MechEngVic
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Posts posted by MechEngVic
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16 hours ago, henry4841 said:
Let's keep this thread running. I am sure there are lurkers that have tube amplifiers who have never posted. Now is the time to just post a picture and join in. I just like the looks of tube equipment glowing in the dark when listening to music. Romantic as well for you younger members.
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4 hours ago, Smitty8451 said:
Here is mine, Rogue Audio RP-7 preamp, Atlas Magnum II amp, Rogue Audio Pharoah, Elekit TU-8800, and Tavish Adagio Phono pre with tube rectified power supply.
Do you have any speakers?😆
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Welp,
My amp started crackling again. It was a power tube. The crackling was so subtle I didn't think it could be a power tube, there was no arcing or red-plating... Until I turned off the lights. Then I could see the faintest of sparking from within the EL-34. It took a couple of days and several on and off cycles for the problem to go from occurring after several hours to occurring a few minutes into the warm-up cycle. The tube is replaced and I'll be watching the amp carefully for the next several cycles.
The many ways a tube can fail surprise and confuse me!
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8 hours ago, Les Lammers said:
Deoxit on pipe cleaners what I use to clean sockets. There are also small wire brushes made specifically for this purpose too.
Have you had a similar issue to mine, where you actually started getting contact failure? So far I think that's what happened, the amp has been running smooth since cleaning.
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Just a little while ago, my amp (Dynaco ST-70 Series II) started crackling and popping during low volume listening, no red-plating or arcing tubes, no resistors burning, no speaker blowing boom of a capacitor failing, just crackles and pops and the high-low bias LED's flickering.
(You set the bias of this amp by turning a trim pot until both LED's are of equal brightness, they also pulse in time with the music when it's loud. These LED's are sensitive to AC fluctuations and will go up and down in brightness. I say all this about these LED's so you'll understand why I mention them flickering with my issue)
I instantly turned off the amp and did a quick look and sniff. No burning smell nor anything that looked wrong.
I decided to pull the six tubes, I inspected the socket seats and saw what looked like a tiny bit of carbon deposit on a couple of them. I grabbed a thin wood dowel and some isopropyl alcohol and gave them all a good reaming. Then I retensioned the seats and slapped the tubes back in. I turned on the amp and it is running smooth so far, cross my fingers.
This is the first time this type of crackling and popping has happened and I fixed it (hopefully) with socket cleaning and retensioning. I had a very similar type of crackling and popping happen a different time and it turned out to be a bad driver tube. Anytime I remove and install a tube I re-tension, but never did much in the way of corrosion removal. These sockets are about 1.5 years old and this amp runs several hours a day.
Is what I experienced typical of what happens when tube/tube socket contact is compromised?
Also, what do you use to clean tube sockets?
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On 9/12/2020 at 5:46 AM, Msuwendy said:
Hi everyone
I need to discuss the bass response of the heritage line and the recent reference premier line such as the rp8000f floorstanding and the RF7 III bass response
Just a little background my first klipsch is the RP500M which later upgraded to RP600M as a newbie this audio world and this bookshelf have tons of bass and its very forward sounding, and the journey begins
So my dad is a new klipsch fanatics just this 2020, first he bought the heresy IV which is the entry level of heritage series, he's pretty facinated on how the heresy produce the sound especially jazz music, but what bothers him is with the 12 inch driver, it seems to be lacking the forward bass (he used to listen to old JBL monitors speaker 4333a) no matter where he puts it in the corner, but the detail and response leads him to buy the klipschorn 70th anniversary, and again its even amazing the soundstage, the clarity ,the detail served like its a live environment and yet again the bass response seems to be very laid back (but this will probably be the "case" Sound which can create the real Bass Drum beat which is amazing)
So my question is the bass character for the heritage line is very lain back (cause i know klipsch speaker will try to recreate the live situation), my rp600m seems to have more forward bass than my dads rig, will the bigger brother rp8000f or the rf7 III have a forward bass response like in a chest kindda feeling? Recently i manage to buy Chrous 2 incredible speaker amazing, yet again the 15inch front driver and 15inch passive driver is not as "active", we like how klipsch speaker serving us the details and an efficient speaker (no need to sell kidney to buy high power amplifier) but one mystery is just the bass response
He use cayin 100T integrated all tube amp to run heresy 4 and i use the smaller la34 integrated all tube to run the chorus 2
Having listened to both Chorus II's and RF-7 II's (not the III's, but they both have a similar bass response) in the same room with the same amplifiers (VTA ST-120, 60 WPC tube amp, Mcintosh MC-275) I can give you this simplified description of each's bass response: The Chorus II's are room shakers, and the RF-7 II's are chest pounders. Don't get me wrong, they both shake the room and pound the chest, but they stand out in the ways I mentioned.
And let me say this again because I keep reading it mentioned: The Chorus II's DO NOT NEED A TON OF WATTS TO POUND. I owned Chorus II's for many years and ran them with several SS 100+ watt amps (and a 1000 watt Crown mosfet amp), and the best sound and most room-bouncing bass came from a 35 WPC Dynaco ST-70 Series II tube amplifier (which I still own). Sadly, I sold the Chorus II's.
And the RF-7 II's absolutely ripped the house apart with the 60WPC of the VTA and the 75WPC of the MC-275. The 8ohm impedence of Klipsch speakers is what makes them so efficient. Don't let anyone tell you any different.
If you and your dad are looking for that chest pounding bass, speakers with direct radiating woofers sitting up high like in the RF-7 series might be what you're looking for. If you want the accurate bass (especially the upper bass frequencies 150-500 Hz) then the horn loaded woofers of the Khorn/Lascala speakers are better. The heresy IV's are probably just too small for the bass impact and volume you're looking for.
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5 hours ago, ferpromo said:
What''s the ohms impedance on these speakers any one knows ?
Cornwall III's are 8 ohm nominal impedance
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1 hour ago, mike stehr said:
Show the rest!
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1 hour ago, absolve2525 said:
An Update: After a lot of cranking the speakers the past few weeks, as well as some cable and amp swaps, I'm appreciating the midrange at stock levels. I did try replacing the stock 22 ohm resistor with a 33 ohm Mundorf, but it kind of sucked out the midrange. I did order a pair of 22 ohm Mundorf resistors also, and I decided to install those in place of the stock ones. Maybe the new resistors sound better? Lol probably not, but I do think the caps and/or Crites Ti might have broken in some also. I did swap in a nice 80 watt 1990s Yamaha Stereo receiver with an adjustable loudness contour, and I'm getting a real synergy with some use of that. I thought maybe the Dayton caps were too dull initially, but now I'm getting good detail without too much brightness. Thanks for all the input! I may eventually pull the midrange horns and coat the backs with silicone for additional damping.
When you find balance with the factory crossover, that's a win. And what you learn is it's not just about one component but all your gear working well together. Also, many of us believe that well made resistors can make sonic improvements.
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Dynaco ST-70 series II
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Sounds like we're not the only ones hearing stuff on Locomotive Breath. I've always heard the sound but thought it was intentional, but now that I hear it good, it does sound like something that shouldn't be there. ???
https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/question-about-jethro-tulls-locomotive-breath.31507/
https://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=165492
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I believe that part number is for Quartets.
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22 hours ago, Mems70 said:
No yet, should I?
Enviado desde mi iPhone utilizando TapatalkMy guess is that even though it would surely be louder, running just one pair probably sounds cleaner.
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Are you running all four KLF-30's at once? Have you compared the sound quality (not volume) to running just one pair?
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4 hours ago, JoeJoeThe3rd said:
Ok so what would be the benefits of doing this? So I would do this if I wanted better quality if I was going to be streaming off my phone. Do I have to do it via Bluetooth through my phone or can I use the Chromecast with my computer, and if I use it with my computer would it give me any better music quality? I just don’t get the point of using that, aren’t I already getting that quality using tidal through desktop tidal app. Sorry this is just confusing to me? 😩😢. so like if I wanted to use the thing with my computer or phone would I connect to it wirelessly and then plug the Chromecast thing into my receiver via toslink fiber optic digital cord?
Well, If you're running a hi-res app from your laptop, out through USB to a hi-res capable DAC or hi-res capable receiver, then you might not need a chromecast audio.
But if you want the ability to do the same thing with your phone or tablet, and do it wirelessly, then it's great. I use my laptop to do work, my phone for online interaction, and my tablet, through the chromecast audio, to stream my tablet's amazon music app to the hi-fi. Bluetooth is getting pretty high quality, but if you stream with a hi-res streamer over wifi, you can stream uncompressed and bit-perfect, wirelessly. There are several wi-fi streamers besides the chromecast audio, Bluesound, Sonos, Yamaha, and others. But none beat the chromecast audio's price. Note: regardless of whether you send the signal through USB or wirelessly, you need a hi-res capable DAC or hi-res capable receiver. Not every digital device can convert hi-res signals. You can have a hi-res app on your phone, but it won't be hi-res out to headphones connected directly to your phone.
The chromecast audio grabs the hi-res digital signal from your device wirelessly over your home's wi-fi, the same way as a regular chromecast does tv from your device. Then it sends the signal to your hi-res capable DAC or hi-res capable receiver at up to 24bit 96KHz, if you use a toslink. I hope this helps.
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On 8/29/2020 at 2:46 AM, Chris A said:
The above is part of the issue with the track in question, but especially the judgments of the person who did the mastering and the musician that accepted his work. The track of which you speak (Sail Away) has a dynamic range rating of 9 (dB). (I don't own a copy of track.) Apparently the mastering person pushed the loudness of the track too far and couldn't hear the effects of that loudness level on the loudspeakers and room shown above...or he could hear the effects but chose to make it that loud anyway. There is an unknown amount of compression and limiting used in this track, probably well over 10 dB.
The Sarah McLachlan track (Angel) has a dynamic range rating of 12 (dB), i.e., 3 dB higher. I own a copy of this track from the album Surfacing. While the album isn't terrible, it does have ~3 dB of clipping average across the album. The particular track that you identify (Angel) has a solo piano and female voice with an electric bass accompaniment that was overdubbed after the voice and piano were recorded. This track isn't particularly hi-fi, but it's not terrible either. It sounds "edgy" as released, not really very close to what it would sound like live without amplification--and more like the microphones used were placed too close to the singer and piano. There is also a fair amount of artificial reverberation used. It has about 1 dB of limiting/EQ to compress the dynamic range. The is an unknown amount of compression used in this track, probably ~6 dB.
Chris
Chris,
This is where it's at !!! The ability to research and decipher the studio arts is the next level of audiophilia, thanks to the web! You're a pioneer!
How many of us have heard others, and have said ourselves: "I want to hear what the artist intended! I want it to sound natural!"? Once the music has left the studio, there is almost no such thing. Beginning with mic placement, countless manipulations are made until the final product has little to do with reality. Much of it sounds full and detailed, much doesn't. A big drum kit can sound like it's all coming out one speaker, while a single vocal track is coming from the extreme left and right. And of course, gain and compression can make or break a track and it's engineer.
What speaker makers decide what to do with all these variances is where we find ourselves. Some make speakers that try to make all songs sound decent, we've all seen the v-shaped frequency response graphs. Then there are those that make ruler flat or rolled off FR graphs, which while accurate and tame, can sound flat. Then there are makers like Klipsch and others, that found a "sound", a sound that tickles the edges of your ears, big, accurate and live, and extremely sensitive, revealing every nuance whether good or bad.
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If you use a toslink to mini-toslink cable with a chromecast audio, you can stream up to 96k/24bit hi-res files. In other words, the 3.5mm out on the chromecast doubles as a fiber optic digital out. At 100% volume on the chromecast the stream is bit-perfect. Any streaming app that you can cast from will work, from your tablet, phone, or computer. The chromecast audio toslink out will connect to any receiver/DAC that has a toslink input.
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I can only imagine what the Chorus III would be like.
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56 minutes ago, Shakeydeal said:
Lighten up Francis. Nobody is calling your room sh&!tty. You inferred that on your own.
I accept your apology.
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7 hours ago, Shakeydeal said:
You see, that’s exactly why I do NOT like it. I’m not a headphone fan and don’t care for that presentation. The soundstage in the near field (with horns) is too close for comfort. Maybe if I was working with a s&@tty room in the first place, but I’m not.Shakey
No one is arguing that a good room won't sound great with horns. I'm saying horns can sound good up close. You're saying they can't. I'd be happy if you could acknowledge it's possible (countless recording studios have use near field horns to make music over they years), but I'm OK with a difference in opinion. But to insinuate that I must live in a sh*&$y place... I'm sorry you went there. Nothing in my comment was meant to be insulting to you.
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They look like tall glass pots with the lids on! Are you going to try to improve the square wave?
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10 hours ago, Bennosteve said:
However, I just checked the system impedance of my two Forte II's with an actual Z meter (University LWT), and there is absolutely no Z difference between the one with the K-25 and the one with the K28, both are 5 Ohms @ 400Hz and 100Hz. (This is not the woofer, but the system, including crossover). They sound vastly different than one another, but I can't describe the difference because I've forgotten which is which! If I were to get ambitious I would measure a sweep, but it's not high on the list of priorities.
Is one newer than the other? Woofers do seem to go through changes in sound as they age.
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5 hours ago, Shakeydeal said:
Nearfield works for some designs. But IMHO, with horns you need some distance for correct integration. Things are certainly more "vivid" up close, but often times it's just a discombobulated mess.........
You'd be surprised. If you look at simple geometry: My speakers are 7 feet apart, angled in at 45 degrees. That puts the sweet spot at 3.5 feet back from the speakers.The further back you move, the more the room becomes part of what you're hearing. In my 3.5 foot sweet spot, there is amazing imaging (they are also 2 feet forward from the back wall), Instruments even sound like they are coming from behind the speakers, the bass slams without sounding boomy because you are missing most of the low frequency room bounce, and at 90dB's (which is the loudest I will listen at this position and only for a short time) there is NO discombobulated mess. Granted, my KLF-10's have FaitalPro tweeter driver mod and the crossovers significantly upgraded and tuned to a flatter response than stock using a measuring mic, REW, Audacity, and X-Sim.
EDIT: And I have the speakers on 6 inch mounts so the tweeters are at ear height. It's like having headphones with body slamming bass!
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Outcome of the HD-Audio Challenge II
in Technical/Restorations
Posted
Good question...
I was comparing random tracks in Qobuz in their 24/96 vs. the same tracks in their "CD quality" which they say is 16/44.1. I'm gonna say, proly upconverting by Qobuz on many of the tracks. Chromecast Audio casts in up to 24/96 lossless, which is what I was using. I was doing none of the bit rate conversions on my own. Unfortunately my 1 month Qobuz trial is over, so...
I will tell you this: When I listen to authentic (recorded in hi-res) .DSF files on my laptop with the DSD Direct mode on Foobar2000, I swear they sound better than anything I hear in CD quality (completely subjective listening, no comparing). If you ask me to describe it: Less disturbances in loud, complex passages, more "empty space" in the subtle parts of quiet passages, more pronounced peaks of the sound envelope with longer decay. But according to the experts, it's most likely just in my head.