President's Message
January 2003

0.  There will be a BAS business meeting at 5PM on the day of the January meeting, at NTSC.

1.  The last issue of this volume of the BAS Speaker, V24n4 has been published. It contains 3 meeting summaries: Bob Adams of Analog Devices discussing their new digital signal processing chip, Win Burhoe of Silent Loudspeakers discussing his audio life and new products, and Gene Pitts, editor of the late Audio Magazine, on publishing. Member Carlos Bauza tells of his experience with stylus re-tipping services and the one that he has been very satisfied with and Al Foster writes on signal clipping on commercial CDs.

2.  A sample issue, V22n2, has been posted on the website. It contains a CES report, David Moulton comparing results of three different mikings of a live concert for surround sound listening, and Al Foster writing on dispersion of loudspeakers.

3.  Copyright law has always been a conflict between the artist's right to compensation and the needs of the general public. Some anecdotes: If you sing "Happy Birthday" in public you are legally required to pay a royalty. It started as the second verse of a little ditty composed by two sisters in 1893 and was copyright in 1935. Currently it earns between $1 million and $2 million annually for the owner, AOL, which gives half to charity. A few years ago, ASCAP sent thousands of letters to summer camps across the country, including the Girl Scouts, demanding they pay royalties for songs sung across the campfire. An ASCAP official explained "They buy twine and glue for their crafts...they can pay for the music too." After newspaper publicity, they wisely reconsidered and now collect a symbolic $1 a year. The framers of the Constitution intended copyright to last 14 to 28 years, it is now up to 95 years. [Jonathan Zittrain, Boston Globe 24Nv02]

4.  The Studio Projects B1 Studio Microphone ($129) has a noise level of only 12 dBA. A 1" cardioid, made in China, it has received good reviews as a vocal mic. www.studioprojectsusa.com

5.  The recently renovated Mapparium at the Mary Baker Eddy Library (near Symphony Hall, Boston) features a glass bridge that passes through a 30 foot replica of the earth. The acoustical problem of conveying the sound of the audio presentation uniformly through the globe was solved by Keith Brown of Brown Innovations of Boston. An MIT grad, he did the mathematical calculations to allow the speakers to point away from you and have the sound bounce so it washes over you. Boston Globe 28Se02]

David Hadaway

President, Boston Audio Society


 

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updated 11/11/04