Almost like School, but not Boring

Many think about going back to school. I never left. Few things give me more pleasure than the process of learning something new.
Back in 1990, I had a job working for one of the pioneers in inbound telemarketing. I took calls for everything from The Abdominizer to the famous Dial MTV Hotline where people from all across America called to vote for their favorite songs.

The Abdominizer and Dial MTV television ads

But I spent most of my time taking calls from California residents asking if the products they were using were known to cause cancer. The program was one of those brilliant ideas by a California senator that sounded good when the bill was drafted but which created absolutely no response from consumers after the money was spent. I am not kidding, I often went a whole week without receiving a single call. Sitting there was pure and unadulterated death.

The Loudspeaker Design Cookbook
by Vance Dickason

I probably do not have to say that telemarketing companies are known for their brutal business practices. But just in case, I will. You would get fired on the spot if you remotely looked like falling asleep; no questions asked and no apologies give. Even covering your face with your hands while handling a call was risky. So, the last thing I wanted to do was to just sit there and provoke termination. Since it was totally boring not getting calls, I had to do something interesting.
That's when I thought of learning acoustics. Yes! Most would have preferred something easier. But not me. As I loved car audio, I thought this would help me get better results with my car.
I was already very good with physics and math. I had even taken advanced classes on structures. So I just needed to apply what I knew to the science of waves.
I got my hands on everything available. Let's remember that those where the days where Google was not even a dream. To look for information required real commitment and follow through. I borrowed any text books I could. I bought the fantastic The Loudspeaker Design Cookbook by Vance Dickason. This book is pretty much the bible for anything to do with the art and the science of speaker making.

Speaker Builder and
AudioXpress Magazines

I spent hundreds of hours working though the math calculations until I intuitively understood how woofers worked within an enclosure. This fantastic book also helped me see how crossover networks react to speakers. The knowledge that I received in this subject was fundamental to help me later understand equipment loads and concepts like characteristic impedance of a transmission lines.
I then subscribed to Speaker Builder Magazine by Audio Amateur. This magazine was just plain fun. It later changed its name to AudioXpress and begun to mix speaker and electronic articles.
This publication proved to be the creative fuel that supercharged all my future system designs. Audio engineers and enthusiasts everywhere would work in the craziest of ideas. Have you ever seen a plasma speaker? They are both incredibly good and scary. They also don't last any time at all. They rapidly wear out.
How about monstrous concrete horns? Would you build one? For Speaker Builder contributors, everything was possible.
In contrast, researching any subject today is quite easy. I recently wanted to understand quantum tunneling; the effect that makes fusion reaction in the Sun possible despite the relatively low temperatures it has. To gain this insight, I took a couple of books from the local library and viewed a few dozen articles and videos online. For anyone with the ability to use calculus, with a little bit of patience and with an open mind, a working understanding of the quantum principles is realistic. As quickly as one begins, one gains new knowledge now that every bit of information is so readily available. What a fantastic time to be alive!
I will end by sharing this great video of Williams College physics professor Protik Majumder. Since what I love about acoustics is the music side more than math, I thought that perhaps you too would want to view a presentation that connects the science with the art. Enjoy!