Uberbuss

[paul79]

You're making the same mistake Dave did

 

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=video&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCYQtwIwAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DvVfT-iBO8d8&ei=b-yiVJCCBYHOgwS1lYTACQ&usg=AFQjCNGTjH7Tvx3oQLJXsRzGsPmPkSD8oA

[paul79]

I'm waiting on a pair fresh jupiter cap crossovers from DeanG. I haven't had the opportunity to hear them myself, but enough people here (including Schu) were able to describe what the sonic improvement was in their system that I felt comfortable spending that kind of money without any prior experience. It's only fair to expect the same sort of feedback and description - which you provided for your Auralic gear - on this item and I think that's the frustration received from some members revolves around your unwillingness to describe the positive changes and instead rely on your hyperbole to make a decision.

  More schilling! No proof or specs! You are a victim of audio foolery!! Please back out now and get a refund!!!!!

Edited December 30, 2014 by paul79

[Thaddeus Smith]

Stop antagonizing. I'm sincerely seeking feedback on what exactly A1UC heard as an improvement to justify the expense and come to his conclusion that it's worth keeping in his system, which everyone here knows is on perpetual rotation. Unless I missed it earlier in the thread, I haven't seen those remarks.

[paul79]

LOL! Ok..... Please Rodney, tell us what the Uber does!

[A1UC]

Noting its bs now you all know , sorry I tried to trick everyone into buying one. I guess I just wanted everyone else to spend money on BS like I did so I dont feel stupid alone . I donted it to goodwill 20 mins ago

Edited December 30, 2014 by A1UC

[paul79]

Which Goodwill? I'm on the way!!!!

[Thaddeus Smith]

You can stop antagonizing too. You've said that the Auralic gear dramatically increased your system's fidelity - so how does this item build on that even further?

 

I don't care about the science. And I don't doubt you hear an improvement, but what was that improvement?

 

Why does everyone here get pouty in the midst of conflict?

[Schu]

I'm waiting on a pair fresh jupiter cap crossovers from DeanG.

 

 

Still awaiting... you sir, are the most patient man in the world.

[paul79]

Thadussee, you might just send him a PM to ask.

Edited December 30, 2014 by paul79

[Thaddeus Smith]

 

I'm waiting on a pair fresh jupiter cap crossovers from DeanG.

 

 

Still awaiting... you sir, are the most patient man in the world.

 

 

I submitted my order at the very end of October with a known wait time of 8 weeks. Hadn't heard from Dean in a while so I did send a couple of annoying emails checking status. He got back to me a few days ago - he re-injured his back and has been moving slow as a result. No bother to me, as long as communication lines stay open.

[A1UC]

20.00 for a top notch power cable ?

[Mallette]

If anyone here is competent to calculate real world component costs, it's Mark.  Well said, Mark. 

 

Dave

[Audible Nectar]

I'm waiting on a pair fresh jupiter cap crossovers from DeanG. I haven't had the opportunity to hear them myself, but enough people here (including Schu) were able to describe what the sonic improvement was in their system that I felt comfortable spending that kind of money without any prior experience. It's only fair to expect the same sort of feedback and description - which you provided for your Auralic gear - on this item and I think that's the frustration received from some members revolves around your unwillingness to describe the positive changes and instead rely on your hyperbole to make a decision.

 

It is a difficult thing for many to be able to write an effective description of the nuances of an audio device. It's an art form that I find missing around here that used to be more present, before so many of the high-end guys flew the coop. That ability to "review" things like capacitors, tubes, and nuances of amplifers is very useful and saves a lot of trial and error. Absent that kind of insight, we are left with "it's really good" on the one side and the engineer types saying "prove it" on the other, when the truth usually lies somewhere in between.

 

There are an increasing number of "Julian Hirsch" types on the forum these days - he was a prominent writer for Stereo Review, who oft opined that "all good amplifiers sound the same" and it's corollary, "all CD players sound the same". Many of us who have had experience with good quality gears, parts, and the like know this is not the case - especially on "audio magnifiers" like Klipsch speakers are.

 

Power conditioning is an area I have not much explored, and I likely won't know if it makes a difference until I try one of these devices for myself. But if I trusted the engineer mantra of "you can't prove it", I would be using a 1980's era home theater receiver, because Julian Hirsch said it wasn't necessary to spend or search any further.

[eth2]

Last night I bought the parts needed for a really good AC noise suppression box. I used Ebay in place of the usual industrial supply houses, so I got lower prices than I would get by using the industrial sources. Even so, I spent just short of $90 so far to make an 8 outlet box. And, I don't have the "appearance" parts yet, or the input line cord. So, let's say I manage to make the housing for $50 bucks and spend another 20 for a really top notch cord and plug. Let's call it $140 in parts. Now, it has to be wired and assembled. Let's say two hours to include a nice job, testing and imaginary packing. A loaded labor rate of $40/hr. would be common. So, that's another $80. So for an estimation, let's say my little "business" is into this for $220 in DIRECT cost of goods. No overhead has been added. No development time, no shop space etc. Suppose I sell it to Joe's high-end audio for $440...

 

OR TO A FORUM MEMBER FOR $396 (A 10% DISCOUNT).

 

 

The box above will suppress AC noise very effectively. If it makes an SQ improvement in some gear depends on many factors related to the specific gear in question, but if the buyer thinks it does, what's the crime here?

 

$396?  WHERE DO I SIGN UP.

[eth2]

In the previous example, I didn't even add overheads like advertising, or trade shows, or dealer spiffs, or anything like that. For the general population that's not into the hobby, they'd think you lost your mind to buy a box like that. I get that. Which brings me to the reason we have such hobbies.

 

Oh NO!!!!! Here comes the price hike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ski Bum]

 

I'm waiting on a pair fresh jupiter cap crossovers from DeanG. I haven't had the opportunity to hear them myself, but enough people here (including Schu) were able to describe what the sonic improvement was in their system that I felt comfortable spending that kind of money without any prior experience. It's only fair to expect the same sort of feedback and description - which you provided for your Auralic gear - on this item and I think that's the frustration received from some members revolves around your unwillingness to describe the positive changes and instead rely on your hyperbole to make a decision.

  More schilling! No proof or specs! You are a victim of audio foolery!! Please back out now and get a refund!!!!!

 

Now you're just being ridiculous, but I'm glad there is more levity going on.  

 

I would take a chance on a Dean G suggested network mod without hesitation, were I in need of such a thing.  So far I've used stock Klipsch crossovers, Bob's networks, which were the same thing with new, better bits, and even fully active (using SETs on all the horns, back when I had half a dozen amps laying around).  I get the impression that Dean's taste in voicing a speaker is a bit more laid back than stock networks, based strictly on what he posts here.  Since I'm lazy, I've actually thought of contracting him to build some of the ALK forte networks.  I've even been curious about the Jupiter caps that are all the rage these days, too.  I may try them as coupling caps in one of my amps.  

 

Note that any of that would result in clear, audible, measurable differences (well, not sure about that with the Jupiters).  There's really no analogous relation to the magic buss.

Edited December 30, 2014 by Ski Bum

[paul79]

No relation? Hmm... OK then   Better cleaner power? Better cleaner signal path? Sounds relatable to me.... I have NO doubt that Dean's crossovers substantially improve any Klipsch speaker. Same as I have no doubt that cleaner power will improve ones system.

Edited December 30, 2014 by paul79

[Mallette]

It is a difficult thing for many to be able to write an effective description of the nuances of an audio device.

 

It is, in fact, impossible when it comes to nuances. 

 

Dave

[eth2]

There's really no analogous relation to the magic buss.

 

Wasn't that a song by the Who?

[Ski Bum]

Ha ha...we'll see how nice they look, first! LOL

 

So, I think it's not hard to demonstrate that a well made simple box of goodies can easily get to a $1,000 on us, when made by small businesses. In the previous example, I didn't even add overheads like advertising, or trade shows, or dealer spiffs, or anything like that. For the general population that's not into the hobby, they'd think you lost your mind to buy a box like that. I get that. Which brings me to the reason we have such hobbies.

 

No one needs any of this stuff. Period, end of story. So, you move on to adopting a belief system about your hobby. One such system is the "Practical DBT School." It's very simple. If you can hear the difference in a DBT, and that difference is worth the $ delta in cost, and you have that money, you buy the item. Another is the aforementioned "Julian Hirsh School". You stack rank the items in order of best specifications, and select the best specs that meet your budget. Get the annual issue of Consumer Reports, and just buy what they rate as "Best Buy." They do a good job of practical selection. But another school for some, is what I have dubbed the "Art School of Audio." You build a system based on conceptual ideas, whimsy, aesthetics, intuition, playfulness, and pure emotion, with the final result being a completely subjective sense of pleasure. If you intuit that reducing noise, for example, would be beneficial, you allow yourself the freedom of putting something like Uber into your system and seeing what happens. Your analysis doesn't need to meet the criteria of other people (that's a core principle in any art), as long as it satisfies your own feelings about it. Go ahead, laugh all you want. But, that's a major reason we have hundreds of companies making audio gear with so much of it being mere variations on the same thing. If this was rational, for instance what you see in the desktop PC market, there'd be one or two receivers to buy, a couple different speakers, and that would be the end of it. Rationality though, is fortunately just ONE belief system you can adopt in this hobby, not the ONLY one.

 

Well written, if somewhat contentious post.  I wouldn't really wish an ABX test on my worst enemy.  Watching paint dry is more fun.  Also, it's been my experience that unclipped linear amps tend to sound very similar to the point that I can't really tell them apart.  I also have a big soft spot for single ended tubes, which objectively measure like turds, but, damn, never heard a more natural presentation than that.  Where do I fit?

 

No relation? Hmm... OK then

 

For an audio junkie, have you ever dabbled into DIY speaker building, amp building?  Of course the networks make audible changes.  That's their whole raison d'etre, to limit bandwith to the drivers, provide bsc or other response tweaks, you know, making audible changes in the task of voicing of the speaker.  

 

We're still waiting to hear just exactly what sonic attributes the magic buss causes, if any at all.  Do you now see how the analogy from networks to power conditioning is a bad one?

Edited December 30, 2014 by Ski Bum