Books!

Sorry to bust up the party, but I have been reading books on physics, electricity, boilers and reducing crude oil. All from a 1936 set of thin books apparently intended to educate the common worker. The examples used were about horses, straw, and other common things of the time. 

 The interesting part to me is how much of it still relates to present day audio. For example, the conductivity of various metals. According to the physics 'manual', silver is number1, followed by gold, then copper, IIRC. Then as far as metals being used for their heatsinking qualities, it goes away from what we think of to such metals as bitumen, lead, and sorry I don't remember the others. It's storming outside and the books are in my truck. Funny thing, aluminum isn't even mentioned as a heat sinking metal!  They talk about cast iron (lousy heat sink) and brass, and few others. Suppose it all related to what they were using at the petroleum plant.

It's funny to me really. Robert Harleys book IS excellent, but what the Hell were they thinking by putting such corny cover right on the front? A cartoonish playboy on the couch with his girl and a drink. Well, I guess you would have to see it. I was going to get a newer copy of it anyway. Then, just as much to my surprise, is Jim Smith's box, which I also consider excellent for what it has to offer. Only this the whole damned thing has not very well drawn cartoons in it to 'help' with the descriptions/examples. In that case, I had also purchased the DVD thinking it might have another angle to offer from the book, but it was just the author standing there reading his book to you. I gave it away.

 Having these criticisms (yes minor, but annoying) I still would recommend BOTH books, as there are important facts to consider in each. It's not just about whether or not that you agree wholeheartedly with either, but that the points are mostly well made, and have helped considerably. 

A little update. A few days ago, I received the 6th edition of Robert Harleys' Audio book. The reason that I prefer it is that new subjects are brought to light because of the passage of time and the advancing technology. It also includes definitions of audiophile terms that would help the newcomer. There is even more, BUT  the cover is not as stupid looking as it once was. The copy that I got was slightly used and nearly perfect. $36ppd.