From goff747@aol.com Wed Jan 07 11:41:17 2004
Subject:Re: Is this boiling down to a vintage vs. modern audio discussion?


In a message dated 1/8/04 2:24:00 AM, mkarl2@uswest.net writes:

<< A properly designed bass enclosure attempts to ensure that the sound

is radiated from the driver, not the cabinet. Given that, MDF is a

superior material to plywood.

>>

However in a Leslie, its the rotors coupled with the tone from the cabinet,
that create and radiate the "Leslie sound", not just the driver.. and a Leslie,
at least the 122 is a ported enclosure, the corner vent on the upper right
rear next to the speaker. although MDF is used in studio monitor cabinets, to
prevent the speaker from doing acoustical work on the cabinet itself, a Leslie
is an acoustic device much like an acoustic guitar. I don't see any good
acoustic guitars made of MDF.. is it the strings on an acoustic guitar that are
making all the sound, or is it a combination of the strings and the real wood
used to make the guitar? Tone woods are sought after by the best luthiers on the
planet, otherwise rip up a 4x8 of MDF. I've often wondered what a Leslie made
out of pine or spruce would sound like with horn and speaker soundboards of
15-ply Finnish or Baltic birch for rigidity? What did Prince's Plexiglas
Leslies sound like? If resonance were not a factor in the tone of a Leslie, then if
the best speaker cabinet is said one made out of cement, accurately ported or
air suspension, correctly calculated for the Fs and Xmax of the given speaker,
you would be able to make great sounding Leslies out of it..(weight not being
the issue)... but I keep hearing the sound of the cabinet when I want to hear
a Leslie much like when a guitarist listens for the resonance when he strums
the strings of an acoustic guitar. Not all Leslies were successful Leslies .
That 4 bass rotored psychedelic dayglo monstrosity that Leslie put out during
the late 60's early 70's..what were they smoking?