akshobhyavajra

---------------- On 12/16/2002 12:55:26 PM mobile homeless wrote: I am going to be trying some other experiments here and will see what different settings hold (it's a bit tough since the mat does change the VTA too). As for now, I really suggest those with acrylic platters and clamps to TRY your table with a mat (so far, I have only tried felt) sans clamp. I know a host of you have ditched your mats and use a clamp on the MMF-7 as well as the Scout. I am starting to question the use of a clamp altogether now and the mat seems postitive, despite the static (which is not a problem here). Just something to think about and consider. kh ---------------- When I picked up my Nottingham I questioned Larry Weinstein (Hollywood Sound) about the use of a clamp and he pretty much echoed your thoughts. I was able to negate static on the mat (and LPs) by using a Mapleshade IONOCLAST: There are a number of different products like it out there - I suspect they all help with the static problem to a greater or lesser extend. Overall I find the sound of the Nottingham w/o clamp very mellow, natural and thus pleasing - as far as my personal taste is concerned. Regards, ~Michael~

---------------- On 12/11/2002 3:23:58 PM cjk1026 wrote: Don't get me wrong, I think the Zen is a very cool little amp, but why would somebody spend $700.00 on speaker wire/cable for a $500.00 amp? Honestly, I'm not trying to be sarcastic. ---------------- I understand what you're saying - some people are budget oriented and as such this would be silly. Other audiophiles like to play around with this sort of thing, so it's not really a budget issue. For $700 you can also get some The Loth-X Amaze single driver speakers (96 db/W/m) or some Omega TS1 single drivers (96dB also) and accomplish the same - maybe better. My point was only to point to various viable solutions to a problem, rather than just focusing on the problem itself, i.e. 1. Autotransformers 2. Single driver or other efficient speakers 3. Equipment matching - using a good pre-amp, etc et al Spending $700 on cable (the Select costs $700) is not that tragic in terms of the big picture (only my opinion - not here to start an altercation). If the reader feels that quality cable and interconnects are unimportant and ought not to be considered as a component - just disregard this paragraph. Happy listening, ~Michael~

---------------- On 12/10/2002 8:13:21 PM mike stehr wrote: ---------------- On 12/10/2002 4:24:56 PM Audio Flynn wrote: These little vintage SE 6BQ5 amps have wimpy sized OPT's, which does not say they sound bad, they have great midband. The lower registers are pretty soft, and it gets worse with a heavier load presented from larger speakers with a good sized woofer and crossover. With the right speaker like a simple microwatt full-range, enables the little SE pentode amp to breathe a little, I geuss. ---------------- One successful way to increase ZEN performance is via autoformer speaker cables, which were initially designed for OTL amps. On a ZEN you would simply reverse the cable to change impedance from ... say 8 ohms to 4 ohms....see link: http://www.otlamp.com/tweaks/ps/zero/cable.html''>http://www.otlamp.com/tweaks/ps/zero/cable.html'>http://www.otlamp.com/tweaks/ps/zero/cable.htmlhref> It appears several Zen owners in the Decware forum have employed these cables with success. Regards, ~Michael~

---------------- On 12/10/2002 5:09:32 PM mobile homeless wrote: I think the original Cary 300se with the extra POWER BANK of caps was an amazing amp in the midrange. In 1990, it changed the way I felt about amplification completely! I know the Tulip got that glowing review in Listener I believe, but I have been a bit wary of this one. I would opt for used Wright Sound 3.5 before the Tulip. kh ---------------- That's a sweet-looking setup, indeed. I've not seen the mono's with the power bank - it must sound divine. I've seen the Tulip and it seems put be put together a bit better than the little AV8 - which I picked up when they were the latest craze in budget pp tube monos... I think you're right about George's WPA3.5 - again - haven't heard it, but I've not heard anyone complain about anything except George answering his e-mail in a timely manner . Must be something to this amp, though, you've been recommending it for some time: http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.pl?forum=set&n=7856&highlight=aes&session=''>http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.pl?forum=set&n=7856&highlight=aes&session='>http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.pl?forum=set&n=7856&highlight=aes&session=href> Best Regards, ~Michael~

---------------- On 12/10/2002 2:53:52 PM mobile homeless wrote: I happen to really groove to the open and coherent sound of the single-source speaker. My northern friend has some excellent Lamhorns with the AER Mk I drivers and they do amazing with 2A3/300B. I almost got a pair of Lamhorns myself but opted the vintage Klipsch route since a pair of CW appeared within driving distance (btw, he found them lacking with the original ZEN that he had on loan after his Horus 2A3 amps sold, at least with more challenging music - the Lamhorns come in at about 100db or so with no crossover). That last bit of magic is missing...but it's magic I think that's pretty important if going the SET route. kh ---------------- kh, I was looking at the Lamhorns (never heard them, but heard good things about them), and the 1.8 Cabinets w/ AER MK-1 or Lowther drivers is something I would consider - half the cost of a new Avantgarde UNO...though I've seen them for about 7k used. And yes - the SET magic - really what it's all about. Larry from Hollywood Sound, a Cary Dealer for over ten years and South Florida turntable guru - mentioned to me on a recent visit that the little ASL TULIP 2A3 actually smoked the CAD-300SEs - period. I was shocked to hear this from him, since he lived, ate and breathed Cary for years.... Something worth considering, esp at 1K - which is a bargain for someone like me, who does not want to build anything. Regards, ~Michael~

---------------- On 12/10/2002 1:27:43 PM mobile homeless wrote: ps- The Reference 3A are not actually more efficient speakers than the average vintage Klipsch but ARE more simple eschewing the crossover. I think to actually get the most from SET, an even more efficient speaker is needed, that is, to make SET fully BLOOM. On the note of the RF-7, just hope its not quite so benign impedance does not bring a problem. ---------------- Depends if you're throwing a crossover into the definition of "efficiency". I wasn't refering to vintage Klipsch... just mine, which were discontinued a couple of years ago. A 106 db speaker will definitely make SETS bloom more so than a 92 db box, though I suspect something like a CAD-805C will probably bloom fine @ 92 db.... Regards, ~Michael~

---------------- On 12/10/2002 6:41:31 AM Vito wrote: Thanks Michael, but Monolith ins't sold in Italy or E.U. Greetings vito ---------------- OK, I was not aware of that. In any case the EAR and Lehmann both have excellent reputation. I suspect the SS Lehmann may lend itself better to rock music - though I cannot confirm this. Do a search in the Vinyl Asylum - there is lot's of info on both phonos: http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/vinyl/bbs.html'>Vinyl Asylumhref> Good luck! ~Michael~

---------------- On 12/9/2002 11:12:19 PM robforst1 wrote: http://www.decware.com/Select/select.htm ---------------- The SE84 series of amps are a great match for speakers with an efficency of 90 db +. I've owned an 84C for a year and love it. Great midrange and it works well with my 8 ohm speakers. According to Steve Deckert it works even better with 4 or 2 ohm loads (as opposed to OTL amps, which prefer 12 to 16 ohm loads). As long as you have efficient speakers and a small to mid-size room you might really like their sound. Larger rooms would require some more efficient speakers like the Avantgarde Uno (also their cheaper DIY clones) or a more powerful amp, like a 2A3 or 300B type. NOTE: I was able to manage power requirements by replacing my Klipsch speakers (now on secondary system) with more efficient Reference 3As (which have no crossover). I also added an Octal 6 preamp, which added 20 db of gain in shunt regulated push pull mode. I was willing to tweak my system to make the Zen work. IF you decide on the Zen - it will take more than a month to break in - I don't care what anyone says. After six months mine really started to sing and. Most people are not patient enough to wait that long. In my particular case a little patience, some tweaks and a bit of tube rolling really paid off. Regards, ~Michael~

---------------- On 12/8/2002 2:44:37 PM Vito wrote: I like rock over all (even if not hard or heavy), but also classic, new age and jazz. And for this reason, perhaps, Black Cube should be better. Can anyone help me to decide? Greetings Vito ---------------- If you like rock as well as classical you may want to consider the Monolithic with the upgraded power supply instead of the Black Cube. It is detailed, has great bass extension, and good sound stage. Gain settings are 26db, 35db, 44db and 53db - so it will even work with a 0.5 mV Helikon (assuming your pre has the added 10 db gain). It also offers capacitance settings of 100pf, 270pf or 370pf - depending on your tonearm cable - and loading resistance settings of 47k, 10k, 1k and 100 ohms. The PS-1 will run you new $399 and the added dual mono power supply will add an additional $259 or so. Here is the link: http://www.monolithicsound.com/ps-1.html'>Monolithic Sound PS-1href> Regards, ~Michael~

---------------- On 12/6/2002 4:17:02 PM mike stehr wrote: I'll have to look at the FR's you mentioned, I have some cheap and sensitive Norelco AD4201M's that seem to work well on vintage SE 6BQ5 amplifiers. I would like to make cabinets someday for them, but they'll have to be huge. Of course, my gear is cobbled vintage thrift store items. ---------------- Here is a link to the website: http://www.omegaloudspeakers.com/ His FRs start at $399 a pair for the TS3 Standard, which uses a modified 5" Shielded Fostex ES - 93dB - good enough for most flee-power amps, since there is no crossover. I'm gonna go for the TS1 @ 96dB since that's a bit better for opera and classical with my massive 1.8 watt amp Ciao, ~Michael~

---------------- On 12/6/2002 2:48:24 PM mike stehr wrote: Does the Zen amp have the output tubes triode strapped? Does it still have the SV83 output tubes? Or have you tried some 6BQ5's of any brands? What Full-Range Drivers do you have in mind? ---------------- Yes - triode. Yes - still SV83. Yes - tried numerous 6BQ5 tubes , including Yugo/Orion EL84Y, Russian 6n14n-EBs, etc. - I like the Zen best with the SVs... The Full-Range Driver I have in mind is the Omega TS1 Standard (96 db), which will work well in my little room. I looked at the Horns by Ed, the Abby by Cain & Cain, and just other efficient speakers in general (Model 95 by Parker Audio, Triumph Sigs by Coincident, Rhapsody by Galante, etc.). I'm not into DIY - so I think the little TS1s will do. Emailed Louis who is a great to deal with... can't beat the 30 day in home trial.... Regards, ~Michael~

---------------- On 12/6/2002 7:59:09 AM Randy Bey wrote: ...the cute tush of the viola player then you don't have the concert experience. ---------------- Gotta be careful - THAT can create woofer excursion due to unexpected voltage surge as a result of melting resisters ~Michael~

---------------- On 12/5/2002 5:46:15 PM Randy Bey wrote: Michael, from what I understand, "epistemological" refers to the process during child birth when the OB/Gyn performs a minor incision to facilitate childbirth. ---------------- Now that's just funny (ouch - maybe not)! As for Leo Koettke - I would have liked that anyway - I have some of his LPs and the CD Solo Guitar - love it. Sounds pretty good on the ol' SET system - now if I can just get me some full-range single driver speakers I'll be happy and complete... maybe Regards, ~Michael~ PS - I tried to get that "full orchestra sound", but could not fit all the members of The Academy in my 16 x 12 x 8 room...

A lot of great stories here. Wow. I hit the jackpot twice in the past six months. First, I happened to arrive at the local thrift shop at the time a lot of LPs arrived. They were all DGG, Philips (Europe), Angel, London FFrr and Red Label. I took 96 LPs for 25 cents each - most pristine - all were classic performances by Karajan, Boehm, Horowitz, et al. A few months later I hit the jackpot at the local Goodwill - this time classic rock (60ies - 80ies) - all mint. I walked out with 65 LPs @ 25 cents a piece. I also ended up with 6 boxed sets by Arthur Fiedler, Rubenstein, etc - looked unplayed and had no surface noise. These were RCA. Truly a fun way to kill a few hours Regards, ~Michael~

---------------- On 12/5/2002 5:30:07 AM talktoKeith wrote: It would be a waste of both your time and mine Michael. ---------------- Keith, You are probably correct. I'll stick to my big, black discs and you can keep your little, shiny ones. As to the definition of the before-mentioned term - I am aware of the definition Best regards, ~Michael~

---------------- On 12/4/2002 3:36:33 PM talktoKeith wrote: The difference would be the hiss, pops, and crackles you will hear on vinyl as opposed to not hearing same on the other formats. Keith ---------------- If one uses quality equipment, handles and cleans vinyl properly hiss and pops are minimal at best - on the other hand the tonality and detail in a quality pressing such as LSC-1806 Strauss - Also Sparch Zarathrustra Reiner/CSO or LSC-2446 Rimsky-Korsakov - Scheherazade Reiner/CSO are rather impressive and quite beautiful to listen to. I suspect that redbook would find this difficult to match. I'm admittingly facinated with your apparent expertise on the suject of turntable setup (VTA, azimuth, matching carts to the effective mass of tonearms, proper RIAA phono gain factor, etc ad nauseam) that lead to the "hiss, pops, and crackles" dismissal of the vinyl format ... perhaps you could enlighten me with your obvious acumen on the matter at hand. Best regards, ~Michael~

---------------- "epistemological: (note the spelling) adj: of or relating to epistemology" "epistemology: The branch of philosophy that studies the nature of knowledge, its presuppositions and foundations, and its extent and validity." ---------------- Thank for looking that up in the dictionary for us, doctor. While you're at it could you please look up "rhetorical" and "sarcastic". Thanks, ~Michael~

---------------- On 12/4/2002 1:43:07 PM deang wrote: Nice post. But what the hell is " epistimological viewpoint "? ---------------- Not sure, but I thought it sounded pretty good.

---------------- On 12/4/2002 2:34:13 PM artto wrote: Well I gotcha on the last one aksho. While I agree with you that live concerts can be a pain in the arse, which is probably why I don't attend them as often as I used to, its still the real thing. My system does sound like the real thing, orchestra & all. And it is very satisfying. ---------------- On November 22nd I attended a performance of The Academy of St Martin in the Fields (Joshua Bell - Guest Director) in the Alexander W. Dreyfoos, Jr. Concert Hall of the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. The performances included violin concertos by Bach & Hayden and the second half of the program featured Mahler's orchestral arrangement of Schubert's quartet, "Death and the Maiden." (I was given Grand Tier tickets as a gift - hard to resist - plus it was nice to take time off from work). Sonically truly overwhelming. I must salute you and your audio system - an amazing accomplishment indeed to have a system sound like the real thing, orchestra & all, i.e. have performances sound just like the one I witnessed that day in the Dreyfoos Concert Hall. You certainly "got me." What can I say - "Cuiusvis hominis est errare" Regards, ~Michael~

---------------- On 12/4/2002 10:42:25 AM artto wrote: Its hard to imagine that this tube vs SS & digital vs analogue thing is still going on after many decades. You can achieve superior results with either. However, your preference will probably be biased by your equipment preferences, how you have the equipment setup, the room's acoustics you listen in as well as the recordings you listen to. ---------------- Absolutely correct - that's a given. In like manner, strictly speaking from an epistimological viewpoint - all opinions and impressions about audio are subjective. Whatever sounds good to each individual is what matters in the final analysis. De Gustibus Non Est Disputandum. ---------------- On 12/4/2002 10:42:25 AM artto wrote: I also sometimes wonder what other people's music reference is. How many "audiophiles" frequently attend live musical events, both acouctic & amplified? How many have ever played an instrument at the professional level? How many have ever recorded live music, amplified or acoustic? Or mastered their own recordings? An acquaintance Of Paul Klipsch, Sergent Jack Riley, tells of a visit to a "hi-fi" show when he was stationed in England. A feature was a comparison of various playback systems with a live orchestra. He reported "The orchestra came in third." Lets not forget that we are dealing with imperfect systems regardless of the technology used. ---------------- Not all people like live concerts. I for one prefer the imperfect world of my listening room - no bacchanalian trolls, people caughing or talking or otherwise rude arse holes ... and the convenience to get up and go to the fridge - for example.... plus the volume level does not bother me. Frankly, I don't know how I ever attended live performances at all over the past 30 years, though theatre is a bit more palatable. If you like look for the sound of live orchestra no audio system will ever be satisfying. Regards, ~Michael~

---------------- On 12/4/2002 1:01:33 AM robforst1 wrote: How different would my 2-channel listening experience be on my cornwalls with Tubes and Phono vs CD and SS? ---------------- A two channel vacuum tube system with a quality turntable / tonearm / cart / phono, which has been properly setup will certaily sound less harsh at the very least. I ended up selling all my SS stuff and... now rarely listen to CD - the cornwalls will love you for it Regards, ~Michael~

---------------- On 12/3/2002 1:51:44 PM synthfreek wrote: I can't imagine any or really worth anything except for a Mobile Fidelity pressing or one of the 1/2 speed masters. Millions of that record were pressed. ---------------- ...I find MFSL not all that impressive half the time - esp. when compared to wonderful stampings like LSC-2225 Witches Brew Gibson/NSoL, LSC-1806 Strauss...Also Sparch Zarathrustra Reiner/CSO or the famous RCA LSC-1817 Serial # 1 -1267; (the 1 signifying the re-issue stamper number) of Fiedler's Offenbach interpretation. Interestingly enough a sealed copy of DSOTM went for over $700 on epay last week... personally I don't mind paying $20 - $50 on a new quality 180 gram LP. but then I play my LPs - and don't collect for the sake of collecting. Heck - $700 buys a lot of vinyl at the Goodwill - esp @ $0.25 each. Regards, ~Michael~

---------------- On 12/3/2002 11:24:52 AM rf3iicrazy wrote: Hi Guys I'm looking for info on a record album collectors guide. Any input would be appreciated. Also i remember some talk on this forum regarding the value of some issues of DSOTM. I'd like some info on that if anyone has any input. ---------------- For more info on anything records check out http://www.recordcollectorsguild.org They offer info, links, and have a record forum. Regards, ~Michael~

When I listen to my system... I am eight feet away from the speakers. There is a bike rack and a wall behind my head. I sit somewhat reclined. I am sober as a judge.

FWIW - I am successfully using a 1.8 watt SET amp with Reference 3As (92 db; 8 ohms; no xover) in a 16 x 12 x 8 dedicated room. I listen to opera, classical and jazz at what I consider moderate and above moderate levels without clipping. Depending on room size, associated equipment, topology 8 watts can certainly be sufficient. Regards, ~Michael~