The first issue of 1973 (Volume IV, Number 1) for The Audio Amateur marks a major milestone as the magazine began its first year of full-time publication. Here are the technical highlights of this issue:
- The Transmission Line Speaker: Achieve non-resonant, deep bass response that "bookshelf" speakers simply can't touch. Theodore Jastak provides the blueprints and comparative driver ratings to help you build a "true" transmission line enclosure for 8", 10", or 12" woofers.
- A Peak-Reading Level Meter: Stop letting sudden transients ruin your recordings. Thomas Parsons presents a sophisticated peak-detection circuit that captures the "instantaneous" peaks sluggish VU meters miss, allowing you to record at maximum fidelity without distortion.
- The Listening Machines: Navigate the complex world of microphones with Richard Honeycutt. From the legendary "warmth" of ribbon mics to the precision of modern condensers and the DIY-friendly electret, learn which microphone is best suited for your specific recording needs.
- The Matching Myth: Is everything you know about "impedance matching" wrong? Reginald Williamson "unpacks" common phono input mysteries, showing you how to properly load your cartridge for a flat frequency response and optimal signal-to-noise ratio.
- Learning to Use Transistors: Master the critical science of Bias and Stabilization. Learn the physics behind "thermal runaway" and discover how to design stable circuits that keep your transistors performing perfectly even as they heat up.
- Audio Aids & Comfort: Tap into the collective ingenuity of the TAA community. This issue features reader-submitted hacks for optimizing the Dynaco PAT-4, "sleuthing" out tape deck design errors, and building professional-looking "mini-box" cabinets.
Table of Contents
- Transmission Line Speaker: by J. Theodore Jastak ................................................................ 3
- A Peak-Reading Level Meter: by Thomas W. Parsons ........................................................ 7
- The Listening Machines: Part II: by Richard A. Honeycutt ............................................... 12
- Audio Aids & Comfort: by readers Hazlehurst, Taylor, Ornsteen, and others .................. 16
- Audio Fundamentals: The Matching Myth, Part II: by Reginald Williamson .................. 22
- Learning to Use Transistors, Part 12: Bias and Stabilization: by C.N.G. Matthews ...... 26
- Letters ........................................................................................................................................ 28
- Just Looking .............................................................................................................................. 30
- Classified ................................................................................................................................... 30
- Ad Index .................................................................................................................................... 28