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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!eagle!allegra!cbf
From: cbf@allegra.UUCP (Francois)
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: NX 40 ...
Message-ID: <2204@allegra.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 13-Jan-84 12:52:51 EST
Article-I.D.: allegra.2204
Posted: Fri Jan 13 12:52:51 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 14-Jan-84 03:42:08 EST
References: <65@whuxj.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
Lines: 31

Just to lend Mr. Lee a bit of support, I'll testify that I don't doubt
his word in the slightest as to his finding pumping and breathing
problems with his dbx unit.  As far as I'm concerned, he's not giving
dbx a gratuitous bad rap.  I honestly can't say anything about
dbx-encoded discs, but I'll repeat what I said earlier about the Teac
V2RX tape deck ($520 list) that I owned for all of six days before I
returned it.  To wit, although I had ABSOLUTELY NO idea about dbx's
alleged problems before I bought it and therefore NO preconceptions, I
immediately detected my deck's shortcomings in dubbing some of my
(mass-produced, of course -- can't hear Gilels otherwise) piano
recordings.  I'd describe what I heard as a sort of ripple effect, that
is a detectable, though not excessive, burst of hiss accompanying loud
passages.  Of course, when the passage happens to be a single staccato
note, the result is terribly distracting (once you detect the problem,
you simply can't stop listening for it).  Also the quieter the record
itself (e.g. digital LPs), the more noticeable the problem becomes.
There is a small possibility that the dbx circuitry in my deck was
misadjusted, but I would tend to discount it, especially since the deck
itself behaved superbly and was built like the proverbial battleship.
Also when I took it back for a refund (Bryce audio in NYC was very nice
about it), the employee who took it back and asked for a description of
the problems muttered softly, "Yeah, that's the problem with dbx".  It
could be that with more expensive outboard units, the problem effectively 
goes away, but I'm not very eager to take that risk, especially when 
Dolby C is quite adequate for my home taping needs.  Ever since then, 
I've started reading the audio mags (especially Stereo Review;  Audio can 
be lukewarm and even down right cold toward a tested unit) with a huge 
grain of salt.
--
"Yes, but is it art?"
Charles B. Francois (decvax!allegra!cbf)