[Leica] Re: Table radios

[lrzeitlin at optonline.net (Lawrence Zeitlin)]

On Apr 2, 2007, at 1:08 PM, lug-request@leica-users.org wrote:

> When I first saw the Tivoli radio I thought it looked surprisingly
> like the KLH model that Henry Kloss designed in the 70's. After
> reading further down in the ad it stated it was a Henry Kloss design.
> Boy that guy gets around and likes to start new companies. His AR,
> Advent, KLH, Kloss and now Tivoli designs are audio classics. If it
> were me I would buy the Tivoli. I would agree that a Kloss design
> would probably bring in a higher price. But the difference in the
> Radio Shack price would be too good to be true if it were a rebranded
> Tivoli. What you can do is try the RS radio and if you don't like it
> you can always return it.
>
> Len
>
>
> On Apr 2, 2007, at 12:07 PM, Peter Klein wrote:
>
>>
>> LUGgers: My faithful kitchen clock radio has given up the ghost
>> after many years. I want to replace it with something that has good
>> sound and good FM reception. I mostly listen to classical music,
>> NPR news and jazz. It doesn't have to replace my living room
>> stereo, but I want good sound, as we spend a lot of time in the
>> kitchen/dining area.
>>
>> After reading reviews, it looks like the Tivoli Model One has about
>> the best cost/performance ratio, and many people speak highly of
>> it. Any of you folks have experience with it?
>> http://www.tivoliaudio.com/product.php?productid=139&cat=262&page=1


Len and Peter,

Indeed the Tivoli looks like the KLH radio. Henry Kloss and Edgar  
Villchur started the modern hi-fi era by inventing the AR series of  
acoustic suspended loudspeakers. When audio amplifier power became  
cheap they realized that they could trade electrical efficiency for  
small size and a good low frequency response. Prior to the early '50s  
most loudspeaker design centered around bass reflex and exponential  
horn implementations, culminating in the Klipsch six foot tall corner  
horn. These speakers were 25% efficient at converting electrical  
power into acoustic energy while the AR design of Villchur and Kloss  
was only about 1.5% efficient. But if you didn't need to fill a  
theater with sound, the bookcase sized AR speakers were far more  
convenient.

Kloss eventually left AR and started the Advent Company (also KLH).  
The Tivoli radio is an evolution of the Advent 400, the first small  
high quality tabletop radio. Both radios use high quality tuner  
circuitry, and a small (about 5 watt) low distortion amplifier. The  
Advent used a separate air suspension speaker which could be  
positioned anywhere the 20 foot tether wire could reach. The Tivoli  
uses a 3" long throw speaker in the cabinet. Both radios contained  
circuitry which tailored the amplifier output to provide the most  
linear response possible from the small speakers. It is sort of like  
the software in a digital camera.

The Bose Waveguide radio uses different technology. Bose managed to  
cram a pair of two foot long ducts into a 12" wide cabinet. The front  
of each of the stereo speakers radiates directly into the air while  
the sound emanating from the rear travels through a folded duct. This  
trick provides acoustic sound reinforcement down to about 100 HZ.  
Truly phenomenal for such a small enclosure. The Bose radios sound  
very good but they cost 4 times as much as the Tivoli.

I had the good fortune to know both Kloss and Villchur during and  
just after my student days. In 1963 I performed anechoic chamber  
tests at my university on the newly introduced AR3 speakers and wrote  
a favorable review for Radio and Electronics magazine. Villchur gave  
me a pair of the new speakers in appreciation. I hasten to say that  
the bribe came after the review was printed. Villchur and Kloss are  
long gone but the speakers still grace my living room.

Larry Z