Distinguished Speaker series of presentations. Of his many lecture topics, Streicher chose
“Stereophonic Techniques”, based on his well-known book co-authored with Alton Everest.
What the book could not provide, however, were the audio excerpts which accompanied
Streicher’s presentation: early stereo experiments [Alan Blumlein (Columbia/HMV) and Harvey
Fletcher/Arthur C. Keller (Bell Labs), as well as the Walt Disney film “Fantasia”], and
Streicher’s own “grand mic experiments” from Aspen Music Festival.
The presentation continued with another experiment – but on the listeners, this time! We were
presented excerpts played through three different audio networks and asked our opinions. The
results, which by necessity will be different with every audience, were revealing and to some
pretty surprising. The presentation at Cogswell College was over at 11pm, though many of us
wanted more; 60 people attended.
- David Bowles