The PowerRoll does not produce an inferior performance compared to
paper rolls.  In fact, the opposite is true.  A new original roll in
perfect condition could be expected to play the notes evenly but there
are none of these today and there are few, if any, recuts that are
exact copies of the originals.  Warped paper (puckering and stretching)
and imperfect tracking effect the valve timing as the tracker bar holes
are not evenly uncovered by holes that do not line up.  I have not done
the calculations but I would guess that the errors are greater than the
MIDI wireline delay effect.

I have many rolls that are in good to excellent condition that do not
play as well as when played with the PowerRoll.  These are the same
rolls that I have scanned optically and I get consistently excellent
results with the PowerRoll.  With the paper results vary from play to
play.  There are also minor timing defects introduced by varying
suction and drag on the paper as the vacuum varies with dynamic
changes.  These also are absent with the PowerRoll.

Anyone who questions the superiority of music played on the PowerRoll
should make it a point to hear one.  The device is truly amazing and
is getting better all the time.  I actually think it was worth the wait
and I am still waiting for my second one.

Spencer Chase
http://nt.mcn.org/spencer/