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Jeff Matthews

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Posts posted by Jeff Matthews

    Upgrading to a higher end Amp

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    On 4/1/2024 at 9:37 PM, the real Duke Spinner said:

    I use a QuickSilver FF pre into a Crown Macrotech      I can not see me happy with a few Watts.  😀

    Duke, you know I used to say the same years ago.  I had a Microtech 1200.  

     

    I sold the old stuff a while back.  I recently bought KHorns with an Onkyo M504 165 wpc amp.  The amp has meters.  

     

    I was surprised to learn what 20 watts sounds like.  To put it in perspective, I play drums with the volume significantly lower than that.  20 watts will drown out my drums.

     

    Either that, or my amp's meters are wrong.

     

     

    Crites Khorn Xovers

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    Tweeters are fine.  I turned it up to 10 watts with 20-watt peaks, and I think the sound improved a lot.  Highs are pretty bright, but not as tinny as they are at lower levels.  I have to say it's pretty darn loud at this point.  

     

    I have false corners and did not place the speakers in actual corners.  Are false corners inferior to the real thing?  Has anyone compared before?

     

     

    Crites Khorn Xovers

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    Bass doesn't go as deep as I recall from prior KHorns.  Squawkers sound kind of "tinny" kind of like distorted and scratchy.  They are fatiguing.

     

    I had Khorns years ago that sounded better.

     

    Could be the wood floor.  The old set up was carpeted. I'd say that's the only major difference between rooms from years ago and now.  

     

    I don't have a rug yet, but it just now occurred to me that I can lay down some blankets.  

    Crites Khorn Xovers

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    I feel like I need new crossovers.  I remember using Bob years back to recap my old ones, and it was a huge improvement.

     

    Who's doing factory spec Xovers these days and how much do they cost?

     

     

     

     

     

    Amp for Klipschorns

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    This is the first time I have used an amp with output meters.

     

    2 watts with 5 watt peaks is loud enough where the neighbors might hear.

     

    A 30 watt amp is probably enough for most everyone.

     

    I used to believe differently, but the meters don't lie.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    • Like 2

    First Things First

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    IMG_20240320_222043290.thumb.jpg.c151be0975841149d92f1081ef545dad.jpgFinally all connected!

     

    Getting the amp and preamp was touch and go.  Even though both boxes were shipped together, they arrived at different times.

     

    Preamps were not delivered because my place was seen as vacant.  Well, yeah.  I was moving in the next day.  Tracking said returned to sender.  Yikes!!!  Fortunately, I was able to intercept the box at the post office.

     

    And the amp...  Was out for delivery today, and all of a sudden, tracking said, "No such address.  Return to sender." I was able to intercept it, too.  It was addressed properly, but whatever.  Just glad I got it all in good condition.

     

     

     

     

    • Like 1

    Laptop as source?

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    17 minutes ago, rplace said:

     

    Not the sound your hear, but the data to be converted by the external DAC, bypassing the computer's DAC. Might sound like I'm splitting hairs but it is a huge difference. Not anything, in any form, that your brain can make sense of.

     

    I didn't read the entire thread so apologies if this has already been said....but it does not quite sound to me like you ( @Jeff Matthews) quite get this. Your computer has a DAC in it. That is why your computer speakers, headphones form headphone jack, etc. can make Analog sound. The DAC has C=converted the D=Digital bits (00110101011010101s) to A=Analog .The stuff you, as a human can hear.

     

    When you connect your computer via USB to your External DAC, you bypass the computer's DAC (possibly less quality, debatable) and some software (a driver) on the computer let's your computer and External DAC talk to each other. Now the computer can send it's digital bits to the external DAC for conversion to Analog for your ears to hear and your brain interpret.

     

    In case it is not painfully obvious yet you should have alight bulb showing above your head and drawing the conclusion, counselor, that a "Streamer" or "Bridge" is nothing more than a computer that can take digital bits from somewhere - Internet, computer, Network Attached Storage (NAS) and give it to your DAC for conversion. The DAC may have an amp built in or you may connect it like any other piece of gear as a source.

     

    Think in CD player terms. Back in the 80s/90s. You had:

    • A CD with data, no music, just 1s and zeros much like your computer files or internet stuff form Qobuz.
      • To get different data you had to change the CD in the player
    • The CD player also had a way to get the data from the CD to the DAC. The laser and associated software
      • This is kind of like the streamer/bridge, not really but close enough
    • The CD player's DAC did what they always do
      • Convery Digital to Analog

    <<<<< end of trying to help Jeff, time for some pot stirring and general audiophile (I hate that term) anarchy >>>>>>>

     

    Therefore, logically, nothing can make the data sound "differently" in the digital domain. The data is simply data. As long as the data gets there correctly and in time (solved probably 40 years ago) you don't need a $10,000 dollar USB cable, or audio quality switches in your network or fancy linear power supply for your computer/streamer supplying those bits to the DAC. But the industry as a whole would love you to think so.

     

    A turntable is a system comprised of many parts, not just a single thing called a record player. So is a tape deck (rollers, heads, motors). While a record is playing, jumping up and down on a poorly isolated floor, a noisy motor, bad groundings, the sensitivity of the stylus and pick up, dust, pressing quality of the vinyl, plus many other things can all influence the sound the turntable produces. Everything is in the analogue domain.

     

    The so called external DAC. It is not one thing either, it is really a collection of parts making up a system. Some in the digital domain and some in the analogue domain.

     

    It is the implementation of the DAC chip and everything that happens after the digital is converted to Analog that you can hear. The Wi-Fi/wire getting the data to your DACs analog side matters 0 (zero)  not 1 (one) bit - pun intended. But people that don't know each other will debate that endlessly on the Internet because the Believe it does and they have spent the money and want it to be true. Expectation biases and confirmation biases are very powerful and very real. As I get older I find it almost as interesting and entertaining as music and the Hi-Fi hobby. 

    I did generally understand this point, but you brought it home a lot better.

     

    The main question I had is whether the signal will bypass the laptop's DAC and go to my SU-1 DAC if I connect my laptop's USB-C port to the SU-1's USB 2.0 port.

    • Like 1

    Laptop as source?

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    13 hours ago, Marvel said:

    Should be able to.

     

    I'll try.  What I don't understand is this:  If you're playing music on a laptop, the sound will come out of the speakers, or if you plug in a set of earphones, through the earphone jack.  I did not realize that if you plug in a USB device, the sound will be sent to the external device.  I thought that plugging in a USB device would have no effect on the music either playing through the laptop speakers or the headphones.

     

    First Things First

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    8 hours ago, Marvel said:

    Those look very nice, Jeff. What model are those? Are they decorators finished off with simple appointments or totally factory?

    The seller said he purchased them in very poor cosmetic condition and spruced them up with new veneer, false corners, casters and some sturdy lag bolts and screws.  These are assembled to withstand a fall from 3 stories.

    • Haha 2

    FLAC Source/Website

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    5 hours ago, rplace said:

     

    @Jeff Matthews

    I'm in the process of organizing/downsizing/de-cluttering my digital accumulation of multiple backup drives and my main storage system. PM me if you might be interested in some of my "stuff". If you are looking to convert your CDs or Vinyl to something to store on site (your home) and have access them in a meaningful way this would be a way to jump start that process.

     

    I've spent at least 2 decades perfecting my process. 

    Thanks.  Earlier today, I subscribed to Qobuz.  I'm just now getting around to seeing how it's all laid out.  Seems like it might do the trick.  So far, I have found everything I've searched for, and I search for some obscure stuff.  I just listened to "Hands Up," by Rory Gallagher.  Now, I'm listening to Charlie Daniels' album, "Fire on the Mountain."  Pleased so far...

    • Like 2
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