bkevind
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Posts posted by bkevind
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Just now, USNRET said:
F'ng glory boys. Had one sit in an F-22 cockpit for 4 hours while we decided how to cut the canopy off as it would not open. I am going: blow it, blow it, but no that would damage it. No SCHITT but the K12 saw cutting thru it does no harm!
LOL! Might as well test the emergency cockpit canopy "release". Seemed like an opportunity to me haha. Maybe if the pilot wanted to go for a 40g ride he could have pulled the full ejection process...but that doesn't sound like much fun.
Oh man the big wigs we'd get at Nellis, come to play golf and get a couple hours flight time. One time at EOR we had a jet that was leaking fuel like crazy, gallons per minute. We made him shut her down. He was PISSED, turns out it was a general having a fun run. On the flip side, we'd have pilots come in too heavy (didn't use all the fuel from external tanks - or didn't drop bombs) and then brake a bit too hard...we'd have to check brake temps before sending him to taxi home, if they were hot they were an explosive danger so we'd have to make them park it. God they would be livid about that.
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2 minutes ago, USNRET said:
Plain Jane: Jet engine mechanic
then on to door gunner, Naval Air Test Center / Navy Test Pilot School crew /, search and rescue, anti-submarine P-3 flight engineer, jack of all trades and of all things ended up as a Navy recruiter on my last tour.Nice. I was a mechanic, specialty was weapons systems. Which meant I worked on all aspects of the F-16 since we cross trained - aka "hey grab a speed handle and pull panels!". Also meant that I always met the jets EOR coming back from a sortie. The funnest part of that was when they had a hung live bomb (Pilot triggered to drop the bomb...and it didn't release fully). We show up in our bdu pants and tshirts, walk up to the bomb to make it safe and disarm the fuse (hopefully), meanwhile FD is 4000 feet away (minimum radius) in full protective gear waiting with halon extinguishers. By now the pilot has to piss, and is pissed off that he has to wait. Good memories.
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Speaking of Navy, I worked at Nellis Air Force base. Sometimes Navy would fly in for various reasons - it was great watching them land because it always looked like a crash landing
Nellis had a nice 2 mile long runway, but the Navy guys had what looked like an emergency AOA, and would stop incredibly short. It helps of course the Navy birds had robust landing gear designed for carrier crash landings.
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4 minutes ago, USNRET said:
Ok, just to be clear I did not fly these birds. I was just the flight test conductor, on the ground, monitoring real time telemetry during initial tests and then acted as flight following in later flights. I just sat at console going thru checklists with the pilots, staring at a PC and giving some help with any inflight anomalies.
During the first flights I briefed maybe 30 folks on preflight. Later it was just me and the test pilot for LM and then the A.F. test pilot that flew after we proof tested.That is very cool. What was your job role in the Navy?
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Wow, great footage.
I miss working on F-16's sometimes. The noise and power at EOR while being on the ground is something else
I always loved watching the test flight take offs, never got sick of it after a few years of it. Didn't so much enjoy the early wake morning wake up from the Thunderbirds practicing pretty much at the roof level of my dorm building.
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I don't bi-amp so can't speak to that.
I do have a Outlaw 5000, with a Yamaha 3070 AVR. Whether the 3070 or the Outlaw is powering the RF-7II, I can't really tell a difference. I know in theory, especially since I'm running multiple channels, there is more headroom with the Outlaw. To be fair, for multi channel movie use, I have everything crossed at 80hz.
I think to possibly hear a difference, you'd have to get a higher end, higher power amp.
As an experiment in the office with my Forte II, I bridged my NAD C372 and C272, to have 2 monoblock amps with something like 300-400watts per channel. It's hard for me to describe the difference but it is tangible (before I was powering the Forte II with just the C372 which I believe is 150wpc normally). Granted at lower volume settings, there shouldn't much if any difference right? I mean, it takes the same amount of watts to achieve the same SPL so what gives? Why am I hearing a difference? It sounds more substantial, and just "better" to my ears even at low volumes. I don't get it. Maybe it's psychosomatic?
I'd like to feed the RF-7II much more power, and listen to them in 2 channel only and see if I have the same experience. I'll get around to it
I wish it was a bit easier to A/B this, but it takes time to re-wire.
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Car Thread
in Lounge
2 hours ago, JJkizak said:Does Porsche still use needle bearings on their crankshaft journals?
JJK
I have no idea, I'm a driver with basic mechanical knowledge. Maintenance, part replacements, boltons, etc but never have torn down an engine. Inside it's all a big mystery of explosions and spinny things to me.
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Car Thread
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6 hours ago, parlophone1 said:No shifting gears on the steering wheel on the Porsche?
Not this one, pure 6-speed manual.
Porsche does do really well with their automatic and PDK trans, but...this had to be a proper manual.
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Car Thread
in Lounge
Ironically, she now sees the value in being able to garage a nice car. Suddenly she feels my pain with the Camaro being stuck outside since October thanks to the slowest kitchen renovation ever. Whereas before, she was just like whatever.
Thankfully the reno is in it's final stages so I was able to clear out space for her princess. And a plan is in works to clear out the other side for my toy. Eventually we'll be building a shop with office space (we both work from home) on the bottom lot, the attached garage will for parking only.
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Car Thread
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On 1/20/2018 at 3:12 PM, JJkizak said:Is the Porsche manual or automatic shift? Important for ladies.
JJK
Hah. Oh it's a manual. That was a requirement. I met my wife in a sportsbike club, we honeymooned in Italy, both riding motorcycles around central Italy, specifically scheduled to catch the MotoGP race at Mugello. She's done riding the track, but she knows how to have a good time
And furthermore, Klipsch was her idea, I showed her some options and she was all about the RF-7 II's.
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Car Thread
in Lounge
1 hour ago, Ceptorman said:OOOHHH.....I'll take the black one!
Very nice. Who get's to drive the Porche?
My wife just bought the Porsche (it's a 2006). She'll drive it most of the time, but I'll sneak in a few drives now and then. Somebody has to put it through it's paces to keep it properly exercised
The 2013 Camaro SS 1LE is mine, and can chew up the Porsche from a performance perspective but character of the Porsche is simply awesome and the top down back roads cruising is a real joy.
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This discussion is too black and white. The answer is neither, and both.
Yes trust your ears, yes get some validation, more importantly listen for yourself to a variety of systems.
Learning to listen critically is a far different thing from enjoying whatever you're hearing. It is not mandatory to an enjoyable experience.
Here is the thing - you don't know what you don't know. Maybe you're happy with xyz speakers. Then, then you hear a friends speakers that sound 10x better to your ears. But what's the deal, were you wrong before to enjoy what you had? Were your ears wrong? I've been through this, and it was eye opening for me at the time. Do trust your ears, but be open minded (eared?) to listen to other systems to hear the differences.
I think the point is valid both ways. Don't blindly trust what people tell you. DO take every opportunity to listen to other peoples' systems, speakers. Knowing of course that is their room their equipment, etc so it will not sound exactly the same in your space - but at least you get a good idea.
Critical listening is a different topic, and yes it is a learned skill. I got sick of that pursuit 20 years ago, because I decided I just want to enjoy music without picking it apart and thinking about every detail and nuance - which for me took away from the overall experience.
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Car Thread
in Lounge
Well. My wife had a frustrating week, and we decided it was past time to treat herself to something nice. She has wanted one of these for 20 years...
His and Hers:
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7 minutes ago, Gilbert said:
Just down the road from Austin, less than an hours drive is Lockhart, TX....... aka The BBQ Capital of Texas.
In Lockhart you've got 4 good choices to choose from, some have been in business since the 1800's. My family likes mine best
, but I'll take Kreuz's BBQ any day of the week, just don't ask for sauce, not that you'll need it anyway.
Hell, even in Austin you have Franklin's, and there's a Black's also. Franklin's can get crazy though, the line can go around the buillding and down the corner.
Franklin's and Black's were the two I was thinking of that I have yet to go to check out.
There was a place we used to ride to in the motorcycle club but I can't remember what it was called. It was pretty good. You would pick your meat out from what they had on the grills/smokers. They had giant pots of beans out to grab your own.
Looks like I'll have to check out Kreuz's.
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I use YPAO, but I make adjustments to suit my taste after. It does sound better with than without.
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I was thinking along the same lines.
Striving for perfection is maddening, and impossible to achieve.
With home theater, it will never be perfect (or any theater). Diminishing returns is a real thing, and you'll get there quickly when it comes to upgrading processors, amps and speakers.
Find the point of compromise that strikes the right balance for your needs and wants.
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3 minutes ago, oldtimer said:
The crock pot pork is not BBQ, no matter how good it might be. It takes real smoke to make real BBQ. There is a lot of good out there, but it is mostly made in people's back yards not restaurants. Part of the magic is the personal aspect.
Yeah I hear ya. I suppose I should just get a decent smoker and start the trial and error process until I find a method I can repeat.
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I live in and grew up in Texas. Rarely have I ever had good bbq. I've also traveled all over the US and just can't say I've ever been much impressed with any bbq. I think the really "good" ones are few and far between so you have to know where to go.
The best I recall having was a little family run affair, I think it was in Rowlett Tx, years ago. I think it was a mirage and I was dreaming, because I could never find it again. But it was the best BBQ I've ever had. It was classic TX bbq, but everything was just really good, felt like it was infused with love and joy of making it.
I tend to shy away from BBQ these days, as I'm pretty tired of bad bbq and it's not worth wasting a meal/money on bad food.
There are supposedly 1 or 2 really good bbq around the Austin area. I find places like County Line, and Salt Lick to be decent, and at least ok to have once in a while.
I think part of it is that it's low quality cuts of meat, that you have to really work at to make taste good. Give me a tenderloin roast any day, even if you screw it up, it still tastes good and is tender lol.
That said, I'd like to try the crock pot pork as descried earlier in this thread. Simple to do, maybe it will be better than the crap I get from restaurants.
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4 hours ago, willland said:
Here is the thing, there will always be something "better". The 6011 will bring the average buyer and user to complete HT enjoyment. Will the 8802A bring more enjoyment to those same buyers? Possibly but the law of diminishing returns will be a factor to most. I am totally convinced that the 6011 plus your Outlaw 7700 will rock the house and impress most if not all who come to enjoy it.
Bill
That's my take on it. There are plenty of processor options out there for separates, but the budget options will not likely be superior to a high end AVR. That's why I'm in the hybrid camp: AVR + external amp. Keeps the budget reasonable, and the result is quite functional. A decent/good external amp can provide all the muscle you need, then the question becomes, what are you missing with AVR processing vs a pre/pro? Especially in my terrible mixed use family room - it's not worth investing any deeper for me.
On that note, I'd like to see a breakdown of the technical spec differences between say the 6011 and the 8802A (not just the components used, but design that leads to improved sound signals). I know you can use the same ESS Sabre whatever chips in two different components, and the result will be much different depending on the overall design.
I think the real difference comes into play when you've got a proper theater room to work with + high end processor and amps. My expectation for a good processor is absolute isolation from noise and distortion, differential circuits, balanced inputs outputs, etc. It better have outstanding results on a test bench (and to my ears) or it's not any better than an AVR. To me this means, budget for pre and amps is north of 10k or it's not really worth doing.
It would be interesting to have a blind test session with a group of enthusiasts.
Maybe that's me looking to justify for my chosen path
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1 hour ago, vasubandu said:
You raise an interesting question. I am going to assume that my Outlaw 7700 will cover the power requirements for my entire 5.1 system (Assume RF-5 towers, RC-7 center, RS-7 surrounds and PB2 Plus sub. If that is right, then my receiver or whatever does not need to provide power at all - it needs to provide a signal. So the question then becomes whether there is a difference in the signal between devices. To the extent that it is digital processing, would't they all process the same data the same way? If not, how does one go about finding the best? Is it different for speaker brands or even lines within a brand?
And why doesn't someone make a purely processing unit that does not pretend to be an amp. Save the money and the heat. Someone should.
I just use an AVR, top of the line if I can (like the Yamaha 3070). I don't care as much for it's amp section, but I do use it for some channels, as I am running 11.1 (or 7.1.4 I guess). And the height / surround channels don't typically need as much juice.
Good processors cost the same or more, I'm ok with the level of processing I get with an AVR and I like the flexibiity of using the AVR amp if I need to.
Take a deeper look at the specs, in particular the DACs used. Maybe that's not something I can hear the difference in, but I know my 3070 uses superior DACs to the 2070 and below. Peace of mind I guess. Also the best room correction software is provided in the top of the line.
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Bigger, multiples, and of the best quality < - that's more important than just a sloppy boom noise maker.
The R-115SW reviews pretty well, though apparently it has some exaggerated mid-bass, which can mean it's a bit boomy, but that's probably part of why it's such a punchy, visceral sub.
I think I might actually like that in my open area but I'm pretty happy with my SB-13 Ultra for now. I think that is what some folks that have become accustomed to a Klipsch sub, then try another, like SVS, which have a mostly flat response, they sound like they're missing something compared to a sub that is tuned to have a bit of a hump in the bump.
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"THX Ultra2 is a 7.1-speaker extension of the original Ultra spec. Ultra2 is designed to work well with multi-channel music and movie presentations playing up to reference levels in rooms of 3,000 cubic feet or larger. Each certification requires components to produce high volume levels, to play at a low level of distortion, and to disperse sound in specific ways, as well as to have extremely low noise and behave in a stable and predictable way."
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Youthman has you covered.
I just want to give my condolences for the loss of your coffee pot. That's not a good day for anyone.
The loss of your other electronics may prove to be a boon, as you've already scored a fantastic pair of speakers
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10 minutes ago, vasubandu said:
@bkevind I have been trying to give him what help I can. Do you think those speakers would actually fill his room with sound? I have no idea. And do you have any thoughts on in-wall versus on-wall?
To achieve a THX Ultra2 speaker certification, the speaker must be able to achieve a high SPL within a maximum THD (distortion) level. In other words, the Klipsch THX Ultra2 certified speaker line, properly amplified, will get loud, very loud and very clean. I believe there is a minimum room size as part of that certification as well.
As a part of building a system like this, you'll need very good amps, and very good subwoofer(s). For subs I have a soft spot for SVS, and would recommend the PB-16 Ultra x 2 to go with with the Klipsch THX Ultra2 speakers.
Terrain Avoidance Testing
in Lounge
Posted
I dunno. Seems like the F-16 is so much cheaper by comparison, and is good enough at multi-role, no? When it comes to doing the job - air to air and air to ground most effectively it's about the whole package (avionics, weapons tech). If I get a A-A lock from a distance and fire before you ever know I'm there, it's a win whether I'm in an old F-16 or a fancy new F-35 or F-22
We're doing something wrong if it becomes a close range dog fight.
Then dropping such simple technology like JDAM, retrofitted dumb bombs with inexpensive GPS guided targeting and maneuvering (WAY cheaper than TV/Laser guided, and way more accurate than the classic dumb bomb) from 35k feet, no need for a clear site to target or to stick around the area. Plug in the coordinates, bombs away in the correct window and bug out. Got to watch that from China Lake in the 90's since we were the first weapons crew to load up live JDAMs. It was remarkably accurate.
The F-35 project seems like a bit of a fail in terms of teething issues and exceeding planned costs.
Don't get me wrong, I love the new technology and it is key if we expect to maintain air superiority.