I have been listening to iPlayer recently, Radio 4 Extra . . . looking back again, we like the old comedy programs. We also like a good play, the idea, we can listen at our convenience. We listen to a couple of Father Ted stories the other day, first time I’ve used the system as it is now with the new computer. I was very impressed with the natural sound but thought little more about it. Sitting and listening to Lenard Cohen last light, pulled me up a bit, as I have mentioned, the delivery is poetry with music . . . ???? As near a spoken delivery as you can get, as I say ‘I pulled up’. It was late last night but I stored the thoughts and ideas in my mind and mulled it over today, quiet day at work, so plenty of time. What struck me was how natural and easy the spoken voice sounded, both from the vinyl and on BBC radio a few days before? . . . I have worked on the system over the past 9 months, adjusting and of late tweaking those tiny bits here and there, always acing my efforts with music . . . ????? . . . Why not have the spoken human voice as part of a hifi test. We so often hear the debate of what a particular instrument or performance should sound like? . . . we don’t know what was in the engineers mind when it was mixed, therefor we don’t know how our system is sounding? We hear the spoken voice all the time in all sorts of environments . . . This was my first thought when I listen to Leonard Cohen, natural, open, airy, it sent goose bumps up my arms, track 3, side one, 'Show me the Place', in particular stands in my mind. A good or bad idea, I'm looking forward to a bit more Radio 4 and Needle time with 'Old Ideas'. Something to enjoy . . . Food for thought? . . . CJSF