Before we consider a sound, let's observe a phenomenon in another science. For example, on a color TV tube (CRT) we find the three primary colors of red, blue and green being neatly arrayed. By interlacing picture patterns formed of these 3 colors and having them radiated, variety of visible colors are reproduced on the tube. The same theory applies to a color printing, where the three primary colors are red, blue and yellow.
We know that colors by nature vary to different ones when mixed with primary colors as the central figures.
Now let's go back to sound. Suppose an orchestral performance is recorded through a single microphone.
Audio signals picked up by the microphone stream into
a single electrical signal, wherein sounds of each instrumental group are packed just like compounded colors. Nevertheless, by converting the electrical signals into sound through a speaker, sounds native to each instrument can clearly comprehended such as a voice, piano, trumpet, violin, etc.
This is supposed to be not strange, but from a viewpoint of color, it is quite strange. Then, we understand a sound has some particular nature, which must be
three dimentional, judging from the fact that sounds cannot be compounded.
Assuming frequency as X-axis and amplitude (level) as Y-axis, another dimention exists as Z-axis in sound, which is distinctly considered as a time factor. Color is flat two dimention composed of tint as X-axis and value as Y-axis. In case of sound, however, it cannot be compounded due to the time axis factor or stereophonic information, and this very time axis information is
the factor to determine sound.
Through several years of investigation, it was found that various evils especially those affecting time axis during power generating process where mechanically recorded audio signals on a record groove are converted into electrical signals influence reproduced sound quality very much. The evils include reverse power generation, eddy current and sometimes dynamic inductive magnetic field, all which cause disorder in time axis of the generated signals. This maybe called a time distortion, too.
The difference in sound quality on each left and right channels as described in the previous column is one of the symptoms occured when an evil signal affected the generator coils of both channels which are arranged 90ﾟ crossed each other, forming a resultantly different vector.
You will instantly understand the importance of the time axis information or in other words the importance of music reproduction without time distortion when you listen to our cartridges. Of course, the territories where X and Y information can be taken as data are also important, but
the Z-axis factor is exactly what should be the most basic and essential factor in evaluating audio equipment performance.
I would suggest a disc recording should not be considered to “sound recording” but to “
time recording”, where a time of performance is recorded and in line with the time which passed at a constant speed X and Y factors are stereophonically recorded. Therefore, a proper reproduction namely a reproduction of the original sounds at the time of actual live performance can never be obtained without reproducing proper original time.
