In article ,
MJC wrote:
In article ,
says...
I can't think of a single method of 'reproducing sound' that doesn't
involve mechanical means.
Sound is a mechanical phenomenon. Humans use flapping meat.
I can imagine a method that used heat to move the air, perhaps with a
plasma to make it fast. (Like a modulated lightning flash.) But I cannot
be bothered to construct a search to find out if it has been done
successfully...
Mike.
I recall a conversation from years ago with a *VERY* old theater
projectionist, who spoke of what he called "flame speakers". Don't know
if it was an artifact of his (at the time) 80+ year old mind going, or
reality, but what he described made sense to me on several levels,
though I've never bothered to try chasing it down. Apparently, back in
the early days of talkies, one method of sound production involved a gas
nozzle (unsure if he meant gasoline, or something like propane/LP gas)
"tuned" to produce a blue flame (he was very clear on that point - lots
of the conversation came back to how he had to tinker with the flame at
each showing, otherwise the sound wasn't good) several feet tall in a
combustion chamber, into which was shoved a set of tungsten electrodes.
The 'trodes were driven at high voltages by any of several amplification
methods (frequently varying by theater, if the old guy's tale was to be
believed) to charge the plasma of the flame, which apparently caused it
to "dance", driving a diaphragm like that of a speaker. Supposedly,
amazingly high volumes with very good fidelity could be achieved.
Like I say, I've never actually gone to the effort of tracking it down,
and I have no idea if it was a failing mind's invention, or reality,
but... shrug Seems to me like it COULD work.
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