Sound reproducing equipment and organ music by Wim van Kraanen

Wim van Kraanen Sound reproducing equipment and organ music
Het ORGEL 97 (2001), nr. 1, 34-36 [summary]

What sound reproducing equipment is fit for organ music? The answer depends on theproperties of the stereo, the taste of the listener, and the acoustic circumstances in thelistening room. This article deals with the stereo, in particular with the speakers andthe amplifier.

The speakers have to reproduce very low pitches and should consequently be large.Electrostatic speakers are not to be preferred: the ‘image’ of the music theyproduce is not ‘wide’ and they are not fit to reproduce the organ’s deepestsounds properly. Dynamic speakers do better in this respect; a disadvantage is that theyrequire a speaker for each frequency range. A two-way system (with two speakers) might bebest: the number of filters, which have to divide the frequencies over the speakers, is inthat case as small as possible.

We have to distinguish between transistor-amplifiers and valve-amplifiers. Atransistor-amplifier controls the speaker better in most cases, while a valve amplifier,which has in general less power, is better with respect to detail and‘airiness’. Because organ music requires large speakers, a valve amplifier withsufficient power to control low frequencies seems an appropriate solution.

Listeners who do not appreciate large speakers, may want to try so-called‘monitors’: these are relatively small speakers that give a rather convincingimpression of low frequencies.