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Totally agree, the last get together was about the right amount of gear to keep it entertaining and form solid impressions. I could go for two sets of speakers and three amps.

 

We can plan out some comparisons (per meeting) and do an audio bracket for electronics and speakers.

Sansui vs. Pioneer

Marantz vs. Yamaha

McIntosh vs. ...

 

Cornwall vs. Chorus II

Forte vs. Forte II

KLF-30 vs.  ...

 

See how moves on and revisit the favorites?

 

Really, I just enjoy getting together and hearing some music and talking.

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For electronics, the test can compare the amplifier output (across a resistor) to the signal input.  The Sansui or Marantz or Pioneer... sound or flavoring of the music occurs in the receiver and shines or doesn't depending on the speaker used.  The signature of the electronics can be observed.  For vintage electronics, the same model might differ greatly unless both have been calibrated and recapped.

 

 

 

 

If you are in the mood on a Sat or Sun when I don't have my daughter, we can figure out a way to frequency sweep the A list speakers in your basement looking for linearity and drop out and roll off. With a PC this might be a $200 exercise. I'm not sold on the idea of exotic cross overs, perhaps there is something a sweep can surface that is audible and significant. Pretty sure the canned software for this is good, cheap and available.

 

One of the things I need to get to, on the long list of things I need to get to, is the ability to bench test amps and pre amps to spec after I work on them. A couple of load resistors, tone generator, and oscilloscope and spectrum analyzer. Modern Oscilloscopes may have all of this built in now days, not sure.

 

You could probably run through and amp in about an hour if your bench is set up. If you want to do a hard core beat down ......you could run it wide open overnight and see what happens.

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I have a Niles switch box which will make it easy to compare two amp on a set of speakers.  I also have the Omnimic which can analyze a speakers FR, decay, reverb and a few other things.  each test takes less than 15 sec.  The only hard part is that you will have to trust my analysis, lol.

Edited by derrickdj1
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I have a Niles switch box which will make it easy to compare two amp on a set of speakers.  I also have the Omnimic which can analyze a speakers FR, decay, reverb and a few other things.  each test takes less than 15 sec.  The only hard part is that you will have to trust my analysis, lol.

Forget it dude....with that avatar, I'm going to be watching you to make sure you're not trying to steal my rings...

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We can plan out some comparisons (per meeting) and do an audio bracket for electronics and speakers. Sansui vs. Pioneer Marantz vs. Yamaha McIntosh vs. ...   Cornwall vs. Chorus II Forte vs. Forte II KLF-30 vs.  ...

 

 

That would be a very cool, but not easy thing to do (obviously especially with the speakers...).  I would love to bring a couple of tube mono blocks that a friend of mine built, and put them up against a pair of Macs....however....it would definitely have to be a blind test, seriously.  I would certainly love to hear the difference, that is, if I can...

 

Oh, and I'm having a Pioneer SX-1250 completely restored right now, with top of the line components.  If my back doesn't give out dragging it to the car, I could bring that too.

 

And just so everyone knows, and possibly for planning purposes, there is a major audio show in Chicago the weekend of April 24-24.  Axpona 2015 at the Westin O'Hare.  Maybe we could schedule something on that weekend so some of us could do the show and the get together?

 

www.axpona.com

Edited by jimjimbo
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And just so everyone knows, and possibly for planning purposes, there is a major audio show in Chicago the weekend of April 24-24.  Axpona 2015 at the Westin O'Hare.  Maybe we could schedule something on that weekend so some of us could do the show and the get together?

 

I was going to bring this up.  Thanks for mentioning it.

 

I would love to bring a couple of tube mono blocks that a friend of mine built, and put them up against a pair of Macs....however....it would definitely have to be a blind test, seriously.  I would certainly love to hear the difference, that is, if I can...

 

Sounds good.  I would love to hear the ones your friend built.

That would be a very cool, but not easy thing to do (obviously especially with the speakers...).

 

It is doable, but I might need some help transporting.  I have all of the above to compare, but not the best listing space. 

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We can plan out some comparisons (per meeting) and do an audio bracket for electronics and speakers. Sansui vs. Pioneer Marantz vs. Yamaha McIntosh vs. ...   Cornwall vs. Chorus II Forte vs. Forte II KLF-30 vs.  ...

 

 

That would be a very cool, but not easy thing to do (obviously especially with the speakers...).  I would love to bring a couple of tube mono blocks that a friend of mine built, and put them up against a pair of Macs....however....it would definitely have to be a blind test, seriously.  I would certainly love to hear the difference, that is, if I can...

 

Oh, and I'm having a Pioneer SX-1250 completely restored right now, with top of the line components.  If my back doesn't give out dragging it to the car, I could bring that too.

 

And just so everyone knows, and possibly for planning purposes, there is a major audio show in Chicago the weekend of April 24-24.  Axpona 2015 at the Westin O'Hare.  Maybe we could schedule something on that weekend so some of us could do the show and the get together?

 

www.axpona.com

 

Thats a great idea! I will be going for sure.

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Sounds interesting (any pun is purely coincidental and does not reflect the editorial opinion of this thread.....blah blah blah)

 

Interesting that they are featuring Content too.

 

 

 

  • "Expanded floors of over 125 listening rooms showcasing the finest and latest products and technologies in high-end listening equipment.

  •  

  • The Audiophile Marketplace will feature more original and remastered recordings in multiple genres and formats, including Vinyl, CDs, hi-res computer and mobile device downloads as well as a huge selection of accessories."

 

http://www.axpona.com/

 

 

2015 Exhibitors list not published yet

 

2014 Exhibitors List: JBL, Klipsch, Great Plains and Yamaha missing in action....foolishly in my opinion.

 

Klipsch could rent a U-Haul and attend from Indy assuming they have any of their own gear there??

 

McIntosh shows the flag

 

http://www.axpona.com/exhibitors.asp?reqEvent=85

Edited by Bubo
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That would be a very cool, but not easy thing to do (obviously especially with the speakers...).  I would love to bring a couple of tube mono blocks that a friend of mine built, and put them up against a pair of Macs....however....it would definitely have to be a blind test, seriously.  I would certainly love to hear the difference, that is, if I can...

 

 

 

For any piece of gear, I would like to play some known digital music through it to effectively zero out the noise floor.

 

It shouldn't be too hard to test the mids with female vocal (this is what I use Skylark for, then Kruass)

 

Cymbal and piano strikes are great for testing rise and decay, and highs.

 

Complex music like Hooverphonic Live DVD, Police Certifiable DVD, Kruass and Union Station Live DVD and Delerium's CD sonic masterpiece Karma are great for observing damping and full spectrum peddle to the metal.

 

Crow Home live and Noemie Wolfs live to see if the emotions come through, Krausse has at least one tear-jerker on a Hundred Miles or more.

 

My preference would be to test gear stand alone for an observed impression: life like, non fatiguing and transparent and ascribe an impression grade A B C etc.........Setting the volume with a db meter would assure a level field.

 

I think once we have formed impressions of the gear stand alone an AB would be interesting as you can have two A pieces of gear that have different sonic signatures. Like any test, it can always be rigged by choosing the correct loading and measurements.

 

For example: on paper modern solid state should always beat tube on damping, make the load fast and complex enough the tube should break down first etc.....

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This track off of Karma AB on my two systems Mac-LaScalas gets crushed by my surround THX system Pioneer VSX 21 THX, and 3 Yamaha MX-800s using relative low end Synergy speakers and a Reference RW12 sub.

 

Pretty sure it has to do with the THX crossovers,  the low damping factor of the Mac 2205 transformer coupled speakers and the missing low low end on the LaScalas.

 

Karma is mostly synth layers and is designed for high end club systems, I think much of the sound is designed around cross over points. For example the angels don't leave the mid horns and the subs get plenty of sub specific notes.....

 

When I have time, I'll try subbing gear to see if I can isolate it.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynbWGDBXTls&index=1&list=PLeLw437SCmZwOZPHANn3YyD-0rTULc3BN

Edited by Bubo
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"

The chart depicts fundamental frequencies of each instrument only.  The violin, for instance, has overtones that go way up, theoretically all the way to 20K Hz.  A boost or cut above 4K (through, maybe, 15K to 20K) will make a big difference in the sound of a violin, even though the chart doesn't go that high."

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Oppo offers some good source material:

Spears & Munsil HD Benchmark 3D Disc
2nd Edition

All features of the first edition disc

3D stereoscopic calibration and evaluation patterns

Audio tests for speaker setup, calibration, and A/V sync

Motion patterns to evaluate 120Hz and 240Hz interpolation modes

More help for the home theater beginner

More patterns for the advanced user or professional calibrator

http://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-benchmark/

 

AIX Audio Calibration Disc/HD Music Sampler

Channel Identification Tests, 7.1, 5.1, 2.0 in all of the new HD codecs from Dolby and DTS

Speaker Balance Tests, 7.1, 5.1, 2.0

Speaker Phase Tests Check the phase of each speaker pair

Frequency Sweep Tests Test for rattles or room nodes

Subwoofer Sweep TestTest for low frequency rumble

Subwoofer Crossover Test Check your crossover frequency

http://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-aix/

 

DSD demo tracks:

http://www.oppodigital.com/hra/dsd-by-davidelias.aspx

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Oppo offers some good source material:

Spears & Munsil HD Benchmark 3D Disc

2nd Edition

All features of the first edition disc

3D stereoscopic calibration and evaluation patterns

Audio tests for speaker setup, calibration, and A/V sync

Motion patterns to evaluate 120Hz and 240Hz interpolation modes

More help for the home theater beginner

More patterns for the advanced user or professional calibrator

http://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-benchmark/

 

AIX Audio Calibration Disc/HD Music Sampler

Channel Identification Tests, 7.1, 5.1, 2.0 in all of the new HD codecs from Dolby and DTS

Speaker Balance Tests, 7.1, 5.1, 2.0

Speaker Phase Tests Check the phase of each speaker pair

Frequency Sweep Tests Test for rattles or room nodes

Subwoofer Sweep TestTest for low frequency rumble

Subwoofer Crossover Test Check your crossover frequency

http://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-aix/

 

DSD demo tracks:

http://www.oppodigital.com/hra/dsd-by-davidelias.aspx

 

 

Agree

 

I use Sheffield (almost identical, the one you mention has more modes 5.1 etc mine is 2.0), can make a copy and bring the CD to all events.

Edited by Bubo
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