<html> <body> Ron- A gold mine.  Thanks.  I still have to work out the time differences.  The stream is, on the whole, very good.  The engineering is excellent.  Distortion due to the transmission medium is evident in the applause...a high frequency metallic sound.  It's hard for me to tell how this impacts the piano sound.  No matter...what a great opportunity.  I'll be sorry to miss any of this.  What a shame it's not available as audio-on-demand.  Thanks again. David Skolnik At 11:13 AM 7/4/2004 +1000, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Hi Dave, And speaking of industry strangulation, but interestingly nonetheless; <div align="center">The Sydney International Piano Competition </div> The Sydney International Piano Competition is in full swing at the ordinary-acoustic venue, the Seymour Center at Sydney University. Fortunately, the ABC's expert sound engineer, Alan Maclean, gets a respectable quality of broadcast sound despite the room (thanks to the wonders of balancing microphone placement with the judicious use of electronic reverb). Anyhow, for those pianotech list subscribers who don't reside in Australia, you can hear every note of the Sydney Piano Competition via the ABC's website. For information on the 2004 Sydney International Piano Competition, go to; <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/classic/sipca/" eudora="autourl">http://www.abc.net.au/classic/sipca/</a> To listen live online, go to; <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/classic/sipca/audio.htm" eudora="autourl">http://www.abc.net.au/classic/sipca/audio.htm</a> You can choose either Real Player or Windows media links. Listen with headphones if you have them. There are three piano manufacturers represented at the Sydney piano competition, Kawai, Steinway and Yamaha. The piano being used is announced before each performance. I have been listening in. I'd be interested to hear list subscriber's response to the sound/characteristics of the pianos. The playing is of an extraordinary standard, but I suspect that the flat acoustics of the venue may be part of the reason why the contestants seem to pushing the pianos too hard. <a href="mailto:ron@overspianos.com.au" eudora="autourl">mailto:ron@overspianos.com.au</a> Ron O. <pre>-- </pre>OVERS PIANOS - SYDNEY    Grand Piano Manufacturers _______________________ Web <a href="http://overspianos.com.au/" eudora="autourl">http://overspianos.com.au</a> <a href="mailto:info@overspianos.com.au" eudora="autourl">mailto:info@overspianos.com.au</a> _______________________</blockquote></body> </html>