Kevin Alfred Strom wrote:
On 11/13/2010 1:45 PM, dave wrote:
Kevin Alfred Strom wrote:
On 11/13/2010 10:36 AM, dave wrote:
Herbert Visser wrote:

experimental bent. Very few AM hams are running stock commercial
gear;
usually, at the very least, it is modified for better quality
audio.

Better than Collins tube gear? How?



Stock KW-1s and 32Vs have fairly narrow "communications quality"
audio
with middling distortion, though not as bad as some other
manufacturers.
The experimental AM crowd often strives for audio far, far beyond
that
-- trying to achieve HF audio several degrees better than, say,
KHJ's in
its golden days. Some are successful.

In short: lower distortion at higher modulation densities; enhanced
frequency response despite the limitations of the medium; maintaining
excellent intelligibility while retaining high perceived quality; and
that indefinable something that makes for appealing, beautiful sound.


With every good wish,


Kevin, WB4AIO.

Odd. Transmitters back then had to pass "Proof of performance" which
required AF response to 10 kilocycles per second be tested annually.
I worked in a dozen AM stations during the McLendon/Ron Jacobs
"Golden Age". Continental and Collins transmitters sounded great out
of the box. Gates was junk (still is). RCA, GE and Western Electric
also built quirky stuff, but Collins and Continental sounded sweet,
with minimal processing. The magic was in the iron in those days;
good transformers built by artisans are fast disappearing.


I agree with your assessment of old Collins broadcast gear -- I thought
you were talking about Collins amateur gear.

The best-sounding AM transmitters, in my experience, have been digitally
modulated or used low-level balanced modulators to generate AM. But most
of the Collins tube gear was sweet, no doubt.



I think the top photo is from Joe Walsh's house in Sherman Oaks.

http://www.radionational.org/broadca..._ham_bands.htm