The Soundboard bit.. RC&S

[David Love]

A big part of the difference is control in each section of the piano and
consistency of outcomes.  I can pick out a failed compression board almost
every time.  

David Love
davidlovepianos at comcast.net 
www.davidlovepianos.com

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of RicB
Sent: Sunday, December 10, 2006 11:48 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: The Soundboard bit.. RC&S

By all means. But then I dont think anyone is drawing conclusions based 
on one sample... or even a very limited base of information to go on.  
We've been at this for some 10 years now on this list and I've been 
asking questions and gathering experience and information since I first 
ran into these questions.

As for telling the difference between construction types.  I think it is 
an underestimation of the amazing thing that is the human ear to believe 
we are not able to discern such differences.  The new Petrof 210 design 
is a great example of this.  Of course more is involved then just the 
soundboard panel itself... but the divergence from the classic Petrof 
sound is unmistakable.  Secondly... If one couldn't hear any difference, 
then a very large part of the argumentation for using the RC & S board 
falls away.  Because if there is no discernible difference then they 
could not possibly be more efficient, brilliant, or the rest of it that 
we hear proponents claiming.  Please understand... this is not meant as 
a provocation... its just a logical consequence. One simply can not have 
it both ways.  Either there is a difference... or there isnt.  I think 
the greatest amount of evidence on hand speaks towards there being a 
difference.... and that is a GOOD thing. For all concerned I would think.

I would like to point out also that in factories where this kind of 
experimentation goes on... you are dealing with people who's ears and 
equipment are very much refined to listening to exactly the kinds of 
things that give their instruments the characteristic sound they are 
afters.  A Sauter is a Sauter for example... and has nothing to do with 
either the Steinway sound or the Schimmel sound or anyone else's sound.  
Tho the general public at large and most of the technical community are 
not able to directly discern and identify such differences... they do so 
in indirect fashion. And this can be shown by doing statistical  studies 
designed to reveal such information. Or looking at what the masses 
choose for that matter.  In any case,  I dont think we should be 
underestimating these kinds of things in the desire to reach already 
decided upon conclusion.   In anycase these kinds of points are very 
difficult to <<prove>> one way or the other.  Personally, my beliefs are 
based on a cumulative of many facts out there in the world.  But I will 
be the first to admit my position is belief based when it comes right 
down to it.  On the other hand I've yet to see anyone put any 
qualitative facts on the board that are pertainant to the subject 
matter. At least beyond a few vague statistics things.

Cheers
RicB


    I would be reluctant to draw general conclusions about the sound of RC&S
    boards versus CC boards based on one example.  Choices about rib scales
    especially will make differences in the overall sound.  I continue to
    experiment with different rib scales and can attest to that.  The
    two most
    recent examples I have are extremely similar in tonal character to
    good CC
    boards.  Subtle differences might be attributed to the use of
    cut-offs, bass
    floats and/or hammer treatment in certain sections.  Both these pianos
    (Steinway's, A and M) are functioning extremely well with unadulterated
    Ronsen Bacon hammers which are pretty soft.  I don't think were you
    to hear
    them without knowing what the method was that you would say that
    they were
    out of character for that particular maker except that many of the warts
    associated with typical CC boards have been remedied.  Certainly
    differences
    are no greater than you find between CC boards that attempt to duplicate
    outcomes on pianos of the same model.  A couple of people on the
    list have
    heard the pianos and I invite them to comment if they want to.  I can't
    comment on the Schimmel experiment because there are many variables to
    consider and who knows what they did exactly.  
     
    David Love
    davidlovepianos at comcast.net
    www.davidlovepianos.com