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MeloManiac

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Everything posted by MeloManiac

  1. I like the article... And the website. Pretty down to earth. This one is interesting too: https://www.ecoustics.com/articles/newbies-affordable-audio-guide/
  2. It's a good long-term investment and you have something quite unique. It will broaden your perspective - this forum is an example of just that - and that of the people around you. You can't put money on that.
  3. Your graphs seem to suggest that phonographs, vinyl records, have a much wider dynamic than digital carriers. I now remember this older thread o yours, BTW. Is that correct?
  4. Tonight I put in a CD I've had for many years, going back to 1992, a recording of Beethoven's 6th and 8th (see: https://www.discogs.com/Beethoven-HarnoncourtChamber-Orchestra-Of-Europe-Symphony-No-6-Pastoral-Symphony-No-8/release/10515973) This CD starts rather quietly, so I always have the inclination to turn up the volume, but then soon the full power of the (humble) HK430 with my Heresy 1972 forces me to turn it down again. Even then, my brain seems out of balance because of the large differences in volume (what I call dynamic range), I guess that's because I listen a lot to Spotify, which doesn't have this 'problem'. Of course, it is actually the other way round: the dynamic range of the old days is correct, while Spotify (and I think their competitors also), have raised the volume of the quieter sequences. CDs can have extended dynamic range, while recordings on vinyl are limited physically (too loud can make the needle jump out of groove). Any thoughts on this, or corrections, are welcomed!
  5. Watt/Power isn't everything. Brands will list this as a selling argument, even the big names, esp. in their budget line, because they know sellers will use it to impress potential buyers. Don't get fooled by the numbers. There are high end, highly prized and priced amps that have ONE watt rms, but it is the 'cleanest' watt they are after. For solid state amps , look for THD in the specs: Total Harmonic Distortion. Some will list something like 1%, some 0.3% and some %0.003. That last percentage is 100x less distortion than the second (which is, btw, for the Harman Kardon 430). This is a good indicator, but you have to take into account that every amplifier has a 'sweet point': the volume setting at which it sounds the best, with your speakers that is. For Tube Amps, THD is a different matter: when you turn up the volume, THD will go up spectacularly (up to 10%), because it is the nature of the beast: the quality of the tubes will determine the quality of the distortion. For some reason, our brain appreciates this kind of distortion, especially when it is 'second order distortion'. But if you play your music loud, and you have a low watt tube amp, you'll get ugly distortion before you reach your desired loud volume (compare with a heavy metal guitar distortion), so you'll need a Tube Amp with 30 watts or so, to play your music loud without ugly distortion. Example: my America designed, China made Tubecube 7 has 3.5W and plays fine at low volume (for evening sessions) at around 0.2-0.5 W, but there is too much distortion to play it loud. Reviewers (and makers and sellers) of audiophile amps often handle the terms blackness and staging which I actually kind of like: visualise a black canvas, yes, like a painting, and let us say you're listening to a jazz trio. Imagine you see all 3 instruments clearly painted against that totally black background. There's the drum, the piano, the bass. They each have their fixed place in the painting and they are clearly defined, bright and crystal clear. But this is no 2D painting, but a 3D painting: the instruments not just have a position on the X/Y axis, the two dimensional stage, but also on the Z-axis (distance from the listener). This too is clearly defined. When blackness is total, the instruments' definition is absolute, a singularity, if you like. Unfortunately, most recordings have noise, and most amplifiers (and the rest of the system, like cables etc) add noise, so that absolute definition is eroded, and you get a garbled, noisy, muddy image, which is less appealing than when the blackness is total... Here is a recording of which I think blackness is really present, you should hear it with your RP600Ms if the your amp is up to it... Tord Gustavsen Trio, The Ground, Colours of Mercy.
  6. When I got my first Klipsch speakers, I thought they would make all my favourite music sound fantastic... It was a shocker to discover that was not the case. As I was going through my vinyl records and cd collection, I discovered Klipsch speakers are merciless: they either make well recorded music sound fantastic, while they magnify the faults in badly recorded music. And in my experience, it is quite unpredictable: some albums I thought were just average, open up on Klipsch speakers, while other albums, some popular, fall apart. This is a playlist I have of songs I collected on sites where amplifiers are reviewed. These songs the reviewers listed as there 'reference music', i.e. songs they would play while reviewing and comparing with other amps. They all are high quality recordings and have something special, standing out. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7rmhacMLozsBeZWX5AnQJf?si=dfDva1NBTImcl801sk0clg Your phone should be able to scan this code, I think (In the spotify app, click on the looking glass, then click on the camera icon):
  7. I love those Butcher Block Acoustics racks! I checked out their website. Many items are sold out - a good sign. I wish I could find something similar in Europe... Each shelf can carry 250kg... rather impressive... or is that a typo on their website?
  8. I can understand that using cleaning liquid may be necessary if the record is really dirty, like when beer or cola was spilled on it. If it is just dust, I would prefer the clothes roller, though.
  9. My turntable is a real dust magnet (see picture) and my collection of vinyl dates back to the 70s and 80s and has seen lots of listening sessions. Many have scratches, and they are greyish rather than black because of accumulated dust. Today was a real dry day and the static elektricity made sparks when I touched the record. I used that typical black carbon fibre brush, but it was of no use: I could literally see the dust fly from the brush to the record. Hate that. Started doing research on the Internet out of frustration. Now I see today as a historical moment. Some guy on a website listed a clothes duster, a sticky roller, of which the paper can be peeled off when it is no longer sticky. I have that, I thought. I'm going to give it a try. My first attempt was a scary miss. The roller was so sticky, I almost could not remove it from the record. I rolled it a couple of times on my trousers, so it was a bit less sticky. Much better. I avoided the round sticker in the center of the record, and rolled from the center to the outer track. See picture. Turn the record some 60 degrees and clean the next piece of the pie (consider it a pie chart) until you covered full 360 degrees. The result is simply spectacular. All the dust is removed and the elektrostatic charge is gone too. I only hear the deepest scratches. Have been going through my collection tonight, cleaning the dirtiest (most favorite) albums. So good to hear them so pure. These rollers are sold by Aldi. They come in six packs with a plastic handle, but I didn't use the handle. They cost €4 (I think).
  10. Denon: Output power (20Hz - 20kHz) 130W+130W (6ohms) 110W+110W (8ohms) I can understand that a remote would be handy, but since we are talking about turntable pains, I think a remote is less relevant. Unless you know of a remote that also puts the album on the platter and can turn it from side a to side b. 😉
  11. That Denon is Class A and has both mm/mc phono stage. It is a beast. Its power transformer alone weighs 6.3kg. https://audio-database.com/DENON-COLUMBIA/amp/pma-890dg-e.html My advice, keep the Akai, buy both the HK PM665 and the Denon PMA-890DG. Much better investment than putting your money on the bank or investing in stocks.
  12. That HK PM 665 definitely looks interesting to me... Great looks, more connections, and dual mono. Must be the 1986 version of the h/k930, is you ask me. I didn't know of its existence 'till now, but it appears to have a really good phono stage and really good in the low frequencies. https://www.audioenmuziek.nl/audioapparatuur/de-harman-kardon-pm-665-een-oude-jeugdliefde/
  13. For me, the true TT pain is dust. For some reason (perhaps due to air sucked into it for cooling?), my audio corner is like a dust magnet. Take a look at the pictures below, this 'dust-harvest' is literally one day old. I cleaned it all, with water, yesterday. This is 24 hours later... Driving me mad. I like my new setup, btw, with the twin powered H/K430 the crownpiece. If someone could enlighten me why 'direct drive' is better than 'belt drive', please do so. Last year, I re-employed my 40 year old Onkyo turntable. The belt had literally fallen to pieces (should have made pictures of it), but I could easily find a replacement belt for €12 and fix it myself. If a direct drive tt breaks needs maintenance, it will cost a lot more, in my opinion.
  14. Nice story. Very inspiring. I want that CD. Next time I 'm going to a listening session before I buy a used amp or speakers, I'll ask them to play that CD. I will then point out there is something terribly wrong with the amp/speaker and I will start haggling...
  15. I own a pair of H originals 1972. Still going strong with a selection of amps. A good vintage Amp will do. Heresys shine with vacuum tube amps.
  16. I had bought a spray can of Deoxid to clean and repair an amp I bought a thriftstore, so I thought, while I'm busy, I am going to open my HK430 and give it a good cleaning too. I must say the pots etc were more difficult to reach than in the Marantz, but I gave it a lavish treatment all the same. I then let it dry and it was ok when I gave it a try just to see if it was still working. It sounded ok, not much had changed. There had been no cracks anyhow. Then my attention shifted back to the Marantz PM350, which is a nice little amp (see my posts elsewhere). Today, two days later, I was going for an A/B of the Marantz and the HK and guess what, the HK430 now sounds much brighter than before. So much different that I will have to get used to it. The Marantz (from 1981) sounds fuller (more detailed in the mids and highs) than the HK430. So now I'm not sure if the HK430 has the right sound, or if it needs overhauling and recapping... I would prefer to keep the HK430 in original condition, though. Any thought on this are welcome!
  17. On a hunch (gut feeling), I went to the local thriftstore and was very lucky. I found a champagne Marantz PM350 (1981). I hooked it up to my 1972 Heresy set. Lots of potential, but there as a cracking sound in the right hand channel when changing the volume and the balance. I still had to do some errands, so I bought a spray can of Deoxid. After opening, taking all the dust away and then applying deoxid on all contacts and pots, and rca connectors I am now in audio heaven. What I like a lot about the Marantz PM350 is the mini equalizer for bass, mid, and treble. A perfect companion for the Heresy speakers. Sound: warm and bright at the same time, lots of power in the bass! Excellent phono stage! Cost: Marantz PM350: €12 ($14) Can of Deoxid: €6.5 ($7.5)
  18. If you add a subwoofer, perhaps later, you'll be fine. Welcome to audiophile world!
  19. Agree! There is a nice, quite technical review and history of the harman/kardon x30 amplifiers here: https://www.highfidelityreview.com/harman-kardon-730-receiver.html
  20. Looks nice. These vintage tts are amazing, compared to today's entry level turntables. You'd have to pay at least 500 dollars to get comparable quality. It is a direct drive, so no belt to replace, but you should check the bearings for sound and engine for speed. Check this:
  21. The CWs have a sensitivity of 102dB. You can drive them with a 3.5Watt amp, if you choose to. The CWs are sold with the specific catch-phrase that they deliver excellent bass response, "the best of the best", so why should this new owner invest in a subwoofer? Let's face the facts: the grille is faulty, and we can only guess what else is wrong with this speaker set. What happened at Klipsch Quality Control? My suggestion is that Klipsch Inc should do everything to get this right! And within a week, not in three months time! From Klipsch.com And:
  22. You may be right about that. Spotify is even worse as for user interface.
  23. Don't know where you live, but here in Europe, the Qobuz catalogue is phenomenal in depth. In Europe there is no 'family account', though, and that's the only thing keeping me from joining them again. In the US, the do have a family account (up to 6 members). So this difference may suggest their catalogue is different too.
  24. If I were in the market for a phono stage, I'd buy this one https://www.project-audio.com/en/product/tube-box-s2/
  25. Your cousin is a lucky guy, and tuberolling can be fun indeed. If I ever win the lottery, that CS600X is coming my way! Still, the Leben engineers must have had a specific 'sound identity' in mind (the "Leben-sound" perhaps), or else they would not change the architecture of the CS600 to adapt to the different stock of NOS tubes: The Leben CS600X is replacing the current CS600. As it is now difficult to obtain a good quantity of the 6CS7 valve which is used in a current CS600, Leben was compelled to modify this model to use a different valve. Consequently, a new CS600X is equipped with 12AU7A & 12BH7A instead of 6CS7 tube, thus the main difference of CS600X is that two tubes(12AU7A and 12BH7A) are sharing a job of 6CS7 tube and some modifications have been made to the circuit accordingly. Leben still is holding a limited quantity of 6CS7 valves, so for now they will continued to sell the CS600 and CS600X simultaneously. (source: https://hifipig.com/leben-cs600x-stereo-integrated-valve-amplifier-released/ ) I'm not sure where hifipig.com got this information, because the official Leben website only mentions the CS600, not the CS600X. Maybe the English language website hasn't been updated properly. https://lebenhifi.com/products/cs600.html
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