JBryan

"Does the Tubed Cross over Still suffer "Loose Bass?" - Not that I have heard. I've used a Marchand XM26 for a few years and it (like most of Phil's offerings) seems to step out of the way. After trying several approaches to mixing SET and digital amps, I'd suggest an active xover if you're going to bi-amp. A Marchand XM9 2-way xover will do nicely in your setup. The xover is very quiet, adds little or nothing to the sound and allows you to adjust the damping factor which is very handy when you're trying to mix n' match amplifiers - especially SS and tubed. You can get the kits for @$500 or they show up every so often on A'gon for $300-350 and the modules cost $25/set. Have fun.

1st 12" 45rpm I ran across was Genesis' - 'Spot the Pigeon". I was excited when I found it and since Genesis tended toward longer songs, I didn't even notice that it was an EP. I put it on the TT and my friends and I listened for a good while before we realized it couldn't be such a slow song (probably when Phil started singing)....DOH! 45rpm EPs started showing up in the bins in the late-70's and hit their stride in the 80's. I hadn't noticed any full albums at 45rpm until a few years ago with the reissues but then, I didn't know they were still making tube amps until I stumbled across a classified ad in the newspaper for a Music Reference RM9 back in 1992 or so...big DOH!

Most subs like to be close to reflective surfaces - walls corners, floors and lifting them off the floor may take some of the "thump" away. As far as locating them goes, if you can, place one of them in your sitting position, put on some music and walk around the room - corners and all. Put them in the spots that sound the best and are closest to your speakers (SAPs?) for good coherence. The ideal spot is tied to your room's acoustics and usually not where you'd think it'd be. It also won't be the ideal location for blending with your speakers but at least you'll have a starting point to work with. Of course, if you're only concerned with the little ones being attracted to that green light, a piece of electrical tape strategically placed over the switch light may be enough to defeat their curiosity...outta sight, outta mind, ya know.

Before I bought Khorns, I answered a classified for a pr of Altec VOTTs. The old gent even helped me load them on his truck and followed me to my house. After he'd driven off, I realized that they were too big to fit through an opening to the hallway. Back then, I depended on getting my audio finds into the basement before the wife came home. I figured once in the basement, she wouldn't notice for a few weeks and I'd have worked up a great story/excuse by then. No such luck that day as the VOTTs were as big as life in the living room when she walked in the door. Luckily, she was more amused than angry when she heard the story and I think she found some relief in the fact that the house would physically limit the size of toys I could bring home in the future.

Excellent time to bring this up Coytee. I've been thinking that though there are folks in this discussion that absolutely refute any claim other than the "wire-is-wire" mantra, there seems to be quite a few that allow that cables may sound different but they are not prepared to accept that those differences are of any value (certainly not on a cost basis) or in some cases, even audible. Max mentioned that while he doesn't take measurements, he has had to adjust the rest of his system to accommodate a new cable or IC. My experience is quite similar in that I've changed most of my cabling 3 or 4 times over the years and an IC here and there often enough. Though its not considered acceptable in many audio circles, I have used cables (mainly IC's) to eq components- roughly, silver for the higher frequencies and copper for the bottom end. Over time, I was able to get a feel for the basic sound of my system and if a new component sounded a bit shrill, I would use copper IC's and if a bit boomy, silver. This was only a temporary adjustment and it would help me determine if and how well the component would match up with the rest of the system. The difference was never a slap in the face and often barely noticeable but over time, when I'd put on a familiar album, I'd discern whether the component was improving the basic sound are not and if I was able to pinpoint an area that was effecting the overall sound (such as boomy or shrill), I would change the IC and see if that helped. In the end, most components that required an IC to sound their best would be moved out as I considered that as filtering and discounted the component's ability to fit in with the rest of the system. The most noticeable difference I heard from cables was when I inserted a reel-to-reel deck. When I first had it, I placed it about 5' from the preamp and had to dash over to the local electronics store to get some run-of-the-mill IC's that would reach. The deck worked out well and sounded pretty good but the sound was a bit lush compared to the other sources. I ordered a pr of IC's from a fella named Grover and when I exchanged them with the ROTM IC's, the lushness was gone and the R2R sounded more refined and detailed. Getting back to Max's observation, on the occasions that I change out a component or an IC between the preamp, crossover or amps, I run a sound check using a few tracks off of test CDs and a mike located at the listening position and graph the results. Though I rarely have to make any adjustments with a new component, I inevitably have to make slight adjustments to the crossover when I change IC's or speaker cable. Noting no other changes in the system or room, I think this may qualify as a back-end approach to suggest that different cables do alter the signal - at least in regard to frequency levels and damping factor.

Excellent Jon - way to step up and re-evaluate your situation and system. The 'Scalas will certainly add a different perspective to your gear (changing one piece at a time would offer more insight). I've experienced that while the CW's have a deeper bottom-end, the LS's are faster and more detailed. You'll have the opportunity to decide which fits your room and suits your taste. BTW, my doc suggested 1 part Hydrogen Peroxide mixed with 1 part hot water to clear out excessive earwax. Squirt the solution into the canal with a large syringe followed by a warm water rinse. Have fun

So....our perceptions are limited by our reality and our reality is a based on a decision to perceive? Therefore, those who can hear a difference in audio cables and components have already decided that they will hear a difference while those who don't hear any difference have decided the converse. Wouldn't that tend to negate the results of a blind test of any kind? If by example, a Klipschorn was being demonstrated for us and we were thoroughly convinced that even though a curtain had been drawn in front of it, the Khorn remained although it had been replaced by a Bose computer speaker, would we still hear a Klipschorn? What effect would our memory of the recently demonstrated Khorn have on the new set of stimuli that is presented to us by the Bose?

I've had a pair of Bozak speakers since 4th grade (1970) and manage to plug 'em up every few years but they haven't resided in my main system since I moved to Baltimore - about 18 years ago. I'd get rid of them except I doubt they'd be worth the trouble and I can't bring myself to leave them at the Salvation Army (though my wife would be delighted to assist). The Khorns have been my main speakers since 2000 but they've gone through quite a few modifications along the way. I'd say that I've left them be for about 2 years now...we'll see how long that lasts.

BTW, you should be congratulated for putting up with the same speakers for 10 years. I'd think if you were to take a poll, you wouldn't find a high percentage of folks on this forum that can claim that feat. Have fun

Its OK...CW's aren't for everybody, then again there's no one speaker system that will appeal to all tastes. You'll have to dismantle your system, save those pieces that you enjoy and rebuild the rest. Its what this hobby is about and some folks just don't stop when they've reached a point of satisfaction - they know that something else will always sound better. Colorations are a funny thing in that all speaker systems are colored in some way - you'll just have to find the least objectionable to your ears and one that interacts with your system and in your room in the most acceptable way. Its all about compromise and audio nirvana is within you, not in your system. Of course, you could always just scrap the system and attend more concerts but different halls and auditoriums have their own set of problems too....Oh well.

Right Channel ('R') to RED Left Channel ('L') to WHITE Right Channel Ground ('G') to GREEN Left Channel Ground ('H') to BLUE Hope that helps Joe

The Cable War Saga...beyond the wires. The camps have been established and the banners unfurled yet again but what really motivates these armies and why, after numerous battles, do the soldiers always return to the same camp - unfazed by the day's exchanges and undeterred in their devotion to their viewpoint? In the extremes, you have the "Physichotics" and " Le Auralists" camps. These soldiers are rarely seen on the field of battle as their weapons are of little use or in the case of the L'auralists, non-existent. The "PHYCO's", easily identified by the slide rules protruding from their pocket-protectors, hold fast to their notes from high school physics class and will occasionally shout something about the exchange of energy through electron-transmission and throw zip cord over the barricade to no one in particular. The auralists have built a fine camp and find no reason to leave save for a dry-cleaning run every week or so. Their camp is unfortified and mostly quiet though they have an elaborate security system that protects an assortment of vastly-overpriced speaker wire in their treasury. Recon patrols have reported hearing low-key chants like "if it sounds good, it is good" which is always followed by "ya know, Duke Ellington said that" and sometimes " I thought it was Louie Armstrong" and "Whatever, please pass the Brie" or "OH! Is that Stilton?!" There have been sightings of an auralist wandering out of the camp and onto the battlefield after a particularly engaging wine 'n cheese party, usually described in a disheveled (though still very nice) uniform with some wine stains on the lapel. These poor souls are quickly dispatched, dismembered and disemboweled by a combatant from the Cable Atheist camp. The Cable Atheists (they eschew any attempts to shorten their name) are the self-ordained fact police whose camp is located within close proximity to the PHYCO's though there is little or no communication between the two camps. Its rumored that these two groups were once united as evidenced by the similarities of their uniforms but the CA's broke away when they found new weapons. Strewn about the tents are huge coils of insulated copper wire stamped with names like Monster , Radio Shack and Romex (?). Away from the battlefield, they are often seen in camp prostrated before an array of dusty electronic equipment repeating the mantra..."all that is measured - and nothing more". On the field, they carry calculators and wear a curious-looking helmet that incorporates a set of monitor visors that cover their eyes and filter out any erroneous information that may skew the data stream. The helmets are quite cumbersome and tend to cover the wearer's ears and the monitors act as blinders, preventing sideways glances so the army enters the field in tight single-file formations and matches in a very straight line toward their arch-enemy, the Cable Alchemists. The ALCHY's are a curious lot in that they have the same weaponry as the Cable Atheists but only use them for show. Though they seem innocent enough, they are the ones who usually instigate these encounters and take great pleasure in calling out the Cable Atheists. When not on the field, they busy themselves scouring the internet and magazines searching for reviews and discussing the cable du jour, touching on such topics as Metallurgy, Annealing, Dialectics, and Impedance-matching. These discussions are somewhat incestuous and agreement abounds with "there must be something more... something more" often quipped throughout. These are the true warriors and more often than not, a single combatant enters the field, exalting the virtues and nuances that they have heard from a cable, newly forged from some mysterious process and often with an exotic name. The lone combatant is quickly joined and congratulated by his crew as the Cable Atheists mass on the horizon. The battle begins simply enough with the Cable Atheists demanding documentation and the relevant measurements. The ALCHY's respond with a brief description of the listening experience and begin comparing the new cable with previous endeavors but they never get to finish as they are shouted down with accusations of incompetence and self-delusion. The battle quickly escalates with some ALCHY's spouting opinions while their comrades throw articles, reviews and white papers to back them up. The Cable Atheists are able to thwart the onslaught by slashing through a good deal the documents and stamping them "Unverified", "Non-measurable Data" and "Opinion-only". The rest are left strewn on the ground unnoticed as the Cable Atheists are unable to see them through the filtered visors they wear (d@#n helmets again!). The battle may rage on for weeks, even months or spurt on and vanish within a few hours but when the dust settles, everyone returns to the same camp and a stalemate has been reached once again. No quarter has been gained nor given and there is no victory to celebrate nor defeat to mourn. But is there anything else at play here? An unnamed source who claims contact with or has infiltrated each camp has come forward and shocked the audio world by stating that the origins of this aged conflict can be traced back to 2 factors - Money and Fear....really just fear but money always seems to play a part. Stay tuned....

Well, the records arrived from BB in a standard record box with paper and air pillows - they must've run out of packing materials shortly thereafter. Sorry to hear that some weren't packed properly. Enjoy!

Let's see... Klipsch, Joule Electra and Emotive Audio keep showing up in your various systems. Are we seeing a pattern here? Nice wall o' 'Scalas BTW. Now just stack a few Oris 200 horns on them and you'd be right back where you were a few years ago. You look like your having fun again... glad to see it.

Joe, You didn't say whether the squealing was mechanical or not. Turn the gain down the next time it occurs - if the noise goes away, clean the heads. If not, it may be the reels although I'm sure you'd notice that but its more likely a belt that needs adjustment (or replacement) or the bearings need a spot of lubricant.

Joe, Given my experience with you over the years, I'd say that this "cycle" of yours is no where near its end. Most folks begin their journey with a specific destination in mind but only a few are able to strap on binders and never stray off the path. I know a fella who always wanted to run a pair of Khorns with a McIntosh MC-225 amp and C-22 preamp. I don't know why he decided on this exact gear but once he had the mean$, he bought everything on his shopping list within a few months, hooked it all up and he's been happily listening to the same gear for the last 20 years or so (his music hasn't changed much either). He's never thought about trying anything else - Lord knows, I've tried. Then there's Bob - as nice a guy as you could meet who has listened to more gear over the last 30 years than even he can remember. I've known the man for 10 years and can't even count the speakers he's had in that time. I can attest to 4 pairs of Khorns, 3 sets of CWs, Belles, Fortes, Epic C-4, 2 pr of Altec VOOTs, 2 pr of Soundlab A-1 and several different pairs of Magnepans and JBLs. He's had plenty of other brands including Alon, ProAc, Vandersteen. Meadowlark, Celestion, Quad, B&W, KEF, Oris, Tannoy, Zu and several DIY units - horn, single driver and others. I know I'm forgetting plenty and this is just since I've known the man and I'm only mentioning the speakers he's had! I met Bob when I answered an ad in the paper for a pr of Music Reference RM-9 amps he was selling. Over the next few years, we traded and bought gear from each other at a frenetic pace. He would get excited about a piece of gear he'd heard somewhere and just have to have it - occasionally selling the rest of his system to get the cash. Sometimes he'd have a great piece playing through gear I'd loaned him - far from the same quality. One example was when he sold everything to buy a beautiful Jadis preamp and then borrowed a pr of beat up JBL StudioMasters and a dusty Dynaco ST-70 I had picked up at a thrift shop for next to nothing. Bob's blind so he didn't seem to care but the juxtaposition of that shiny golden, flawless preamp sitting next to these nasty, beat and dirty old pieces really struck me. These 2 friends both appreciate music and want nice-sounding gear but their approaches couldn't be more different. While David's journey was simply a means to his goal, Bob's journey has become the experience and that in itself, is the goal and there is no end to it. Which brings me back to you Joe - while I haven't bought nearly as much gear as you recently, both of us (and a few friends) couldn't keep pace with Bob's audio acquisitions and dalliances. You, I and many others fall somewhere in between these 2 examples where the journey is often just as satisfying (sometimes more so) than the original goal of putting a great system together. Its all good...

I 2nd Brent Jesse - he's a reputable guy with fair prices and his tubes show up as described. eBay used to be a great place to find nice tubes at good prices but word got out that $ could be made and every Tom, Dick and Harry started selling tubes. Most are just plain ignorant about tubes and you just don't know what will show up. There's always a few sellers that can somehow claim that the box of loose tubes or "pulls" they just picked up are still N(ew) O(ld) S(tock). I used to enjoy going to the area hamfests where I found all the tubes I ever needed and had a great time chatting it up with the fellas but its becoming too competitive out there. The "re-sellers" show up early and pick out the best tubes while the tailgaters are still setting up - pissing most of them off in the process. The TG's finally got online and figured out what the re-sellers were doing and now the tubes are priced accordingly and just as ignorantly. The days of finding metal-base 6SN7's and the occasional 45 in the $1 box are long gone...sniff. Then again, maybe I'm just getting older.

BTW, the USPS tracking never works for me. The seller sends me a note that the item has shipped along with the tracking# but unless its Priority Mail, the status page always tells me something to the effect that no record exists for the tracking#. I checked just now (30 min after the package was delivered) and the page tells me that the package was received yesterday at the regional PO ( I assume for delivery). I should check tomorrow or Monday to make sure it was in fact, delivered.

My local BB didn't have any copies available for Record Store Day so on a whim, I ordered 2 of these online last Saturday. I kept thinking that a mistake had been made since the LPs were selling for $55-70 everywhere else. I figured BB would either send me a note explaining that the item was no longer available or worse, the description was incorrect and I'd get the CDs instead of vinyl. Well, the mailman just dropped a package off at the door a few minutes ago and BB came through with the real McCoys - the 200 gram, pressed in Japan limited edition vinyl....WHEW! Such a deal, I hope everyone that placed an order gets theirs soon. Have fun...

All assumptions are an acknowledgement of ignorance... some will only make you look silly in the end but some can kill. That's why in the days before the computer, mathematicians and scientists always preferred chalk to run through an idea and while good engineers based their work on sound math and science. they still did their drawings in pencil. I read a paper about 'Psycho-acoustics' a while back and in one of the experiments, each member of the test group had their hearing tested and were then subjected to tones, music, etc. where the frequency had been cut off at the upper range that coincided with the individual's hearing test. They were then given the same course but without the frequency cut off. The members reported hearing more information, detail and clarity than before. The author theorized that while the subjects weren't physically able to hear the higher frequencies, they could hear the harmonics associated with those frequencies within their hearing range and their brain was able to fill in the information. In regard to cables, someone with an engineer''s mindset would be hard-pressed to look beyond the simple fact that its just electrons passing energy from one end of the cable to the other (we won't touch on quantum theory here) but my point is that there is more involved than can be spec'ed out on a piece of paper and the vast nature of our perceptions is beyond mechanical description - whether it's science or alchemy.

You love music, I love MUSIC, WE ALL LOVE MUSIC... ha ha! You just keep repeating that "embrace the Music" mantra but look around.... this is a Gear forum full of Gearheads who stumbled onto this site because of their interest in the products of an engineer who spent a good portion of his life analyzing gear. Of course you're not bad.... and being a bit delusional at 1:30AM isn't all that unusual either. [] Have fun

I've heard of daisy-chaining pres together using the "Tape Out/Tape In" but only when someone wanted to use a pre's phono stage. Don't know how it sounds but most likely, you'll be adding to the noise floor and it's definitely a case of under-utilization and with some pres, a waste of tubes. Unless you're in love with those preamps, I'd suggest selling both to get a pre that suits your needs - there are plenty out there with multiple AUX inputs. Another possibility is to get an AUX box or a passive preamp. Have fun

Its fairly simple - like deciding which ketchup you like best but try not to ingest the tubes as they are full of toxic materials (some radioactive) and the glass is hell on the gums. Only you will know what you like but putting down some criteria and setting parameters is helpful. I'm particularly concerned with noise and if a tube has any, I don't care how open and natural it sounds - its gone. Other folks are willing to accept some noise in the trade but that's a personal call. Microphonics can be a bother - some tubes are inherently susceptible and unless properly damped, can add distortion and ringing to higher frequencies. If lightly tapping the tube with a pencil or such can be heard through the speakers (yes - it has to be plugged in for this test), then its microphonic. Most tubes are but then tap the component's chassis - if you still hear it through the speakers, the tube needs to be damped or replaced. Some folks like a little microphonics - especially in preamps as they say it adds a bit of shimmer and airiness but too much will make pianos sound hard and cymbals sizzle. Next, I would suggest listening to various tunes or albums that you're fond of paying particular attention to the bottom, mid and high frequencies - bass, drums, vocals, acoustic guitar, piano and trumpet come to mind. You can ask yourself if you are hearing anything different; is the music more fleshed out; are there more nuance and details that weren't there before; are the bass notes more visceral; do the vocals and instruments sound more real and immediate - pay particular attention to drums, cymbals, piano and the female voice. Now, REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT. Some tubes - especially NOS will take some time to break in and may actually become less noisy over time but others will do just the opposite. Some tubes will reveal their deficiencies immediately and obviously but keep in mind that the differences between most tubes are quite subtle and those "Night-and-Day" claims some people throw out there are often someone trying to justify spending the extra $100. Like most every other component in audio, tubes are system-dependent. Most importantly, don't try to compare tubes or make a decision in a single sitting. Once you have eliminated the tubes that don't appeal to you for obvious reasons, spending time listening is the only way to average out the experience and get a real feel for the tube's sound. You will also be educating your ears to pick up on the differences and over time, you will tend to lose (or at least subdue) any bias you may have acquired for or against a certain tube or sound. After a few weeks or possibly months, you'll be able to determine whether the tubes you've been listening to have improved your listening experience or not. If you're more satisfied with the new tubes, put the old ones away and enjoy...or pick up another set of tubes and start the process over. Have fun

I just found this site - Archive.org and they have a rather large collection of Grateful Dead's live shows (6500 and counting). All have been authorized for download by the band though the recordings were pulled at one point after a disagreement but Phil Lesh was able to bring everyone back in line. The site also archives live shows by hundreds of other artists - Warren Zevon, Bela Fleck, Robyn Hitchcock, Smashing Pumpkins, Southern Culture on the Skids and the Flower Kings to name a few I found and you can browse by formats - Lossless and 24 bit FLAC among others. The site archives all sorts of items in the digital domain aside from music-related - check it out. Here's a list of the Dead shows... http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=collection%3AGratefulDead Have fun

I wont deny that Josh Stippich (Electronluv) is an audio-artist but this is plain scary....