Dr. Toole Nominated [Now Appointed] for Order of Canada!

[Floyd Toole]

I was born in Ottawa and continue to live in the National Capitol Region many years later. I have driven past the original location of the NRC building where much of his work began. I'm glad that the Canadian government supported this research. I wonder if the government would do so today? Hopefully, but you never know.

Indeed, these are difficult times for many branches of science. When I was headhunted to join Harman as Corporate VP Acoustical Engineering in 1991 I was not looking for a job, but the reason I was intrigued by the offer was that for the preceding few years our NRC budgets had been reduced, and we were encouraged to seek funding from industry connections. A few years before I left I had organized a contractual relationship between a non-profit consortium of Canadian manufacturers and the NRC to share funding of continued research - the Athena project. Clearly, science was losing support from the politicians.

Harman was an unknown factor, but an interesting change. The fact that Sidney Harman and my management colleagues went along with my proposal to set up a corporate research group - to continue the research, not to design products - was simply amazing. That they allowed us to publish the results was extremely generous, as setting up and running the operation cost millions of dollars over the years. We had excellent facilities. Telling the scientific story was very helpful in dealing with automobile manufacturers (real engineers) although it likely had little effect on the consumer market as it was not strongly promoted. Automotive audio and informatics accounts for about 75% of Harman's business.

It is all gone now, the group retired, and management has been completely changed. One can only wonder if any of it could happen in today's social and financial climate. I think we were very, very lucky to have done it when we did. Long-term considerations often challenge the next quarterly returns. The world is now a different place.

 

[dtaylo1066]

Deserved kudos!

 

[eddantes]

I believe the pendulum will swing again towards Science. Congratulations Dr. Toole, well deserved.

 

[LTig]

[..] So, cinema sound levels are no more, but as it turns out age has reduced the attractions of very loud sounds.

Same here - I need hearing protection in very loud rock concerts (100 dB SPL) where young people around me seem to be very happy without.

My hearing is not what it used to be, tinnitus is a constant accompaniment, but I function well without hearing aids - noisy restaurants remain a challenge though.

Still I strongly recommend to use hearing aids to slow down further loss of speech intelligibility. I got a very basic model (Unitron Ativo M) in January and am very happy with it, I even use them listening to live opera and symphonic concerts. But noisy surroundings are still a challenge, this is true.

 

[A Surfer]

Indeed, these are difficult times for many branches of science. When I was headhunted to join Harman as Corporate VP Acoustical Engineering in 1991 I was not looking for a job, but the reason I was intrigued by the offer was that for the preceding few years our NRC budgets had been reduced, and we were encouraged to seek funding from industry connections. A few years before I left I had organized a contractual relationship between a non-profit consortium of Canadian manufacturers and the NRC to share funding of continued research - the Athena project. Clearly, science was losing support from the politicians.

Harman was an unknown factor, but an interesting change. The fact that Sidney Harman and my management colleagues went along with my proposal to set up a corporate research group - to continue the research, not to design products - was simply amazing. That they allowed us to publish the results was extremely generous, as setting up and running the operation cost millions of dollars over the years. We had excellent facilities. Telling the scientific story was very helpful in dealing with automobile manufacturers (real engineers) although it likely had little effect on the consumer market as it was not strongly promoted. Automotive audio and informatics accounts for about 75% of Harman's business.

It is all gone now, the group retired, and management has been completely changed. One can only wonder if any of it could happen in today's social and financial climate. I think we were very, very lucky to have done it when we did. Long-term considerations often challenge the next quarterly returns. The world is now a different place.

I expected as much. Absolutely, make hay while the sun is shining as they say. We all are so fortunate for your and your contemporaries work moving the science forward so substantially when it was possible.

I'm curious what you know about the group behind Energy Speakers back in the day. I purchased a pair of Energy C5 Connoisseur (sold them to my brother and they are still perfect) at The Audio Shop in the Glebe and remain very impressed with their performance.

Just curious if you knew any of the principles at Energy in the early 2000s.

 

[MKreroo]

Congratulations!

 

[Floyd Toole]

I expected as much. Absolutely, make hay while the sun is shining as they say. We all are so fortunate for your and your contemporaries work moving the science forward so substantially when it was possible.

I'm curious what you know about the group behind Energy Speakers back in the day. I purchased a pair of Energy C5 Connoisseur (sold them to my brother and they are still perfect) at The Audio Shop in the Glebe and remain very impressed with their performance.

Just curious if you knew any of the principles at Energy in the early 2000s.

Yes, I knew the people who founded Energy. George Baker was the driving force. They were among the companies that rented the NRC anechoic facility to design the prototypes. They were excellent in their day. You can see anechoic measurements of the popular Energy Pro 22 in Figure 17.4(d) in the 4th edition. It also appears in the 3rd edition display of the same loudspeakers. I left the NRC in 1991, the research there ended shortly after. I know nothing about later products in the 2000s and the people who designed them, the C5 among them.

 

[Beave]

I can't find a link, but I recall that Energy's marketing in the late 90s to early 2000s focused on their goals of flat frequency response, wide dispersion, and low distortion.

Two of the C-series speakers were measured at the NRC and did quite well, especially for their era and their price:

Energy C-3 Measurements from NRC Courtesy of Soundstage

Energy C-9 Measurements from NRC courtesty of Soundstage

 

[Floyd Toole]

I can't find a link, but I recall that Energy's marketing in the late 90s to early 2000s focused on their goals of flat frequency response, wide dispersion, and low distortion.

Two of the C-series speakers were measured at the NRC and did quite well, especially for their era and their price:

Energy C-3 Measurements from NRC Courtesy of Soundstage

Energy C-9 Measurements from NRC courtesty of Soundstage

They look reasonable, which shows respect for the brand. Too bad the NRC has not updated my old measurement system to do Spinoramas - at least it still exists.

 

[A Surfer]

Yes, I knew the people who founded Energy. George Baker was the driving force. They were among the companies that rented the NRC anechoic facility to design the prototypes. They were excellent in their day. You can see anechoic measurements of the popular Energy Pro 22 in Figure 17.4(d) in the 4th edition. It also appears in the 3rd edition display of the same loudspeakers. I left the NRC in 1991, the research there ended shortly after. I know nothing about later products in the 2000s and the people who designed them, the C5 among them.

Thank you for taking the time to reply. My wife saw the post from you and asked who I was talking to and of course I couldn't help bragging that I was talking to a recent Appointee to the Order of Canada.

I found a really pristine pair of the Pro 22s years ago on Canuck Audio Mart but I was so focused on getting some Energy Veritas 2.1 that I passed. In retrospect that was a mistake. Never did get the Veritas either.

What speakers are you using now that you have moved to a condominium? It must have been difficult to downsize your system, but life changes. I actually just moved to using a nice Sonos system as my listening needs had changed.

 

[Floyd Toole]

What speakers are you using now that you have moved to a condominium? It must have been difficult to downsize your system, but life changes. I actually just moved to using a nice Sonos system as my listening needs had changed.

Fronts are 2x Revel F226Be, 1x Revel C246Be, with 4x M126Be surrounds and 2x Paradigm Millenia vibration cancelling subs. An Anthem AVM90 drives an NAD M28 power amp. It plays plenty loud, has competent bass, and sounds mighty good to these old ears. The room is 12'9" x 16' x 8' and has enhanced wall and ceiling construction for sound isolation. The floor is just 10" of concrete. The display is an 83" Samsung QLED that at this viewing distance is close to the projection screen I had in California - with a better image. Screen size is always for me a compromise between being too large for TV talking heads and not large enough for widescreen movies. Twas ever so.

No complaints from neighbours yet, but they are now friends and like to be invited for Kalaidescape evenings. I sometimes play video disc jockey with musical excerpts from concerts and movies. I feel no need for elevation speakers as we have little interest in blockbuster superhero tales. The neighbours now want systems of their own, so-o-o no problem.

As in California, Sonos provides background music throughout the condo, amplifying 2x Revel F226Be in the living room, with Sonos smart speakers elsewhere. The sound quality is pleasantly uniform throughout, which is a credit to Sonos and their boundary correction software.

Life is good.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that all interconnects, speaker wire and power cords are non-exotic, inexpensive or as supplied.

 

[xanalog]

The display is an 83" Samsung QLED

How do you like the sound of the Samsung QLED's built-in speakers?

 

[Presently42]

Many congratulations, Dr. @Floyd Toole , CM! Have you chosen your heraldic armorial bearings yet? Perhaps two loudspeakers and the motto a diffusori usque ad diffusore? Not sure how translate loudspeaker in to Latin

 

[Hemi-Demon]

Congratulations and well deserved. Thank you for all that you have done for home audio and headphone reaserch.

 

[Gremlins]

Congratulations! I'm curious if his findings will now convince some audiophiles!

If you are refering the Audiophile subjective community : answer is not an inch. They don't even know who Tool is ..though they know big dollars luxury audio brand and know their whole catalog ...

 

[Audicron]

@Floyd Toole
Mr. Toole...
Back when you were at Harman/JBL and Sean was there in the 90's, I was given one of the greatest experiences of my audio career to be able to ace your listener screening test and sit center-chair on the shuffler as a subject, during the evaluation of Infinity towers... The facilities tour was a treat, getting to stand in the anechoic chamber and getting to see the 3D prototyping and the speaker library... But the absolute highlight of that day, was having discussion over speaker design, etc, at lunch with you. That day is etched in my mind and always makes me smile... I have met many audio luminaries in the field of audio engineering and acoustics and music production and you stand as a giant among giants.. your work will endure... I greatly appreciate your particular genius and humility and thank you for your great work and that wonderful day at Harman International... Carry on, there is a lot more road ahead

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

 

[Floyd Toole]

How do you like the sound of the Samsung QLED's built-in speakers?

I honestly have never heard them. I use the Samsung as a "dumb" display, but being "smart" it wants to run the whole house and my life, so I find it annoying. As for the sound, Samsung hired Allan Devantier from Harman and spent a large sum of money creating a parallel acoustical design facility about 15 miles away with the intent of improving TV sound because they were getting bad reviews. Knowing Allan, the sound was probably improved, but the real accomplishment of his group was in sound bars that actually resembled HiFi. The best of them were impressive.

 

[TDM]

I received a phone call from the Order of Canada's review committee a couple of months ago. They wanted to interview me and ask questions about Floyd's work and how it has effected the audio industry. I talked for so long I think the gentlemen couldn't wait to get off the phone.

This is a well deserved honour for an amazing life's work.

Cheers.
Todd Michael
Yorkville Sound

 

[Rhubarb]

Congratulations, Floyd!!!

 

[A Surfer]

Fronts are 2x Revel F226Be, 1x Revel C246Be, with 4x M126Be surrounds and 2x Paradigm Millenia vibration cancelling subs. An Anthem AVM90 drives an NAD M28 power amp. It plays plenty loud, has competent bass, and sounds mighty good to these old ears. The room is 12'9" x 16' x 8' and has enhanced wall and ceiling construction for sound isolation. The floor is just 10" of concrete. The display is an 83" Samsung QLED that at this viewing distance is close to the projection screen I had in California - with a better image. Screen size is always for me a compromise between being too large for TV talking heads and not large enough for widescreen movies. Twas ever so.

No complaints from neighbours yet, but they are now friends and like to be invited for Kalaidescape evenings. I sometimes play video disc jockey with musical excerpts from concerts and movies. I feel no need for elevation speakers as we have little interest in blockbuster superhero tales. The neighbours now want systems of their own, so-o-o no problem.

As in California, Sonos provides background music throughout the condo, amplifying 2x Revel F226Be in the living room, with Sonos smart speakers elsewhere. The sound quality is pleasantly uniform throughout, which is a credit to Sonos and their boundary correction software.

Life is good.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that all interconnects, speaker wire and power cords are non-exotic, inexpensive or as supplied.

Well that is an incredibly competent system there. No doubt your friends seek your advice to build systems. Take care and enjoy being back in Ottawa. It isn't often enough that people return after long absences. It is a nice city with a quiet vibe. Mind you not nearly so quiet as it was in the 1980s. So much change.