Posted by Carl on July 14, 2001 at 00:49:32:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Yet another change to The Tuba Sound posted by Kenneth Sloan on July 12, 2001 at 18:24:05:
Short answer re: price:
Basic version: $2,650
Extended version: $3,250
Pro version: $4,530
Below is a copy of an email I received from the company:
---------------------------------------------
there exist 3 versions of BIAS which only differ in the software and can be
upgraded any time by paying the difference to the next higher version.
The Basic Edition is for measuring the quality of any brass instrument
(intonation, pitch, response, effective length, acoustical radar for
detecting misaligned valves, leaks, etc).
The Extended Edition includes a "Physical Modeling Package": if you enter
the (inner) sizes of the instrument, the program calculates it's input
impedance (this is what you measure with BIAS) and calculates the
intonation, pitch and response. In other words: you have a physical model of
the instrument inside the computer and you can experiment without the need
of making the changes in real (you can forecast the intonation and response
by a simple variation of the bore size).
The Professional Edition includes the "Optimizer". This is a program using a
stable algorithm for optimizing (anything). For instance: you enter the
sizes of an instrument you want to make (or import them of a CAD program)
and look how good is it's intonation. Then you say for example the c5 should
be 12 cent sharper, the bb4 8 cents more flat, the d5 should have a better
response, etc. The optimizer calculates (some hours, sometimes one night)
and the result is a bore list of the optimized instrument, which, if you
follow the sugested list has the desired properties.
In the meantime about 25 systems of BIAS Professional Edition are in use all
over the world.
Since May we have an improved hardware: no more interfacebox is needed
because
all the electronic is integrated now into the measuring head. For the
datatransfer a soundcard is used, this makes it possible to use BIAS with a
notebook. (for a special offer look at the end of this mail).
The BIAS-system consists of:
1. the measuring head with built in electronic,
2. a soundcard
3. the software which includes a database for convenient data management.
4. Manual in English
You can chose between 3 versions which differ only in the software (hardware
is the same):
BIAS Basic Edition:
Impedance measurement, Intonation, objectiv and with different weights,
pitch finder,
Disturbance diagnosis, acoustical length of the instruments or parts of it
(slides),
Response factor of the instrument, Integrated database
Musical Calculator with transposition option
Price ex work: EUR 4,050.-
BIAS Extended Edition:
Same as Basic Edition, but additional: Response (playability) chart for each
note, Certification prints, Measurements according ISO 9000
Physical Modelling Package. Software tool for creation of a computermodel of
any brass wind instrument. Enables you to predict changes in intonation and
pitch according to virtually done changes of the shape (tube diameter).
Price ex work: EUR 5,080.-
BIAS Professional Edition:
Software: same as Extended Edition, but additional:
Interactive Optimization Tool. Optimizes the intonation and response of any
brass wind instrument automatically according to your prescriptions. The IOT
indicates the locations and dimensions of shape changes necessary for a
optimized intonation. Option to define "forbidden" regions, i.e. regions
where changes in shape are undesirable. Row data export in ASCII
format. Optional: Import filter for CAD.
Price ex work: EUR 7,100.-
==========================================
SPECIAL OFFER
==========================================
We have two systems with interface box (as you saw it at our website) left.
As the electronic of the interface box is now built into the new measuring
heads, we sell these two systems with a discont of 25%! (Basic edition:
3.100 EUR, Extended edition: 3.800 EUR and the Professional Edition: 5.300
EUR). The difference is in the hardware, the software is the same.
I hope, this helps for the first, if any question arises, feel free to
contact me!
With best regards
Prof. Gregor Widholm
Universität für Musik und darst. Kunst in Wien
Institut für Wiener Klangstil
Singerstrasse 26
A-1010 Wien
Tel. +43 1 711 55 4300
Fax: +43 1 711 55 4399
email: widholm(AT)mdw.ac.at
http://iwk.mdw.ac.at