amp back

[James Grebe]

Hi All,
I see why there is much disagreement here.  To the normal person the
soundboard has the ability to make more noise of the strings vibration than
just the strings themselves.  How does that sound?

James Grebe
R.P.T. of the P.T.G
pianoman@inlink.com
Creator of Handsome Hardwood Caster Cups and Practical Piano Peripherals in
St. Louis, MO
-----Original Message-----
From: Don Mannino <dmannino@kawaius.com>
To: 'pianotech@ptg.org' <pianotech@ptg.org>
Date: Tuesday, November 03, 1998 3:28 PM
Subject: RE: amp


>James Grebe wrote:
>
>>If a soundboard doesn't amplify, what does?
>
>This subject often starts heated debates, because everybody doesn't have
>the same definition of what an amplifier is, and what it means to
>amplify something. So before the debate goes too far, start with a good
>definition for amplifier. Here is one from the American Heritage
>Dictionary:
>
>am·pli·fy ( ²m"pl...-fº") v. am·pli·fied am·pli·fy·ing am·pli·fies v.
>tr. 1. To make larger or more powerful; increase. 2. To add to, as by
>illustrations; make complete. 3. To exaggerate.
>
>am·pli·fi·er ( ²m"pl...-fº"...r) n. 1. One that amplifies, enlarges, or
>extends. 2. Electronics A device, especially one using transistors or
>electron tubes, that produces amplification of an electrical signal.
>
>If one wants to say that making the sound louder is their definition of
>'amplify' then, with that definition, they are correct. Usually, though,
>an amplifier adds energy to something to make it larger. A soundboard
>does not add energy - it only changes the energy into something that we
>can hear better.
>
>That is why some people prefer to call a soundboard a transducer instead
>(American Heritage again):
>
>trans·duc·er ( tr²ns-d>"s...r, -dy >"-, tr ²nz-) n. 1. A substance or
>device, such as a piezoelectric crystal, microphone, or photoelectric
>cell, that converts input energy of one form into output energy of
>another. [From Latin tr³nsd¿cere to transfer tr³ns- trans- d¿cere to
>lead; See deuk-  in Indo-European Roots.]
>
>I feel this fits the soundboard better, because it serves to change the
>energy from string vibration into air vibration, or sound waves. Again,
>speaking from the standpoint that amplification is simly making the
>sound louder, then others will disagree.
>
>Don Mannino RPT
>