November 1957 Radio-Electronics
[Table of Contents]
Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics.
See articles from Radio-Electronics,
published 1930-1988. All copyrights hereby acknowledged.
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I could be wrong, but
I'm guessing the average audiophile in the 1950s and 1960s were probably more technically
astute than modern day audiophiles in terms of electrical and physical specifications.
That is largely due to how integrated, matched, and compatible system components
(receivers, players, amplifiers, speakers, etc.) are nowadays. Newer audio components
are also more tolerant of non-optimal configurations. In 1957 when this Audiophile
Quiz appeared in Radio-Electronics magazine, the vast majority of electronics
equipment used vacuum tubes that used lethally high voltages, so connection and
servicing mistakes could be more costly to life, limb, and hardware. Topics like
AFC (automatic frequency control), frequency response of recording and playback
devices, required technical knowledge for achieving the best performance. See answers
at the bottom of the page.
Audiophile Quiz
By Herman Burstein
1. If a power amplifier rated at 100 watts produces 12.5 watts for an input of
0.5 volt, it will produce 25 watts for an input of 1 volt.
2. It is more important for phonograph turntable to rotate at a steady speed
than at an accurate speed.
3. Single-cone speakers are often superior to coaxial and two-way systems in
the same price class.
4. Many AM broadcast stations meet high-fidelity requirements so far as frequency
range is concerned.
5. Since afc (automatic frequency control) increases distortion, it is best to
operate an FM tuner with afc off, if this is optional.
6. The principal difference between professional and home tape recorders operating
at 7:5 ips is in their high-frequency response.
7. If a high-fidelity system contains a loudness control, then a gain control
is superfluous.
8. Sometimes 300-ohm TV ribbon (antenna lead-in) is used to connect a power amplifier
to a speaker, often because it is flat and therefore convenient for running beneath
a rug. However, since the impedance of the power amplifier and of the speaker is
usually in the range of 4 to 16 ohms, it is not advisable to use 300-ohm wire for
this purpose.
9. To minimize record wear, the tracking force of a phonograph stylus should
be as light as possible consistent with its faithfully following the undulations
of the groove. If one does err, it is better to err in the direction of slightly
too little rather than slightly too much tracking force.
Quizzes from vintage electronics magazines such as Popular
Electronics, Electronics-World, QST,
Radio-Electronics, and Radio News
were published over the years - some really simple and others not so simple. Robert P. Balin
created most of the quizzes for Popular Electronics. This is a listing
of all I have posted thus far.
- RF Cafe Quiz #71:
Tech Headlines for Week of 3/13/2023
- RF Cafe Quiz #70:
Analog &
RF Filter Basics
- RF Cafe Quiz #69:
RF
Electronics Basics
- RF Cafe Quiz #68:
RF & Analog Company Mergers & Acquisitions in 2017
- RF Cafe Quiz #67:
RF & Microwave Company Name Change History
- RF Cafe Quiz #66:
Spectrum and Network Measurements
- RF Cafe Quiz #65:
Troubleshooting & Repairing Commercial Electrical Equipment
- RF Cafe Quiz #64:
Space-Time Adaptive Processing for Radar
- RF Cafe Quiz #63:
Envelope Tracking Power Amplifiers
- RF Cafe Quiz #62:
Stimson's Introduction to Airborne Radar
- RF Cafe Quiz #61:
Practical Microwave Circuits
- RF Cafe Quiz #60:
Ten Essential Skills for Electrical Engineers
- RF Cafe Quiz #59:
Microwave Circulator Design
- RF Cafe Quiz #58:
Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Electronic Packaging
- RF Cafe Quiz #57:
Frequency-Agile Antennas for Wireless Communications
- RF Cafe Quiz #56:
Tube Testers
and Electron Tube Equipment
- RF Cafe Quiz #55:
Conquer
Radio Frequency
- RF Cafe Quiz #54:
Microwave Mixer Technology and Applications
- RF Cafe Quiz #53:
Chipless RFID Reader Architecture
- RF Cafe Quiz #52:
RF and Microwave Power Amplifiers
- RF Cafe Quiz #51:
Antennas and Site Engineering for Mobile Radio Networks
- RF Cafe Quiz #50:
Microstrip Lines and Slotlines
- RF Cafe Quiz #49:
High-Frequency Integrated Circuits
- RF Cafe Quiz #48:
Introduction to Infrared and Electro-Optical Systems
- RF Cafe Quiz #47:
LCP for Microwave Packages and Modules
- RF Cafe Quiz #46:
RF, Microwave, and Millimeter-Wave Components
- RF Cafe Quiz #45:
Dielectric and Thermal Properties of Materials at Microwave Frequencies
- RF Cafe Quiz #44:
Monopulse Principles and Techniques
- RF Cafe Quiz #43:
Plasma Antennas
- RF Cafe Quiz #42: The Micro-Doppler
Effect in Radar
- RF Cafe Quiz #41: Introduction
to RF Design Using EM Simulators
- RF Cafe Quiz #40: Introduction
to Antenna Analysis Using EM Simulation
- RF Cafe Quiz #39: Emerging
Wireless Technologies and the Future Mobile Internet
- RF Cafe Quiz #38: Klystrons,
Traveling Wave Tubes, Magnetrons, Crossed-Field Amplifiers, and Gyrotrons
- RF Cafe Quiz #37: Component
Reliability for Electronic Systems
- RF Cafe Quiz #36: Advanced
RF MEMS
- RF Cafe Quiz #35: Frequency
Synthesizers: Concept to Product
- RF Cafe Quiz #34: Multi-Gigabit
Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Wireless Communications
- RF Cafe Quiz #33: Battlespace
Technologies: Network-Enabled Information Dominance
- RF Cafe Quiz #32: Modern Communications
Receiver Design and Technology
- RF Cafe Quiz #31: Quantum
Mechanics of Nanostructures
- RF Cafe Quiz #30: OFDMA System
Analysis and Design
- RF Cafe Quiz #29: Cognitive
Radar
- RF Cafe Quiz #28: Human-Centered
Information Fusion
- RF Cafe Quiz #27: Remarkable
Engineers
- RF Cafe Quiz #26: Substrate
Noise Coupling in Analog/RF Circuits
- RF Cafe Quiz #25: Component
Reliability for Electronic Systems
- RF Cafe Quiz #24: Ultra Low
Power Bioelectronics
- RF Cafe Quiz #23: Digital
Communications Basics
- RF Cafe Quiz #22: Remember
the Basics?
- RF Cafe Quiz #21: Wireless
Standards Knowledge
- RF Cafe Quiz #20: Famous First
Names
- RF Cafe Quiz #19: Basic Circuit
Theory
- RF Cafe Quiz #18: Archaic
Scientific Words & Definitions
- RF Cafe Quiz #17: Inventors &
Their Inventions
- RF Cafe Quiz #16: Antennas
- RF Cafe Quiz #15: Numerical
Constants
- RF Cafe Quiz #14: Oscillators
- RF Cafe Quiz #13: General
Knowledge
- RF Cafe Quiz #12: Electronics
Corporations Headquarters
- RF Cafe Quiz #11: Famous Inventors &
Scientists
- RF Cafe Quiz #10: A Sampling
of RF & Wireless Topics
- RF Cafe Quiz #9: A Smorgasbord
of RF Topics
- RF Cafe Quiz #8: Hallmark Decades
in Electronics
- RF Cafe Quiz #7: Radar Fundamentals
- RF Cafe Quiz #6: Wireless Communications
Fundamentals
- RF Cafe Quiz #5: Company Logo
Recognition
- RF Cafe Quiz #4: General RF
Topics
- RF Cafe Quiz #3: General RF/Microwave
Topics
- RF Cafe Quiz #2: General RF
Topics
- RF Cafe Quiz #1: General RF
Knowledge
- Vacuum Tube Quiz,
February 1961 Popular Electronics
- Kool-Keeping Kwiz, June
1970 Popular Electronics
- Find the Brightest
Bulb Quiz, April 1960 Popular Electronics
-
Where Do the Scientists Belong? - Feb 19, 1949 Saturday Evening Post
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-
What's
Your EQ? - January 1962 Radio-Electronics
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What's
Your EQ? - February 1962 Radio-Electronics
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What's
Your EQ? - March 1962 Radio-Electronics
-
What's
Your EQ? - July 1961 Radio-Electronics
-
What's
Your EQ? - August 1961 Radio-Electronics
-
Can You
Name These Strange Electronic Effects? - August 1962 Radio-Electronics
-
What's
Your EQ? - September 1961 Radio-Electronics
-
What's
Your EQ? - September 1962 Radio-Electronics
-
What's Your EQ? - October 1961 Radio-Electronics
-
What's Your EQ? - November 1961 Radio-Electronics
-
What's Your EQ? - March 1964 Radio-Electronics
-
What's Your EQ? - April 1962 Radio-Electronics
-
What's Your EQ? - May 1962 Radio-Electronics
-
What's Your EQ? - June 1962 Radio-Electronics
-
What's Your EQ? - April 1967 Radio-Electronics
-
What's Your EQ? - March 1967 Radio-Electronics
-
What's Your EQ? - December 1964 Radio-Electronics
-
What's Your EQ? - January 1967 Radio-Electronics
-
Wanted: 50,000 Engineers - January 1953 Popular Mechanics
-
What's Your EQ? - August 1964 Radio-Electronics
- Voltage Quiz
- December 1961 Popular Electronics
-
What is It? - June 1941 Popular Science
- What Do You Know
About Resistors? - April 1974 Popular Electronics
-
What's Your EQ? - September 1963 Radio-Electronics
- Potentiometer Quiz - September
1962 Popular Electronics
-
Mathematical Bafflers - March 1965 Mechanix Illustrated
- Op Amp Quiz -
October 1968 Popular Electronics
- Electronic "A"
Quiz - April 1968 Popular Electronics
-
What's Your EQ? - May 1961 Radio-Electronics
-
Popular Science Question Bee - February 1939 Popular Science
-
What is It? - A Question Bee in Photographs - June 1941 Popular Science
-
What's Your EQ? - June 1961 Radio-Electronics
-
What's Your EQ? - June 1964 Radio-Electronics
-
What's Your EQ? - May 1964 Radio-Electronics
-
What's Your EQ? - August 1963 Radio-Electronics
-
What's Your EQ? - May 1963 Radio-Electronics
- Bridge
Function Quiz - September 1969 Radio-Electronics
-
What's Your EQ? - March 1963 Radio-Electronics
-
What's Your EQ? - February 1967 Radio-Electronics
-
Circuit Quiz - June 1966 Radio-Electronics
-
What's Your EQ? - June 1966 Radio-Electronics
- Electronics
Mathematics Quiz - June 1969 Popular Electronics
- Brightest
Light Quiz - April 1964 Popular Electronics
-
What's Your EQ? - April 1963 Radio-Electronics
- Electronics "B" Quiz
- July 1969 Popular Electronics
- Ohm's Law Quiz
- March 1969 Popular Electronics
-
Antenna Quiz - November 1962 Electronics World
- Color Code Quiz
- November 1967 Popular Electronics
- CapaciQuiz
- August 1961 Popular Electronics
- Transformer
Winding Quiz - December 1964 Popular Electronics
-
Audiophile Quiz - November 1957 Radio-electronics
- Capacitor
Function Quiz - March 1962 Popular Electronics
- Greek Alphabet
Quiz - December 1963 Popular Electronics
- Circuit
Designer's Name Quiz - July 1968 Popular Electronics
-
Sawtooth Sticklers Quiz - November 1960 Radio-Electronics
-
Elementary
Radio Quiz - December 1947 Radio-Craft
- Hi-Fi
Quiz - October 1955 Radio & Television News
- Electronics Physics
Quiz - March 1974 Popular Electronics
- A Baffling Quiz
- January 1968 Popular Electronics
- Electronics IQ
Quiz - May 1967 Popular Electronics
- Plug and Jack
Quiz - December 1967 Popular Electronics
- Electronic
Switching Quiz - October 1967 Popular Electronics
- Electronic
Angle Quiz - September 1967 Popular Electronics
- International
Electronics Quiz - July 1967 Popular Electronics
- FM Radio
Quiz - April 1950 Radio & Television News
- Bridge Circuit
Quiz -December 1966 Popular Electronics
- Diode Function
Quiz - August 1965 Popular Electronics
- Diagram Quiz,
August 1966 Popular Electronics
- Quist Quiz - November
1953 QST
- TV Trouble Quiz,
July 1966 Popular Electronics
- Electronics History Quiz,
December 1965 Popular Electronics
- Scope-Trace Quiz,
March 1965 Popular Electronics
-
Electronic
Circuit Analogy Quiz, April 1973
-
Test Your Knowledge of Semiconductors, August 1972 Popular Electronics
- Ganged Switching
Quiz, April 1972 Popular Electronics
- Lamp Brightness
Quiz, January 1969 Popular Electronics
- Lissajous
Pattern Quiz, September 1963 Popular Electronics
- Electronic
Quizoo, October 1962 Popular Electronics
- Electronic
Photo Album Quiz, March 1963 Popular Electronics
- Electronic
Alphabet Quiz, May 1963 Popular Electronics
- Quiz: Resistive?
Inductive? or Capacitive?, October 1960 Popular Electronics
- Vector-Circuit
Matching Quiz, June 1970 Popular Electronics
- Inductance
Quiz, September 1961 Popular Electronics
- RC Circuit Quiz,
June 1963 Popular Electronics
- Diode Quiz, July
1961 Popular Electronics
- Electronic
Curves Quiz, February 1963 Popular Electronics
- Electronic
Numbers Quiz, December 1962 Popular Electronics
- Energy Conversion
Quiz, April 1963 Popular Electronics
- Coil Function
Quiz, June 1962 Popular Electronics
-
Co-Inventors Quiz - January 1965 Electronics World
-
"-Tron" Teasers Quiz - October 1963 Electronics World
- Polarity Quiz
- March 1968 Popular Electronics
-
Television
I.Q. Quiz - October 1948 Radio & Television News
- Amplifier Quiz
Part I - February 1964 Popular Electronics
- Semiconductor
Quiz - February 1967 Popular Electronics
- Unknown
Frequency Quiz - September 1965 Popular Electronics
- Electronics
Metals Quiz - October 1964 Popular Electronics
- Electronics
Measurement Quiz - August 1967 Popular Electronics
- Meter-Reading
Quiz, June 1966 Popular Electronics
- Electronic
Geometry Quiz, January 1965 Popular Electronics
- Electronic
Factor Quiz, November 1966 Popular Electronics
- Electronics
Math Quiz, November 1965 Popular Electronics
- Series Circuit
Quiz, May 1966 Popular Electronics
- Electrochemistry
Quiz, March 1966 Popular Electronics
- Biz
Quiz: Test Your Sales Ability - April 1947 Radio News
- Electronic
Analogy Quiz, November 1961 Popular Electronics
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Audiophile
Quiz Answers
1) False - It will produce 50 watts, because power varies with the
square of the voltage.
2) True because most human ears can tolerate deviations from correct
speed - for example, 34 instead of 33 1/2 revolutions per minute - of as much as
1%, 2% or even 3% without these deviations being perceptible or annoying. However,
extremely small departures from steady rotation (wow and flutter) - well below 0.5%
- are perceptible and annoying to most persons.
3) True - Mere division of the audio spectrum between two or more
speakers is not sufficient for reproduction that is smooth, low in distortion and
adequate in range. There are several single-cone speakers on the market which in
these respects outperform multiple speaker systems at comparable total price. On
the other hand, the ultimate in audio today is obtained by multiple-speaker systems
that use specially designed units for each portion of the audio spectrum.
4) True - AM stations are not required to cut off above 5,000 cycles,
as is often supposed. Many maintain flat response to 12,000 or even 15,000 cycles.
However, most AM tuners cut off sharply above 5,000 cycles or thereabouts for design
reasons and to minimize inter-station whistle. Some high-fidelity AM tuners do maintain
response well above 5,000 cycles, but unless the signal is a relatively strong one,
noise and adjacent-channel interference may become unpleasant.
5) False because, if anything, afc decreases distortion. The disadvantages
of afc are a slight loss in sensitivity - in most cases much too small to be of
importance - and difficulty in separating a weak station from a nearby strong one;
that is, with afc on, the tuner tends to capture the strong signal rather than the
weak one if the two are close to each other on the dial.
6) False. Many home recorders have high-frequency response extending
as far as that of their professional brethren. The principal differences, for the
same frequency response, are lower distortion and higher signal-to-noise ratio in
the professional machine. Distortion includes that due to rumble and flutter in
the transport mechanism.
7) False. Maximum setting of a loudness control should correspond
to the original level of the music and should provide flat response; as the control
is backed down, bass should be augmented relative to the other frequencies. However,
signal level will vary according to program source and other factors. Thus it is
necessary by means of the gain control to restore the condition at which the maximum
loudness control setting corresponds to original level.
8) False - TV ribbon line is perfectly suitable for connecting a
power amplifier to a speaker. Because of its low capacitance per foot, it may be
more suitable than other kinds of wire where a long run is required - except where
low-efficiency speakers and high-wattage amplifiers are used at high levels, as
power loss in small-diameter ribbon line may become excessive. Ribbon line may be
used as its 300-ohm impedance does not have any effect unless it is terminated in
a 300-ohm load.
9) False because too little tracking force will result in an increase
in distortion because the stylus no longer completely follows the groove. Moreover,
there will be greater wear than that due to slightly excessive tracking force because
the stylus bounces around instead of adhering to the groove.
Posted July 14, 2022
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