The Young Man and the Wizard: A True and Faithful Account

[thebes]

On 6/27/2017 at 0:31 PM, Mallette said:

I should add that we true believers in PWK are NOT saying that his Heritage designs are inherently improvable, or that the 8 Cardinal Points represent the only acceptable standard.  When PWK started, there was no real rubrics for speaker design, and other than sales figures, no way to judge by the market best practices.  PWK created a universal baseline and stuck with it for over 20 years as he learned the market for accurate loudspeakers.  As he added new designs, each violated one of the 8 Cardinal Points.  The K'horn exemplified the lightest, smallest, most accurate design and exemplified the 8 Cardinal Points to the extreme he deemed possible.  Granted, the range he defined was arbitrary...but SOME rubric had to applied or you were stuck with DC to light as the "ideal."  He's clearly explained his logic in choosing C1 as being "quality defined as fitness for intended use" target.

Since Heritage, succeeding designs have continued to reference his seminal ideals while violating one or more of the 8 Cardinal Points.  Does that suggest flaws in them?  I say "NO," and that PWK would approve most all of them as reflections of "market lessons learned."  There are those for whom cost, weight, or appearance makes no difference.  There are those who want a great experience, but at the lowest possible cost.  There are those who listen to little or nothing that requires response to C1.  And etcetera.  Klipsch has continued to grow and expand because they study the market for what it wants, then designs as close to PWK as they can to meet the customers budget and taste. 

IMHO, the best possible approach.

 

Dave 

Very nicely expressed Dave.

[oldtimer]

It's all about making P-Funk sound it's best.

[jorjen]

On 6/22/2017 at 0:20 PM, Mallette said:

The young man followed the wizard into his laboratory.  Using various means, the wizard had prepared the young man carefully.  The young man had listened attentively and trustingly as the wizard explained his theories of how to transform electrum into waves that could reduce the most resistive person into a slave dependent constantly requiring more.  Some very non-threatening or unnerving demonstrations had been used, but nothing to inspire any suspicion about what was to come.  He’d been shut inside a room for a few moments and primordial fears of isolation and self-awareness had begun to grow, but the wizard had opened the vault door to the light before these really became alarming.  In fact, he’d been gentle, disarming, and quite humorous in fact. 

The day had begun when the young man’s priest of the auld religion had offered to introduce him to the wizard.  The young man had often served this priest at the weekly rites and trusted him.  The priest had told him of this might wizard and his great works, and the stories were mesmerizing.  When the priest told the young man that he was a devotee and confidant of the wizard and could get him an audience, he gladly accepted.

The wizard had a fearsome but also disarming visage.  However, the eyes pierced and sparkled as if powerful reactions were going on just behind them.  However, while a mystery, the eyes only seem to command attention in a non-threatening way.  The young man found out later this had been thoroughly rehearsed and practiced successfully on thousands of innocents. 

Finally, the wizard bade the young man sit in a lone chair curiously placed in the midst of the laboratory.  Without a further word, the wizard stepped to a large console and began adjusting nobs.  Moving to other equipment nearby that clearly showed the craft of the ancients, he made a few adjustments there.  Then, he activated the system. 

The first assault on the young man instantly fixated him and rendered him both unable and uninterested in resisting.  While there was something of sadness in the waves that enveloped him, there was also a promise of a joy and satisfaction to come.  The waves came in 4 distinct segments, and each took the young man on a journey of love, joy, peace, sadness, self-exploration, and expansion of various centers of the mind. 

But the final assault was transformative.  The moment it started he knew he’d never be the same but could do nothing but sit, transfixed.  Over the next few minutes it seemed to almost toy with him like a woman, moving him so very, very close to a mental climax of some sort then suddenly backing off and coming at him again from another angle.  However, eventually the end came.  It came in the form of a mighty descending C major scale, but not the same old C major scale the young man had played and heard so many times.  And certainly not the most natural and non-threatening C major scale so many engaging and harmless tunes were written in.

This one started as though the young man were hearing the voice of God from on high.  Transfixed, he listened as this omnipotent and irresistible voice descended towards him one massive step at a time arriving finally at the fundamental C0 that few had heard before and represented the limit of human ability to perceive.  Then, it was over. 8 notes, and they died away what remained were the 8 points the wizard had explained to him patiently during the day which had interested him, but now became his gateway to the world of sonic magic. 

In his stupor, he asked the wizard how much power he’d been subjected to and the wizard, glancing over at his instruments said “Oh, about 5 watts.” 
 

Well, thought the young man, "I suppose no harm was done" and went on his way imprinted as forever a disciple of the great wizard of Hope. 

Nearly 50 years later, still in in the service of the wizard, the same man labored to preserve the works of his master.  Wonderful things he felt was his duty to ensure remained for the future.  Then he read on a box in the master’s hand:

 “Saint-Saens Organ Symphony.  Copied from the tape sent me by my ‘slightly dishonest friend.’  This dub made 700823”

And it all came rushing back.  The careful preparation and reduction of any resistance to the wizard followed by this “tape” that had been made by the wizard just before my arrival.  And now, right here in my hands. 

Before you dismiss my story as an old man’s fantasy examine your own past.  For many of you have likely at some point been subject to this transformative magic spell by one of the wizard’s secretive disciples.  Think on it, and tell your story if you dare.    

Wow Dave, just WOW! Nicely done to say the least.

 

The Wizard helped change my life as well in the early 80's having already been a disciple for some ten years. If I recall, seems it was about the time the anechoic chamber in Hope was completed or thereabouts.

 

My literary skills cannot compete at this level, but I will say this. I learned FAR more from my experiences with the Wizard than just the benefits of using a hand built model train to deliver sodas and beer to the lap pool!

 

Sometimes I cannot help but feel that because of how highly the Wizard is regarded and revered, we lose sight of his earthly side that truly did have one Helluva BRILLIANT sense of humor!

 

Hope you appreciate this one Dave. No disrespect intended to you or your efforts as they truly and completely stand on their own merits.