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Jmcgrogan2's Responses in Tech talk	Posts
What's your profession? Age? Hi, 40 year old mechanic supervisor in the phamacuetical industry. System list at $25k paid $10k. Chstob, if the commodities you're brokering are drugs, that might explain the . . .	547
How much does your system retail for? About $24K, more then I can afford	499
Why does better power = better sound? Bryon, when you speak of power quality, I assume you are talking about the quality of the AC line, correct? The age old question about why our systems sound better at night? When . . .	99
Listener fatigue: what does it really mean? Soooo, what are your oppinions about what listener fatigue is and why it's caused? I feel listening fatigue is a mental and/or emotional sense of being, not so much a physical . . .	91
balanced is inherently flawed Well, you sold me. I guess I'll be taking out ads to sell all of my gear. Good job, I hope you're happy	73
Audiogon members poor packing and shipping damage A couple of questions, first, was everything packed in original shipping cartons? Second, if there was shipping damage, why did you accept the items? The reason for the first . . .	70
Preamp inverts phase question: Victor Khomenko of BAT claims that 50% of recordings are recorded out of absolute phase. If true, it would make your question a mute point. However, I would switch the + and - . . .	57
Help me solve static electricity problem	56
Hi-Fi Fuses - SNAKE OIL? - or something in it? YEP - BIG DIFFERENCE - much more this, that and the other :-) LOL!! With a writing prose like that, I'm sure one of the glossy rags will be in touch with you very soon	48
Preamplifier power supply 10-19-08: Dazzdax I'm not saying that an oversized power supply is all you need. I was trying to find out why some experts keep telling that a big power supply is essential, even. . .	44
What is everyone using for dedicated AC lines??? Eldartford, 10-3 has four conductors as Glen stated. The fourth leg usually is used for running an isolated ground. You would also need to have a receptacle capable of using that . . .	39
VH Audio Vcaps The V-Caps are astounding! I replaced the coupling caps in my BAT VK-75SE and the increase in detail and articulation was just amazing right out of the gate. Yes, they are . . .	38
How many hours weekly do you listen to your system 10-15 hours a week. That number will hopefully go up when I get my own dedicated listening room, which hopefully isn't too far off	34
The most important link in the chain... The most important link in the chain is the......weakest link. Cheers, John	33
Slow speaker cables? As Almarg and Jcharvet have alluded to, I judge a cables speed, fast or slow, depending on how it attacks a note and releases it (decay). Attack and decay are the primary . . .	32
Periodic replacement of Audio Grade Fuses? Under normal conditions, Audio Grade Fuses should be replaced from every 6 to 12 months the longest." LOL!! Don't forget that the cables carrying the signal wear out too. . . .	32
Into 2009; What rules?? Tubes or Solid State Tubes, no doubt about it	32
Manufacturers don't get it. make tubes visible. Well I have the opposite problem. While I don't have an issue looking at exposed tubes (it does not excite me either though), my wife does. She never complains about the $$$ I . . .	31
Multi channel much better than stereo? Multichannel has its' place, I admit it makes movie watching more enjoyable. But it is not for serious listening. I recently purchased a used Proceed PAV because I thought it . . .	30
Musical Fidelity is really makin me mad I'll heed your advice B_limo. Actually, Musical Fidelity has never had any gear that has tempted me to purchase it in the first place. They spend all of their marketing money . . .	29
Got Ears? What you refer to as a 'developing ear', I refer to as training an ear. It basically only comes from experience. Learning what to listen for and how to listen. It's not rocket . . .	29
Shouldn't the Bass be felt? Duh Everyone has their own niche of good sound. Sure, you have your bass freaks, your resolution freaks, your musical freaks, your detail (high's) freaks, your soundstage freaks, your . . .	28
$10 vs $100 power plug The difference between a $10 plug and a $100 plug is $90	26
Gain Question You can either get a cartridge with higher output, get a phono stage with more gain, or get a preamp with more gain OR some combination of the above. Actually, there are two other . . .	26
Not a ground loop hum??? If you have a video cable line or satelite cable, disconnect it, see if the hum goes away. I went through a similar situation a year or so ago. I tried cheater plugs, floating . . .	26
"Integrated Amp" Do I dare go there?????? Absolutely! I went through a serious 'downsizing' myself several months ago. My current integrated list for 25% of the price of my seperates. I have to admit that I'm pleasantly . . .	25
Small difference equating to a big difference? Wait a cotton-picking minute B_limo....are you trying to tell me that you hear sonic differences between cables???? Wait right here, I'll go round up Rok2id, Irvrobinson and the . . .	24
Why I gave up on high end Home Theater. Long Seasoned, it was 3 months of no music, I got tired of scrolling through menus and listening to test tones on the rare occasions I had the unit. Stereo is so much easier, especially. . .	24
How can do you extend the life of your tubes? Jedinite24, tubes are similar to light bulbs in that in rush current is their main enemy. You will notice that most light bulbs blow out when turning on a light, that's in rush . . .	23
Anyone have a schematic for a Coda Model 11 amp? Thanks Tobb. As you can see, I got no replies, so I did contact Doug Dale at Coda. He wouldn't give me schematics, but I did send the amp in to him for service	22
My system has a narraw sounstage, lacks dynamics. Many have sworn that drinking sonic tonic to be more effective	21
Is it all in my head? In this hobby, yes, many differences are in the head. Pshyco-acoustics is a real topic. Don't get me wrong, there are differences between gear and cables, but to varying degrees. . . .	21
Low budget, just for fun Tpreaves, that's a bad value even at < $200	21
Just sold my Dynavector XV-1s Try reversing the cables attached to the phono cartridge itself to make sure that he doesn't have a broken wire in his tonearm. This always scares me. I'm shipping out a expensive . . .	20
CD Dead?? CD isn't dead yet, but it's best years are in the rear view mirror	20
Wait a Minute Do those Cardas Caps Work I use them too, can't say that I've heard a difference though	19
DId lightening strike twice? Amp s problem Yes, do what Al says. I was surprised one time that simply loose locking barrel RCA's created a buzz in my system. I spent a couple of days changing tubes until I realized it was . . .	18
Cap life span? Many suggest changing electrolytic caps every 15-20 years. This is an estimate, like tube life, it can vary. My amp is 19 years old and I just sent it to the manufacturer and . . .	18
Conversion of mV to dB Note when using the KAB calculator that the output is based @ 5 cm/s. If your cartridge is rated @ 3.54 cm/s, you will need to multiply it by 1.41 to equate to 5 cm/s. Just to make. . .	17
WHAT GOOD IS SPEAKER AND CABLE IMPEDANCE ANYWAY? When did music become purely scientific? This post raised my audio knowledge 0.0001%, yet it lowered my enjoyment of the hobby a full 1.6783%. BTW, nice system, I love the Danes, . . .	17
Running Springs Audio I don't know about the Dimetri, but I'm currently using a RSA Danielle, and previously owned a Audio Magic Stealth and Eclipse models. These are very different sounding power . . .	17
Reaching the top and stoping I was just talking with someone about this today. The one item in my system that I cannot seem to upgrade from is an original Shunyata Hydra....not from lack of trying. :) I've . . .	17
Does your system sound better than most demo's? I think part of the fun of this hobby is using knowledge to make up for your lack of funds. It's like showing up to the race track with a stripped out supercharged M3 and . . .	16
Placement of electronics Hmm...interesting thread. I guess I will never know what I am missing, maybe that's a good thing. My gear has ALWAYS been between my speakers, due to family and room obligations, . . .	16
Any new tweaks out there? New tweaks? How about something from Coconut Audio	16
Are bad rooms keeping the hobby alive? I think OCD has more to do with keeping this hobby alive than bad rooms, though bad rooms do certainly play a vital role. Cheers, John	15
Is it best to leave gear on or to shut it off? Tubes turn off, SS leave on	15
Walker EST Silver treatment? I also give the Walker Extreme SST a big thumbs up. Once again, carefully applied this contact enhancer just seems to enable the music to flow with less impedence. Like another . . .	15
CounterPoint SA3000 Repair Technician Are you going to post this question everyday? Have you tried to google an electronic tech? I will recommend Bob Backert , but he's all the way on the east coast. I'm sure there is. . .	14
Rich sounding line conditioners? Shunyata Hydra, period. Enjoy the music. John	14
Useful Idiots I think some people use real life to distract them from music	13
Down grading with better /= sound I have downgraded several times in the last 30+ years. Though I cannot say that I got better sound, I can say that I have gotten pretty damn close for a lot less money. I'm very . . .	13
balanced power Here is a couple links about: Balanced power is a new technology The origin of balanced power Hope this helps, John	13
Newbie que on "recommended amplifier" rating Most speaker damage occurs from using a under-powered amp than too much power. An amp 'clips' when it is driven past it's rated power, that's what damages voice coils. I believe . . .	13
Amplifier Goes into Protect Mode Right Channel You don't need to wait for your Acoustic Zen cable to come back to perform this testing. You can use Radio Shack speaker cable ($5-$10), or even some plain old lamp cord for the . . .	12
Is there a audiophile bible? I second Ellery911, Audiogon and Audio Asylum, search the archives. There is loads of information on just about everything	12
What do in store listening tests prove? I don't frequent high end salons often, but I was just at one on Saturday. What I learned was the most important thing is the recording. I stopped in to listen to their 'top room. . .	12
How much do you listen? This time of year I'm lucky if I get 2-4 hours a week. I have 3 boys who play on 7 different baseball teams. I coach 2 teams, so not much listening between March through July. . . .	12
Tube Rolling and the Quest for "perfect sound" LOL! Remember, different is not necessarily better, different is only different. Relax and enjoy the music	11
Balanced or Not Well I'm not a manufacturer, but you can still take my comments with a grain of salt. I have heard AND owned fully balanced setups. I am now back using single-ended, so obviously, . . .	11
Have any VAC owners tried any KT-88's I've used Genalex Gold Lion Re-issues in my Avatar Super. I would agree with Tvad that there was not much difference from VAC's stock tubes, though the price is about the same. I . . .	11
What must I correct to get the perfect sound? Pssst, you wanna buy some perfect sound forever? I have some silver discs to sell you. Actually, I would guess it would be your cables. 'Super Transparent' often times translates . . .	11
Ground Loop Question Maybe this will help. Pass Labs Ground Loop Hums Cheers, John	11
High priced power cords and power conditioners???? I agree with Sugarbrie, if at all possible get the dedicated lines first. I have (2) dedicated 20A lines with isolated grounds. I use one for digital and one for analog. Total cost. . .	11
VPI motor makes loud pops when turned on & off Joe, Did you ever figure this out? I have one 0.68 mfd 100 VDC between the red and black across the dc motor, like you have. I also have one in series with the AC switch labeled . . .	10
repair shop in Philadelphia I'll third the Bob Backert recommendation. He does exceptional work. Cheers, John	10
Power Conditioners That's the problem with researching, many times the more you read the more confused you will become. Just as with all things in this hobby, the best conditioner for your system can. . .	10
Best way to remove static build-up? Ground the chassis' of your componants	9
2 amplifiers, 1 pair of speakers Do his speaker's have 5 way binding posts? If so, maybe he could run one set of speaker cables from the Cary for music (say using spade lugs), and another set of speaker cables . . .	9
Amp "pop" - need help Leave amp on at all times and this won't be a problem. I leave my Threshold on 24/7 (150 wpc of pure Class A). It sounds better and is easier on the internal components, no power . . .	9
NOS tubes, why can't modern tubes sound better? Good question, I believe it's because 'they don't build 'em like they used to' philosophy. In business today, it's all about the bottom line, getting the fewest amount of people . . .	9
"Tweaks" vs. Audiophiles The most effective tweak I've yet found is also the cheapest. Close your eyes, breath deep, relax and enjoy. I've played with other toys with varying degrees of success, but man, . . .	9
Blown Speaker?? It sounds as if you need a pair of Cerwin Vega's. They can play VERY loud without smelling or crackling up when you turn the volume up to 11	8
Y connector from pre-out to powered sub and... 09-08-09: Almarg To calculate the combined input impedance of the sub and the power amp, divide the product of the two impedances by their sum. Example: If the sub's input . . .	8
one channel dead as a door nail Welcome to the world of tubes! You just popped your cherry. Always keep extra 'bulbs' on hand. John	8
Burning In Preamp ??? 12-12-06: Rlwainwright Just play the damn thing and stop stressing. Put on some good music, fire up a phatty and chill, dude. Yah man! Play some Bob Marley man	8
DIY clock upgrade? Jim, as Dgarretson mentions, find out the frequency of your clock. Most clocks require a seperate power supply to support the clock, not a simple swap. Parts Connexion sells some . . .	7
What's that tube you have there? I agree that changing tubes can make quite a difference, however, I do not agree with your statement to "have the very best tubes that money can buy". This statement . . .	7
From Hydra to Hydra 6: an upgrade? I second Simon74, I prefer the original Hydra	7
external power supplies I believe it is a theoretical advantage on today's line stages. Back in the days of real preamps (with built in phono stages), a seperate supply had real value. The smaller the . . .	7
Help me find my Weak Link. I agree, the Spectral would be a good place to start. Looking at that line up I'm thinking you would be looking for something that would make your system sound more warm and . . .	6
Can 12AT7 be a substitute for 12AU7 tubes? I wouldn't think so. The 12AT7 with a mu factor of 60 can be used as a replacement for a 12AX7 with a mu of 100. Probably too high for a 12AU7 with a mu factor of 19 though	6
Why not more DIY talk/equipment on the 'Gon? My guess would be that AudiogoN is the foremost website for buying used audio gear on the 'net. Even modified gear takes a beating here on re-sale. That is why, IMHO, the DIY site. . .	6
Break In Time..just being on...or music played ? I believe it needs music playing through it. Yes, I think it's mainly the capacitors, but they need to be cycling (storing and releasing energy) to break in. I just had a great . . .	6
popping from speakers? First of all, is your amp or preamp tubed? If so, change the tubes around until you discover which tube is causing the problem. If no tubes, is there any new component in your . . .	6
How much does audio equipment really cost I had read before that there is a standard business formula. 20% for manufacturing, 20% for R&D, 20% for sales and marketing, and 40% for the dealer's costs. I think this formula . . .	6
Sonic Frontiers and Classe XLR Why don't you call or e-mail Classe with this question	5
hum, please, please help This might be too simple, but how about replacing the dimmer switch with a regular switch? Dimmer switches are notorious for noise. Otherwise I agree with Mark and Marco that an . . .	5
HELP requested for system setup analogue source Sounds like you may have a item leaking dc which is causing the 33H's transformers to sing. Try walking through the 'Humbusters' section in PS Audio's interactive toolbox. The . . .	5
Sumo Aurora Repair Thanks much, Ncarv. I will check it out	5
Sub-woofer hum problem Sounds like a ground loop hum. No cable tv involved anywhere in this setup? If no tv, is the sub plugged into a different outlet than the integrated amp? If so, try plugging them . . .	4
Wiring schematic for a Forte 4a I agree with both posters, it is a classic, so I wouldn't perform any circuit modifications. If you want to upgrade perfomance you can certainly rebuild it with better caps, wires. . .	4
Shunyata Hydra 8 Yes, yes, yes.....I would specificilly suggest a Elrod EPS-3 Signature, or Statement of you have the cash. I've personally found this to work better than the Shunyata Anaconda . . .	4
Tube Pre amp noise I've noticed that tube preamps are also more sensitive to grounding issues and interconnect mechanical issues than solid state preamps. So you may try using a cheater plug on the . . .	3
B&K Reference 30 issue Doug, did you try to unplug it for a few minutes and plug it back in? That may re-boot the internal computer	3
Anyone know a good tech in NYC for Tubes? Down in the Philly area, but Bob and Gary Backert come highly recommended	3
Repair or Upgrade my Audio Research M100 and LS22 Try Steve Huntley at GNSC . He is one of the best. Cheers, John	3
I have posted my system to Virtual System Well on paper it looks very nice indeed, but all that really matters is what YOU think	3
20A power cord on 15A amp connector? DT, No, you cannot use a 20A connector on a 15A jack. The blades are oriented at a 90 degree angle, so it will not work. 20A connectors on power cords are much more common today, . . .	2
Amp/Pre hookups Well I don't think you will blow anything up, but I don't know that you'll accomplish anything either. Your SLP-05 has a 400 ohm output impedence, which is pretty good for a tube . . .	1