maxg Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Antonis, my dealer, is a complete sh1t sometimes. Too clever by half! I was in his shop the day before yesterday and he gives me a smallish box with clearaudio on the side saying "Have a play with this and see if it does anything for your system." That was it - no more info - so I take it home. Opening the box I am greated by this: In the blurb it says, "The new Clearaudio Syncro Power Generator is an extremely accurate A/C generator specifically designed to help you lock-in a very accurate speed setting in both 33 1/3 and 45 RPM." Blah blah blah - I already have a power cleaning something or other from Tsakiridis so I call Antonis and he says "just plug this into the Tsakiridis and you TT into it." I am way too obedient sometimes! Anyway I fire the thing up and it reads 52.3 Hz (it is supposed to read 50) so I turn one of the little adjusters on the front for 33.3 RPM speed (not played with the 45 RPM setting yet - no disks) until it reads exactly 50 and then fire up the TT. Holy Cow!! The sound seems incredible. Veils lifted and all that nonsense. Unplug the unit - plug the TT back in direct. Try again. Veiled - wow! Repeat the test for 6 records playing them all the way through one side with the thing and without. No doubt about it - this thing makes a difference - and not a subtle one! OK - I'll bite - called Antonis yesterday morning - yes - I want it - how much? "950 Euros" "oh" Then I swore down the phone at him for about 5 minutes solid (we are talking in the region of $1,100 here - for a POS power gizmo that isnt even a UPS). "So is there a cheaper option?" "Project do one for 350 Euros." Clever - that almost sounds reasonable now. "Is it the same?" "No - not as good - I have tried it at home - it does something but not this." More swearing. Now what? No way I can justfiy paying this kind of money for the thing (OK - he will give me a discount - but not much) but I now can't live without it. What a B*****D he is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholtl Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Max, what exactly does this component do? What's the science behind it? Because if it makes that much of a difference, as you say, I might go out for an audition myself, and would readily purchase one if it really worked. Details, please? =) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted April 7, 2005 Author Share Posted April 7, 2005 I can't really tell other than to say that it keeps your mains power at the exact frequency it is supposed to be. If it does anything else above that it is a mystery. Oh, it does let you switch from 33 to 45 speeds at the press of a button apparently - but I have not tried that out yet. I think its main function is what is described technically as a "wallet emptier" although as they have already achieved this they are now going for the small change in my pockets and my daughters dowry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbflash Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Max, Amusicdirect sells it. The below is from the site: CLEARAUDIO - SYNCHRO SPEED CONTROLLER The new Clearaudio Syncro Power Generator is an extremely accurate A/C generator specifically designed to help you lock-in a very accurate speed setting in both 33 1/3 and 45 RPM. It can drive any table with an A/C synchronous motor up to 8 watts! No matter what is coming through your A/C line or how speed accurate your turntable, the Clearaudio Synchro will generate the appropriate sine wave to ensure that your table runs at the perfect speed consistently! An unbelievable sonic upgrade! Simple to use in conjunction with any speed strobe. $999.99 So did you buy it? Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholtl Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Ahh, sounds a little like what my PS Audio P1000 Power Plant does. It can generate harmonically perfect sine waves in 5Hz increments from 60Hz to 120Hz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 ---------------- Ahh, sounds a little like what my PS Audio P1000 Power Plant does. It can generate harmonically perfect sine waves in 5Hz increments from 60Hz to 120Hz. ---------------- That's what I thought. It's like my PS Audio P300, which re-generates pure sine wave power from line current and made a similar difference on my turmtable and other motor-driven components. I understand Rega makes one too. Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev313 Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 ***ALERT for PS 300 or other Power Plant owners*** Check out the new PS Audio upgrade for power plants at Music Direct - It apparently gives you greater control over TT speed (I think!). If I recall correctly, it is $100.00. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Disc Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 That device seems to be exactly the same as the VPI SDS system. I have one and Jazzman has an older version of it called the PLC. I think I paid about $850 for my SDS and yes it makes a big difference. It's purpose is to keep the voltage constant and thus the speed is consistant on your turntable. It also has a Hz adjustment to set the speed correctly. One thing that does not sound right to me is adjusting the reading to 50 Hz. On my SDS you adjust the setting based on platter speed, so you need a strobe to know if you are too slow, or too fast. The Hz reading really is just feedback to give you some indication of where your setting is at. You adjust Hz up or down to dial in the speed of your platter until it at precisely at 33.3. No Disc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 A fool and his money....... Yeah, I resemble that! Better to spend your grand on the Clearaudio device than your daughter anyhow Max. In another seventeen years she will be moving out to college or whatever. The Clearaudio will stay with you far longer. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted April 7, 2005 Author Share Posted April 7, 2005 Just lost the entire damn post. Bugger! What have I done? Nothing. It is sitting in my living room grining at me. No pressure from the Dealer (he has had it in stock for ages apparently - who would spend this kind of money on a gizmo? - Me huh!). Anyway I decided to put it out of my mind for a while and rather than spending money I dont have on this I spent money I dont have on vinyl instead: Handel Israel in Egypt Bach The six Brandenburg Concertos Paganini / Bettesini Violin Concerto 4 / Grand Duo for violin / Le Streghe Debussy Images / Le Martyre du Saint Sebastien Bach / Haydn Violin Concertos in A minor and E major / Violin Concerto in C Major Dukas La Peri Boccherini Sinfonia Concertante in C Major / Sinfonia in D Minor Hummel / Fesca Grand Military Septet / Septet Verdi I Masnadieri Albioni Adagio in G Minor Made me feel better about things! Oh - as for the Hz thing (Hertz - yes it does!) you are supposed to use it with a special disk and a stobe, neither of which I have. According to Antonis, however, who does have one, the setting is always 50 Hz here - but he will check it out next time he comes around. Clearaudio test all their motors to play at the correct speed according to the frequency of the mains in each country - so 50 Hz here is correct and they are usually spot on. I guess I am paying for something afterall. Better post this before I lose it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai2000 Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Max, sorry to hijack the thread, but how many DGG stereo tulip LPs do you spot when roaming for vinyl? If those turn up frequently, I think we should 'talk'. Wolfram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted April 7, 2005 Author Share Posted April 7, 2005 To be honest Wolfram I dont really ever look for DG anything - I only have 2 recordings of theirs I can say I am truely happy with. Not even sure what the Tulip designation is. Dont tell anyone - but the cheapy to buy is Philips. I have 30 something of them and only one bad one (a mono recording too). Just try to get teh dtuch pressings if you can, otherwise the UK ones are OK too, but not quite as good. The US ones are mainly junk so I avoid them. Second to Philips IME is EMI - NOT THE ANGEL ONES EITHER - even their digital recordings are not too bad - I guess they used rather good DACS in the recording process. If you explain to me what the Tulips are I will keep and eyeout for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Disc Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 I love the DGG Tulips. I try to get just about every mint one I can. I think I've purchased about 50-75 really nices ones over the last 6 months or so. No Disc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted April 7, 2005 Author Share Posted April 7, 2005 OK - its wind up Max day. Tulip? No disc, Why No disc? Got everything on tape? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Disc Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Max The DGG Tulips or Large Tulip are what's the indicator for the older DGG discs, there is a large tulip on the LP label. Later releases had a much smaller tulip that did not extend to the outer edge of the label. Later tulips are also pretty good, but some of the older Large Tulips are simply amazing in their clarity. No Disc is a name I came up because I mostly listen to LPs and not CDs. When there is no CD in my digital player it displays "No Disc" so it was a cute way of saying I listen to Vinyl more than digital. No Disc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai2000 Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Max, I agree that DGGs (as they used to be called in the old days) often do not offer the best sound (Deccas and EMI usually 'beat them - can't really comment on Philips as - I admit- I don't own too many of those), but they remind me ever so much of childhood. We used to have a kind of promo disc of the 4th movement of Karajan's Beethoven No.9 recording which included a printed catalogue and I remember being kind of glued to the pics of the covers..... Anyway, enjoying vinyl a lot more these days I would love to get some of those 'yellow label' LPs. When it comes to the tulip name I should think it has to do with the print of the label on the record. The upper middle section seems to be a basket of tulips - hence the name (and I guess the 'older' the recording, the bigger the tulips). Wolfram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Disc Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 I like the phillips as well, I find their vinyl to usually to be very quiet with low background noise, even if the recording or performance is subpar, the vinyl quality is usually superb. The older DGGs (large tuplip) don't usually have quiet vinyl, but I find I like many of the performances and the recording techniques they used are in my opinion are superior and sound fantastic. I always grade my albums by three attributes. Performance Quality Recording Quality Vinyl Quality They are all different in my mind and should be graded seprately. I usually find myself grading the older DGGs with an A for Performance and Recording, and usually a A- or B for Vinyl. No Disc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark1101 Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Can such a device cause any improvement if used on tube pre-amps and amplifiers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted April 7, 2005 Author Share Posted April 7, 2005 I hate to admit the importance I place on vinyl quality. I can put up with some hiss and the occasional pop but if it is "shushing" all the way through a record I can't listen to it - however good the performance and the recording. Having said that I wouldnt class the Philips recordings as sub par either - some of them are astoundingly good and the performances amongst my favorites on a few. I have one DG recording that is superb: Verdi La Traviata Renato Scotti Der Mailander Scala Antonino Votto Deutche Grammaphon 2727 004 Stereo Germany 2 record set It is on far heavier vinyl than any of the others and I think it is older - I will have a Tulip hunt later on tonight. There is also almost no surface noise to speak of at all. From memory the labelling is slightly different on it from the rest - I think the logo is smaller rather than larger - although I might be wrong (my memory is not what it...er...what was I saying). Nuff said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted April 7, 2005 Author Share Posted April 7, 2005 "Can such a device cause any improvement if used on tube pre-amps and amplifiers?" I am not sure I understand the question. the unit is meant to be used on teh TT - I dont think the amps and pre-amps come into it. As it happens I have both tube pre and power amps if it helps. You cant run the power amp off it for sure - it only supports 8 watts or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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