Deang

Well hell no -- ain't no way an RF-3 is going hang with a Scala in bass or midrange bite. Buy you know, with the MK III's driving them -- they're going to pound pretty good, and the highs will definitely be smoother at the blistering volume levels. RF-7's completely trounce the Cornwalls at 90db and above. There is an alternative to horn loaded bass, and that's corner loaded bass. I've been reading PWK's biography, and I've read the speaker section 4 times -- I can't seem to get out of that chapter. As of right now, I've got the RF-7's straight into the corners -- something I would never have considered doing -- but the old man convinced me. He was right. It's not only the bass that smooths out (and rises up to meet my gut) -- but the whole presentation is smoother. Did you know corner placement doubles the size of your room? That corner placement causes early reflections to reach the listener AFTER the direct sound -- but only if placed in a corner. All other methods of placement cause reflections to reach the listener BEFORE the direct sound.

Extremely busy at work, they're killing me. I read it, just ran out day to answer it. Thanks for the tubes! You and Edmond are nuts if you think you're ever getting all of these tubes back -- yeesh, I'm set for the next 10 years!

Spending a little money on some wire that looks cool and never turns green ain't really a bad idea. Turkey.

I think the problem with Creed is in the recordings -- kind of gritty sounding to me. Fuel always sounds excellent on the RF-7's. At some point -- I'm going to want you to put those MK III's on the RF-3's.

I sure as hell don't. Buy hey, you got Heritage dude -- you're never pulling more than a 1000th of a milliwatt no matter how far you turn the dial!! Heh (Kelly euphenism).

Betcha changing the internal wiring and going with some nice Goertz or Cardas Twinlinks packed full of Litz sounds better.

I'd be taking a hard look at those tubes as well. What Edmond says makes sense, and is worth checking. Did you swap all the tubes between the amps, or just the 2A3's?

I'm not about to cross swords with you Mark, but man, that number seems kind of high for a Quad of KT-88's in Class A. Doesn't it depend on the circuit (ultralinear, pentode, or triode)? I guess an A/B amp never really 'stays' in Class A. My Quicksilvers have 7 to 9 watts, but anytime the music asks for it -- it's going to go into Class B regardless. Playing around a watt or so, with Scalas -- and your probably going to stay in there pretty much. I'm going to guess the Dynacos give you between 7 and 12 watts.

Your kicking a dead horse. We're done with this topic on Two-Channel. Please take it to the General Forum. Thanks!!

For your reading pleasure: "A stereo contains a power supply that converts 110-volt alternating current into lower-voltage direct current. This direct current is ultimately what powers the speakers. The stereo's power supply first lowers the voltage with the help of a transformer. Alternating current from the power line flows back and forth through a coil of wire in this transformer, the primary coil, and causes that coil to become magnetic. Since the coil's magnetism reverses 120 times a second (60 full cycles of reversal each second), along with the alternating current, it produces an electric field--changing magnetic fields always produce electric fields. This electric field pushes current through a second coil of wire in the transformer, the secondary coil, and transfers power to that current. There are fewer turns of wire in the secondary coil than in the primary coil, so charges flowing in the secondary coil never reach the full 120 volts of the primary coil. Instead, more current flows in the secondary coil than in the primary coil, but that secondary current involves less energy per charge--less voltage. In this manner, power is transferred from a modest current of high voltage charges in the primary coil to a large current of low voltage charges in the secondary coil." "Having used the transformer to produce lower voltage alternating current, the power supply than converts this alternating current into direct current with the help of four diodes and some capacitors. Diodes are one-way devices for electric current and, with four of them, it's possible to arrange it so that the alternating current leaving the transformer always flows in the same direction through the circuit beyond the diodes. The diodes act as switches, always directing the current in the same direction around the rest of the circuit. The capacitors are added to this circuit to store separated electric charge for the times while the alternating current is reversing and the diodes receive no current from the transformer. The capacitors store separated charge while there is plenty of it coming from the transformer and provide current while the alternating current is reversing. Overall, the stereo's power supply is a steady source of direct current." From -- http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/audio_amplifiers.htmlhttp://howthingswork.virginia.edu/audio_amplifiers.html' target=_blank>

Randy, I can see his point -- a new SLP-98 is pretty pricey. Be patient, he'll take care of you. Craig, some of that too heavy duty for you? You know what they say -- if it's too loud and too heavy, you're too old! I just ordered some stuff that would raise the hair up on your neck. Hee hee. Believe it or not -- most of these new bands are 'purists', and what you are hearing is pure tube distortion! Some of what you are hearing is a result of modifications they do to their pickups.

The war has begun. The time for debate is finished. It is now about the men and women abroad in harms way. Godspeed, and God's wings of protection over each. GO USA -- AND GET IT DONE!!

Randy, What's the deal with your Cary? The last I heard, Dennis was just going to take it off your hands and give you a heavy discount on something new. I remember you saying there was no way you could do this right now. How did you twist his arm into working on it?

Break-in with the Auricaps is brutal -- took mine almost three weeks. Mine were in the speaker crossovers.

Another look, with a glorious Mullard EZ-81 in the background -- and dust. Yeesh, I just cleaned this thing. Ah yes, black is beautiful.

The 5963 Blackplate.

Hee, Hee -- For once I'm a step ahead of you Leo, but you beat me to the post!! About a week ago I posted a question regarding the formula for port distance from the wall, in relationship to port size. I've been reading through PWK's autobiography, and there is a good section on his thoughts regarding placement. One of his thoughts that stood out was, "...corner placement effectively doubles the size of the room." My RF-7's were almost three feet out into the room, and two feet in from each wall. Imaging tends to be somewhat important to me, and I've always been careful to avoid the effects of 1st order refections. I finally decided that "imaging" could mean different things, and thought it would be interesting to see what happens if I started moving them around a little -- ignoring my good sensibilities. I held several contradictory ideas in front of me: Kelly and my ideas regarding reflections, Mark's comments regarding his preference for using the walls, and Colins comments in the past about getting the horns shooting just BEHIND the ears. So, the experiment was on. Agonizing. Inch by inch, hour by hour. Tedious, time consuming, uhg. Since I do near field listening, I used the center image to tell me how far apart I could go. I just kept spreading them out until the middle started to diffuse a little, then I would move them in an inch at a time until the center stablized. I then started moving them back, inch by inch, waiting for the room to energize. I decided I didn't care about my in room frequency response -- or flattest response -- I simply went for what brought my ears the most pleasure. I found that very close placement to the back wall (6"), energized the extreme low bass, but left the midbass wanting. 16" off the wall seem to bring it all together for me. Slightly less than 20" from the sides and large panels of acoustic foam running down the sides of the walls worked some magic as well. The acoustic foam was necessary because the speakers are NOT toed into the room anymore and pointed directly at my head -- the horns are now shooting behind my head, and the lesser degree of toe in has more high frequency energy going at the side walls. I also covered the window on the wall behind the system with a nice, thin, soft blanket (black, in case you were wondering). This placement has loaded the whole room down. Sound is everywhere. Not just the bass -- but the middle and top as well. In spite of the acoustic treaments, I think what is happening is that most of the rear wall is acting as a baffle. BIG sound.

I forgot something really important: I wrote out the post while I was at work, and while I was driving home I happened to remember that along with making the change from the Blackplates to the Telefunkens -- I had also changed out the Sylvania EZ-81's for the Mullard EZ-81's that Edmond had sent along with the Telefunkens. I had decided when I got home, I would pull out the Telefunkens, and put the Blackplates back in -- but leaving the Mullard EZ-81's in place. I thought of Kelly while I was sticking the Blackplates back into the tube sockets. Kelly once emailed me, "Dean, there is a Mullard EZ-81 on ebay right now, BUY IT -- It will make a HUGE difference." Of course, it was gone buy the time I got out there. I would search for one from time to time when I thought of it -- but no real aggressive pursuit. As it turns out -- a mistake. Kelly's Legacy here will always be getting some tube rectification into the system -- or as I like to call it, tube rectalfication. The Mullard EZ-81 and RCA Blackplates are a marvelous combination. It brought things to that middle ground I'm always looking for, an added some nice warmth to the presentation. The transients of the Blackplates are still in place, but the sound is certainly smoother. I'm estatic at this point, because a $20 RCAs bring me more joy than $100 Telefunkens. Incidently, Edmond's Blackplates are NOT 12AU7's, but 5963's. The 5963 is a premium industrial version, and does have a slightly lower plate voltage rating than the 12AU7. This is a very nice tube, and though not being sought out presently, will surely be on the hit list as the Telefunkens and RCA Cleartops vanish. People tend to focus on the tubes that are disappearing instead of the tubes that are highly available. This is simply human nature. Both the 5963 and 12AU7 Blackplates are some of best tubes ever made -- and are 1950's vintage, just like the Telefunken smoothplates. Tonight, I decided that any future disposable income will be put towards snatching up Mullard EZ-81's and 5AR4's. Kelly of course was right -- Mullard tube rectalfication makes a HUGE difference. Pinewood Derby I do NOT mess with the wheels or the axels. The only think I do is apply a dry lubricant and turn the nail so the small ridges are facing down. The wheels don't make contact with them once weight is applied. I not NOT put weight in the back, or the front. I find the fulcrum, and center load the body as close to perfect as I can get it. Weight is equally distributed across all four wheels. I stay with body styles that are as areodynamic as I can get them. No sharp corners across the top. The cars are usually shaped like a shallow hill. We had the fastest time last year until the 2nd heat, when the car hit the foam at the bottom, flipped over and hit the tile, snapping the wood where the driver's sided front axel went in. The car was constistently a car length or more ahead of anything it ran against during trials and general goofing around. I need to find a way to shore up the axels somehow. We race on Saturday.

I use the 6BL8 in my 299B. So, if I plug in a 6U8 -- I should hear a difference, correct?

...or preamp section, is without question going to be the biggest determining factor in determining the tonal quality of your music. Over the last year (having gone through several pieces of gear on both the amp and preamp side), I've come to believe that the amplifier will primarily dictate drive capability, macro-dynamics, and total balance (which way things tip). However, it will be the preamp that determines the character/tone, 3D imaging ability, as well as the subtle details in the music. Amplifer changes never brought about dramatic differences in the same way a preamp change did. The most dramatic system change I ever encountered was going from the 6922 based Sonic Frontiers Line 1 to the 6SN7 based AE-3 DJH. It is true that going from something like the AE-25 DJH to the Apollos, or from the Apollos to the Quicksilvers -- brings about significant changes, but more in the areas of weight, substance, and balance. Having to downsize my system (money wise) gave me the opportunity to try something I had been wanting to try for a long time -- a 12AU7 based preamp. Most of you know by now how Edmond (Jazzman) bailed me out by offering to sell me his Cary SLP-90 Line Stage, accepting payments from me so I would not have to revert to something like a passive preamp. I've been so involved and stressed just waiting for the new boards in the RF-7's to break in and settle down, I simply have not had it in me to sit down and actually enjoy this fine piece of equipment. Until just very recently, listening to the RF-7 setup long enough to check the treble, and then playing the system to an empty room -- while going downstairs to enjoy the Scott and Cornwalls. It wasn't until last Wednesday that I noticed a marked difference in the treble output, and finally decided to sit in front of the system and put some heat through it. Ethan and myself were working on his Pinewood Derby car, and by nights end we were both enjoying a rocking good time. Meanwhile, Edmond emails me to say he has mailed me his priceless Telefunkens for me to try out, stating he wanted me to hear the Cary at it's very best. He had made this offer to me previously but I had declined, being content with the Blackplates, and concerned about putting hours on his vintage babies. But Edmond mails them anyway -- so, not only is Edmond a really nice person -- he's apparently stubborn as well. The Telefunkens show up, and are sitting on the table waiting for me. What to do, what to do? I'm so happy with the system as it stands -- why change anything? Why agonize myself with a possible improvement I cannot afford to implement? I'm tired of the tweaking. Finally just listening to the music again. I grab the box and head upstairs. These tubes I'm sure, set Edmond back a little. Original boxes with tubes showing no external wear. The labels are perfect. I'm not one to pay for this level of perfection. I'm happy with white boxes and some smearing of the labels. Since my habit is to wipe my NOS tubes down with ISP before use -- the labels usually end up more than gone anyway. NOS tubes usually show evidence of handling and some accumulation of fine dust, and I'm more concerned with hot spots developing on the tubes, and the resulting subsequent damage to the envelope -- than I am about the condition of the labels for resale purposes. At any rate, I can get pairs of Telefunken 12AU7 smoothplates, matched to 2% transconductance, in white boxes with above average labeling for -- $135. I think Edmond probably paid more for these beautiful tubes. So, I get out the ISP and wipe the tubes down. Just kidding. Edmond's tubes get the white cotton glove treatment and the finest care while handling. I push them into the sockets, turn everything on, and then go outside to smoke a good clove cigarette and drink a cup of coffee. 20 minutes later I'm back in front of the system. In the tray is the new Chevelle CD. Tis' my new favorite it is -- rich, dynamic, and very well recorded. I had just listened to it the night before -- and just started it up back up. Back when I was rolling some tubes through the AE-3, there were moments while listening I thought I could achieve just as much difference with a cable change. Always different, but subtle enough to not warrant much excitement. This 12AU7 rolling experiment was going to give me a new perspective on tube rolling. Where the RCA Blackplates give a very solid bottom end, the Telefunkens are somewhat soft. I wouldn't characterize them as 'mushy', though this is what comes to mind while listening. I will just stick with soft, as the bass transients just lack the attack of the Blackplates. I also think the Telefunken 12AU7 bass sounds a little wooly, as opposed to the clarity of the Blackplates. In the upper treble, I find little if any difference at all. Clarity and shimmer seems the same to me. I think there might be a difference in the decay rate of some of the cymbal work, but I won't know for sure until I plug the Blackplates back in. I think maybe the Telefunkens have better decay. The midrange is where the differences really show up. The Telefunkens are almost milky in comparison to the Blackplates. "Milky" is a step up from "Syrupy". "Syrupy" is thick and slow, and this is not what the Telefunkens sound like. The Telefunkens however, do give up some transparency in order to give out the thicker liquid middle. Things are warm and tight, and the snare drum is pressed back somewhat with the rest of the music. I appreciated the additional warmth and richness. Very nice. The Blackplates OTOH, are very transparent, and I would agree with Edmond in characterizing them as "neutral". In spite of lacking some of the liquid quality one normally associates with "lush" or "romantic" -- The Blackplates are an excellent sounding tube as well. They sound very open and have excellent transients, and this they do without sounding bright or forward. I would say that the Telefunkens have more of the classic tube sound, and the Blackplates come closer to solid state in overall slam and transients -- without the grain of course. I really enjoy the Telefunkens, and it's easy to see why they are so favored by those of you who use them with Heritage. I believe the Cary must be an outstanding unit in order to let the differences in these tubes come through the way they did -- no matter what the tube, the system sounds wonderful -- and I'm sure a great deal of credit has to go to this fantastic unit.

6N14NEB? Hmmm. I thought they were 6P14EB's. At any rate, old Ruskie Military types. Sound pretty good to me.

Measure? All I'ze got iz a meter thingy. I couldn't carry Craig's tool box.

"Because there are no Bose Tampons available!" Classic Lynn. Once again -- almost spitting coffee on my terminal screen.

"Whats about to unfold is going to be transformative for the Middle East, for American relations with Europe and for the United States itself. Ah yes, the whole Muslim Middle East is going to sit idle while we put a puppet government in place and build Walmarts in Iraq. Doo-doo is going to hit the fan.

Who cares? These are the same people that would rate a Porsche a poor buy because of lack of trunk space.