and out of the house: Groceries, Magazines, Junk Mail etc. These can all be utilised with the Clip (like the X-Pen), again the more items you treat the better. I found it better to Clip all the Groceries than to plaster the Yellow Pages in Foil.
A Feeling became apparent whilst using the Clip, a sense of when it feels right. I like to call this difficult to pin down sensation a Belt Buzz. It feels good, and helps me determine whether the items are responding well to treatment. I've also noticed a response with other P.W.B. products. Has anyone else had similar experiences?
The most exciting and priceless quality of the Clip is its cumulative nature. After heavily treating any item(s) in the building it was worth embarking on a Clipping session, everything came up again. In fact I could Clip every item in a room, including the kitchen sink! Then I re-Clipped the pre-Clipped items in another room, this again pushed up the sound. WOW!
I could even take the Clip to work (under a minutes walk away from home) and - Yes! You've guessed it! - re-Clip again at home! GASP!
This also held true for the car (exhaust and battery terminals are hot spots), friends houses; there's really no end to it!!!
After a good Clip session the effects on my senses were nothing short of mind blowing! Its simply more like being there. Sound took on the stunning Happening quality of an event. Previously unheard musical lines flowed forth into the room, with a refreshing confidence and solidity. Previously plodding discs took on a new pace and foot tapping vitality. Its wonderful!! A girl screaming on TV almost had me toppling off a stool whilst changing a light bulb; it was THAT effective.
There's more... Just when I thought Id achieved a good state of Clip, then what should sneakily pop through the letterbox? Clip Film!!! Well what can I say? Snip, Stick, Clip, Click: Whoa! Pick me up off the floor!! Just a strip on a CD, and up it went again! The music blossomed with a new found mellowness and depth. It was great on doors, windows, cupboards ... everywhere and anywhere. The change one can make with this single device and a good supply of butane is absolutely HUGE!
A-Bloomin-Clip-tastic device. As me old pap would say. A good Clip round t'lugoles.
I couldn't live without it.
Believe the hype: The Quantum Clip is superb!
A Clip for life in fact.
Phillip Turner (June 96)
This is a tip for anyone with a Photograph Folder of any vintage. It is also applicable to Folders that are for other items, such as cars. It involves taking the photograph from the Folder, and then photocopying it on any machine available to you. You then simply place the photocopy inside the Folder, instead of the original photograph.
Now the photocopy may appear to the eye to be inferior, as an image, to the photograph, but let me inform you that as far as the Folder goes, it is superior. Not enormously so perhaps, but enough to make the effort worthwhile. For the few pence needed to make the copy, I think the benefit is rather remarkable. Then you can go around and tap everything in sight, placing the Folder on the object, and tapping with the X-Pen; especially important with the telephone.
Richard Graham
Phillip Turner, an avid Jazz person I am told, recently asked for some suggestions regarding Classical Music discs, and I decided it was worth trying, again, to see if the Newsletter could incorporate a music section. I thus start with some discs that I feel are either classics in their own right, or that I have enjoyed particularly over the past year, with particular reference to good sound.
One of my favourite discs, issued last year, is Stravinskys Petrushka conducted by Riccardo Chailly (on Decca 443 774-2). It is spectacularly engineered, vibrant, and quite astounding in its exposition of Stravinskys use of the orchestral palette. All things Russian impressed me over the past year, and Rachmaninov, often despised by many, but also a friend of Stravinsky, has impressed enormously, particularly his Piano Concerto No. 3. To start though, the mid-price disc by Ashkenazy of the Third Symphony coupled with the amazing Symphonic Dances, again in glorious sound (Decca 436 481-2) is hard to beat. Beethoven is always hard to ignore, and DG's wonderful series of remastered discs, The Originals, threw up a remarkable couple performances of Beethoven symphonies - No.s 5 and 7, conducted by Carlos Kleiber, on one mid-price disc (DG 477 400-2). Not the best sound in the world, but absolutely thrilling. Similarly, in this series, the classic 1960s Karajan recordings of Debussys La Mer, Bolero and Pictures at an Exhibition can be found on one mid-priced disc (DG 447 426-2).
For piano music, the Stephen Kovacevich Beethoven Piano Concertos are amazing bargains, on a Philips budget label, Concert Classics (No.s 3 and 4 are on Philips 426 062-2, and the Emperor on 422 482-2). For solo music, there is a wonderful Emil Gilels disc of exciting, middle period Beethoven Sonatas, including Waldstein and Appassionata, from DG (DG 447 914-2). For something more sheerly beautiful, try the Chopin double set, at mid-price from the Russian prodigy, Evgeny Kissin (RCA 74321 25807-2).
I still love the human voice most, and so opera still features chez moi; a good place to start is Joan Sutherlands The Art of the Prima Donna on a double mid-priced set (Decca 425 493-2). You can also sample her style with a bargain-price disc Prima Donna Abssoluta (Decca 425 605-2). For something heavier, try the selection of scenes from Wagners massive Ring Cycle, which remains with us in stunning sound; those Valkyries stampede into your lounge, without the helicopters fortunately (Decca 421 313-2). If you want a whole opera, a recording of Puccinis Turandot, conducted by Zubin Mehta (which includes that recording of Nessan Dorma by you know who) is amazingly produced (Decca 414 274-2), as is the vibrant recording of Carmen, conducted by Karajan in the 1960s (RCA GD 86199). Tunes abound, and the voices transport one like no instrument can.
Any thoughts from anyone else on a basic collection/favourite discs?
RG
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