cwm

I often wondered why people were disconnecting those zener diodes, I assumed there was some real or imagined sonic improvement by taking them out of the circuit. I can imagine the sound levels must be at the annihilating point to actually have them start to conduct!! OR, is there some other reason for those folks taking them out of circuit??

I've read that piece and somehow I cant help feeling that Belt's tongue is firmly planted in his cheek............ http://www.angryharry.com

Try this and note the comments on oil caps.... http://members.aol.com/sbench102/caps.html

Any of these indoor FM ants are basically a compromise so if you have an outdoor VHF/UHF log periodic TV ant (tapers to narrow profile in the direction you point it) you can use a cable spitter and feed one output to your coaxial cable input on your receiver/tuner. Your tuner most likely uses a built in ferrite loop ant for AM and for most stations this should be adequate.

This information might be useful, I personally like the U.S. style IBOC (In Band On Channel) system which means compability for the owners of current FM/AM receivers. Please note the statement re: the future of FM etc.---- in Canada anyway, and I dont particularly like it. I dont see how they can do this in 10 years with the millions of dollars of broadcast equipment currently in use!!........(Wheelman and others) http://www.digitalradio.ca/dabcore.cfm?Page=DabFaqs Do a Google on IBOC....

AM (amplitude modulation) is restricted in audio bandwidth to 5-8khz to keep their sidebands from "splattering" into the adjacent channel. Each channel allocation is spaced 10khz from the adjacent one. AM reception is more prone to local electrical noise and nature created (static crashes) etc. than FM. FM (frequency modulation) is broadcast in a portion of the radio spectrum less prone to static and manmade noise, VHF or very high frequency(88-108mhz). As far as audio quality goes, many stations use huge amounts of compression to enhance their apparent "loudness" as you tune across the station, additionally they use peak limiting to stay within their bandwidth allocation. What you prefer is based on personal taste in music reproduction and with digital broadcasting on the horizon (actually here now) I guess a new debate will arise concerning digital broadcasting vs. FM etc. FM audio bandwidth extends from 25hz to 15khz so thats something to think about when you consider that CD peaks out at 20Khz! I think FM is probably due to be gradually phased out over time but will be here for awhile yet. Try this--the next time you hear a familiar tune on FM that you have on CD, play the CD immediately after hearing your tune on FM and then tell me that the FM is better!! Well again, I guess its based on personal taste. BTW, TV audio is also FMed but the highest audio frequencies are only about 12khz or so!! Amazing what a little EQ at the broadcast end can do......

I cant help on the magazine, but I also appreciate Peter Aczel's objectivity and willingness to burst the balloons of the many self-anointed "audio experts" out there. I dont always agree with him but at least he is intellectually honest. I loved his "White hats" vs. "Black hats" of awhile back. Stereophile et al seems more like good prose, in many cases, rather than honest "subjective" reviewing. Too many people hang on to every word uttered by these audio "gods"!!

Things are not so bad, think of this poor individual and freedom of academic dialogue........ http://online.wsj.com/article_email/0,,SB107957189848758725-IRjfINnlah3n5ytbYGHbK6Im5,00.html

The British publication "HIFI News" has a test CD with one of the tracks devoted to illustrating the incredible dynamic range that natural sounds have. The track on the copy that I have is called "Return of the Garage door" wherein the tech uses a Calrec mike and high quality digital recorder to record the closing and heavy banging on the door........This is guaranteed to demonstrate the tremendous dynamic capability of the Khorn or LaScala etc. and provides a lot of "jump" or "Startle" factor! I have a friend who was astounded at the lifelike sound of that door being hammered as reproduced on my LaScalas and he likewise was impressed by the quality of good jazz recordings etc. (particularly Patricia Barber's "Cafe Blue") He owns Martin Logan ES speakers and grudging admitted that he was impressed by the quality of reproduction of the horns. Incidentally, he declined to try the "Garage Door" on his electrostatics!! The MLs also are an easy to listen to speaker but leave me yearning for more dynamic contrast......

Benesesso: I think you're now bumping up against the need for some EE style filter circuit analysis!! Believe me, this whole world of speaker filter networks has led me back to the books more than once........I think whats even more interesting is how relatively minor circuit changes can make a significant difference in the sound of the speaker. Man, I'd love to hear your sub, you must have to be careful of structural damage-----How does it do on pipe organ pedal??!!

I always remember Peter Aczel's (yes, I know, but still an astute man) comments from a few years back re: Wilson and his music machines----I paraphrase when I say Aczel referred to Wilson as an excellent recording engineer, a fine gentleman basically and the KING of the overpriced "high" end speaker racket!! The drivers are well implemented but there is nothing extraordinary about them......Say, does anyone here ever go to the Madisound board where the guys are into rolling their own?

I've often wondered what the difference is between the Stanford-Binet and the Terman index??

Well, for my part, I run an Icom IC-735 and also have a Tentec Scout with all band modules except 160, 12, and 10m. The Tentec is the only rig I bought new and I use it for backup and vacation use. Audio takes up too much of my extra "sheckel". For VHF-UHF I have a Yaesu VX-5R handi with 2m, 440meg and 6m----excellent little rig! I've been thinking of upgrading to a newer HF rig but have a lot of fun with what I have and am not in any big hurry, besides, I've been "drooling" over the Denon DVD-2900 (or maybe the Yamaha DVD-S2300) universal player and I'm too cheap to tackle both wants within a one year time frame!! I think the LaScalas and velodyne sub would play those new formats (SACD or DVD-A) quite handily. The last statement is to bring this post back to the subject of audio!! (grin)

I run a 300 foot (total length) horizontal loop (not square but roughly triangular) at only about 17ft and fed with heavy duty 300 ohm twin lead and it plays like a trouper from 80m-10m, although its a bit of a "cloud burner" on 80m and difficult to load on 160m. I think you cant beat a loop for a good all around antenna and, of course, its very quiet on receive. I'm planning on building an 80m doublet fed with balanced line for 80m/up and getting it up to the 40-45ft. level when the weather breaks........

Hey, dont sell yourself short, I know Mensa members who wait on tables or drive trucks.........but one could surmise that the lady with the "million bucks" has some serious issues going on!!

I never did understand how Speakerlab was able to manufacture and sell the Khorn clones/knockoffs, was there a patent expiry involved or was this done under some sort of licensing arrangement??

Additionally, note the comments on oil caps herein........ http://members.aol.com/sbench102/caps.html

I have installed a Hovland 1mfd shunt in the AA HF network and the difference is very noticable, I dont know why some "bad mouth" the K77/T35 as I find it very smooth. I think if you check the archives you will find that some that have substituted Auricaps or Hovlands for the 13mfd mid band found very little or no difference in the mid range. Check out "Odds and Mods" as there is some reference to AA mods there........

What is the actual efficiency rating of the K77 tweeter, I wonder if it is a little less sensitive than the midband k55v and consequently benefits from the various xover tweaks that bring up the high end somewhat? I know the 1mfd shunt makes a world of difference in high frequency reproduction and percussion sounds, sheen on strings etc. Anyone know the actual DB/watt@ 1 meter rating?? TIA

Well the CFO guys use a qualifying speed of 45 wpm, but bear in mind this is just to carry on a conversation not to take hard copy.....Some guys are using keyboards at anywhere from 45 to 70+ wpm (nuts!) I can basically get the gist of 60 wpm but might miss the odd lengthy word. I use a Bencher and iambic keyer at about 45-50 wpm. I'm about 95% CW and, of course, like to check into the odd phone net etc. BTW, I too admire that old tube gear and enjoy listening to the AM guys on 3880+/- talking about and using their vintage gear. The only tube gear I own for radio is an old Racal RA-17 receiver (doesn't have all the bell and whistles, tons of memories etc) but still a honey of a performer! Basically SS for audio but I do own a modded Dynaco ST-70 and am curious about this whole SET thing. Maybe we should see who else on the Klipsch forums is a licensed ham and get a discussion net going on 75m or whatever band works best for the time of day----a little more personal than this computer mode.......... BTW CFO is (chicken fat operators)-I know, hokey!! Its named for the clucking sound that CW makes running at high speed..........

"Girls are not my favorite people to hang out with...and I am one! I have very few close female friends. Too much hassle. I'd rather hang with the fallas. The best friends I have ever had have been dudes. Girls can be really mean and heartless." Say, Ah, Georgie, how old are you??

With all the folks using DBS these days or cable, I think the TVI thing is not as risky as it once was. Did your ticket elapse or are you still licensed? Even with the internet and other "techy" type modes of communication, I still love HF and good ol' CW. Between 'puters, SWL, ham radio and listening to my LaScalas I'm less "on the street" then I might of been. VE3MFN (now I've "outted" myself so to speak) FISTS #6922 CFO #888 (high speed CW club) CWM (CW man)

You're not by chance a ham radio operator are you?? -.-. .-- ..-. --- .-. . ...- . .-.

"But one day, when powered with my old Dynaco St-150 (75 w/ch) I played a CD of Saint-Saens Organ Symphony. I like really strong low end, and the Khorn woofers went into gross distortionz" Benesso, with some low pipe organ pedal in the sub 30 hz range I can visualize the Khorn bass drivers no longer being horn loaded and basically flapping in the breeze! I think the Khorn will deliver huge amounts of bass down to about pedal "C" (31.5hz), but at those extreme infrabass frequencies the K33E could easily exceed its Xmax rating and would sound nasty!! Stay in its range and you can feel your pant legs flutter........