Re: Re Holophonics that old chesnut

[P3D Eric Goldstein <egoldste@xxxxxxxxxx>]

P3D Peter Homer wrote:
> New Scientist was
> of the opinion that it was just an attempt to market a new stereophonic
> system. But the holophonics blurb also said "Unlike all the previous
> stereophonic recordings, this recording takes place and has been produced
> on two channels (right and left)." That sounds exactly like normal
> stereophonic recording to me.

And to me. I, to, have checked out the audio samples (both from the 80's and 
today) and can detect no meaningful difference, much less improvement, in stereo 
"effect."

Even assuming that this "new" recording technique can provide additional spacial 
cues, there is no reason to believe that our auditory mechanism is capable of 
discriminating them in any meaningful way.

We had a threat a month or so ago concerning sound reflections and echo 
location... Best information is that under normal circumstances, reflections 
arriving in under 35 milliseconds (or 60 feet!) are indistinguishable as seperate 
sound stimuli, and that real-time cues (ie head movement, amplitude differences) 
are an essential part of sound location close in. You're not going to gain those 
cues through headphones, which is what the holophonics folks recommend!


Eric G.
egoldste@xxxxxx


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