POLL: Fun with bias/voltage meters? What is your wall voltage?

[mas]

But being unable to adapt and deal with the situation for a short period, especially when it is TV audio, which is not exactly the highest standard in ANY format, is quite another. And such a proclivity does indicate a rather ... 'unique' ... point of view.

I would beg to differ about tv audio. Especially the music. It is some of the bet written and recorded music you will find. Perhaps YOU need a better system.

I know. I listen to it right after my complete collection of Broadway show tunes.

The theme from As the World Turns is my fave.

[arfandbark]

I just made popcorn. Anyone care for some?

[DrWho]

I would beg to differ about tv audio. Especially the music. It is some of the best written and recorded music you will find. Perhaps YOU need a better system.

There is quite a difference between "good" and "best"....are you saying that TV audio represents the absolute best in audio fidelity? Or are you trying to say that the HK receiver isn't good enough to enjoy TV listening?

[Marvel]

Neither one... I am saying that some of the best written and recorded music is for tv. How it ends up in your living room is a whole other matter.

Bruce

[Tracking Angle]

I'm having a hard time with this one...examples please!

[Tracking Angle]

A live performance often has very little processing and can sound good over the television. But this is not what you are saying. Care to share some examples?

[Marvel]

Since I have had my own tv off for the past year and a half, maybe not. I only know form having worked in around recording studios and knowing studio musicians, that the recording end of the process if not the problem. If the delivery system is lacking, there is the problem. The music is usually extremely well written (my mind is absolutely blank right now, sorry) and engineered very well.

[DrWho]

I am saying that some of the best ... recorded music is for tv. How it ends up in your living room is a whole other matter.

Gosh, it's gonna seem like I'm picking on you, but I'm really trying to understand where you're coming from... What criteria are you using for recording quality and how are you hearing this played back through the TV? Or are your privy to some recordings straight from the studio or something like that? I've seen a lot of great musical talent and songwriting on TV, but never would I feel qualified to comment on the sound quality. Are there hi-def audio stations or something to that effect?

[mas]

Marvel, we were referring to what TV audio is DELIVERED in the real world via off air, cable or satellite; not AS WRITTEN!

[Marvel]

Gosh Mike, you are learning how to record the best that can be done. Do you think they hold back in the studio just because it is just for tv? Of course not. The composers are top notch, the recordings are the best, done in the best studios (ever been in a Nashville studio?) New York, L.A., excellent facilities, with the best engineers and producers. That is all I'm saying. I know it isn't the best when you are downstream, but it starts out as good as anything on the planet. Sometimes it hits home that way too... then it's magical.

[Allan Songer]

LOL - OK, no one uses their amps to watch good sounding quality tv shows to fully enjoy the experience? Let me guess.... Concert DVDs are silly too and shouldn't be run through good sounding amps huh? [6]

I don't really "get" the whole Home Theater thing--I've sat and listened and watched to some pretty incredible set-ups and can't imagine for a minute spending any money or time putting one together. Don't get me wrong, I'm no anti-TV snob and I make my living in the TV/Film industry, but it all seems sorta pointless to me. I mean, how much more would I enjoy Keith Olberman or The Sopranos with hi-fi sound and a big-*** HD picture? Not much. And that's MY limitation perhaps. And concert DVDs tend to bore the living crap out of me--even ones where the music is good.

I don't really watch very many movies at home--maybe 2 or 3 a month--I really like seeing them in the theater if possible, but once in a while we do watch a movie at home.

I am totally happy with my 27" 10 year old CRT television. And think of all the money I have left for RECORDS by being such a cheapskate when it comes to TV!!!

[fini]

Allan, You would certainly dig baseball in HD. I watched a game (Giants/Dodgers) at my brother-in-law's last week, and I was transfixed.

[Joe Auwen]

My wall voltage is still fluctuating between 119v and 127v, however my PS Audio appears to be able to keep up with it. The output voltage is almost stable at 117.3v and slowly moves up or down about .2 volts. The output voltage comes from the factory set at 120v, but can be adjusted.

http://www.psaudio.com/products/moreinfo.asp

http://www.psaudio.com/products/premier_power_plant.asp

[pauln]

LOL - OK, no one uses their amps to watch good sounding quality tv

shows to fully enjoy the experience? Let me

guess.... Concert DVDs are silly too and shouldn't be run

through good sounding amps huh? [6]

I don't really "get" the whole Home Theater thing--I've sat and

listened and watched to some pretty incredible set-ups and can't

imagine for a minute spending any money or time putting one

together. Don't get me wrong, I'm no anti-TV snob and I make my

living in the TV/Film industry, but it all seems sorta pointless to

me. I mean, how much more would I enjoy Keith Olberman or

The Sopranos with hi-fi sound and a big-*** HD picture? Not

much. And that's MY limitation perhaps. And concert DVDs tend to

bore the living crap out of me--even ones where the music is good.

I don't really watch very many movies at home--maybe 2 or 3 a

month--I really like seeing them in the theater if possible, but once

in a while we do watch a movie at home.

I am totally happy with my 27" 10 year old CRT

television. And think of all the money I have left for RECORDS by

being such a cheapskate when it comes to TV!!!

Many of us are old enough to have learned to listen to music by just

listening to the music for it's own sake; before it was subverted by

Disco for dancing, then subverted my MTV for shlocky promotion using

videos. For me, to listen to music I either sit and stare blankly at

nothing in particular or close my eyes, depending on the illumination.

This promotes the kind of abstract thought which is music's domain. The

addition of visuals detracts from my enjoyment of music so I don't like

it.

And what is with these movies where it is quite

obvious the writers have encountered a writer's block in the production

of the script so they punt and decide to insert a song?... so lame.

Then to add insult to injury the final scolling credits site all 30 or

so irritating songs... this is especially the case for the movies that

they tend to show on airline flights, but I digress...

[LarryC]

http://www.psaudio.com/products/moreinfo.asp

That's an impressive product. I have a P-300, which is perfect for me because I only use it to drive motor components (TT, CD transport, cassette and RTR decks), for greater clarity, more solid bass. As the link mentions, the P-300 is only 50% efficient, so it chews up twice as much juice as it delivers and definitely heats the room, not to mention the fan noise. This one's 85% efficiency looks like it solves those things.

I can't figure out why it would take something like this to solve Lisa's problem, though.

[cjgeraci]

Scott - Harman AVR-435 But I can't listen to music cuz it sounds bad. Even TV. For instance, we like to have good sound for the Sopranos so we run the VRDs for the fronts and the Peach pre with HT bypass on for the HK for the rears & center.

Last week's opening theme song sounded horrifying! It's a such cool song and we never fast forward it to get to the show because it sounds so good with the VRDs.

Here's my suggestion for what its worth. It doesn't bother me that you also listen to shows on TV, cable. etc. with your VRDs. Quite the contrary actually. My system does both two-channel and 7.1 very, very well. And while I enjoy listening to music without visuals, I also enjoy movies, SACD, DVD-Audio, and TV shows in two-channel or 7.1. But, I'm the first to admit that I like conserving the tubes on my VRDs as so I am going back to using a Niles switcher (and a different amp) for TV or movie use.

Niles makes a simple little device (DPS-1) - about 80 bucks or so - that allows you to keep two amps hooked up to one set of speakers. You could split your Peach output (I have mine split three ways on each side) and pick up a Sonic T or that Trends amp inexpensively and use the digital chip amp for TV and movies and the VRDs for music and SACD. That's what I'm planning to do with myh little Teac chip amp later this week. Just a thought that would save you on some of the tube wear.

Carl

[pete almquist]

hello all,

i cant help but think a lot of the folks here are like me and have the home theatre in a different room from the 2-channel music room. i use 5 klipsch sb series speakers for surround, ksc for center, powered sub-woofer and a sony db series 7.1 reciever. the only disadvantage to this setup is i can only hear sacd tracks on this system and not on my 2-channel with the klipschorns. still its fun to do that occasionally and then have the music room to myself when listening to two channel (tho i often have at least one of the kids wanting to sit in too, even for classical music believe it or not).

our home theatre gets a lot of use mainly because the dvd and vcr is connected thru it and the kids watch a lot of movies, generally on a daily basis. we have an extensive kids movie library and they're watching it all the time. probably due to my work schedule (i work 5am - 3:30pm) i dont always have a chance to sit and watch night-time adult shows and there are only a few that i enjoy anyway. i do enjoy the occasional movie and the ht makes a big difference in the experience. on weekends i enjoy the car races. i'm mostly an open wheel and sports car fan but my son always wants to see the nascar races so i will generally watch them with him as well and it's fun to have the race sounds thru the ht system.

the thing that makes ht most essential to me personally are the movies i see occasionally because that provides the theatre experience for me. when the music swells, the bullets start wizzing, the explosions start rocking the house, the action comes from all around you, that makes it all worthwhile to me. it's great!

[Guest " "]

My wall voltage is 109 volts at the outlet.

Pool pumps, AC, power tools, garage door openers are off.

No one is home but me.

My stereo is blasting sound thru out the house (3 floors), crystal clear, using 1.3 watts out of a possible 130 tube wats per channel.

[meagain]

Carl - I've been looking for a used Niles and if one doesn't come up in the next few days, will be buying one new. (hate the concept of having to do that though).

Speakerfritz - Wow, that's low huh? I'm curious as to what your Monster is doing to deal with that 109 number. I know your AVS-2000 is rated to +/- 1v. Also, I read on the Voltage Regulation thread where you mentioned desireing 117v for some tube amps there and you somehow created an add-on or modded the Monster to change the tap settings to run a bit lower. I'm really curious about how you did this.

Basically, I'm a bit intrigued by any potential mods/tweaks to the lower priced regulators, especially since the Furman tech I talked to did mention the possibility of changing something internally to keep a tighter reign. I think some of the higher end units have little tiny switches in them to allow you to dictate your desired voltage range. I'm curious if these units can be modded with new/different autoformers to handle this tap-changing business in a different range or smaller range.

Hmmmm......

[Guest " "]

Pool pumps, AC, panel saw and table saw turned on, garage door openers cycled on and off, microwave on, attic fan on. Power meter is spining big time.

My stereo is blasting sound thru out the house (3 floors), crystal clear, now using using 13 watts out of a possible 130 tube wats per channel.

My 2 channel rig is drawing 9 amps from the outlet.

My wall voltage is 109 volts at the outlet.