University of Virginia Library

Newest In Hi-Fi Exhibited In D.C.

By Bill Anderson

WASHINGTON - Washington's
11th High Fidelity Music Show
brought out some of the best in
high fidelity equipment this
weekend at the Hotel Washington.
The 15th and Pennsylvania Ave.
N.W. location (across the street
from the White House) was perfect
for this colorful exhibition of
lights, crowds of people and music.
There were 60 major sound
companies exhibiting their wares in
eighty display rooms on four floors.
A suspected 25,000 people entered
the show at $2 a ticket.

Fisher, B.S.R., Sony, Garrard,
K.L.H., Koss, J.B. Lansing, Scott,
Dynaco, Acoustic Research, Sansui,
McIntosh, and Teac were the
biggest and most popular displays
of the show.

Best Display

Fisher had the best display with
all of its products displayed and the
new 4 channel receiver (tuner and
amp.) which was picking up
especially prepared 4 channel tapes
run off by radio station W.A.S.H.
Four channel sound or
"total surround sound" was the
newest addition to the Hi Fi Show.
It is simply stereo times two with 4
speakers, four channels and two
amps. Four channel sound is not
being broadcasted on the air yet, it
still has to receive an F.C.C. licence.
But Fisher is confident that 4
channel broadcasting will begin by
November, when they will mass
market cheaper models of their
receiver (the current model costs
$700).

Japanese Unit

Sansui, a fast climbing Japanese
sound company, had the best
sounding unit of the show, which
was a 4 channel stereo record
"synthesizer." This is an elaborate
mixer, costing $200, that can
transform any stereo source, (i.e.
records, tuner, tapes, etc.) into a
simulated four track sound. Four
channel records, needless, and
cartridges are still in the
experimental stage and some will
probably be mass produced within
a year.

Another highlight was the
McIntosh display of their new very
low distortion speakers which were
the best sounding of the show (and
started at $400 each).

The "Muse," a computer
composer invented by two M.I.T.
professors, was on display boasting
that "anyone can compose and play
music on it." The muse is a
computer music box which can
easily be programmed to make and
play back its own music. Anyone
can work it, and there are 14
trillion note combinations that can
be used. It is also possible to
program in a matter of seconds a
song that lasts for three months.
The Muse sounds like a calliope,
but unfortunately it can't play
"Circus Boy" (it only plays
computer music).

Four Channel Stereo

If you are thinking about getting
a new stereo system, it's hard to say
whether to go ahead and get it now,
or to wait until around next
Christmas, when the four channels
come out. Several things to take
into consideration are that four
channel is still basically
experimental and it costs 1½ to 2
times more than conventional
stereo. Also with 4 channels, you
need room for two extra speakers
and lots of cable. Anyway you look
at it, the 4 channel is the maxi-dress
of the stereo industry, and now its
just a question of whether the
American public will buy it.