We received an especially thoughtful email from a clock shopping customer, centering around the question of the sound quality of specific and general chiming mantel clocks, and comparing quartz and mechanical mantle clocks.
Here is the question, and our answer follows. All personal information has been stripped to protect the privacy of our customers, as we do zealously.
THE Question:
Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 3:20 PM
To: sales@1-800-4clocks.com
Subject: Placing Orders the Andrea mantel clock
Does the Andrea mantel clock have authentic Westminster chime sound to it? It’s a nice clock and the price is amazing for such a nice clock. I am asking because I know that some clocks I have seen have looked nice but the chime sounded fake, or like a bad recording. I have no way of knowing what this one actually sounds like so this is the reason I wanted to explain what I am wanting to know. Thank you for any information you can give me.
Customer CBS
Sent from my iPad
OUR ANSWER:
Hi CBS –
Thanks for your email, and for contacting 1-800-4CLOCKS.
The Howard Miller Andrea Mantel Clock does have, as you are likely aware, a quartz-driven (or battery operated) Westminster chime in it.
Howard Miller Andrea Mantel Clock
<- [Links to clock on our website]
List: $
345.00
SALE: $241.50
As it sounds like you also are aware, quartz driven movements play the recorded chiming sound off of a sound card or chip, as opposed to a mechanical clock, where one is actually hearing the hammer(s) striking a chime rod(s). Having said that, there are many grades of sound quality in both mechanical and quartz driven clocks.
I believe the sound quality of the movement on this clock is excellent, but it will sound different from a mechanical chime. As quartz chiming movements go, this one is of excellent quality. The sound is slightly higher pitched and one might say “tinnier” than a mechanical clock – but it is at the high-end of these types of movements. And this clock overall is a great value.
Probably the best way to answer your question most vividly is to suggest you listen to the 3 chimes of the following grandfather clock. The reason this clock is a perfect example to get an excellent sense of the sound quality distinctions between mechanical and quartz-driven movements is that the Westminster Chime for this grandfather clock was recorded from a mechanical clock movement, and the Beethoven Ode to Joy and Schubert Ave Maria chimes were recorded from a mantel and wall clock with a quartz-driven movement nearly identical in quality to the Howard Miller Andrea Mantle Clock. If you listen to the 3 chimes on the clock below, you will best be able to hear for yourself the differences between Howard Miller mechanical and quartz chiming movements. When looking at the Howard Miller Clayton Grandfather Clock model 610-950, simply click on each of these 3 rows shown here below – when on that page of our website – to hear the differences between the mechanical Westminster Chime and the quartz-driven Ave Maria and Ode to Joy Chimes (all were recorded in our old Grand Central Station Store with respectively noted Howard Miller Clock movements):
Howard Miller Clayton Grandfather Clock
<- [Links to clock on our website AND to then listen to chimes noted above]
List: $
4,393.00
SALE: $3,075.10
And of course with quartz-driven clocks, whether mantel clocks or wall clocks, not only is there the cost advantage and no need to wind the clock, but also both the volume control and automatic nighttime shut-off option.
Perhaps I’ve gone just a little bit overboard in answering this question . Because its such a good question, I think I will post the question (no personal information of yours) and answer in our Blog).
Overall, just want to add that I think you would overall be very pleased, sound quality and all, if you should decide to order this Howard Miller mantle clock.
