_ _ _ | |__ _ __(_) __ _ _ __ ___ _ __ ___( )__ | '_ \| '__| |/ _` | '_ \ / _ \ '_ \ / _ \/ __| | |_) | | | | (_| | | | | | __/ | | | (_) \__ \ |_.__/|_| |_|\__,_|_| |_| \___|_| |_|\___/|___/ _ ___ ___ ____ _ _ _ / |/ _ \ ( _ )___ \ __ _ _ __ ___ | |__ (_) ___ _ __ | |_ | | (_) |/ _ \ __) | / _` | '_ ` _ \| '_ \| |/ _ \ '_ \| __| | |\__, | (_) / __/ | (_| | | | | | | |_) | | __/ | | | |_ |_| /_/ \___/_____| \__,_|_| |_| |_|_.__/|_|\___|_| |_|\__| _ _ ___ _ __ ___ __ _| | _____ _ __ ___ _ _ ___| |_ ___ _ __ ___ / __| '_ \ / _ \/ _` | |/ / _ \ '__| / __| | | / __| __/ _ \ '_ ` _ \ \__ \ |_) | __/ (_| | < __/ | \__ \ |_| \__ \ || __/ | | | | | |___/ .__/ \___|\__,_|_|\_\___|_| |___/\__, |___/\__\___|_| |_| |_| |_| |___/ . . . . . . . ............... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . These are instructions on how to build a surround "ambient" speaker system with just a normal -2 speaker- setup and one extra cheap speaker. They could be found on the liner notes of the 1982 Brian Eno Ambient 4:On Land record. It is a very simple trick with some quite impressive results and makes your listening experience way more dynamic and adventerous. Although Brian Eno claims he discovered this "by accident" it was really originally invented in the early 1970s by David Hafler as a cheap way to get ambient surround sound by means of "passive psuedo-quadraphonics", it is known originally as the "Hafler Hookup". Naughty Brian Eno! But because Ambient 4 On Land is such a good album we will see it through the fingers, as they say in Holland. What you need: ---------------- (oldschool) HIFI Amplifier + left & right speaker, not one of those new stupid MP3 boombox Guido babyroom toys. ________________________________ | | | o o o o ( ) ( ) | | | | [] - - - - - - | |________________________________| ====== ===== One extra loudspeaker, less powerfull then above, not giving too much bass. speaker cable Instructions: ---------------- AMBIENT 4 ON LAND Liner notes - An Ambient Speaker System: I regard this music as environmental: to be experienced from the inside. Accordingly I considered releasing a quadrophonic version of it, an idea I abandoned upon realising that very few people (myself included) own quadra- phonic systems. However, I have for many years been using a three-way speaker system that is both simple to install and inexpensive, and which seem to work well on any music with a broad stereo image. The effect is subtle but definite - it opens out the music and seems to enlarge the room acoustically. In addition to a normal stereo hifi system all that is required is one extra loudspeaker and some speaker cable. The usage of this speaker in the three- way system is such that it will not be required to handle very low frequencies: therefore a small or "mini" speaker will be adequate. As shown in the diagram below, the two terminals of the new speaker are connected to the two positive speaker connectors on the amplifier. This speaker is located somewhere behind the listener - at the apex of a triangle whose base is formed by the original loudspeaker set-up. One of the unexpected benefiets of this system is an increase in the usable listening area - almost any point in the room will yield good (although not necessarily "accurate") stereo sound. I arrived at this system by accident, and I don't really know why it works. What seems to happen is that the third speaker reproduces any sound that is not common to both sides of the stereo - i.e., everything that is not located centrally in the stereo image - and I assume that is because the common information is put out of phase with itself and cancels out. More technically, the lower the impedance of the added speaker, the louder it will sound. If it is found to be too loud (although this rarely seems to happen), you can either insert a potentiometer (6-12 ohms, at least 10 watts) into the circuit, or move the speaker further away. Brian Eno. Schematic setup of the ambient surround system: ______ - - - - - - / / / | ,- - - - -/ / o / / / O / right speaker | | \/___/ ___ | | o | | _____ o o ____________ | | | - - +[ hifi| 1 smaller | | | | o ______ crappy speaker | - - - -[ a | _____ \ ___ | | m | _\_ | ___ | | | __________ | p | YOU | / || | | |\ |___ | | - - - +[ | in chair |_\_|| o o | | | | | | | | | _____/ | |/ |_ | | | - - -[ | ______/ |___| | | | | | | |_____| _ | | | | | | | | | | | ___ o | | | | ___ | | | | | | | | /\ \ o o | | | | \ \ o \ | | | | | |__ _ _ _ \ \ O \ left speaker | | | | - - - - - - \_\___\ | | | |____________________________________________________________| | |________________________________________________________________| So what is happening here? Basicly the added third speaker emits the sounds that are not common to both sides of the stereo spectrum and plays them beyond you. This will give a "3 Dimensional" sound experience, it seems like the sound moves past you coming from all angles! This is quite the same thing that happens in dolby surround systems today but this is a cheaper and more rag-tag "unique" way of doing things. It also works great on movies! Note: It will only work if your amplifier has a common ground, it won't work with a floating ground amplifier. How can you check that? Well just try it I guess, if it doesn't work you got the wrong amp or you are listening to some really shitty music.