scotbuck

---------------- On 5/22/2005 1:31:07 PM Daddy Dee wrote: ...I'm curious to know the particulars of the refurb work that was done. ---------------- Greetings, The folks at Just Service said that they basically went through and checked/re-soldered connections throughout. The invoice lists no parts, so I assume none were changed. You can check the repair shop out by navigating your browser to www.justservice.com or by calling (773) 871-7177. Hope this helps... Take care, Scott

Greetings, As some of you may have seen in previous threads, I'm pretty well sold on the Tripath sound. Therefore, I'll be selling my other amplifiers. First up is a totally refurbished Harman Kardon 730 receiver (the work was done at "Just Service" on Clark St. here in Chicago). Asking price is $150, which will let me recoup most of my cost ($100 for the original purchase on ebay and $100 for the refurbishing work). I'd prefer pickup to delivery as this'll let you save on shipping costs -- and save me packaging hassles. If interested, please email me at: scotbuck@sbcglobal.net Take care, Scott

---------------- On 5/1/2005 11:59:02 PM Piranha wrote: I am considering revisiting vinyl. Am I nuts or is this a good idea? Why, why not? ---------------- Greetings, Despite the improvements in digital playback, I still find I prefer analog. Even with their greatly improved sampling rates, CD players still stike me as sounding more synthetic as opposed to turntables which to me sound more organic. An LP, despite some pops and clicks, can still draw me into the music better than a CD can. However, if you're planning on spending high $$$ on a 'table and even higher $$$ on building a record collection (prices are definitely at a premium now for good vinyl), you might want to wait to see how the so-called "blue laser" technology develops. It might be that this technology will finally allow digital to catch up to analog. Hope this helps... Take care, Scott

Greetings, The folks at 6moons.com announed the following: "3/31/05 - Sonic Impact T-Amp Gen 2: In response to the incredible popularity of the original and the countless DIY modifications it inspired, Rick Bracke of Sonic Impact Technologies is now introducing his own hot-rodded version, incorporating the features customers have been asking for. The 2026 will be an improved, gussied-up T-amp for $119 and the 2050 a 50wc version for $299. Our own Jeff Day has taken delivery of samples to continue reporting on this underground phenomenon." And the saga continues... Take care, Scott

---------------- On 4/7/2005 12:00:17 PM tigerwoodKhorns wrote: Ouch! I ordered through Amazon.com and the item is comming from DakMArt. Hope I get it in one piece. Chris ---------------- Greetings, I got mine through Amazon/Dakmart and didn't have any problems at all. While I'll keep an eye on my credit card activity, I suspect these folks would be foolish to ruin their opportunity to be associated with Amazon.com. They'd be shooting themselves in the foot. Take care, Scott

Greetings, My kg4's are 6 ohm and I prefer the sound from the 4 ohm tap on the amp. The bass is a little fuller and the highs are a little sweeter. Take care, Scott

---------------- On 4/5/2005 9:41:12 PM NOSValves wrote: ---------------- On 4/5/2005 9:29:44 PM scotbuck wrote: What Audio Note amplifier do you have ? Craig ---------------- Greetings, I've got an Audio Note OTO Phono SE, which is a 10wpc single-ended amp that uses two EL84 tubes wired together in triode mode to make a "super EL84" tube per channel. A *great* amp, but I noticed on a CD that my band made (and which I played a lead role in mixing) that the sound through the Audio Note/tripath combo was closer to the mixing room experience than the sound through Audio Note by itself. Note that the Audio Note by itself is *far* more lush; it's an absolutely gorgeous sounding amp - but I'm thinking (at least in my initial, short-term listening experiences) it may not be quite as *accurate* as the tripath amps. One could argue that the tripaths acted more as a disinterested third party, simply taking the signal they received and making it louder, whereas the Audio Note amplified the signal by taking a keen interest in improving the sound by adding its own brand of single-ended mojo. Admittedly, this is unscientific, but hopefully it helps illustrate the differences I've heard. This isn't to say that one is, overall, better than the other. Sometimes we want to hear the truth and nothing but the truth; sometimes we might prefer a little white lie told with the best of intentions... Of course regardless of what I think now, I'll likely change my mind later! Take care, Scott

Greetings, To add my two cents' worth on the tripath... I've got the Teac (just arrived) and the Sonic Impact (which has had a couple weeks of burn-in, which really *does* improve the sound). Overall, I found the Teac to be a little fuller in the bass than the SI and perhaps a bit more extended in the highs. I expect it will mellow out a bit as it gets broken in. It's not significantly louder than the SI, though. I suspect it puts out 30wpc the same way that the SI puts out 15wpc - in other words ... NOT! The SI, lacks some bass extension compared with the Teac but strikes me as being more dynamic overall. And since it's broken in a bit it's midrange has gotten silkier. BOTH amps sound *significantly* better when I use the pre-amp out on my Audio Note SET. Whether this is due to the toobs or simply the gain and buffering found in non-passive pre-amp I really couldn't say. I've ordered a passive pre-amp w/phono stage (cheap) to experiment. (For 75 bucks it's hard to go wrong...!) Maybe it's simply over-enthusiasm about finding a new technology, but my impression thus far is that, provided the Audio Note's preamp in play, BOTH tripaths eat my standalone Audio Note for lunch (and as a bona fide toobaholic I *really* can't believe I'm saying this!!!) Also, the folks at Red Wine Audio (http://redwineaudio.com/) do their own version of the Sonic Impact amp, called the Clari-T, as well as a full mod on the Teac - each with apparently high-quality components for under $500. They're also developing their own passive preamp, to be called the Puri-T. All of which means that tripath fans have got a LOT to look forward to as this technology hits its stride... Take care, Scott

---------------- On 4/5/2005 8:22:59 PM Tony Reed wrote: Well... I've ordered this amp from 2 different places and both places canceled on me. If anyone has a lead on where I can still get this thing for around $100, please let me know. Tony ---------------- Greetings, I ordered mine on Amazon.com from a new vendor named Dakmart. Arrived without a problem ... $99 plus shipping. Hope this helps... Take care, Scott

---------------- On 4/4/2005 9:48:15 AM maxg wrote: I thought this was all but impossible from a single driver. check out the specs on these drivers - designed with horns in mind it seems. Please let me know approximately how much BS we are talking here: http://www.fullrange-speakers.com/5version/eng/aerdrivers-e.htm ---------------- Greetings, Before purchasing my kg4's I used Lowther PM2A (alnico) drivers in both rear horn-loaded cabinets and crossed over with a woofer. In the horn cabinets, useful bass response started to roll off at perhaps 100Hz. While the bass reproduction was lightning fast and articulate, it wasn't very extended (to say the least!). With a 15" woofer, the bass was richer and more extended, but not as fast - and not as efficient/sensitive as the basshorn cabinet. Sub-woofers arent' a good option as they're generally way too slow to match up with a fullrange driver. Lowthers, and most other fullrange (widerange?) drivers, are typically outstanding at both microdynamics and imaging; female voice and piano are scary good (tenor sax not so much...). They offer "point-source" sound reproduction down to about 400Hz, where the bass-horn takes over reproducing the wave coming off the back of the driver. The basshorn speaker cabinets are big - and stick out far into the room from the back wall. Still, fullrange drivers are based on sound principles (pardon the pun) and do have their virtues. They're not a perfect solution; then again, nothing is. In the end, I've been happier with my little kg4's. Take care, Scott

---------------- On 3/31/2005 7:25:05 AM playntheblues wrote: Scott, depending on how far you want to go with this. Vinnie at redwineaudio.com does some great mods to the Teac. You might want to check it out. I have ordered the Teac from wildwest and am tempted to have Vinnie mod it. I believe Guy L. has already done this and is waiting for it to be delivered. All the best, Guy ---------------- Greetings, Thanks for the info; I'll see how the Teac works out then go from there. I have seen many examples - in my guitar effects pedals - where battery power is *vastly* superior to AC power (and vintage style batteries giving better results than modern batteries). Why this is I don't know, but the difference is substantial. BTW, listening to tunes coming from the SI tonight again; getting better all the time...........................(!) Thanks again for the heads up! Take care, Scott

Greetings, A short time ago I posted my initial impressions of my newly purchased Sonic Impact t-amp. Last weekend I did an interesting experiment... When my buddy came over I hid the t-amp and started playing some new CDs. After a few minutes I inquired how he liked the music, to which he replied that he liked it just fine. Then I showed him the amp. After he picked his jaw up off the floor, put his eyeballs back in their sockets, and wiped the drool off his shirt (he's kind of a messy dude...) and fully realized that he wasn't listening to music coming from my Audio Note SET, he immediately said he had to buy a t-amp. I, in the meantime, have ordered the famed Teac t-amp and will be interested to see how it's 30wpc compares to the SI's 6wpc. (I've noticed that the SI can't do a full-blown symphony through my kg4's.) I still haven't considered the t-amp to be a replacement for my SET; however, I've noticed that as the SI breaks in, the mids are beginning to develop a bit of that ol' black magic that my SET gives me. Hmmm........... Take care, Scott

Greetings, The SonicImpact t-amp just arrived from PartsExpress. Only a few weeks' wait, which ain't bad... My initial impression of the sound is that it's quite good -- and *remarkable* for the price. A little on the weak side driving my kg-4's (but at 94dB sentitivity and 6-ohm impedance, these are relatively difficult speakers to drive for Klipsch). Is it gonna make me sell my Audio Note SET? No way ... single-ended toobs have magic in 'em that I doubt will ever be matched. Still, there's a clarity and a sense of rhythm to the t-amp that really makes me shake my head in disbelief. And since the t-amp/power supply cost maybe 1/50th of my SET, I think that's *really* impressive! Take care, Scott

Greetings, Very interesting thread! Here's my two cents worth... Instead of bringing back the Jubilee, wouldn't it be interesting if Klipsch were to develop an entirely new speaker - a "New Millennium" series - to raise the bar a step higher? Perhaps the Klipsch design team could, using PWK's corner horn theory, develop a speaker that was fully horn loaded down to 20Hz. Perhaps they could double the sensitivity from 104 to 107dB and design (or purchase) cost-is-no-object drivers and crossover network components. And maybe it'll cost $25 grand or more by the time they're done with it. I think that the future of any company lies in giving an appreciative nod to the past, then looking straight ahead to the future. Klipsch certainly has a *lot* from their history to nod at; however, I'd love to see them come up with something that bests everything the company has ever done. If they do, I suspect ol' PWK would stop improving upon the celestial speaker systems, take a moment to give a heavenly listen, then shout out his famous catch-phrase and say, "Way to go, guys!" Take care, Scott

---------------- How about partsxpress? ---------------- Greetings, I ordered one last week from PartsExpress. It's on back-order. I guess patience is a virtue ... and for the itsy-bitsy price these things are going for, I'm willing to be a little virtuous! Take care, Scott

Greetings, I've noticed over the years that I experience a less-than-subtle 60-cycle hum whenever I hook up a CD or DVD player to my tube amp. This doesn't happen when I hook the same components up to a solid-state amp. Any thoughts on why this is ... or, better, how I can remedy it? Thanks, Scott

Greetings, There's a theatre in suburban Chicago that uses this system. It's a beautifully restored movie palace called the Tivoli theatre in Downers Grove, IL. (More info at http://www.organman.com/ ... click on the "Tivoli" link). I've seen movies there and the sound is amazing! Take care, Scott

---------------- On 2/18/2005 12:11:33 PM leok wrote: I prefer the sound of both my tube amps using the 4 instead of 8 Ohm taps. Using a lower output impedance from the amp, you're almost certain to reduce impact of the speaker impedance variation on amp gain. Also, you don't really loose power. You trade increased current capability for peak voltage capability. You actually improve the amp's capability to deliver full power to the low impedance points. Leo ---------------- Greetings, I've found this to be true of all my tube amps. Asking for less current seems to make the overall sound a bit sweeter on top and a bit punchier on bottom. Not quite as loud overall, more dynamic and lively. The amp doesn't sound like it's working as hard, and therefore has a bit more in reserve for the dynamics. I've experienced this with Lowther and Tannoy speakers in addition to Klipsch. Take care, Scott

---------------- ... I have heard 2A3 on my system and I like the mid but loose the lower end... ---------------- Greetings, What if you did a simple (and hopefully reversable) mod on your K-Horns to allow for bi-amping? Then you could get the magic mids from the 2A3 amp and perhaps feed some SS slam to the woofer? Over the years I've noticed the one *bad* thing about good equipment is that it teases you into approaching "reality". On mid-fi gear, you *know* you're listening to a recording; however, as you keep raising the bar and can suddenly perceive musicians "playing" just for you in your living room with really accurate timbre and "prat" (sounds like an insult used in Monty Python!) - you can often find yourself craving that extra 5% that will make things sound totally real. Unfortunately, like the Holy Grail (another Monty Python reference???), that extra 5% doesn't exist. So... What if, before spending any more money on audio nirvana, you spent a couple bucks on a "no-fi" system from Best Buy and lived with it for a month (sort of an alternative "reference" system). Then hook up your current system. I bet it'll knock your socks off all over again!!! Just a thought, and I hope it helps... Take care, Scott

Holy smokes!! That looks awesome!!!! Take care, Scott

---------------- On 2/10/2005 11:37:53 PM cjgeraci wrote: ... Maybe all silver or part silver may help. I liked a pair of part silver I acquired (BetterCables)... ---------------- Greetings, I second the though about cables. High-end cables such as Van den Hul can take away some harsh top-end; so can cheap ones from Radio Shack. Maybe a pair of "rat-shack" cables for a few bucks might be a worthy experiment. I've always found that interconnects and speaker cables played a huge role in the overall "sound" of the sound-system. Just a though ... and I hope it helps. Take care, Scott

Greetings, I've run the gamut of "toob" gear from Dynaco, H.H. Scott, Knight, RCA, N.E.W., Audio Note. I'm currently running an SS Harman/Kardon receiver. All these amps have their merits, and all have been worth owning. I would think that eBay or even a forum member could fix you up with a very nice vintage integrated amp for under $500 to get your feet wet. (Be sure to get enough power to properly drive your speakers...) Give it a good six-month trial. Then, if you like the all-toob sound, you can easily move onward and upward - and likely sell the $500 amp for what you paid for it. You can also have more confidence in what you might want to do with your Mac gear. One thing I've learned along the sonic journey, though, is that you NEVER reach the Holy Grail. You just keep raising the bar... Personally, I've found that it's sometimes better to stop reaching and just sit back and enjoy the music! Hope this helps and good luck! Take care, Scott

---------------- On 1/17/2005 10:42:06 PM smilin wrote: '67'verts sold whatamigonnadonext ---------------- Greetings, Have you hooked up the CII's to your SET yet? The extra 3dB might give you some more slam from those 12wpc... And your 60-watter should shake the walls! Take care, Scott PS - I still gotta say the Corns sounded fantastic; ain't often I get goose-bumps

Greetings, It might be helpful to get a good used "toob" amp from eBay or your local store. This will let you really give the thing a proper audition; if you end up being a true toob-a-holic, you can always sell the amp (likely for what you paid for it) and buy something better - whether that be a DIY kit or a more standard amp. In the past I've used Luxman (ss/tube combined), Dynaco, Knight, RCA, N.E.W., and Scott amps. I've got an Audio Note single-ended amp, and am currently running a SS Harman/Kardon 730. All have their merits. More power has generally meant more slam; less power typically has meant more sweetness. Which is better? I dunno... Like I said, they all have their merits. But since you're at the beginning end of the learning curve, I'm guessing that spending only a little $$ with an opportunity to recoup your investment might be the easiest way to start your sonic journey. Hope this helps ... and have fun! Take care, Scott

Greetings, Having run a message board when I served as webmaster for a local business, I can appreciate the moderator's perspective. I ended up closing down the message board portion of the site because the language had gotten out of hand, despite several requests to clean it up. The message board was part of our website, and therefore was part of what represented our company - not only to our fans, but also to potential clients and sponsors. Foul language was not part of how we wanted to represent our company. I like to think of posting something on a message board as being similar to being a guest in someone's house. A different standard of etiquette applies. Just my two cents worth... Take care, Scott PS - I wonder whether that "Note About Profanity" might not be a *blue* note...