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Old Colony Soundlab

174.92.178.24
Posted on December 8, 2013 at 05:48:50
middleground
 Going through some of my old stuff trying to clean up the basement, I stumbled on an old catalog of Old Colony Soundlab.

Seems there were some people back then who believed that audio was about circuits and components and not esoteric mumbo jumbo and audio jewellery.

Whatever happened to OCS and whateve happened to reason in audio?

 

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Whateve happened to reason in audio? , posted on December 8, 2013 at 08:08:27
TWB2
Dealer

Posts: 316
Location: N. California
Joined: July 10, 2004
 "Whatever happened to reason in audio? Seems there were some people back then who believed that audio was about circuits and components and not esoteric mumbo jumbo."

What changed was that audiophiles started making buying decisions based on critical listening, not mumbo jumbo about features and specs. Remember the rag "High-Fi Stereo Review"? It's editors believed that if gear tested the same, it sounded the same! Thank god that BS is no longer accepted. Today's high end gear is miles ahead of that past era. "Reason" indeed!

 

RE: Whateve happened to reason in audio? , posted on December 8, 2013 at 08:32:22
middleground
 So you have no idea what happened to Old Colony?

Audio is a trap for the unwary. Your point is a caricature BTW.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYTlN6wjcvQ

 

RE: Whateve happened to reason in audio? , posted on December 8, 2013 at 09:07:48
TWB2
Dealer

Posts: 316
Location: N. California
Joined: July 10, 2004
 Old Colony Sound Lab
305 Union Street PO Box 243
Peterborough, NH, 03458-0243
(603) 924-6371 Voice
(603) 924-6526 Voice
(603) 924-9467 Fax

Website: http://www.audioxpress.com/

 

RE: Whateve happened to reason in audio? , posted on December 8, 2013 at 09:31:35
middleground
 Thanks. I had found audioxpress and will look at it further.

 

RE: Whateve happened to reason in audio? , posted on December 8, 2013 at 09:39:46
TWB2
Dealer

Posts: 316
Location: N. California
Joined: July 10, 2004
 Typical advertising copy for mass market audio products in the 70's would describe some mythical problem with common gear of the time, and then explain how their engineers had solved that problem with some proprietary solution and they would use a trademarked name for their special "circuit". Talk about "mumbo jumbo"!

 

Still have all my Glass Audio back issues, posted on December 8, 2013 at 11:13:03
violinist3
Audiophile

Posts: 2922
Location: San Diego California
Joined: August 7, 2003
 I miss that mag

 

RE: Old Colony Soundlab, posted on December 8, 2013 at 11:50:04
unclestu
Dealer

Posts: 5851
Joined: April 13, 2010
 Old colony changed their format when shifting over to Audio Express.

They required that all articles submitted be accompanied by measurements. This actually cut down on the articles submitted and eventually lead to the demise of the magazine.

After all, how many really new tube circuits have been invented over the past 40 to 50 years?

 

RE: Old Colony Soundlab, posted on December 8, 2013 at 14:13:33
Michael Samra
Dealer

Posts: 36118
Location: saginaw michigan
Joined: January 30, 2005
 Whatever happened to OCS and whateve happened to reason in audio?

It's long gone my friend.Much like ham radio,it has become a plethora of audio and QST magazine publications jaded with heavy advertising to lure the many perspective suckers into buying the latest and greatest.The 14k dollar preamp you bought last year will no longer suffice because we have made several improvements to the new 17k dollar model.This the same with cables of course.

"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong" H. L. Mencken

 

RE: Old Colony Soundlab, posted on December 8, 2013 at 14:41:05
Palustris
Audiophile

Posts: 2408
Location: Cape Cod
Joined: September 12, 2008
 Back in the 1970s 'Audio Amateur' was the only magazine for those who wanted to build, maintain, and modify their own audio gear. 'Speaker Builder' was the companion magazine for those who wanted to build, test and modify speakers. Ed Dell was the publisher and Old Colony Sound Lab was his company that sold parts and kits to those who read his magazines. 'Audio Amateur' provided those of us into building and designing audio equipment a forum to exchange ideas decades before the internet. Most of the articles were written by readers and a few contributors would have a regular column. The letters column in 'Audio Amateur' provided a further forum where new and old ideas were exchanged and debated. 'Audio Amateur' was to the 1970s and 1980s what rec.audio.tubes later became, followed by the Sound Practices list, and eventually forums like DIY Audio here on AA.

For many of us interested in electronics in general and audio specifically, 'Audio Amateur' was a unique place that not only provided us with an education in basic electronic theory, but also provided real circuits to build with schematics, parts lists and performance graphs. Here we had not only complete information on how to build an amp or preamp but AA also provided advertisers that would sell the tubes, transistors and other parts necessary to build the projects and, of course, Old Colony Sound Lab provided kits that supported the articles.

When tubes started to make their resurgence in the late 1980s, Ed Dell split the solid state and tube audio articles and spun off 'Glass Audio' as a magazine for those audio enthusiasts who wanted to learn about tubes and modify and design their own tube gear. So, Ed Dell was a major contributor to the resurgence in tube audio. Tube audio blossomed in the early 1990s as more audio amateurs discovered that they could build gear that sounded just as good as the "store bought" gear from conrad johnson and ARC. ARC even offered an article for Glass Audio where they completely redesigned a Dynaco ST70 and produced a kit to retrofit a ST70 with their own circuit.

By the mid 1990s 'Audio Amateur' and 'Glass Audio' started to lose some of their momentum. For 20 years they had been on the cutting edge of amplifiers, preamps, turntables, and all things audio. Ed Dell was getting older and his focus turned to other venues to further his publishing empire. Articles in 'Audio Amateur' became redundant and 'Glass Audio' failed to pick up on the newest trends in amateur audio despite having avant garde audio experimenters such as JC Morrison as writers.

I suppose it was 'Sound Practices' that really brought the end of 'Glass Audio'. Joe Roberts was much more closely tuned to the new wave of audio experimenters and ushered in the era of single ended amplifiers and ultra efficient speakers. And so with 'Sound Practices' a new era of audio amateur builders arose with a new focus on minimalist amplifiers and high quality parts where capacitors and transformers were chosen for their sound qualities as oppose to technical specifications. Once again audio enthusiasts learned that they could build equipment that was far better than what they could buy in an "audio salon" and in fact many of those who had worked in those salons learned to build their own gear, abandoning the mega buck systems for something far simpler but much more satisfying.

So in the grand sweep of audio history, Ed Dell was a major contributor to making audio fun, rewarding, and "hands on". I first subscribed to 'Audio Amateur' in the mid 1970s and that simple act completely changed my life. I came to realize that I loved electronics and that it was an area in which I could earn a living and enjoy what I did. I went on to get a formal education in electronics and have never forgotten to give old Ed Dell a silent "thanks" whenever I think of him, 'Audio Amateur', 'Glass Audio', or Old Colony Sound Lab.

 

RE: Old Colony Soundlab, posted on December 8, 2013 at 14:42:57
TWB2
Dealer

Posts: 316
Location: N. California
Joined: July 10, 2004
 "It's long gone my friend. Much like ham radio..."

Actually, there have never been more licensed ham radio operators!

In the past 40 years, the number of Amateur Radio operators in the US has grown at a remarkable rate:

December 1971: 285,000
December 1981: 433,000
December 1991: 494,000
December 2001: 683,000
September 2011: 700,221

Source: 1971, 1981, 1991: print editions of Radio Amateur Callbook. 2001, 2011: www.ah0a.org/FCC/Graphs.html

 

RE: Old Colony Soundlab, posted on December 8, 2013 at 14:56:23
TWB2
Dealer

Posts: 316
Location: N. California
Joined: July 10, 2004

According to the ARRL:

As 2012 came to a close, ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, had a good reason to cheer: The number of radio amateurs in the US reached an all-time high of almost 710,000. “2012 was definitely a banner year for the number of Amateur Radio operators here in the US,” she said. “It is amazing to see these new numbers and to know that Amateur Radio is experiencing such a healthy trend.”

 

RE: Old Colony Soundlab, posted on December 8, 2013 at 14:57:28
Palustris
Audiophile

Posts: 2408
Location: Cape Cod
Joined: September 12, 2008
 "They required that all articles submitted be accompanied by measurements. This actually cut down on the articles submitted and eventually lead to the demise of the magazine."

What total nonsense.

 

I do, too...., posted on December 8, 2013 at 15:44:23
Alpha Al
Industry Professional

Posts: 2958
Location: N. Carolina
Joined: February 16, 2004
Contributor
  Since: December 3, 2015
 As well as every issue of Audio Amateur. Lost interest when they combined both+ into Audio Express. There was too much digital and solid state forme there.

 

RE: Old Colony Soundlab, posted on December 8, 2013 at 16:53:52
middleground
 Thanks, the info you provided was exactly what I was seeking. Strange, I can't remember when and where I got the OCS catalogue I found it with my old magazines and papers.

A little later in the day I went to the magazine shop and leafed through TAS and Stereophile only to find that high-end equipment had reached new plateaus in terms of price with many speakers over 100K and preamps above 50K.

I had this strange feeling going back home thinking that the hobby has spun out of control and shaking my head mumbling "it's only a bloody record player".

First person to reply to my post here was a purveyor of audio jewllery who was swift in reminding me what the present credo is.

 

RE: Old Colony Soundlab, posted on December 8, 2013 at 19:32:22
Michael Samra
Dealer

Posts: 36118
Location: saginaw michigan
Joined: January 30, 2005
 I love the Omni 6...Great radio.
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong" H. L. Mencken

 

RE: Old Colony Soundlab, posted on December 8, 2013 at 20:43:58
TWB2
Dealer

Posts: 316
Location: N. California
Joined: July 10, 2004
 "First person to reply to my post here was a purveyor of audio jewllery who was swift in reminding me what the present credo is."

Since it seems I was the 1st to respond to your original post, you must be addressing me. I am not "a purveyor of audio jewllery." The only product I 'purvey' is the finest electrostatic speaker made today, and I truly believe it is the best, and a good value. No jewelery here! Please explain.

 

RE: Old Colony Soundlab, posted on December 8, 2013 at 21:24:22
Michael Samra
Dealer

Posts: 36118
Location: saginaw michigan
Joined: January 30, 2005
 Nobody denies the number of ham radio operators in existence.My argument is unlike years past when you scratch built your gear or maybe built Heathkits,today people just call up AES or Tentec and say,here is my CC numbers,give me the best radio for 2800 dollars or whatever.
It was a lot more fun when people built their equipment for audio or ham radio and knew how it operated.We are getting those back in the audio hobby and we are also getting some in Amateur radio..I only work 75m AM Phone and my gear is all vintage with upgrades and I'm running a home brew modulator with a pair of 813s into a pair 4-400s.
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong" H. L. Mencken

 

RE: Old Colony Soundlab, posted on December 8, 2013 at 21:55:39
mark.korda@myfairpoint.net
Audiophile

Posts: 1253
Location: Maine
Joined: August 16, 2011
 Hi, Palustris, you are so right on! I still have all my Old Colony catalogs. You described them better than a Ken Burns documentary! Every detail..nice,exceptional job....Mark Korda

 

RE: Whateve happened to reason in audio? , posted on December 9, 2013 at 05:10:55
wangmr
Audiophile

Posts: 2410
Location: Downtown
Joined: November 29, 2012
 the real question, then: were people not unsophisticated for their time OR inexcusably unsophisticated regardless?

 

RE: Old Colony Soundlab, posted on December 9, 2013 at 07:43:32
Palustris
Audiophile

Posts: 2408
Location: Cape Cod
Joined: September 12, 2008
 You are absolutely correct, Mike: in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, just like in audio, amateur radio enthusiasts built their own gear. My first exposure to electronics was an after school program in the 7th grade that was an introduction to amateur radio. As part of the class we each built a superheterodyne radio kit and received an education on basic AC and DC circuit theory. I was hooked on electronics after that.

Over the years, one of my favorite publications was 'The ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications' which had everything an amateur radio enthusiast needed to learn about radio and electronics. I still have a nice collection of these magazines with their great articles on construction techniques and circuits.

Those were the days when people took pride in their workmanship; today they take pride in how large a check they can write.

 

RE: Old Colony Soundlab, posted on December 9, 2013 at 08:50:23
Mick Wolfe
Audiophile

Posts: 3365
Location: AZ
Joined: October 10, 1999
Contributor
  Since: September 4, 2000
 Great overview of events. Thx for sharing.

 

So sad.... Old Colony Soundlab, posted on December 9, 2013 at 11:34:47
DaveT
Audiophile

Posts: 1126
Location: Mid Atlantic (Wash, DC Area)
Joined: September 25, 2000
 Audio Amatuer introduced me to the electronics side of the hobby. I was an avid reader of the articles and I couldn't wait to get my quarterly mag. Having a young family, house and car notes, and this hobby lead me to give up cigarettes. I gave up the smokes, so I could afford the various components to build the circuits I read about.

My favorite was SpeakerBuilder magazine. I spent many evenings reading, absorbing, and fabricating all sort of speakers. My personal library of audio books was augmented by purchases from Old Colony. I still have a few circuits in my system that I purchased and built via Old Colony.

Audio Express just wasn't my cup of tea. All, too, many of the articles started coming from Europe. The articles seemed, to me, a little too esoteric. In the early 90s I dropped my subscription. I would check at the mag at the newsstand, and would only purchase a copy if there was something that interested me.

Early last year I noted that the mag had changed, drastically. I Googled Audio Express and saw that Ed Dell, the owner of Old Colony, had sold the company. Shortly, thereafter, I learned that Ed had passed. I owe Ed a tremendous amount for my health and (occasional)sanity by helping me to maintain interest in this hobby via his company and publications.

With the selling of the company and the passing of Ed the audio hobby has lost a great DIY personage and resource. So, much of the DIY audio scene, today, stands upon the shoulders of Ed Dell and Old Colony Sound Labs.
DaveT

 

RE: Whateve happened to reason in audio? , posted on December 9, 2013 at 18:21:36
middleground
 You turn everything into Pablum.

 

Still have all my Speaker Builder back issues, posted on December 10, 2013 at 11:06:17
Brian H P
Audiophile

Posts: 1291
Location: Oregon
Joined: December 18, 2012
 Full of fascinating "offbeat" projects, DIY measurement systems, reviews of early CAD software, etc. Largely of historic interest now. Affordable, accurate measurement equipment from Parts Express, and a range of available design software (from the most advanced SoundEasy to freeware from the FRD Consortium), have truly revolutionized this hobby. For under a couple grand, including the computer to run everything, amateurs now have at their disposal design capabilities beyond those available to the largest manufacturers some 20 years ago.

 

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