Audio Quiz


Gather round kiddies; I have something different in store this evening. An audio quiz. Ten simple questions, heck a couple are just throw aways, to test your general knowledge of the hobby. I have tried to spread things out, solid state, tubes, CD, LP etc. 'wanted to start easy and end hard but I'm afraid that's not how it worked out. This is just for fun so please don't get huffy when you catch my mistakes. First one to get all ten questions correct gets a free Audiogon "wanted" ad. And Albert, your handicap is that you have to play blindfolded. Let's rock and roll.

1) Your favorite CD begins skipping on the very last track. Which is most likely?
a)There is a scratch close to the center hole.
b)There is a scratch close to the outer edge.
c)This is impossible CDs don't skip.

2) Your favorite LP begins skipping on the very last track. Which is most likely?
a)There is a scratch close to the center hole.
b)There is a scratch close to the outer edge.
c)Who cares, I can listen right through analog noise.

3) Roger Modjeski designed which of the following:
a)The Harold Beveridge preamp.
b)The Music Reference electronics.
c)The Counterpoint SA-4 OTL mono amp.
d)The Mac MR-78 tuner output section.
e)a,b and c.

4) A magnetron tube is
a)A nine-pin small signal dual triode commonly used as an input/driver in audio tube amps.
b) An eight pin Soviet power tube used primarily in single-ended applications.
c)Part of my microwave oven.
d)A medical device used in orthroscopic surgery.

5) You live on the flat plains of rural Kansas. A distant station is at 101.1 on the FM band. No other stations broadcast on adjacent or alternate channels. Your tuner will not lock on to the station. Your tuner probably has inadequite
a)Sensitivity.
b)Selectivity
c)Capture ratio.
d)Output circuitry.

6)In a loudspeaker with a passive radiator the bass alignment is modeled the same as
a)An acoustic suspension (sealed) speaker.
b)A vented speaker.
c)A transmission line speaker.
d)An isobarik speaker.
e)A three way speaker.

7)My tube preamp has just blown a 6DJ8. Which of the following substitutions from my tube stash will work?
a)6922
b)7308
c)6ES8
d)ECC88
e)ECC189
f)All of the above.
g)None of the above.

8)The distinguishing characteristic of the Sanken output transistor is
a)It can operate at temperatures three times that of a conventional transistor.
b)It requires no external heat sink.
c)It combines a thermal sensor in the same package as the transistor.
d)It has a driver circuit in the same package as the transistor.

9)The Dayton-Wright electrostatic speakers
a)Were made with Corian frames.
b)Had cheap piezo tweeters.
c)Were the first cylindrical stats.
d)Deployed the electrostatic element in a bag of gas.
e)Both b and d.

10)Primaire electronics are made in
a)France
b)Belgium
c)Italy
d)Denmark

Good luck. If you like this one we may try for something harder when I have more time on my hands.

Marty

viridian
I flunked Kollege! That's my qualification for writing inane audio quizzes.
Marty
Hey, if I had known it was spelled "Primare" I would have answered Italy instead of France. Can I have my test back? :-)
Okay Marty:

Let me have a shot at these.

(01). B
(02). A
(03). D
(04). C
(05). C
(06). A
(07). I am going to guess "C". But I don't have that much experience with tube gear. I am more of a solid-state guy.
(08). A
(09). E
(10). C

Well, I don't know how well I did. But at least I tried. Well, how did I do, Marty??

--Charles--
OK, I cheated and opened one eye.

(1) B
(2) A
(3) E
(4) C
(5) A
(6) B
(7) F
(8) D
(9) E
(10) C
Bonus A
And the envelope please. The answers to the audio quiz are 1)B, 2)A, 3)E, 4)C, 5)A, 6)B, 7)F, 8)C, 9)E, 10)D and extra for experts both B and D.

Analysis: Audiophiles are spending way too much time in the kitchen as evidenced by so many knowing that a magnetron tube is the element in your microwave ovens. You need to get back to your audio rigs and order some take-out if you expect to nail the much harder "audio quiz 2" coming in about a month. Many of the tube heads were not familiar with the excellent Sanken outputs used in many cool Brit amps including the latest Rega Mira and several Musical Fidelity numbers. The Motorola piezo tweetrs in the Dayton Wrights seemed to cause problems, they were also used in another classic of the time the Dalquist DQ-10. Goes to show that you can make classic speakers with crappy drivers but the converse is much more prevalent, that you can make crappy speakers with great drivers. Finally, it seems that you are all familiar with John Bau's brilliant work at Spica but no one was familiar with the good-in-their-day Synthesis speakers by conrad-johnson, another line to deploy the Bessell alignment. All of the players are winners and I have arranged with Audiogon to allow each one of you a free wanted ad. Albert, perhaps next round you should play with both eyes open.
Marty