Roy Allison's book

[ar_pro]

My son gave me an early birthday present today (thanks, ebay!) in the form of Roy Allison's High Fidelity Systems book. I can't get over how well he writes, especially concerning stuff that you'd think was first covered by the "audiophile press". And he was writing about treating room problems and center channel speakers in the 60s! I only wish I'd found this 30 years ago, and avoided re-inventing the wheel as many times as I have. The book says that this is volume one from the AR library, does anyone know of subsequent volumes, and if Roy had a hand in them?

[tysontom]

>My son gave me an early birthday present today (thanks,

>ebay!) in the form of Roy Allison's High Fidelity Systems

>book. I can't get over how well he writes, especially

>concerning stuff that you'd think was first covered by the

>"audiophile press". And he was writing about treating room

>problems and center channel speakers in the 60s! I only wish

>I'd found this 30 years ago, and avoided re-inventing the

>wheel as many times as I have. The book says that this is

>volume one from the AR library, does anyone know of subsequent

>volumes, and if Roy had a hand in them?

Roy's book was one of two volumes published by Dover Press for AR. His book, *High Fidelity Systems,* and Edgar Villchur's book, *Reproduction of Sound,* are still considered among the best-written books on the subject of audio and high fidelity. Both Allison and Villchur were extremely well trained in writing skills. Allison was an editor of *Audiocraft* magazine and subsequently *High Fidelity* magazine before being associated with Acoustic Research; Villchur -- prior to founding AR -- was a teacher and writer after WWII and made his living by writing articles for all the audio magazines as well as *The Saturday Review* and other journals.

During the middle 1960s, some engineers from General Motors, while waiting for a train back to Detroit, stopped in the AR Music Room in Grand Central Station. They picked up some copies of the book *Reproduction of Sound,* and when they got back to Detroit they immediately placed a large order for the book to be handed out to all the engineers on the staff. The reason was simple: they were extremely impressed with Villchur's ability to describe complex electrical and acoustical principles in simple, easy-to-understand language for anyone to understand.

--Tom Tyson

[ar_pro]

Thanks for the info, Tom. I've almost finished the book, and it is simply outstanding. Again, I wish I'd encountered the AR library books 30 years ago! I'll keep an eye on ebay for the second book, as well - what could be better than reading these while enjoying Allison's and Villchur's loudspeakers?

[Guest jean-pierre]

Hello

I have found, this year, the Edgar Villchur book on the site www.alibris.com.

The price was approximately $10

I confirm, it's really a very good book with photos and graphics.

Perhaps can you still find it ?

Jean-Pierre from France

[Guest pbda]

Indeed, several copies of both books are available at www.alibris.com, with several listed at less than <$10.

Peter

>Hello

>

>I have found, this year, the Edgar Villchur book on the site

>www.alibris.com.

>The price was approximately $10

>I confirm, it's really a very good book with photos and

>graphics.

>

>Perhaps can you still find it ?

>

>Jean-Pierre from France

[johnieo]

For those who don't wish to purchase Villchur's or Allison's book, try the library. I found three of Villchur's books here in the Univ of Arizona library:

1 Acoustics For Audiologists / Edgar Villchur c2000

2 Handbook Of Sound Reproduction / Edgar Villchur 1957

3 Reproduction Of Sound / Edgar Villchur 1962

If you don't live near a university library (where locals can usually obtain a library card), try your public library's Inter Library Loan (ILL) service.

Allison's is not here, but I can obtain it through ILL.

cheers,

[ninohernes]

>3 Reproduction Of Sound / Edgar Villchur 1962

This is a great book!

[Guest Ken Perkins]

These books are also available at Amazon.com. I order two of Villchur's "Sound Reproduction" yesterday and both were very inexpensive, available from used book dealers around the country (USA).