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Bubo

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Posts posted by Bubo

  1. Agree, if you put into storage shed, mice and bugs will move in if there is a way.

    you would have to seal the front and back with 1/4 plywood with no gaps and probably bag the unit too in case of roof leaks. Also off the ground on blocks since cement wicks and will dry rot wood.

    Climate controlled unit on the second floor of a storage building, would still have to bag them to keep the critters out. But better. Get one with a light and an electrical outlet if you can. I have used these in the past and been very happy with them.

    Pics ?

     

     

    • Like 2
  2. 8 minutes ago, Jsmith77 said:

    He left two sets his inlaws received the others. I got a old Sony amplifier from the 70s with them that has a record player. I would like to keep them, but I'm moving into a 5th wheel on some land so there's limited room unfortunately.

    Post some photos of the speakers here inc the backs and labels and the circuit board and a good shot of the back of the horn driver looks like half of a softball in size. The condition and the photos of the components determine the price. Get the label on the circuit board. Show any defects in the photos and note them.

     

     

  3. 2 hours ago, Jsmith77 said:

    I inherited a pair of speakers from my father I've been using that sound great.  Trying to find when these were made and if worth anything thanks! Label on back says LA Scala loudspeaker system. Type L5-BR or LS. Serial number 4N648. Then signed on inspected and tested.

    Keep them if you can

    You won't find a better pair of speakers at any price.

    If you decide to keep them, we can help you to freshen them up if needed.

    While the speakers are large, a 12-16ft room works just fine

    Most put glass tops on them so you can use them like tables if needed

    I use mine as speaker stands for some smaller klipsch speakers in my Tv system.

    Hope you are able to keep them and get years of happiness every time you turn them on

    Did your father also leave you an amplifier and other gear ?

     

    • Like 3
  4. The front firing Klipsch 12 subs sound pretty good

    I believe they have been on sale for $300-400

    so buy a pair

    I have one  just slightly off center in front of the TV

    Sounds pretty good when it's on

    A lot of people make their own subs using the kits from parts express

    if you like DIY.

    There was a company around chicago where they guy was shipping hundreds of subs per month at great prices.

    If I think of the name I will post it

     

    Here's a reading assignment for you. Klipsch scores pretty well.

    https://www.avforums.com/threads/subwoofer-manufacturers-list.1233372/

    https://www.avsforum.com/threads/guide-to-mid-market-subwoofer-manufacturers-700-3000.3238523/

    https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/best-subwoofers/

    https://ddaudio.com/made-in-usa-subwoofers/

    https://americanmadeaudio.com/the-list/

     

    • Like 1
  5. 14 hours ago, Quad Khorns said:

    Seems like someone is playing with ChatGtp ...

     

    Quad,

     

    What I am attempting to do is stimulate a discussion on DACs; and if their quality is so uniformly good at this time, that any decent DAC is pretty good. So why pay more than the sweet spot. Probably $250 for name brand in this competitive market. Maybe more if it has other products built in like an EQ, pre-amp, blutooth, net server etc.

     

    There is still a lot of snake oil in the audio industry, that might confuse someone working with glue all day long.

     

    So I had hoped to afford people who don't have a background in electronics, data communications, micro processors, chip design and programming an opportunity to enter the discussion since they are the targets of the snake oil. I'm not the only one the board with a background in electronics.

     

    We also have more than a few amateur, and probably a few professional, speaker designers on the board. Some of the designs from the board have found their way into the Klipsch line-up. So I would ask Klipsch to think carefully, before taking down the amateur speaker or Altec discussions. They are not the competition for Klipsch. It appears that most of the users on the board are old curmudgeons, not first time speaker buyers.

     

    We have a lot of people in the trades and general contractors, who don't spend their weekends reading EE magazine, but are hunched over the kitchen table reviewing D size drawings for their projects. Who want good sound, but don't want to get ripped off either. Same way I want a good house, but probably won't get a degree in architecture to get a good house.

     

    I had hoped someone had recently test driven several DACs and could share their experience;

    frequently the test drive reveals more about the car or motorcycle than reading the spec sheet.

     

    In the motorcycle example;

    the "certain-something" is frame-flex, center of gravity, weight distribution FR tires, engine crank shaft and piston balance at 5,000-12,000 RPM and harmonic vibration, and cam-shaft and valve behavior at high speed,  in a turn all at the same time, combined with suspension damping so the bike doesn't kill you. Ducati got it right. Their engine turns into a fine-tuned gyroscope at high RPMs,  that allows the bike precision tracking and stability at speeds that would normally kill the rider. You place a coin on the engine at 6,000 rpm and it won't vibrate off.

     

    The  DS chip set built-in-options may be the reason that one DS DAC sounds subtly different than another DS DAC, perhaps using the same chip set. Any competent EE DAC designer, will look at all of the characteristics and nuance  of the chip set and DAC, before selecting their components and finalizing their design. And still they spend days test driving the designs to see how they handle under various loads, and bumps.

     

    EMO's implementation is noteworthy in that they are allowing the user to decide which option/s best suit the listener's preference, there is no uniform set of ears or likes.  Have it your way, audio preference.

     

    Before responding, I took a minute to review your other contributions to the forum.

     

    The question I would have on gluing or repairing plastic horns is what is the effect on resonance ? And what will it introduce into the sound ? ABS Fiber glass etc.......

     

    • Like 2
  6. 2 hours ago, RocketFoot said:

    I'm confused by the whole DAC thing...do I need a DAC?  I like to stream from the internet to my vintage stereo and I use an iPad Pro or an Alexa Echo Dot device.  Ethier one seems to do a really good job and I suppose they are in theory the same as having a DAC but would a $179 DAC be better?  What about a $1000 DAC?  I'm a little foggy on why I might "need" a DAC?

    DAC = Digital to Analog Converter

     

    3 basis designs: DS chip sets, Resistor, and FPGA

    DS Delta Sigma  is the most common and lowest cost to implement

    DS is what most manufacturers use

    DS chip sets are on at least 5th gen, so relatively bug free

    Resistor is considered to be better, I would have to read up on it to see if there is a coherent tech argument for it, then see if I could hear any difference.

    FPGA field programmable gate arrays are programmable chips, they are typically found in industrial controls and weapons systems where speed is everything. They basically replaced custom ASICS application specific integrated circuits.

     

    Does a $1,000 DAC sound better than a $200 one ?

    maybe or maybe not.

     

    For your application, I would go over to the Headfi boards and search your devices for comment threads

    DACs are very competitive, there are probably lots of good choices in the $250 range, probably the current sweet spot for price and performance. Likely all DS chip set based from 3-5 chip manufacturers competing for the business.

    • Like 1
  7. 2 hours ago, MeloManiac said:

    What program do you use to playback your hi-rez audio files? When I did some research last year, I learned that the good ones don't come free of charge, and that the OS of your Windows or Apple laptop very often will limit the output quality. To me, it's all too foggy and I prefer straight forward vinyl record playback! 

    I don't believe the data bus speed is the limiting factor in sound

    Most likely the on board sound card or budget chip set.

    Like video, a good quality sound card gets you more speed, memory and processing

  8. 2 hours ago, MeloManiac said:

     

    This to me sounds more like a copy writer trying to invent some new audiophile marketing babble... The secret sauce (snake oil?) seems to be 'ringing'... Add some expensive words to the mix and they can sell their DAC for tenfold the price of a budget DAC... 

    The only thing I hear ringing here is the cash register! 

    At $80, not sure how many would say Emo is expensive

  9. On 3/24/2023 at 11:54 AM, KT88 said:

    This is interesting. Do people like vinyl perhaps because the mass of the needle reverberates a bit?

    No quantization error

    No decoding deformations or other nasties

    No 20khz low pass filter

    No loudness wars

    Mastering Engineer is generally prouder of their vinyl work

  10. 9 hours ago, The Dude said:

    I think that's well said, but I also think (and not speaking for him) that Bubo may want to know what the majority thinks...maybe not.  I always have the what if, then I ask the question.  It always comes down to personal preference.  That being said, I am pretty happy with my Schiit Modi and Raspberry PI DAC+ when playing back from ROON to both my Marantz SR5015 and AV7704.

    I'm wondering aloud, is any new competent DAC pretty good ?

    The EMO headphone DACs I just purchased for me and my daughter, sound really good at $80 ea. 3 filters are available to address various DAC nasties, the default that EMO liked sounded good to me after I switched between the 3.

    The chip set is at least 2-3 gens newer than my EMO XDA DAC, which sounds pretty good and is also a digital pre amp with lots of inputs.

     

    I was hoping that someone had done a recent bake off and had some impressions to share.

     

    EMO manual has a nice explanation, also the chip set has some other nice features covered in the manual.

    They enabled all 3 supported filters, the Frank Sinatra "Have it your way"

    Also a nice tutorial on digital audio, worth the 5 minutes to read the manual

     

    Your Big Ego offers a choice of three different digital
    interpolation filters, each of which sounds subtly different.

    The Symmetrical filter (F1) is a classical design which
    combines equal amounts of pre-ringing and post-ringing.
    This is the filter most commonly used by other DACs.


    The Asymmetrical Low filter (F2) has virtually no pre-ringing,
    but several cycles of post-ringing. Many listeners find this
    combination to sound more natural, while still preserving
    the liveliness of your music.


    The Asymmetrical High filter (F3) has virtually no pre-ringing,
    and very little post-ringing. Listeners tend to describe
    this filter as sounding very mellow, but possibly more flat
    sounding than F2 with some program material.

     

    About Pre-Ringing and Post-Ringing
    Theoretical
    Symmetrical Filter
    Asymmetrical Low Filter
    Asymmetrical High Filter

    In order to facilitate converting digital
    audio into analog as accurately as
    possible, the Big Ego uses what’s
    known as an oversampling filter or
    interpolation filter. While this filter
    causes no audible alteration of steady
    state signals, when a transient signal
    like a drum beat is converted, a tiny
    bit of ringing is added to the signal.
    While this ringing is not audible as
    a separate sound, its presence can
    subtly alter the sound character of
    the output.
    The first picture on the left shows
    what a theoretically perfect output of
    a certain pulse would look like.
    The remaining three pictures show
    graphically what that same pulse will
    look like after passing through each
    of the three filter options on the Big
    Ego.
    Tests have shown that ringing after
    the main signal is less audible than
    ringing before it, and many people
    perceive the Asymmetrical filter
    choices as sounding better, but it’s
    really a matter of personal preference.

    https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2572/6926/files/BigEgo_manual_07.pdf?5495441154491181254

  11. 3 minutes ago, geezin' said:

    When I first got the Heresy I was actually kind of disappointed. Then on a whim I decided to use the Fisher. man it woke them up! They sound so much better with the Fisher than the class D Topping. My Klipsch R-610f sound just fine with the Topping...in fact they sound pretty good. The Heresy just don't agree with the cheaper class D. I think if I bought a better class D they would sound better but I won't risk the money. Leaning towards Schiit Vidar but have not decided yet.

    The latest Mil Spec class D chip sets apparently address many of the D shortcomings

    and deliver lots of watts 200-400 for not a lot of money.

    on the other hand, Heresy's only need one really good Watt..........

     

    The Vintage 70s and 80s quality gear was the peak of analog tech, and had the best analog designers in the world as their designers and engineers. The amps are the achievement of a lifetime for the best analog designers of their generation.

    Only recently, have many of the name brand manufacturers invested in new designs with the best designers using current available production components.

  12. I didn't want to hijack this thread, so I also posted this as it's own thread.

    If any purists care, I'm sure admin will delete this post as it appears as it's own thread.

     

    Have DACs hit the point where any competent design is pretty good

    given that we are on the 4th or 5th gen of DAC chip sets ?

    The "best sounding DAC" may be only $100 today.

    Can anyone who has been comparison shopping lately tell the difference ?

     

    It pains me to say it, but the SONY $35 DVD player I purchased a few years ago

    sounds pretty good powering my excellent quality Yamaha MX 600 amp and matching pre amp

    running through the same vintage Yamaha EQ with the nice florescent bouncing bars and good SN numbers.

    My comment to myself was and is "SONY does it again".

     

    I'm guessing that the SONY has a $5 Delta Sigma (guess) mass produced chip set. Does TI make these these?

     

    A few years ago, on the Headfi Boards, a group did a DAC bake-off

    Maybe 2 generations ago

    and found that any $500 DAC sounded pretty good, $250 if it was an EMO (Emotiva). They couldn't discern any noticeable difference. These might be today's $100 DACs with most of the cost in the housing and power supply, not to mention the cardboard box which may cost more than the DAC chip set.

     

    Engineering usually makes some improvements, and hundreds of little fixes with each generation. The mass production chip sets usually move in once the kinks are worked out; and, the custom ASICs fade away with the next set of designs.

     

    The DAC guys in Boulder Colorado use FPGA for their DAC processors so they can modify and change the software on the fly with their next set of little fixes and improvements. Might be a little faster processing than the chip sets, how fast is fast enough.

     

    Likewise, each amp represents a series of design choices and trade offs.

    Science, engineering, physics and art aka audio equipment.

    Sounds good on paper is different than sounds good.

     

    Years ago, I read a Motorcycle Bake Off article on the Superbikes

    All current (at the time) road-racing bike riders

    There were all of the technical metrics criteria; acceleration, braking, max speed, quarter mile, turns etc etc etc

    Japanese bikes took the top 6 or 7 slots.

    Ducati (F1 ? ) took I recall #7 slot.

    All riders were asked if they could take one bike home for free, which one would they choose    ?

    Every rider chose the Ducati, because it was a better bike from the users point of view.

    The 1,2,3 finishes at many races bore this out.

    At 160 mph in a turn, you are betting your life on the bike in every turn.

     

    Last fall, I took a friend shopping for a pistol, his first

    He had a finite budget.

    The country store salesman in his late 20s was unusually knowledgeable.

    There was also the more seasoned and knowledgeable 50 something country guy.

    My friend and I had settled on a name brand 2nd tier import in the $500 range.

    I asked the 20 something salesman which one "he would bet his life on",

    he put the import back in the case

    and pulled out a slightly less expensive US made model, "this one"

     

    Any version of the Heresy, is another example of this phenomenon

    they sound good compared to anything for home use volumes.

    Every time I turn on my 1s, I remark to myself they sound great !

     

     

  13. Quote

     

    je ne sais quoi

    noun

    zhə-nə-ˌsā-ˈkwä 

     

    : something (such as an appealing quality) that cannot be adequately described or expressed

    a young actress who has a certain je ne sais quoi

     

    Example Sentences

    Although the sculpture had flaws, it also had a certain je ne sais quoi that made it very appealing.

     

     

     

    Have DACs hit the point where any competent design is pretty good

    given that we are on the 4th or 5th gen of DAC chip sets ?

    The "best sounding DAC" may be only $100 today.

    Can anyone who has been comparison shopping lately tell the difference ?

     

    It pains me to say it, but the SONY $35 DVD player I purchased a few years ago

    sounds pretty good powering my excellent quality Yamaha MX 600 amp and matching pre amp

    running through the same vintage Yamaha EQ with the nice florescent bouncing bars and good SN numbers.

    My comment to myself was and is "SONY does it again".

     

    I'm guessing that the SONY has a $5 Delta Sigma (guess) mass produced chip set. Does TI make these these?

     

    A few years ago, on the Headfi Boards, a group did a DAC bake-off

    Maybe 2 generations ago

    and found that any $500 DAC sounded pretty good, $250 if it was an EMO (Emotiva). They couldn't discern any noticeable difference. These might be today's $100 DACs with most of the cost in the housing and power supply, not to mention the cardboard box which may cost more than the DAC chip set.

     

    Engineering usually makes some improvements, and hundreds of little fixes with each generation. The mass production chip sets usually move in once the kinks are worked out; and, the custom ASICs fade away with the next set of designs.

     

    The DAC guys in Boulder Colorado use FPGA for their DAC processors so they can modify and change the software on the fly with their next set of little fixes and improvements. Might be a little faster processing than the chip sets, how fast is fast enough.

     

    Likewise, each amp represents a series of design choices and trade offs.

    Science, engineering, physics and art aka audio equipment.

    Sounds good on paper is different than sounds good.

     

    Years ago, I read a Motorcycle Bake Off article on the Superbikes

    All current (at the time) road-racing bike riders

    There were all of the technical metrics criteria; acceleration, braking, max speed, quarter mile, turns etc etc etc

    Japanese bikes took the top 6 or 7 slots.

    Ducati (F1 ? ) took I recall #7 slot.

    All riders were asked if they could take one bike home for free, which one would they choose    ?

    Every rider chose the Ducati, because it was a better bike from the users point of view.

    The 1,2,3 finishes at many races bore this out.

    At 160 mph in a turn, you are betting your life on the bike in every turn.

     

    Last fall, I took a friend shopping for a pistol, his first

    He had a finite budget.

    The country store salesman in his late 20s was unusually knowledgeable.

    There was also the more seasoned and knowledgeable 50 something country guy.

    My friend and I had settled on a name brand 2nd tier import in the $500 range.

    I asked the 20 something salesman which one "he would bet his life on",

    he put the import back in the case

    and pulled out a slightly less expensive US made model, "this one"

     

    Any version of the Heresy, is another example of this phenomenon

    they sound good compared to anything for home use volumes.

    Every time I turn on my 1s, I remark to myself they sound great !

    • Like 1
  14. 5 minutes ago, Full Range said:

    I have built many speakers and based on my previous builds that works well if required is 

    The only part of the cabinet that needs insulation is the sides back and top - nothing on the front and bottom of the cabinet 

     

    Good question

    not sure the tweeter or mid horn generates much energy inside the enclosure

    wouldn't the woofer in a 360 pattern

    not sure how hard it punches towards the rear

    seems like a good measurement exercise

    perhaps a hocky puck at just the right spot ........

    • Thanks 1
  15. I don't know anything about speaker design

    but I would try one inch of the synthetic fill fabric from any fabric store

    laid in the bottom of the unit with a few extra inches up the sides.

    Should reduce reflection and standing waves,

    resonance may still be an issue if the speakers are screaming, mine seldom are above 1 watt

     

    See if you can hear the difference with mono, one speaker with fabric

    use the balance control back and forth

    My2 cents ........

     

    Replacing my H1 crossovers made a noticeable difference

    could have been 40 year old oil caps

    or the dry rotted gaskets on the squaker

    • Thanks 1
  16. Every design is a series of trade offs

    No speaker is better than every other speaker at everything

     

    LaScala offers the finest reproduction of the human voice in the industy

    especially the angels singing 400-6000 Hz

    Horn loading allows the speaker to rise and fall quickly aka life like reproduction of cymbals, piano, bells etc with a sharp leading edge.

     

    To get the low lows, add a front firing sub, with a tight response.

    If you love deep bass, add two subs.

     

    I purchased mine new in 1982

    and have never looked back after countless demos of other gear

    Same goes for McIntosh and Yamaha

    There are lots of other great sounding amps

    but not good enough to motive making a change.

     

    • Like 2
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