NMR Guy

I guess it just goes to show that an individual can be a marginal actor and still carve out a career somewhere in Hollywood. I am of the generation that watched Star Trek as a young boy, every episode. I was quite taken by the view into the future,....and the drama! Given what television has become I have to smile at the relative innocence of it all. I recently saw an animated movie called "Over the Hedge" and Shatner's voice was used for one of the characters,....it's actually pretty cute the way they melded in a line or two from his Star Trek cliche's. Regards,

I have a McIntosh C11 that I got from the original owner who purchased it in 1961, (the year I was born) and it didn't have a small "Hum," it had a BIG "Hum." I sent it to Craig at NOS Valves who did a complete recapping. I told him I wanted it to be made as good as it could be without any modifications. Needless to say it is now the preamplifier in my main system paired with a pair of Dynaco MKIII mono blocks that have been completely redone. The C11 is dead quiet through my mint LaScalas. I have the original Telefunken valves but I am running JJ's in it right now. To tell you the truth I like it's sound with my LaScalas more than a brand new Manley "Shrimp," which is saying a lot! Unless you've got a line on a much better peramplifier pick up the C11, even though it's a full function preamplifier which is not preferred by tube freaks these days, it's still a real gem and worth a trip to Craig at NOSValves. Regards,

Dang, I can never tell when you guy's are kidding. Serously, I always thought of my KP-301's as (My version) of industrial Cornwalls, but I was told they actually are not. I don't recall if I was told that the drivers are not the same as Cornwalls or what. I know they seem to be about the same size as Cornwalls, but are 301's the same as Cornwalls,...except of course for the cabnets? Either way, I love mine. Thanks,

I too own a pair of KP-301's and I've over the past few years I've heard lot's of people advise using some kind of Professional amplifier with them,.....Just because they are Professional speakers does NOT mean one must use a Crown, Ashley, or other professioanl amplifier with them. Keep in mind that KP-301's offer 101db/wt/meter efficiency. Mine are in my basement system strapped to the rafter joists. I have run them with a pair of Ampex 6V6 based monoblocks that rate 12 watts per channel,...and they don't just "Work," they work GREAT. I drove them for many months with an 1964 Altec "Astro"" tube receiver that put's out 22 watts per channel and again, they can ROCK! Right now they are being driven with a Dynaco ST70 and while I'll admit the extra headroom offered with a little more wattage does bring out more of the KP-301's potential, lower wattage amplifiers are just fine. Oh, I have also driven them with an Altec solid state professional amplifier rated at 200 watts per channel,...needless to say the 301's will blow down the walls with more bass than most anyone would need. I'm holding on to my 301's for a long time. I can't imagine a professional speaker that will play classical music so well and turn around and play Roger Daltry and The Who's "We Won't Get Fooled Again." with low wattage tube amplifiers and high wattage solid state gear. Regards,

I've always loved two channel sound and until just a few years ago I had always patched together one low end system after another. Now I have four two channel systems, each offering it's own unique sound given the limitations of the listening rooms they're in. Besides my mint 1983? LaScalas in my main, (living room) system and my Audio Physic "Yaras" in my bedroom system the most I've shelled out was for my Manley "Shrimp" Preamplifier that is in the system in my study. Adding it into the system paired with a beautiful Dynaco ST70 that is brand new was the first time I had heard such a marked improvement in any audio system I have ever assembled. This little Manley linestage is out of this world and I LOVE IT! Oh, and even though I love the sound of horn loaded speakers and nothing will ever be able to replace the sound I get from my LaScalas the Audio Physic "Yaras" are really something to behold and I hope I never have to part with them. I still cannot believe the sound these little German bass reflex speakers can deliver. Regards,

A little vintage rock and roll is in order for my weekly recommendation,..."James Gang" (Greatest Hits) with special attention to "Walk Away," "Woman," and "Tend My Garden." Yes Joe Walsh was the big draw for this band but drummer Jim Fox, (the leader and one responsible for leading the band's rise to fame) and bass player Tom Kriss perhaps misssed out on a full share of glory because of Joe Walsh and his unique style. Pete Townshend of "The Who" was so impressed by the James Gang that The Who brought the James Gang along on a European tour to open up for them. Regards,

I saw this ad too,....I haven't decided if this is some kind of joke, or some sick joker playing his games. In an audio industry salted with vendors selling snake oil, and peppered with "Audiophile" reviewers saying the snake oil is worth megebucks, the industry as a whole has this kind of thing coming in spades! I hope Stereophile or The Absolute Sound reviews them! Regards,

Not to hijack the thread, but the Toshiba 3950 morphed into the 3960 and now the 3990. The 3990 I bought at Bestbuy goes for $59.00 and there's simply very little to say bad about the way they sound. I wonder if there's any other manufacture that makes a 24/196 upsampled CD player for under five hundred bucks. It took me a year and a half of almost daily use to before the first 3950 lost a transport. It took me about thirty munites to diagnose the problem and about fifteen seconds to toss it in the dumpster! Regards,

I too am in the market for a new CD player and the Rega Apollo looks like it's going to be the one. I have heard a lot about the EastSound E5 and how great a player it is, but if it needs any service it's looks to me like it might be questionable. I do wish that I could find one for something lower than $995.00. (There's somehting in my that hates to pay retail for anything!) Good luck

Okay guys even though you teased the few neurons still clanking around inside the thing on my shoulders I call a head I did get an answer,... Thanks, now I can cut and crimp. I can't wait to get my new little bedroom system online!

Hello Parrot, You bring up an important observation that is more incisive than one might think at first glance. This is very much about personal preferences, so maybe we could compare notes about this. How do you gauge loudness levels and what do you listen for that satisfies you that the level is full live natural loud? How loud is that level for you? For different kinds of music? I like to cruise with the SPL generally peaking just under 90dBs on loud passages of music measured from my chair, which I think means the true peaks not caught by the meter are hitting about 100dBs. To me in my large room this is a perfectly life-like and natural volume level, and it does not load the room. This also provides more than enough headroom for the SETs on the loudest passages - I'm sure I've never passed more than 1 full watt through the LaScalas in the year that I've enjoyed them. Pauln I've always thought of myself as someone who didn't like my music too loud, but I am SURE that I pass more than one watt throgh my LaScalas,...quite often. That being said this first time I ever REALLY noticed a big difference in my LaScalas performance was when I went from a completely redone ST70, (no mods) to a pair of completely redone MKIII mono blocks. From what I've been told what I noticed was "Head room." The difference wasn't slight, it was large! (This includes when I replaced the stock old AL crossovers and went with a new pair of BEC AA crossovers) It isn't just loud, but they do sound better with more gain, (60WPC) than with fewer. (35WPC) Even at low volumes the music was "Richer," "Fuller,"....a bit more bass. Even the highs of a woman's voice like Carol King's "So Far Away" sounded more precise. (Jeeze, horn loaded speakers make voices almost surreal!) I know so little about the being a music reviewer and how to describe slight differences in the sound I notice that I hesitate to say exactly why such sensitive speakers like LaScalas can sound so much better with more wattage than with fewer, but mine do and all my neophite HiFi buddys think so too. Just my two centavos,

Yes, actually just slightly,...are you playing with my already fragile mind? : ) Length, does the unequal length matter much? Thanks,

Actually this one is going to be a Dynaco ST70, Quad QC24 Pre, to a pair of Audio Physic "Yaras." What do you think? P.S. The Scott is now in the basement and has speaker runs of twenty two feet each,..to Klipsch KP301 professional three ways. (sounds GREAT!)

Hello All: I think I know and understand the answer but I thought I would throw it out there before I begin to "Make" a pair of speaker cables for a bedroom system. Strictly because of logistics, i.e. a doorway that I cannot, (or will not) run the cables under some fairly expensive carpet I need to have one of the cables thirty two feet away! The other one only needs to be in the eighteen to twenty foot range. Is this a serious no no? I have 10 ga. copper wire so i don;t believe there will be a problem there, but the length. Thanks in advance,

The only issue for me is my ability to purchase the vast array of music I enjoy. Bottom line, I have so few records, (Vinyl) that I now HAVE to find the best CD player I can afford. I have four two channel systems and I do listen to music everyday. I have been using Toshiba's 3950, 3960, and 3590 as well as my tried and true Rega Planet,.....that just gave up the ghost! (Very sad about it!) I'm looking at a Rega Apollo because I have pretty good luck with my original Planet. But I can only justify about a grand for a new player,...and I'd sure like to find something for less money that will give me as good a quality as possible. I find GREAT deals on some higher end turntables,...but I can't turn back and try to rebuild the vast collection of music I enjoy. (I have between four and five hundred CD's,...and I listen to them all in various rotations) Any suggestions on a new CD player for under a grand? Thanks guys!

Yes indeed I love my Scott 299D. Sometimes after I've been to one of the higher end HiFi shops in Portland and listened to some 20K amplifers driving some 18K to 20K speakers I'm thrilled with my little Scott driving a pair of LaScalas! They had it so right all those years ago! Sadly my Scott was "Redone" by a full on shmuck named Charlie Kittleson sp? at Vacuum Tube Valley. (It was long before I knew of Craig at NOS Valves) As good at his craft and as honest as Craig is, "Charlie" ISN'T! I now have four systems in my home, all of which I enjoy. The Scott is now in my basement system driving a pair of KP301 (Kilisch Professional three ways) and I still love it. I only wish I would have known Craig so it could have been done by him. (A few little "Gotchas" that Charlie overlooked even though he was paid a VERY premium price) Hell I'm lucky to have EVER received it from "Promises, Promises, Charlie." Regards

Thank you very much,... Regards,

Okay I have owned my Scott for about hree years and always had it in my study> I recently moved it to my basement system and now i want to hook it up. Quoting from the Scott manual I have a copy of: "The bottom terminal strip is for connecting the speaker wire. Connect one end of the speaker wire to the two terminals on your let hand speaker or speaker enclosure. Connect the other end to the "O" and "H" terminals for the left channel. Repeat for the right hand speaker." What the heck does "O" and "H" stand for? I've heard of "C" for "Common," but this dummy can't figure what "O" and "H" stand for. Thanks all,

Turntables I have no experience with, budget CD players,...that's another story. Yea, Philips 963a,...except to the best of my knowledge they don;t make them anymore. Used CD players? I bought a used Rega Planet that was aid to be "Lightly used' at a local Higher end HiFi shop. It seemed to be a pretty good deal at $400.00, and I must admit it sounded great! Except that one month later it bagan to skip,...lightly at first and only on tracks with lots of bass, then a little more,...then the damm thing skiped to beat hell on every track of anything. I was bummed so I called the U.S. distributer in Texas,...I spoke to "The man" himself. He explained that Rega has lots of customers who buy their CD players because thay have had such positive experiences with their other products. He went on to explain that unlike other audio products that can last for quite a long while ALL CD players, regardless of the cost will lose their laser's. When this happens it costs more to fix the laser than it would be to, in many case just buy a new player. He offered to have me send my Planet to their repair center in California,...if it turned out to be the laser he would see what he could do about getting me a good deal on a new Rega player. (I haven't sent it back, but at some point I might) I could go on with my used Carey CD player story, but it MUCH more painful. Bottom line, I will not be buying anymore used CD players. Toshiba 6390. 24/196 for about $60.00,...when it breaks, toss it! Regards,

Hello All: I had no idea that Chris would ever post on "The Forum," although I have told him that I hang out here quite a bit. Bottom line, regardless if you buy or sell something Chris is not only a personal friend but one of the most stand up guys you will ever deal with, period. Suffice to say Chris is an Altec expert who receives calls from all over the world from those who seek information about vintage Altec, (and other makes) gear. Welcome Chris,... Regards,

Hello: I am to audition an almost new Quad QC24 Preamplifier the from this evening through the end of the week and I wondered if there are any owners here on The Forums. My first impression without any listening is that the balance "Knob" "Thing" just below the volume knob is not a very tight fit and finish and even through it says "Quad" and that they are headquartered in the U.K.,...the box says in small print that it was made in good ol' China. (Not that some of the gear comming out of China is not of very good quality) It retails for about a thousand bucks and I think I can pick it up for about half that,....but I'll have to audition it with my LaScalas and my Audio Physic "Yaras" along with my MKIII Dynaco and my ST70. Thanks,

The Audio show might be a good thing to attend,...but your link to "Charlie's" web site has brought back some VERY bad memories. Just as I am the first to speak up and mention the GREAT vendor experiences I have had with Craig at NOS Valves I will also be the first to say that Charlie Kittleson sp? is the WORST VENDER I have EVER DEALT with, bar none! Bought a 299D from Charlie abot two years ago and was told he would go throught the thing completely and have it to me before Christmas, (ordered with credit card the first part of December) I didn't get it until MARCH! (After MANY calls) Since then I have heard from several others who have had the bad luck to trust Charlie at his word. I will never deal with Vacuum Tube Valley again. Beware of Charlie at Vacuum Tube Valley!

If you really need to have a Receiver rather than and integrated amplifier or separates you HAVE to at least consider the Outlaw Audio RR2150 Receiver. It was reviewed on the cover of the March issue of Stereofile. ($599.00 brand new) "Old World looks, New World Functionality." If I didn't already have more gear than I need I would buy one. I was impressed with what Outlaw has been able to put together and still keep the price low. (The only way you can buy one is direct from Outlaw) Good luck,

Yes I too have a john that has about that many magazines on the back,....I've got to wonder what some of my house guests must think when they go to the bathroom! With a coffee table like that I thnk I can safely assume that you're single!

I do agree. As I've mentioned I have constructed all of my power cords that are IEC and have on one occasion tested them in a local high end HiFi shop aganist $900.00 power cords connected to their $4000. each mono bolcks and on their very pricey Mark Levinson preamplifier,...no one in the shop could tell the difference. (They no longer smile behind my back when I come in to pick up a small part I do not wish to order from parts express) I have constructed a couple of pair of interconnects from a receipe I found via the net,...and have concluded they are too much of a pain in the rear end to make myself. I currently have Blue Jeans cables in most of my HiFi systems. With a "New" HiFi I am about to bring on line in my study I would like to try somehting in the way of either a pure silver or hyperlitz design between my amplifier and my preamplifier. I would like to know if I can hear the difference,....without breaking my piggy bank! I'll keep looking. If anyone out there has a pair of pure silver interconnects of something in the way of a hyperlitz design that they wish to sell or trade for I would be interested. As always thanks for the replys and insight.