| Author |
Thread: Archive through December 13, 2006 |
    
Gold Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 3182
Registered: Dec-04
|
| Posted on Saturday, June 24, 2006 - 10:00 pm: |
|
Linguistic persnickities aside, how do you find the crop, Jan? |
|
Relevant Product Info
|
|
Gold Member Username: John_a
London
U.K.
Post Number: 4327
Registered: Dec-03
|
| Posted on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 03:06 am: |
|
Yes, I thought of the "Drop in pair" and wondered if this was a deliberate ambiguity.
Stirling network may have good lawyers who have advised that "V2" is enough to distinguish this speaker from the real thing, and I doubt if BBC would care, anyway, these days.
Extreme conspiracy view: the bass reflex port is there so no-one could say they were trying to pass this off as a licensed LS3/5a.
Don't laugh.... There is a story in Sound Bites about a popular UK loudspeaker of the 1950s. It had three drivers. One did nothing, and was not even connected.
Why? Three-driver speakers were classed as "professional" and thereby subject to a lower rate of tax than two-driver speakers, which were classed as "domestic". |
Gold Member Username: Rick_b
Orlando,
FL
Post Number: 1392
Registered: Dec-03
|
| Posted on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 08:13 am: |
|
You both could be right. At this point in time, the BBC has a who really cares attitude, and who is willing to play for a meaningless license?
Does it really matter? For the price of the Stirling's, you can buy a pair of the originals on Audiogon. And for anyone who has stumbled upon the BBC sound, like John's Quads, has stopped shopping for speakers. |
Gold Member Username: John_a
London
U.K.
Post Number: 4328
Registered: Dec-03
|
| Posted on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 09:53 am: |
|
That's right, Rick.
I could defend the license fee but that's another topic. Anyway I doubt it has long to live.
If I were going to get an LS3/5a I would probably want an original, like Jan's Rogers. That's what I did with the Quads. It helped to know that Quad is still there and will service anything it ever made.
For a new LS3/5a, true to the original, the Spendor would be an excellent choice, I know. |
Gold Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 3235
Registered: Dec-04
|
| Posted on Saturday, July 01, 2006 - 11:30 pm: |
|
Check...check...a1 a2 a1234 |
New member Username: Bill_c
Post Number: 1
Registered: Jun-06
|
| Posted on Wednesday, July 05, 2006 - 03:33 pm: |
|
In the interest of keeping this thread alive, I have a couple of questions I thought I would toss out there. The first may be a dumb one, but I was curious as to whether or not you could use both the 4 ohm and 8 ohm taps on a tube amp in a biwire set up. Would this harm either the amp or speakers?
The second question is: Are there any tube amps known for producing better low end control and depth than most? I'm presently looking at inegrateds in the $1000 - $3000 range. the only tube amps that I have heard that seem to perform well in this dept. are McIntosh which tend to be a bit beyond my budget at this time.
The last question is: are there speakers other than single drivers and horns that are known for being an easy load and that mate well with tube amps?
Thank you for any help you may be able to provide.
-Bill |
Gold Member Username: John_a
London
U.K.
Post Number: 4377
Registered: Dec-03
|
| Posted on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 12:18 am: |
|
Nuck,
Testing, testing...
Bill,
Thanks. I am fairly stumped by your questions. Concerning no. 1. One can use either 4 ohm or 8 ohm taps, but no-one should connect both output taps at the same time; the instructions should say this. Transformers do not work that way. I think that, if it worked at all and did not blow a fuse (or worse) on the amp, the 4 ohm output would be essentially short-circuiting the 8 ohm output.
As regards the others questions, I think "soggy bass" is not a problem with push-pull (i.e. most) tube amps, and they will also drive "difficult" speakers at least as well as solid state amps.
Real experts please correct me if this is wrong! |
New member Username: Bill_c
Post Number: 2
Registered: Jun-06
|
| Posted on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 10:17 am: |
|
John,
Thank you for responding. I had read somewhere of someone using both taps with a ss amp, but they never described the results. So I was just curious as to what would happen. Thanks for your other comments as well.
-Bill |
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 8812
Registered: May-04
|
| Posted on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 01:51 pm: |
|
.
John is correct about not using both taps. However, the two taps will not "short" one another. All the taps are "hot" any time the amplifier is running. The more basic issues of impedance and feedback become the problem. Using both taps will place both sections of the output transformer in parallel with one another. This will cause the amplifier problems when dealing with back EMF created by the motion of the speaker cone(s). Most pentode based tube amps have the feedback circuit located at the highest impedance tap. By using both taps you would "confuse" the feedback circuit and the amplifier is probably going to go into oscillation. This is particularly true should your amplifier have the feedback circuit input located at the sixteen Ohm tap and you choose to use the eight and four Ohm taps for your speaker connection. This situation can vary with the topology of the amplifier but there is no need to use both taps for bi-wiring. There should be plenty of room on any terminal post for two connectors. If not, you might want to reconsider bi-wiring with that particular amplifier.
I'm not certain where you would have seen a suggestion for using both "taps" on a solid state amplifier. The advantage of transistors is their ability to be direct coupled to the speaker. Probably you saw a reference to someone using both A&B speaker terminals. That is quite different than using two taps off an output transformer. In most cases transitorized audio equipment (for the consumer market, at least) has the output transitors connected directly to the speaker terminals and they are not running through an output transformer. (Pro audio operates differently in that these designs often use distribution transformers [25 or 70 volt transformers are typical] connected directly to the output transistors. There is then a matching transformer at the speaker inputs to step down the voltage. This helps minimize signal loss over long speaker cable runs.) Mcintosh has remained one of the very few consumer audio companies which maintain "autoformer" coupled amplifiers in their solid state line up. However, the same cautions apply to their ss amps as I've stated above for tube amplifiers.
http://www.mcintoshlabs.com/autoformer.aspx
By most engineers' standards bass control is a function of output impedance at the amplifier's terminals played against the actual impedance of the loudspeaker at low frequencies. Of course, there's more to it than just this simple equation but that is the gist of how an amplifier controls the low frequency driver. Part of the equation lies in your third question. Tube friendly speakers are more likely to allow a tube amplifier to have better control than a tube "unfriendly" speaker might. A simple change to an acoustic suspension enclosure with its inherently minimal single peak in the low frequencies (system resonance) will show the amplifier a quite different load than a bass reflex design. The BR enclosure has a twin peak of substantially higher impedance points that will be generally unfriendly to the tube amplifier. If someone says they think all tube (or [auto]transformer coupled) amplifiers have sloppy bass, they have never heard a well matched speaker with a well designed transformer coupled amplifier.
This can get into a very long discussion regarding output impedance, phase angles, enclosure types, bi-wiring, EMF and feedback and also transformer construction. There really is no need for that at this point. Suffice to say, if a tube amplifier has a reasonably low output impedance (approximately 0.3 Ohm or, better yet, lower), the amplifier will stand a good chance of having decent control over most friendly loudspeakers. Most tube amps tend to fall at output impedances above that 0.3 Ohm point over most of their range. You do have to consider an output transformer is a coil, which is an inductor (which in effect is a potentiometer and/or a filter), which has inherent resistance and impedance which changes with voltage level through the coil. And, of course, the output/input impedance is relative to the frequency at which you measure.
The more expensive the tube amplifier, the more likely it is the designer has put some effort into the transformers. Anyone who spends time around tube amplifiers realizes the transformers play the largest role in the sound quality of the final product. Both power and output transformers are important as the nature of tube amplifiers begins with where and how the tubes draw voltage and current from the various taps off the power transformer. This is one reason many of the classic amplifiers from the past are still considered to have excellent potential. Most of the truly great tube amplifier manufacturers of the Golden Age either understood transformer design and construction (McIntosh, Marantz, Citation, etc.) and had their transformers custom (hand) wound or were transformer designers and manufacturers themself before entering into component design (Dynaco). Transformer designs such as the now ubiquitous UltraLinear tapping and the more expensive McIntosh based Unity Coupled designs came from this time period. The Quad Current Dumping design also originated at this time though these variations all owe a debt of gratitude to Blumlien's work in the 1930's.
As has been discussed on these pages, you can utilize the various taps on your tube amplifier's output transformer(s) to alter the sound of the final product. Lowering the connection to the four Ohm tap will sound different, with the same speaker load, than using the sixteen Ohm tap. However, the better beginning point is to use a "tube friendly" loudspeaker. Such designs are relatively even in their impedance swings and have little (most horn loaded designs and simple crossover designs) to no (most single driver, dynamic driver designs) negative phase angle. They are resistive rather than reactive loads.
Contrary to what you might assume, sensitivity in the speaker is not a pre-requisite to use with a tube amplifier, if, that is, you are using a modern pentode based, push-pull output stage. (Single ended, OTL and triode output stage amplifiers are another few pages of discussion and, once again, are not going to be considered here.) One of the most tube friendly speakers created in the last half century was the BBC designed LS3/5a (which actually has a very complex crossover just to disprove any theory that claims universality). It is rated at 84dB and was, in its original incarnation, a 15 Ohm nominal design. There is an article in the archived pages of this thread where tube friendly designs were discussed and the impact they have on sound quality was dissected.
If you are serious about spending upwards of $3k on your amplifier, you might consider one of the classic McIntosh power amplifiers. Many can be had in good working order for less than your stated price limit. Most of the McIntosh designs had variable input level controls (a wire wound potentiometer based "volume control"). Depending on the rest of your system and how it is set up, you could run a CD player directly into the amplifier and use the front panel "volume control" to adjust levels. Or, you could run a tube power amplifier with litle more than a 100-150kOhm pot as a passive pre amplifier until you could afford a decent active or truly well designed passive pre amplifier.
Passive pre amps have been discussed in the "Pre amp" section of the forum. There are both positives and negatives to using a passive design. In the case of the Mac tube amps, the biggest drawback is their 0.75 volt, laboratory standard input sensitivity and their 250kOhm input impedance (the latter being a negligible "drawback"). There are also plenty of contemporary tube integrated amplifiers to consider at that price range. At the moment, the Chinese manufactured goods are offering quite good values should you choose to spend your money there.
. |
|
|
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 8813
Registered: May-04
|
| Posted on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 01:56 pm: |
|
.
I guess I should clarify that most solid state amplifiers do not actually have their output transistors "directly coupled" to the speakers. There are typically blocking capacitors to eliminate DC and/or protection networks such as Zobels which are between the transistor's outputs and the speaker terminals. The term "direct coupled" has been bastardized in this way for ages however.
. |
Gold Member Username: John_a
London
U.K.
Post Number: 4382
Registered: Dec-03
|
| Posted on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 02:07 pm: |
|
Bill,
Remember I wrote "real experts please comment"!
Seems this thread is alive.
Jan;- you refered to at least two achievements of the HiFi News "No. 1" name.... |
New member Username: Gonzofu
Post Number: 1
Registered: Jul-06
|
| Posted on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 03:18 pm: |
|
So much information, so little time to wade through it all. Any of you *philes have site that describes some of the terminology and basics of getting into tube amps. I had an old Traynor guitar tube amp and aside from lugging it to and fro the gig the thing was the cat's pjs. I now want a stereo tube amp but its hard to find a buyers guide -- most are aimed at those who know.
Thanks for the help!
http://www.equalsopposite.com/word/
http://www.equalsopposite.com/php/phpBB2/index.php |
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 8814
Registered: May-04
|
| Posted on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 03:45 pm: |
|
.
Refer to my list of sites on this thread: http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/1/243686.html
. |
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 8815
Registered: May-04
|
| Posted on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 03:50 pm: |
|
.
As with most things audio, there are no pages where I can send you to learn everything you need to know about tubes. This thread contains some very good information and I would suggest you invest some time reading the archives. For the most part learning about tubes is a matter of doing it and listening to those who know. Putting "audio vacuum tubes" into a search engine and then wading through the various sites is another way. My bookmarks for "tubes" is filled and yet manages to grow every week. Finally, as you learn about tubes; the more you know, the more you know you need to know.
. |
Gold Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 3262
Registered: Dec-04
|
| Posted on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 06:27 pm: |
|
Wow, Jan nice post.
The more I know about beer, the more I think I know I need one to reread those links.
Thanks. |
New member Username: Bill_c
Post Number: 3
Registered: Jun-06
|
| Posted on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 10:34 am: |
|
Thanks Jan,
But do you think you could elaborate a little on that? Just kidding. Wow, so much to learn. Thanks also for your advice regarding classic Macs. If you recall from a previous post of mine that you responded to I had been considering a new MC275. I tried listening with a CD player plugged directly in and using the Mac's input level controls as a volume control. Didn't sound so good to me. Sounded great with the Mac pre amp however. Can't afford both at this time. Is there an inexpensive pre amp out there that could do it justice in the mean time? Also, I listened to a Cary SLI 80. I did like the sound in triode, but missed the bass that it seems to sacrifice. Very different sound from the Mac. Not sure which I prefer at this point. Someday hope to have both but that will be far into the future.
Lastly, can you harm the MC275 by running the CD player directly into it? Thanks,
-Bill |
New member Username: Gonzofu
Post Number: 2
Registered: Jul-06
|
| Posted on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 02:15 pm: |
|
Jan,
Thanks for the insight. I wasn't trying to get anyone to dumb it down, if thats what was infered. Thanks again.
-gonz
http://www.equalsopposite.com/word/ |
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 8818
Registered: May-04
|
| Posted on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 06:12 pm: |
|
.
You won't harm the Mac by playing the CD directly into the front inputs. If the output voltage of the CD player exceeeds the overload point of the Mac, you will get distortion. As I said you can use a passive pre amp in between the player and the amplifier. A passive unit can be nothing more than a volume potentiometer. Wire up a small box with input/output jacks and make your connections to the volume control inside the box. Voila! A passive pre amp.
. |
New member Username: Bill_c
Post Number: 4
Registered: Jun-06
|
| Posted on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 07:51 pm: |
|
Thanks again Jan,
If I use a volume potentiometer as you suggested, how would that differ from using the input level controls? Is it likely to sound different? Also, would a tube buffer accomplish the same thing, in addition to the effects of the tube? Does a tube buffer provide gain as well? Thanks,
-Bill |
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 8819
Registered: May-04
|
| Posted on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 10:57 pm: |
|
.
"If I use a volume potentiometer as you suggested, how would that differ from using the input level controls?"
Other than giving you the ability to choose the resistance of the pot there should be little difference between the McIntosh potentiometer and the passive set up.
"Also, would a tube buffer accomplish the same thing, in addition to the effects of the tube?"
What effects of the tubes? If you're looking to get "tube sound", then I guess you could add the buffer. This "tube sound" seems to be the scheme of these items. If the buffer has a level control of some sort, then it functions much the same as a tube based pre amp without significant gain. Most tube buffers I've seen have 2-3dB of gain. The idea is merely to run the signal through some tubes to get the effect of "tube sound". In case you didn't know, I'm not a big fan of "tube sound".
. |
Silver Member Username: Ravbains
Melbourne
Australia
Post Number: 154
Registered: Mar-06
|
| Posted on Saturday, July 08, 2006 - 01:52 am: |
|
I am not sure I like to put things serially into the signal path, since I don't really see how an extra buffer or gain stage can make things better, if you haven't "got-it" in the first place.
Some people like these tube buffers, so if they like it, who am I to tell them what to do?
Am I missing something here?
I am yet to hear an amp using valves in its output stage, that can pin me to my seat and leave me totally punch drunk, when listening to high energy rock/pop like Muse or Placebo for example. But I know I can get this effect when I listen to a solid state power amp from Gryphon, or Krell FPB series for example. The properties I like in these amps is the speed, and the impact, which creates an effect similar (although of course not as massive) to what I hear when I go to a rock concert (since the music is reproduced and not truly 'live' or acoustic).
So for the time being I am sticking with a sand based amp. I am probably too un-couth in my taste in music..... |
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 8820
Registered: May-04
|
| Posted on Saturday, July 08, 2006 - 05:57 am: |
|
.
"Other than giving you the ability to choose the resistance of the pot there should be little difference between the McIntosh potentiometer and the passive set up."
I should elaborate a bit on this statement. There are some terrific passive units on the market. Staying with a "simple" potentiometer design, you can wire up a stepped resistor, ladder-type volume control. This sort of "pot" places only one resistor (per channel) in the signal path. The simplicity of this approach offers levels of transparency far beyond even the best of the Noble or Alps potentiometers. However, the basic limitations of passive pre amps still remain with this approach and ladder-type pots run about three+ times the price of the best Noble pot.
A few designers are now turning to autoformer or transformer based passive pre amps. These are more expensive than the ladder-type pre amps for the same reasons I laid out in the post on tube friendly speakers. The quality of the X-former determines the quality of sound; and good transformers are not cheap. However, several of the limitations of passive pre amps are erased or diminished with these units in line.
Either of these approaches to a passive pre amp would be superior in sound quality to either a simple 100kOhm pot in line or the gain control on the front of a power amplifier.
. |
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 8821
Registered: May-04
|
| Posted on Saturday, July 08, 2006 - 06:14 am: |
|
.
RB - No one here insists everyone likes tube amplifiers. Most of us using tubes actually feel as if we have a secret that other folks haven't caught onto yet. And, should you discover tubes, you will merely be taking away our chances for some really great NOS tubes.
However, when I hear someone say they haven't been pinned to the wall by a tube amplifier playing high energy music, I usually think they haven't heard the right amplifier with the right speakers. There are more than enough tube amplifiers which prefer to rest upon the ideals of "tube sound". They will not pin you anywhere. You will be sewpt away on a sea of lush, sweet soundscapes. And, for some shops, this is what they feel they want to present as an alternative to soild state. It makes for an easy alternative choice for the consumer.
For the most part though, vacuums should sound not that different from sand if both are true to the source. Unfortunately, if a shop doesn't promote tubes and a salesperson doesn't understand tubes, it is too common to find a 60 watt tube amp connected to a pair of Thiels or some other God-awful tube unfriendly design. I have long felt speaker designers and amplifier designers never speak to one another and one doesn't give a rip what the other designs. Add a salesperson/shop who doesn't know enough about tubes and you will get less than stellar performance from a tube amplifier. Salespeople tend to sell what they prefer for themself. If a salesperson has the attitude that all tubes have loose bass, that salesperson will usually never attempt to find out why that is and how to correct the situation. As to solid state amplifiers leaving you "punch drunk", I can understand that impression.
. |
Silver Member Username: Ravbains
Melbourne
Australia
Post Number: 158
Registered: Mar-06
|
| Posted on Saturday, July 08, 2006 - 07:10 am: |
|
Jan,
no worries, I don't feel that I am being assimilated into the valve culture.
Likewise I feel no need to apply any cultural force in the opposite direction.
If I keep going with my DIY experiments, I may look at valve based cicuitry, since as I have mentioned once before, I don't think I can cope with SMD technology. (I may be able to drag solder the odd chip, but that's as far as it goes...)
Anyhows valve or sand based I am happy with what I am hearing at home for the moment.
cheers
Rav |
New member Username: Bill_c
Post Number: 5
Registered: Jun-06
|
| Posted on Saturday, July 08, 2006 - 10:09 am: |
|
Thank you as always Jan,
Can I ask you what your experience has been with different preamps with your MC 240's? Have you found the Mac pre's to mate best, or have you had good experiences with others? If I go the Mac route I'll probably pair it with an active pre when I can afford it.
The other thing I was considering was a CD player with a volume control. I've never used one so I don't know how they perform. Would that be the same as just adding the volume potentiometer as we discussed? Or do they perfom other functions similar to a preamp?
Thanks,
-Bill |
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 8822
Registered: May-04
|
| Posted on Saturday, July 08, 2006 - 10:35 am: |
|
.
The volume controls included in CD players are typically pretty cheap items and should easily be bettered by the gain control on the Mac or a good Noble or Alps pot. Otherwise, you could consider the vc on the player to be a form of a passive pre amp. The term "pre amp" is a misnomer in many cases if the piece of equipment has no phono section. While an "active line stage" might perform some gain functions, typically a line stage needs no additional gain over and above what the CD, DVD, tuner or tape would output. The benefit of an active stage is usually limited to switching functions and the buffers at the outputs to maintain a constant impedance. Not all pre amps employ buffers. Some active pre amps will include filter caps at the inputs to block any DC offset that might come off the outputs of a source player. So, active units have their place and are often the best choice for simplicity and safety.
I've had many pre amps with my Mac amps. To say which I prefer would be to tell you what pre amp I now own. Not much point in that. Find a pre amp which suits the character of the power amp you buy. You establish what characteristics you prefer, I do not. Play to the strengths of the system and don't use any component as a BandAid for another component's problems.
. |
New member Username: Bill_c
Post Number: 6
Registered: Jun-06
|
| Posted on Saturday, July 08, 2006 - 10:36 am: |
|
Ravinder,
Thank you for your comments. I doubt that I would use the tube buffer, but am curious about how they work. I understand what you say about the qualities you mentioned provided by your SS gear. And I agree that those qualities are missing from some of the tube amps that I have listened to. However, in my very limited experience, I've found that the McIntosh amps that I've heard were not lacking in those areas. And even the tube amps that were, I've found qualities that appealed to me that the SS amps in the same price range that I've heard do not have. Just a matter of personal taste. Ultimately I'd like to find gear that can provide the best of both worlds (budget permitting).
Thanks,
-Bill |
New member Username: Bill_c
Post Number: 7
Registered: Jun-06
|
| Posted on Saturday, July 08, 2006 - 02:00 pm: |
|
Thank you Jan,
I think I'll need to go back and review some of the old threads on active vs passive line stages. Thanks again,
-Bill |
Silver Member Username: Ravbains
Melbourne
Australia
Post Number: 161
Registered: Mar-06
|
| Posted on Sunday, July 09, 2006 - 02:31 am: |
|
Hi Bill,
thanks for your comments, ...interesting.
If I get a chance I will, one day, go and listen to some McIntosh amplifiers. There is a McIntosh dealer in Melbourne, and the proprietor of this dealership is a true gentleman. But often times you visit the store and he is not around.
If I get a chance I'll give the Mac's a good listen.
-best regards
Rav |
Gold Member Username: John_a
London
U.K.
Post Number: 4390
Registered: Dec-03
|
| Posted on Sunday, July 09, 2006 - 06:00 am: |
|
Rav,
That sounds like a good shop. I think I mentioned before that Audio Research makes tube amps with transistor-type power ratings.
BTW all this talk of sand - is there an audiophile niche where people long for the authentic sound of the germanuim semiconductor? No, thought not... |
Silver Member Username: Ravbains
Melbourne
Australia
Post Number: 166
Registered: Mar-06
|
| Posted on Sunday, July 09, 2006 - 06:16 am: |
|
Very nicely put John ;-)
Maybe I will start this this club of subversives...
I have really enjoyed the visceral sounds emanating from most notably: Karan, Gamut and Gryphon... It would take quite some amp to disgrace these happy monsters.
Levity aside, I guess the key point is to find good equipment which acts as a faithful servant to the music regardless of the technology employed.
Also, I am quite aware of ARC amplifiers, they have quite a reputation that precedes their products. Never had the pleasure of an audition though.
cheers
Rav |
Silver Member Username: Ravbains
Melbourne
Australia
Post Number: 170
Registered: Mar-06
|
| Posted on Sunday, July 09, 2006 - 11:46 am: |
|
Jan,
I forgot to say that your responses are poignant as ever, I was about to post this, but somehow something failed.
cheers
Rav |
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 8827
Registered: May-04
|
| Posted on Sunday, July 09, 2006 - 03:51 pm: |
|
.
Damn! Where did that Indian put my silver bullets? |
Gold Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 3331
Registered: Dec-04
|
| Posted on Sunday, July 09, 2006 - 04:02 pm: |
|
Beside the Coors, Kimosabe, 2nd shelf beside pickles. |
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 8828
Registered: May-04
|
| Posted on Sunday, July 09, 2006 - 09:09 pm: |
|
.
Thanks, didn't know we had any pickles left. |
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 8829
Registered: May-04
|
| Posted on Sunday, July 09, 2006 - 09:10 pm: |
|
.
Thanks, didn't know we had any pickles left. |
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 8830
Registered: May-04
|
| Posted on Sunday, July 09, 2006 - 09:11 pm: |
|
.
That's the way to get those numbers of posts up. |
Gold Member Username: John_a
London
U.K.
Post Number: 4392
Registered: Dec-03
|
| Posted on Monday, July 10, 2006 - 02:49 am: |
|
That mask must getting in the way of the keyboard... |
Silver Member Username: Hannjeff
Halifax,
Nova Scotia
Canada
Post Number: 119
Registered: Jun-06
|
| Posted on Monday, July 10, 2006 - 12:06 pm: |
|
What are some good (affordable*) tube buffers.
*Affordable is under $600 |
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 8831
Registered: May-04
|
| Posted on Monday, July 10, 2006 - 12:59 pm: |
|
.
The only unit I'm aware of at this time is the Musical Fidelity product; if it is still in production. Tube buffers were never a must have item in audio and were only introduced a few years back by MF. Though the claims of superior sound quality after passing a signal through a vacuum are obviously overwrought, most people on the forum report their original MF tube buffers are now residing in a closet somewhere waiting for a day of resurrection to save the soul of some misbegotten, pagan-heathen solid state breathin' source player.
Kegger had reported buying a similar product that apparently is now also out of production. I don't remember anymore about that adventure.
I would save my money for a product which actually does something in your system other than take away cash which could be better spent.
. |
Silver Member Username: Hannjeff
Halifax,
Nova Scotia
Canada
Post Number: 120
Registered: Jun-06
|
| Posted on Monday, July 10, 2006 - 01:08 pm: |
|
Would running my analog sources through a tube amp do a similar effect? |
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 8834
Registered: May-04
|
| Posted on Monday, July 10, 2006 - 03:29 pm: |
|
.
I'm sorry, you'll have to describe what "effect" you mean. |
Gold Member Username: Dakulis
Spokane,
Washington
United States
Post Number: 1025
Registered: May-05
|
| Posted on Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 06:13 pm: |
|
Could you guys just give a brief synopsis of the last 1800 plus posts so I can catch up real quickly? And, pass the pickles, please. |
Gold Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 3482
Registered: Dec-04
|
| Posted on Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 06:25 pm: |
|
hehehe |
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 8883
Registered: May-04
|
| Posted on Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 06:46 pm: |
|
.
"Could you guys just give a brief synopsis of the last 1800 plus posts so I can catch up real quickly?"
Tubes gooooooood!!!!!!
. |
Gold Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 3487
Registered: Dec-04
|
| Posted on Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 06:59 pm: |
|
