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Maximus89

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Posts posted by Maximus89

  1. I purchased a vintage 100v Japanese tube preamp and after weighing the options(voltage converter, bucking transformer, variac), i decided with a vintage General Radio W10MT3A variac/variable transformer. Assuming the variac works, i am wondering if i can use it connected to my Isolation transformer that is able to connect 600va max.  The variac allows 10amp and 2 amp selection.  How does this translate to power usage to know if my Isolation Transformer can handle it along with my 50wpc McIntosh MC250, and a tube dac, and a 50watt vintage subwoofer all connected to the same isolation transformer? 

  2. 40 minutes ago, KT88 said:

    I always have the impression that the ears like it when you have transformers in the signal path somewhere in the chain. E.g. with tube amps the output transformers, or a step up for MC to MM inputs or e.g. an autoformer in the crossover of the old LaScalas. Why should a transformer in the signal not make the sound more pleasant?  Another plus is that you can go with transformers in the signal path very problem-free from XLR to RCA and vice versa.

    That's how i started down this road. Wanted a balanced to single ended transformer to connect to the mc250, ended up sticking with single ended with the transformer in between and it makes me feel i can downsize my dac to a 1k or under and i'd enjoy the sound due to the transformer anyway

    • Like 1
  3. 13 minutes ago, the real Duke Spinner said:

    Your ear always perceives louder as more better Fletcher+ Munson

    Yeah i've heard about that effect so that's why i posed the question. Yet, when it's 2:1 and the recessed mid range, if i turn it up too loud, it's just too loud but the recessed mids are still recessed. Louder doesn't give me the effect of balanced frequency. I suppose it just comes down to what i perceive as better for me and as is, that would be louder.

    Maybe i'll get an even different effect if i try the 8ohm tap on the mac with my 6ohm speakers and change the transformer 2:1 or 1:2

    • Like 2
  4. I've added a 2:1 CD Line Transformer to my multibit pcm63p-k dac output and it did wonders for giving me a richer, more musical sound. Dare i say it's analog tape like, or at the very least it is mitigating the damage the opamps do to the natural sound reproduction and removing HF digital noise. Adding an isolation transformer for clean power took the same effect another notch up. Using the dac direct to a serviced and modified McIntosh MC250. Fidelizer with JRiver 64bit volume control with lossless music files.

     

    The thing is, the natural sound character of my dac is still there with it's recessed midrange. Used to be fatiguing with exaggerated HF and LF. I don't mind the recessed mid now that the HF is clean, but wouldn't mind the mids to come forward just a touch more.

    The Line transformer can be connected in reverse for 1:2 step up. I did so, and i was impressed that the midrange came alive and came forward, while retaining the level of the HF and LF so i feel its more balanced. Or is that perception only? The maker of the transformer said connecting it in reverse would just make it louder and unnatural. It's definitely louder and i have to adjust volume accordingly.

     

    So my question: Is the transformer stepping up only making the exact same signal louder? Why am i perceiving it as more balanced sounding? Wouldn't louder still have the recessed midrange and just make the HF and LF too loud and give me fatigue? It isn't. Could it be giving the dac more voltage for the midrange to come forward?

    • Like 1
  5. I downsized to bookshelf speakers and i was dreaming about finding a pair of these rt-10's or rt-12s, but do they really have a high amp failure rate? No repairs available? I bought a 1970 Janis W-1 Subwoofer and the separate Interphase 1 amplifier/crossover just to try at a cheap price. I was shocked to find it sounds very nice and musical. Slot loaded. Blends way better than what i had before. I sometimes can't tell if it's on until i bypass on the amp/crossover and i realize what it's doing. Huge and heavy with a 15'' driver that's supposedly cheap. Looks like a nice piece of furniture. No issues other than some wear and tear. Not going to blow you away for HT, though.

     

    Amazing how so many modern subs with built in amps fail so quickly. I guess i'll just stick with this Janis sub.

  6. I've got to open up some funds from my hobby spending's this year and also weighing selling the CF-4's but too hard to get upgrade money back in any sale so parting seems more logical for me with minimal losses. 

     

    I've got some Dean built crossovers with mills resistors and V-Cap ODAM's, looking for around parts cost in return plus your stock CF-4 v.1 crossover sent in return. $820 + your stock CF-4 v.1 crossover in return. Dean built these earlier this year. Outstanding build quality as he always does.  I see he's not doing this kind of work anymore either, so here's a chance you may never get again. The V-Cap ODAMS are now my favorite capacitors after my experience with them. 

     

    *Will NOT take version 2 or version 3 crossover. Must confirm date of your version 1 serial + i need to look at the values of your crossover parts coming to me in the sale+trade.

     

    *To specify. The entire crossover with wires and back panel with banana plugs will be swapped so if you have upgraded/replaced banana posts you would like to keep, i'd appreciate it if you put some replacements on first. No need to swap the bi-amp bridges.

     

    *The price is with the crossover shipped to you on me, your stock crossover shipped to me on you.

     

    PM for any questions.

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  7. How strange. They do retail. I was looking for one of these several years ago, but since it was from 2010 or earlier, the internal dac ddc was limited to 24/96. Zero mention of the internal dac being updated in their brochures and odd how it went away for a while and now back for retail under the same name so if they updated anything internally, someone could buy the one from 2010 for the new price without knowing.


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  8.  
    thanks for the info, was just asking why WV said capacitors dont go bad over time.
     
    wasnt aware epics used polyprolylene caps, didnt klipsch use the yelllow or blue mylar caps in most speakers of this era?  or were the epics different & used poly caps?  & if so i wonder why that is since all the recent "authorized" caps are mylar & claimed they are the "best" caps & sound better than far more expensive options out there... 
     
    same applies for the sonicaps crites uses,  certain members on here insist they dont sound better than the stock mylar caps & using them will mess up the whole intended design of the stock crossovers... or something to that effect. 
     
    in my personal experience, the stock mylar caps can & do go bad, ive replaced the mylar caps in a few different klipsch speakers of this era with poly caps & they all had a noticeable improvement, was night & day difference on my chorus 2 speakers & thats using what are considered budget poly caps. 
     
     
    I think the epic cf3 and cf4 are the only ones that used poly caps, at least as far as the non pro or home theater lineup went? Not sure about cf1 and cf2 but I believe they used different drivers so I would guess no poly caps. I need to open up my kv4 and check it too. I've never been happy with the kv4, so I bet it doesn't and needs a recap.

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  9.  
    why/how dont capacitors go bad over time?  thats contrary to anything ive heard or read & also not my experience with some klipsch & other brands of speakers... capacitors definitely can go bad over time & almost guaranteed electrolytic caps will go bad over time.  
    These do have 1 pair electrolytic per board but the others are polypropylene caps and should last. You don't need to change them if you don't want to. Sonicaps will sound better, though, than those stock bennic/dayton audio poly caps.

    The crossovers however are known for loose solder joints. My inductor was completely loose and dangling. So you can also just replace the lytic and make sure all the solder is redone and everything held in place.

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  10. With the amount of money you’ve dumped into these things you could have bought some new Cornwalls. 
     
     
    C8A34A0D-3C2B-4D9D-8AC5-B0E156E16843.thumb.jpeg.999a933831226ba1282fd16a0c147b1f.jpeg
    162C37D9-7B20-4BF1-B2AC-B4B22394F10D.thumb.jpeg.276b61ab4d9c8ac121739fb424cb2b42.jpeg
    Haha not even close even with a nice deal from Cory on a b stock. I prefer 2 ways anyway unless its khorns on a long wall.

    Those sure are purdy!

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  11. I think one has screen Protection and other one is naked 
    no the driver is not removed 
    the newly to me CF4 V1 is on the bottom and my CF4 V2 on top 
    I have listen to them side by side and it’s really hard to tell the difference yes there’s tiny difference but it’s hard to 
    My cf3 v1 are naked with white stuff all over it and my cf4 v1 have screen protection. The kv4 has screen protection also. No idea why the cf3s didn't get it

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  12. Yeah I won't diss class D, but all those guys care about are measurements. Some of the best measuring stuff sounded the worst for me. All the ess Sabre dacs I've heard included.
    Some of the worst measuring stuff has an incredible cult following for the musicality but these guys won't give it a chance because of poor measurements. Forget about anything with tubes!
    Cables sounding different? The measurements prove otherwise!


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  13. 2 minutes ago, RandyH said:

     Classe A  .

    It's probably the better musical choice, but with the Texas heat and humidity fast approaching, i just cant' bear the thought of my *** and back sticking to my leather seat when i want to relax and relieve stress. I've decided on the recapped mc250! 

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  14. Yall think damping factor is the most important thing for the CF4 and 3? 

    I sold my p360 w/ 200wpc and high damping factor. Was telling myself too much power i dont need, but those last few nights with a new IC in the set up had me in love with the system. Either way, it sold as i needed extra funds and now i have to find a more budget friendly amp.

     

    2 amps in consideration. A McIntosh MC250 recapped. 50, some say conservative and more like 75 wpc but very, very low damping factor of 38 at 8ohm and dips into 15 at 3ohm and SNR 90db or a Class A amp with only 20wpc but 120 damping factor, SNR 110db

     

    Class A negatives:

    -The vintage 90s Class A a few hundred dollars more than the vintage mac and not recapped

    -The Class A consumes 110w more idle, but both same power consumption at rated output. As far as class A goes, it looks like it may not run as hot as typically found in Class A amps which is a huge bonus for me. My p360 was 100w idle and 600 at rated output and it would warm up my room.

     

    MC250 negatives:

    -low damping factor

    -ugly and rusted and pitted all over. i dont see any way to clean it without sacrificing the black lettering. Could hurt resale value if it doesn't get my drivers moving.

    • Like 1
  15. I currently have 200w on my CF-3's and CF-4s which are awaiting mods. It's way, way more than you need. I plan on downsizing to sub 50 watts, and considering all sorts of options from 3 watts to 50, but with a magical midrange in mind. I feel my RSW15 can fill in anything i may be missing in the low end.

    If you end up in a big room, perfect. If you are in a small apartment, with future plans to move to a medium sized room in a house? I'd say look for a good clean low powered amp with musicality in mind rather than just power and punch. Also i don't know about bluetooth, but i recommend the Denafrips Ares II dac on the used market for near the same price range of that DACMagic.  The Ares II will make your digital music sound analog. It's really an incredible value. Klipsch and R2R Dacs were made for each other.

  16. As someone with only one digital source, and a dac with volume control-albeit old digital-i wonder if a preamp is really that necessary myself? I have over $4k in a preamp suitable enough to not crush and shrink my dac as my previous preamps did. I've had it in the system and already planned to sell only to move to a somewhat cheaper model after with no phono since phono seems to be creating a lot of unnecessary heat i dont need. So the new preamp will be a few years newer and built the same but no wooden cabinet and no phono. Okay. Yet, this morning i decided to try the dac straight to amp for the first time since i purchased the vintage preamp i am using.  I now realize that all that $4k+ got me was a transparent volume control. The vintage overbuilt preamp lets my overbuilt dac shine without hinderance. The dac sounded vastly better without the other preamps i've owned. Here's the thing, my vintage preamp has no remote control. My dac has a remote control. The dac straight to amp sounds indistinguishable from the dac into the preamp which i suppose is a win for the preamp as it's doing it's job.

     

    The apparent reason i can't use the dac as a volume control(from what i've been told) is because the digital volume is supposed to be bad and ancient and i will reduce too many bits. The brochure(photo posted) says i can reduce to -40 before any degradation of a 24 bit output.  My computer as my only source usually won't allow me to select output bit more than the dac can hanld. An Audio Note 0.1x i had in here wouldn't let me select anything more than 16bit 44k.  The DC-91 actually allows me to select 32bit 48k. Both in my windows settings and in my player software and the music plays fine and the dac locks onto frequency. I'm not hearing a loss of resolution right now with my power amp level low and my dac -24 volume just to get an idea of low level night time listening. I can't say for sure at -34 to -40. It's jut quiet.

     

    So here's my question with my source being 32 bit and the dac built in digital  volume being set for 24 bit without distortion. Aren't i giving myself even more room to use the volume control without reduction in bits and negating the need for a preamp?

    adigitaldomain.jpg

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