opinions needed

[dtel]

Arfandbark We have been very busy, I asked Michael to post last night and let you know it arrived, we were on the way to the airport to pick him up and my son in law brought in in for us.

I apologise for not posting sooner that is my fault, you really have know idea how much I appreciate you giving me the chance to try this HK.

We have been very busy , but that is know excuse, I really appreciate this. We will try it out to tomorrow , but just looking at it I know it will run circles around my Yamaha I use for HT, really excited to try it out.

Michael only has a few days here so I want to try to show him everything he would like to see while he is here. One of those thing's is what the Cornwall lll's will sound like with this HK. The Cw lll is one of the few things that Michael does not have at home to listen too !

[Deang]

Well, it took me a couple of weeks, but I found someone willing to build me a three channel amp using the ucd180 modules. His build is similiar to the Exodus from diycable but in a clear aluminum chassis from Parmetal -- so, big transformer with plenty of PS filtering. I especially liked the fact that he's the kind of guy not interested in taking me to the cleaners: His $550 asking price is a lot easier to digest than the $1325 diycable is asking. Should have the amp in a week or so. I needed something to power center and rears, but I'll definitely start out running on the Klipschorns to see what she can do.

[Rivendell61]

Dean,

You may already know this--or not be interested but....the stock module (180ST or AD?) tends to get modified a bit in builds for 'audiophile' use.

There is some info on the Hypex Application page like this: http://hypex.nl/docs/gainappnote.pdf

And the thread 'UcD 180 questions' at diyaudio: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=060891883ae626475ee0493630d6e17b&threadid=38199

The amp designer contributes a lot and while it is a long thread if you skim looking for posts by "Putzeys' and 'Jan-Peter' (and later in the thread maybe Haskins, et al.) it might be useful. There are several other interesting threads there too....

Good luck with the modules.

Mark

Edit: corrected link

[arfandbark]

No apology necessary Dtel.

I just wanted to make sure it arrived at the right place.

Enjoy!

[Colin]

I have the tiny $35 Sonic Impact tiny $35 Sonic Impact 5066 and the similar $450 Red Wine Clari T class T analogue input digital amplifier with battery power. They are both incredible solid-state amplifiers for the money, but they do NOT replace SETs in the mid-range. I also have a 70s vintage, single transformer Harmon Kardon 330B receiver for $5. It is almost as good as the the digital amplifiers, but NOT quite the smooth mid-range they have. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

After hearing the incredible VRDs on Mike Lindsays La Scalas, I bi-amped my big ole horns with a solid-state amplifier driving the bass bin and custom Bottlehead 2A3 Paramours driving the mid and high end. The best bass was easily my 70s vintage, 48-pound, low-power, Class A, Pioneer M-22 solid-state amplifier. But the digital amplifiers come very close for the money. I think traditional solid-state is finished.

[dtel's wife]

No apology necessary Dtel.

I just wanted to make sure it arrived at the right place.

Enjoy!

Yes, an apology was necessary. There was no excuse for not stopping momentarily to tell you that the receiver was here and in one piece. Although for dtel to make a post saying "it arrived" would have taken about thirty minutes. He still "hunts and pecks" when it comes to typing.

Michael has kept us hopping, or vice versa. We have tried to show him as much of the area as we can without overwhelming him, or totally exhausting him. I think we have managed to do both.

Prior to Michael's visit he asked if there was still any "photograph opportunities" remaining from Hurricane Katrina. We tried to explain that the "photographic opportunites" would be here for years to come.

Even with that reassurance he was emotionally overwhelmed when he toured the areas of New Orleans and St. Bernard hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina. He was emotionally drained after seeing dtel's family home of forty years, which lies in ruin and the lower Ninth Ward, where houses were completely washed away by the levee break. I think the most difficult thing for Michael to comprehend was the devastation that still remains more than a year later. Even more difficult is the question of "why" it still lies in ruins. His thoughts, "The rest of the country has no clue that this area still looks like this". There were times that he could not hold back the tears after seeing some of the sights left by Hurricane Katrina.

We had planned to take him to the Gulf Coast in Mississippi to see the difference in the damage caused by Katrina in that area, but the trip to New Orleans proved to be more than he bargained for.

He was emotionally exhausted after a whirlwind tour of the "outskirts" of the French Quarter. We haven't made it to Bourbon Street yet, after two days of sightseeing in New Orleans. He toured and photographed the St. Louis Cathedral which is the oldest cathedral in the United States. We visited a few photograph galleries. He photographed a series of doors in the French Quarter as well as wrought iron railings and ornaments. He had the opportunity to see Canal Street, which was actually canals at one time in New Orleans history. I think he really enjoyed the beignets and coffee at Cafe Du Monde. We were fortunate, Cafe Du Monde was relatively empty and he was able to just sit and relax after a rather difficult day.

But, the real reason I posted here. Arf, I am totally overwhelmed by your generosity. Elden and I have been treated like family since we became members of this forum and your gift is more than we could have hoped for at this time. We are both music lovers, probably me more so than dtel. The HK 930 has improved the quality of the sound from the Cornwall III's to a level that I never dreamed possible. We were trying to get past the "triple wedding", the "honeymoon cruise", Christmas (which is also my birthday) and into the New Year, at which time we intended to buy "something" for our Cornwall III's.

The emotions associated with a wedding are overwhelming enough, couple that with "the holidays" and you end up with a "ball of confusion" at times. Michael's visit here and photographing the wedding is a blessing in itself. Michael has a way of making the "darkest side of things" look so much brighter.

Your gift to us is a realization of friendships that exist between people who have never met before, but share a common thread. I have said this before and I will say it again...it is a pleasure knowing each of you and being part of this family. I have never seen a group of people more bonded in love, in life and in joy. We laugh together, cry together, share together and most importantly grow together each day we meet here.

This all started with a simple question about amplifiers. Elden and Michael were talking about all the great people on this forum and Michael said, "Aint it cool."[H] For those of you that have not met Michael in person, he is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. Having Michael as a guest in our home is more important than any photographs he will take for us.

I hope to one day have the opportunity to meet you and thank you in person for the gift you have given us. That goes for each of you, not just arfand bark.