“How do we articulate what we are hearing? How do we name the sounds? What do we call them? We usually call them trumpet, motorbike, telephone – whatever it is that is making the sound. But these things are not sounds, they’re objects, things, animals, people. There is no word for the sound of a trumpet, motorbike, telephone. If we want to talk about the sound of a trumpet we have to talk about the object trumpet. In order to name a sound or to even think about a sound we have to refer to the object that made it. Our vocabulary relating to sound is incredibly impoverished. Consequently, we don’t think about sound, but about the things that make sound. And this helps us suspend our disbelief when listening to loudspeakers: sound representation becomes sound reality.”
A fascinating article on the history and development of loudspeakers by Robert Worby in today’s Guardian. Can’t find it online at the time of writing, will try again later. Full article here.