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Showing content with the highest reputation on 06/22/21 in all areas

  1. Next time you think about doing something like that, stop, pull out your wallet and look at the date on your drivers license. If the birthdate is late 40's to late 50's think twice.
    6 points
  2. "Find your inner calm with the iFi ZEN phono" That's what is referred to on the box of what I got in the mail today. I'd been sitting on the fence for this budget audiophile grade phono stage, and last week I found one in the open box section of a European shop, grade A, so I bought it. These are my first impressions. I'm comparing with built in phono stages of my vintage Onkyo amp, a H/K 430 and a brandless, China made phono stage of 44 euro. That last one I used with my Leben CS300, which must have been insulted by it - if it were a person - and it also had a hiss in left hand channel, which annoyed me, and was the reason for having it replaced. For those who are less familiar with iFi: they are a British company, producing high end audio gear (mostly DACs and in-betweens). They also sell small but pricy high end phono preamps. iFi's ZEN series is their budget tier, which offers a lot of value for money because some of the high-end technology has trickled down to the ZEN level... So... my first reactions. Well, I had prepared a stack of my favourite vinyl albums, and while listening to those, I thought, okay, well perhaps the reviewers are right: the staging is nice and wide, even 3d, and there is 'total darkness' when no music is playing, and the lows and highs are well ballanced. But my cheap China phono stage does that too, mostly, for a quarter of the price, if you forget about the hiss in the left channel for a moment. So did I make a mistake buying this? It was only when I listened to my second stack of albums I had prepared, that the iFi started shining and making a difference. This stack contains 'difficult' albums, some iconic, but for some reason, they never really sounded good on my system. Just to name one, Bruce Springsteen's Burn to Run. I've had this album for a very long time, and love all the songs on it, but somehow, it never sounded 'right' on my Leben CS300 + Heresy combination. Now it does. The same with vintage vinyl classical music albums (from the pre-barcode era): gone is the grainy sound, now they sound just right, and clean. At the moment I'm grading exams (!), so there's still many hours of music I will be listening too while doing that. Listing to vinyl records is great when grading, because it forces you out of your chair every 25 minutes or so (better for my back...) πŸ˜‰
    5 points
  3. (This is a re-post from the Lounge section, but I think it deserves a place here too). "Find your inner calm with the iFi ZEN phono" That's what is referred to on the box of what I got in the mail today. I'd been sitting on the fence for this budget audiophile grade phono stage, and last week I found one in the open box section of a European shop, grade A, so I bought it. These are my first impressions. I'm comparing with built in phono stages of my vintage Onkyo amp, a H/K 430 and a brandless, China made phono stage of 44 euro. That last one I used with my Leben CS300, which must have been insulted by it - if it were a person - and it also had a hiss in left hand channel, which annoyed me, and was the reason for having it replaced. For those who are less familiar with iFi: they are a British company, producing high end audio gear (mostly DACs and in-betweens). They also sell small but pricy high end phono preamps. iFi's ZEN series is their budget tier, which offers a lot of value for money because some of the high-end technology has trickled down to the ZEN level... So... my first reactions. Well, I had prepared a stack of my favourite vinyl albums, and while listening to those, I thought, okay, well perhaps the reviewers are right: the staging is nice and wide, even 3d, and there is 'total darkness' when no music is playing, and the lows and highs are well ballanced. But my cheap China phono stage does that too, mostly, for a quarter of the price, if you forget about the hiss in the left channel for a moment. So did I make a mistake buying this? It was only when I listened to my second stack of albums I had prepared, that the iFi started shining and making a difference. This stack contains 'difficult' albums, some iconic, but for some reason, they never really sounded good on my system. Just to name one, Bruce Springsteen's Burn to Run. I've had this album for a very long time, and love all the songs on it, but somehow, it never sounded 'right' on my Leben CS300 + Heresy combination. Now it does. The same with vintage vinyl classical music albums (from the pre-barcode era): gone is the grainy sound, now they sound just right, and clean. At the moment I'm grading exams (!), so there's still many hours of music I will be listening too while doing that. Listening to vinyl records is great when grading, because it forces you out of your chair every 25 minutes or so (better for my back...) πŸ˜‰
    4 points
  4. @Shiva He only got an A because he used quotation marks to highlight his topic. Guess that's why teachers make the big bucks. πŸ˜‚ πŸ˜‚ πŸ˜‚
    4 points
  5. is it the bubble or LF causing the lower back pain ?
    4 points
  6. Been raining here off and on for over two weeks. Nice and green! Off to the chiropractor for the third visit (lower back pain). Kills me getting in and out of the Bubble so I'm taking LF's SUV. Usually one visit and rest takes care of the problem but not this time. Maybe third time is the charm!
    4 points
  7. First time in awhile...............
    4 points
  8. Nope. The white gas flashed-over so quickly that the charcoal was unaffected ... unlike my eyebrows.
    4 points
  9. 4 points
  10. Sniffin'...ahhh: Β²
    3 points
  11. Maybe time to burst from your mid 50, 60, 70’s crises and park an SUV in the garage. I read that Chiefs defensive end Frank Thomas was just arrested in LA driving a Lamborghini SUV. That might be a nice transition from Bubble to SUV. Every SUV benefits from 600+ hp. Just don’t ride around with a sub-machine gun in the backseat. Apparently LA’s finest took exception to that β€”
    3 points
  12. Nice review and pics, Professor. That deserves an A. πŸ‘
    3 points
  13. This isn't really as difficult as it appears--in my experience. If you look for 96/24 (internal bit rate and bit depth), you'll see that this will cut way down on the number of available units. In particular, those DSP units that were designed before ca. 2008-2010 will not pass this bar. In my experience, there are at least two good choices based on value-for-money: Xilica XP series and miniDSP HD series. Other companies make 96/24 units, but for various reasons, they are usually screened out of the decision process. And there are many 48 kHz units available, but are not advertised as such unless you dig into the specification sheets a bit. For instance, the Behringer DCX2496 (its name gives away the internal bit depth and rate per channel), the issue is fidelity--but not the digital side, but the analog sides (front end and back end). The dbx DriveRack PA2 doesn't make the 96 kHz cut, nor does the Ashly Protea series, as well as the EV Dx38 or DC-One. This also applies to the Dayton Audio DSP-408 (a.k.a., very inexpensive automotive-focused DSP units). The Yamaha SP2060 passes the 96 kHz bar, but is more noisy than the Xilica XP series. It can work (just like the miniDSP HD series), but the issue is usually cost/performance. The Yamaha SP2060 is usually expensive--even used. The Lake processors and even the DEQX (I suspect since they don't list the internal sampling rate) also do not come into solution due to either their internal sampling rates or their prices. So the question is: if you are focused on internal sampling rate, is this because you're worried about fidelity? In my experience, there is a very, very slight difference with the 96 kHz units that fall well into the "subjective" category. I believe that I hear that higher fidelity with the Xilica and to a similar degree, with the miniDSP 2x4 HD, although all the miniDSPs are slightly more noisy than the Xilica XP series in practice--usually due to the quality of the connectors (XLR or Euro/Phoenix balanced connections vs. RCA unbalanced). The miniDSP 2x4 HD uses only unbalanced RCA connections--the reason for its higher noise, I believe--but the miniDSP 4x10 HD can use both XLR or RCA, which is a way to avoid having to use in-line filters like the Jensen ISO-MAX series, which are fairly expensive and will usually push the overall price up to Xilica levels if they are needed to control noise. So if you're dealing with loudspeaker sensitivities and overall fidelity at the Klipsch Jubilee (i.e., K-402 and a good 2" compression driver) level, I recommend the Xilica. Anything else with slightly lower sensitivity and fidelity, the miniDSP HD series will typically be able to be integrated, albeit at a slightly higher noise level. Chris
    3 points
  14. Maybe, but I have seen a few records that were the same thickness right across the disc, and have never heard of records sticking together because of vacuum. However, static electricity could be another matter. Some LPs pick up such a strong charge while being played that they stick to the platter so strongly that they bend when I go to lift them off it. Those constant-thickness discs were usually from some small record company, but I don’t know why.
    3 points
  15. Talk to him right and it could be a Jinn palace...
    3 points
  16. Dexter Gordon -Lady Bird (Belgium, 1964) [1/2] - YouTube Dexter Gordon - Body and Soul (Belgium, 1964) [2/2] - YouTube
    3 points
  17. 3 points
  18. 3 points
  19. Worth the watch for the Dr John intro alone. Performance audio not good. The Meters 1974 - YouTube
    3 points
  20. No one here should ever be judged by their small number of posts on this forum. That is simply disrespectful.
    3 points
  21. Nasty weekend. It's too early for this,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,guess not. Trombone Shorty - Hurricane Season live - YouTube
    3 points
  22. 3 points
  23. 3 points
  24. That's what my dad used in our Coleman stove in the '60s. Probably in the lamps as well. I've always used Aladdin lamps, which also used mantles, but are not pressurised. They put out a terrific amount of heat, and can take the chill out of a room. I have some my grandparents had before WWII. I think I'm getting old...
    3 points
  25. Technically, my 1977 K55V worked fine. Besides...I had no comparison. You can accept the sound, but you can also question it. Somehow the sound was a bit sharp and thin. Now I have the comparison. The new diaphragm, since yesterday, have a positive effect in two ways. First, the sound is airier, more balanced and much more pleasant to the ear, much silkier. In addition the lower registers of the K400 have become more powerful. With the old diaphragms the low notes of a violin were much quieter. They were overshadowed by other instruments in the orchestra. Speech Intelligibility has become much better. Easy differentiation of all vowels. With the old diaphragms there were unpleasant overtone resonances on, for example, an A.vowel. I read old threads where Bob Crites measurements showed that old diaphragm got weaker below 1000Hz. And I thought that 44 years old phenol might not have the smoothness and internal damping as new material. It paid off and I would recommend it to anyone who has such old K55V drivers. It's really worth it. Another step towards the original restoration of my lovely LaScalas after I changed the capacitors. Thanks to Michael Crites who sent the new diaphragms.
    2 points
  26. Here are some pictures and commentary on my now finished mini-resto project of a pair of 1989 Heresy II speakers I bought 20 years ago from a guy up in Maine. Actually, he advertised them here on the Forum, so maybe he'll see this. I bought them from him in 2001 and they've been on long term loan to my mom since 2004. Time flies when you get older. I have wanted to reclaim them and restore them for a long time now, and with my wife's blessing and participation, we finally did it! (And we didn't leave my mom in the lurch either - we found a set of other vintage speakers that she's now enjoying.) First, I'd like to thank the Forum members here who gave me input over the past few weeks in response to some initial posts. This place is rich in knowledge and it was fun to weight the various competing viewpoints too! I'm sure some will roll their eyes at certain things I did or didn't do. What I did not do: 1. I decided not to avail myself of the HII to HIII conversion package offered by Klipsch. I agree with its proponents that it's a sweet deal, but I wanted to keep the budget even lower and preserve these speakers as (essentially) stock Heresy IIs. 2. I decided not to get replacement woofers or to try to visually restore the looks of the existing woofers. They sound great as is, and I'm going to declare their aged and dusty look at "patina," a favorite among hipsters this days anyway! πŸ˜‰ 3. I managed to avoid any need to solder, cuz I'm really bad at it. What I did do: 1. Sent the crossover networks to Crites for the rebuilding service (old factory capacitors replaced with Sonicaps). Hence no need to solder. 2. Installed the Crites titanium diaphragms. BUT, I have kept the original phenolic ones so I can always put them back in. Hence the essentially original claim. πŸ˜€ 3. Replaced all gaskets with a gasket tape from Parts Express that some of you kind people recommended. 4. Inverted the woofers (i.e., turned them upside down). 5. Lightly sanded the cabinets (220, then 400 sandpaper, and then 0000 steel wool). I wanted to preserve the existing golden oak stain by a previous owner while removing any remaining top coat or resin. 6. Applied four coats of Danish Oil (overkill - see below). 7. Spray painted the risers black (I was inspired by the Heresy IV look). 8. Cleaned the motor boards and backs with a water/white vinegar mix, using a damp rag and Q-tips, and then a vacuum. 9. Cleaned the speaker covers with Brissell spot remover, also as recommended by you fine people here. Great hack! What I might still do, but not in the near future: 1. Apply a couple coats of satin or semi-gloss oil-based polyurethane over the Danish Oil (and maybe the painted risers). D.O. has resins in it, so there's already a hard coat with a bit of a sheen. What I learned, or confirmed, in the process: 1. Crites Loudspeakers is a godsend. Reasonable prices, nice people, and blindingly fast service. 2. The re-capped crossovers was the big improvement. After that I was hesitant to even try the titanium diaphragms. But . . . 3. I actually enjoy the titanium diaphragms! I generally dislike metal domed tweeters and worried that these might be ear bleeders, but they aren't. Compared to the original phenolic diaphragms, they do emphasize the lower treble somewhat, and the sound is somewhat more forward, but all in an engaging, sweet manner to my ears. That said . . . 4. Electronics matter! These guys sound a whole lot better in my system then they did at my mom's condo with an old NAD 740C receiver and even older Techniques CD changer (and those are perfectly fine components). 5. Subwoofers are a must for these speakers in my system. I don't have good corner or even close wall placement options in my condo, so acoustic bass reinforcement isn't possible. In my system, with two REL T7s, these refreshed Heresys are absolutely stunning where currently placed. With the subwoofers off, they're still kind of fun, but lack any deep bass or sense of scale. No surprise there, really. 6. They're not going to replace the Devore Super Nines, which are a better speaker. But that's OK - They will certainly get some repeated and prolonged playing times. 7. Even very basic wood refinishing is kind of tricky and very project-specific. In my case, I was working with a (nicely) pre-stained birch veneer over particle board, and I did not want to use stripper and then fuss with applying finish to birch wood. I came to realize that two coats of Danish Oil is all that's called for. The veneer stops absorbing it afterwards, so you're just adding more resin basically. The third and fourth coats took forever to dry and required repeated rub downs and long waits before they would dry. 8. The project was actually a lot of fun. I enjoyed finding simple ways to achieve certain goals, such as cleaning the motor boards instead of painting them and cleaning the filthy covers rather than replacing them. I'm full of smiles!
    2 points
  27. @Tarheel @richieb
    2 points
  28. Side ABCD??? ADBC???? Why keep it that simple? Radiohead's OK Computer brings this to a whole other level, and making sure the print on the record label is illegibly small too. (for the uninformed, it's a tripple album)
    2 points
  29. Really hurt his back trying to bust a grumpy.
    2 points
  30. Neither. He tried to move the egg.
    2 points
  31. It's always great when time and effort produce good results. They look very nice!
    2 points
  32. I'm not sure what to make of this: https://stlouis.craigslist.org/ele/d/wildwood-trades-vintage-black-klipsch/7340404330.html. No affiliation.
    2 points
  33. Well that's the last time I move the Big Green Egg up onto the deck by myself!
    2 points
  34. I don't give anyone an A but in this case it's warranted. Skool of hard knocks grading scale. I was wondering about getting one of those when I was shopping for a pre. Wound up with a Schiit Mani, which cooks. Also thought about a Puffin but who knows. A Mani is hard to beat imo for $150.
    2 points
  35. I know some of you are rightly tired of rain... not here. [It has been months since the last significant rain... more than measurement in 1/1000's.] Looks like we might get some precip. Don't wanna overstate things, but, it looks like the monsoon is going to happen this year. And on schedule. a sub 100` day for us. Trade off is that the R/H is up. Dew point is approaching 50`. Can't complain about temp this AM. Below 70`.
    2 points
  36. Does anybody actually remember what this thread was about??????😊
    2 points
  37. Have seen records stuck together momentarily... nothing serious. It seems a vacuum can be created.
    2 points
  38. First new Capsule in 5 years and their first conceptual MV
    2 points
  39. So, I've ordered basically everything I'm interested in while it's on sale. I will test and report back.
    2 points
  40. Right. Up all night just posting links to videos that he’s never watched. I think he’s up to over 32K.
    2 points
  41. I would give zero weight to the number posts that someone has. There is one guy on the forum that probably racks up 2000 posts in two weeks. Do the arithmetic, do you think those are thoughtful comments he is making?
    2 points
  42. 2 points
  43. Swiss Reject Climate Change With Zoomers And Millennials Leading The Way A climate change referendum in Switzerland just went down in flames led by 18-34 year old voters...
    2 points
  44. - You left something out β€” did you get the charcoal lit πŸ”₯?
    2 points
  45. True and it should be used when needed. In this case, the ignore button won't stop someone from posting bad advice to people who are new to this hobby or even seasoned member who don't post a lot.
    2 points
  46. Again, thanks for measuring. I realize the inductance is not important to you. That said, I believe there must be an error with your T2A #1 measurements(?). For example, taps 0 - 1 represent 1/4 of the total turns of the autoformer, and therefore the inductance should be 1/16 of the total inductance. If you were to measure the inductance of taps 0 - 5, I doubt if it's 8.96mH * 16 or 143.36mH. Mike
    2 points
  47. 2 points
  48. Hello, I am new here and I just read that topic and wanted to share my experience. I was looking for a good solution myself and came across some used Eames LTR sidetables. They have the perfect size for the H3 and the height is perfect too. Ok sure they are more expensive then DIY but used you get them cheap. They do not carry any vibrations due to the crossed metalfeet. I places some rubber feet between the floor and metalframe wich are used for cable management usually. One thing is true, the bass diminishes but I knew that and it was my intention. I wanted to use a Sub but the H3 goes deep in my room so I wanted a flawless mix of a Sub to the H3. I bought the B&W 608 and it is a perfect match for a 2.1 with the H3 but only on Stands. Just the perfect integration for a nice deep bass but very subtle and in perfect harmony. Gesendet von iPad mit Tapatalk
    2 points
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