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Tbg's Responses in Tech talk	Posts
What's your profession? Age? I am surprised there are no other professors. I am 64 and have been at this since 1954! I have little idea what I have in my system; probably about $50K excluding the stuff I have . . .	547
WA-Quantum GmbH's Quantum Chips Ozzy, I have two Power Chips. One has been outstanding on my new HB Cable Designs PowerSlave power strip at the IEC plug. I have tried three positions on my power panel without . . .	222
Words From the Wise Don't believe anyone who says you cannot get ever closer to realism in reproducing musical performances. Don't forget to have fun and to enjoy the music. Don't believe anyone who. . .	194
Do we believe in Machina Dynamics? I imagine there are many who find some MD tweaks work and many who would never try them, and even a few who try them and find no benefit. One thing is certain on the MD tweaks as . . .	174
Survey-What is your most used source? While vinyl is still unrivaled, my Empirical Audio Mac Mini raid music server is most used and close to vinyl using dsd files through Pure Music. It is so easy to merely touch the. . .	170
Copper Sleeve over IEC Ozzy, you can get up to 6" copper couplers at http://www.pexsupply.com/Cello-WP0-32-2-CxC-Coupling-1193000-p After seeing the demonstration on the Marantz, I bought a volt . . .	156
Stereophile confirms new gear is getting worse.... Is the issue that high end has poor quality or that Stereophile will not give a negative review. The first point is hardly demonstrated by what Sean presents as evidence, although . . .	123
Replacement Fuse's - What are my options ???? I recently replaced all 5 fuses in my Esoteric X-01 LE with the IsoClean fuses and must say this is the biggest improvement I have heard with the IsoCleans. I have them throughout . . .	104
Audiogon members poor packing and shipping damage I have so often commented about UPS, but will reiterate. I cannot imagine how they stay in business. They are more expensive that FedEx Ground and only note the "shock in . . .	70
acoustic system resonators I have the halographs, 2 pair, Shun Mook mpingo disks, Brilliant Pebbles, and the H-Cat line stage with its WTC. All of these interact. I will not spend time talking about when I . . .	69
How much can be measured -- and how much cannot? And around and around we go. In all cases where JA didn't like much in measuring and Fremer liked the component I have always agreed with Fremer. A classic example was the WAVAC SH. . .	66
Will there be any 'Arrow' mark in a Fuse holder? Rhapsodi, about six years ago Lloyd Walker of Walker Audio, telephoned me to reverse the direction of the fuse in his speed controller for turn tables. I did as he said and he was . . .	64
Power Receptacles - Review and Comparison Dlcockrum, it has taken me a long time since you were up and recommended the Tesla outlet and other SR gear. I now also have the SR PowerCell 10SE and the Holograph D charged pc . . .	61
Shakti Stones Do they actuall work guys. Since I know full-well that some enjoy mockery rather than trying anything remotely being characterized as a tweak which I think is ridiculous, I will enter this fray. I once had . . .	59
IMAGE PROBLEMS VOCALS OFF CENTER If the Arcam has a centered image, I don't understand some of your earlier information about swapping things. How come you did not identify one side of the amp as the problem? I . . .	57
Wanna know how noisy your AC is ? Sean is right. You will hear great noise from the Sniffer, but if you buy the now discontinued AudioPrism plug-ins to depress it, you will be very unhappy with your sound. I did . . .	56
Reversing Polarity -- Voodoo or Easy Tweak? Cwlondon, I understood you in your first post. Few are stupid enough to wire one speaker out of phase with the other. Absolute polarity is a different matter. I wish I had an easy . . .	49
What happened to the loudness control? I had one once, but she does listen with me anymore	44
Cable Elevators killed my bass I don't have any experience with Cable Elevators but have long had Suspenders from Rightway Audio that preceded them. Apart from the rubber bottom pad both seem to share the basic . . .	41
System feedback coming thru speakers.....help Lloydelee21, the standard procedure is to disconnect everything except the amp to the speaker wires. Turn on the amp. Do you have any noise? If you have noise with just the amp on. . .	40
Which "tweeks" are more important Recently, I have experienced a new problem with some tweaks, they interact. Specifically, my WTC control on the H-Cat and my Halographs have caused me many problems. I ultimately . . .	39
Synergistic Research Acoustic ART analogue room tr Well, I hate to introduce any observations into the already decided thread, especially given Audiofeil is always on the mark but without evidence or experience based conclusion. . . .	38
Acoustic resonators in place of room treatment I was impressed by the Acoustic resonators and was impressed. Then I heard the Synergistic Research ARTS. I bought them on the spot	38
Audiophile Electrocution Much of this is because people are stupid and lawyers are asked how to protect companies. The one I love is on rotary lawn mowers, or at least mine, there is notice to not pick up . . .	36
HiFI Fuses ? Remember that IsoClean fuses are directional (big difference), cheaper($25@), and in the opinion of me and many who have tested both, sound better	35
Isolation for power line conditioner? Mana or Walker stands	35
ERS Cloth uses Dazzdax, that is certainly my experience	33
Acoustic Revive RR-77 Ultra low pulse generator I had pretty much settled in to needing two RR-77s, until several days ago when Andy Quint asked about pictures with a AR QR-8 placed on it. I found such a picture in the 6moons' . . .	31
plauged by off center image, am I insane? The H-Cat line stage with its precise imaging must be very carefully matched by the manufacturer as there is no balance control. I think everyone is correct that some recording of . . .	27
What is the best tweak? What is the best part of mathematic to know	27
How do you tell how dirty your power is? A scope is the only way to assess the non-60 Hz information on your ac. I doubt if anyone rents them, however. Don't be too certain that ac filtering, etc. while getting rid of . . .	26
Fuses - Why do same size fuses sound different? Red, I have not noted who made the supplied fuses in my equipment, but I have greater and lesser improvements depending on the equipment in substituting the IsoCleans. I have yet . . .	25
To couple or decouple? That is the question. I grow tired of this techno-babble. True coupling would be to run a long I beam below your equipment into bedrock. This would add the mass of that bedrock to your system mass. . . .	25
How low can one hear Huh?? Say again Get a signal generator and start out at 30 Hz and go lower. You will soon stop hearing the signal, and it will be replaced by feeling it, including in your ears as pressure . . .	24
Who has Caps on their AC lines ??? I guess the first time I tried this was the Van Evers. Since then I have tried at least two others. In my system all it does is to hurt the sound. Removing them gave me a big . . .	23
Electrician's advice wanted: safely lifting ground Dan ed, your solutions is good only for components in which the input and output jacks are isolated from the chassis. I have seen few where there is such isolation. Lifting the . . .	22
Is Phase and polarity the same thing? Wow, how frequently words fail us. Most test records use the word "phase" to deal only with whether both speakers share the same positive and negative connections . . .	21
What to tell my electrician If you are going to put in multiple circuits, make sure that all those connected with interconnects are on the same side of the phase. Balance the load by put everything else on . . .	20
Surge protection, no filtering, no regen please... All that I can say is that my house has been struck twice by lightening. One time my system was not on but my computer was and had a surge protector. The computer was fried. The . . .	20
CD Dead?? I suspect massive storage devices, perhaps not rotating, and down loads with high resolution will displace cds at some point. Until recently I had no interest in servers as they . . .	20
Help I think my AC is polluted Do you get hum when it happens with the Equi=Tech plugged in but nothing running through it and not when it is not plugged in? If you can, put a scope on the line both when you . . .	19
Receptacle Cover Plates & ISOCLEAN Alternatives? I must say that Joe Cohen once did a demonstration of a very substantial aircraft aluminum wall plate and similar surround over the wall plug of the pc that was shockingly better. . .	18
CES 05 The many Audio Aeros may merely say that they made them available to all. I would be shocked were the Audio Aero the equal of the Zanden setup, not that I think either are top . . .	18
Reaching the top and stoping When I was young I used to think such thoughts. Occasionally, now I think I might die before I replace some component, but lacking that everything, I know, will be replaced. When . . .	17
SPL METER? ATI OR RADIO SHACK Eldartford is right. I have had the RS meter and the Rives cd designed for use with it for years. A real time analyzer is the only real solution, but you need at least a 1/3 octave. . .	17
Want more high frequency extension Murata supertweeters. 15k - 100k Hz, no crossover	17
Isolation transformer - does it offer protection Seek some thorough advice. http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surge_protector My house was once hit by lightening a mere 6 feet from my on stereo. The system was plugged into a. . .	16
recomendation on a power conditioner This question has been beat to death. There is absolutely no consensus on whether you need one, whether surge protection is needed or screws up everything, which is the best buy, . . .	16
Dedicated circuit's' ? or one dedicated circuit? I have two dedicated circuits but use only one. The Acoustic Revive RTP-6 is essential and too expensive to have two. My amp is the 150 watt Exemplar Statement ss amp. It sounds . . .	15
voltage/polarity issues with isoclean transformer GMC, I wonder what "interesting" readings means. I have checked the voltage which has been stable and constant across the outlets on my 80 box. Remember that it does have. . .	13
Strange how many used valves measure NOS? When you were able to buy NOS tubes in any town, you would occasionally get a bad tube. Untested NOS tubes from anyone are a crap shoot. Probably strong not NOS tubes have much . . .	13
Any one else has a problem re: shipping damage I do not understand how such damage could have been done to cables with the outer box being undamaged. Were I UPS, I would conclude that they were damaged before shipment	13
Sssss...sibilance? Without changing speakers or their placement, I have lost any concern about sibilance problems. I guess I would say that ac filtering, a quality frontend, and a good stylus cleaner. . .	13
Which power conditioner for large amp and digital? I hesitate to enter this discussion as it is very complex and component dependent. I have tried more than 35 various ac filters and conditioners and like only several, but I know . . .	13
Stillpoints Apopira2, I have no recent experience with the individual StillPoints, but I am shocked with the impact of a StillPoints component stand under my amp. I am also going to use such . . .	12
Shorting Plugs and Non-shorting Plugs - Wothwhile? First, just go to RS and buy shorting plugs if you want to try them. IMO, they will do nothing, however. What I would do. Disconnect all sources going into the preamp. If the . . .	12
Help me choose a power conditioner, please As always, whatever you try after three weeks remove it. My guess is that you will then sell the power conditioner. I have sent back or sold all 48 conditioner I have tried. I use . . .	12
DIRECTION OF SIGNAL FLOW VIA INTERCONNECTS Thankfully, this thread has been free of the simplistic idea that the audio signal is alternating current. I will say from personal experience that on occasion I have found that . . .	12
DVD-A vs. SACD Thus far, I have always preferred SACD. I have one DVDA that sounds quite good but about 20 that do not. I have about 400 SACDs and in many cases have cd counterparts. I have so . . .	12
Daisy chaining Line Conditioners At one time I had the Equi=Tech Q1.5, the Walker Velocitor, the Reimyo filter, the Sound Application Line Stage, and the Loricraft power supply. I tried many different combinations. . .	12
House AC Line Variance Benb, the APS will not even approach the sound that you are getting from the Sound Application. I don't have any experience with the Thor, but other voltage regulators are . . .	11
Silver or copper fuses for amps and cdplayer ? Also, IsoClean at $25@ and best. They differ in price and sound	11
soundstage If you have the 811 horn in your Altecs, it is not time aligned. I think that speaker placement affects standing waves in the bass which can affect your ears sense of depth. I . . .	11
Audio Magic Stealth it is You know there will be a new and more expensive Stealth at the CES? I have only heard it at others and still love my Sound Application as well as the new Walker Audio unit	11
I want surge protection, but I have no grounds I strongly suggest you get an electrician. If you got 120V does that mean between the hot and ground the new ground? Is this a very old apartment? It does not sound like it if the. . .	10
Powerstrips: Oyaide MTB vs Acoustic Revive RTP Tboooe, I too have been down the path you have traveled. I still use an IsoClean outlet strip and am very interested in the new Acoustic Revive RTP-6evolution power strips with the. . .	9
Glass Shelf under CD Player or not? I am apparently the odd man out on maple or any wood. I find it robs music of all pace. It may sound good but it is not conducive of realism in music reproduction. I have many . . .	9
toddler/kid proof speaker stands You could always anchor them to the ceiling. I scared the hell out of my son when he first touched mine. He never did it again	9
What is the voltage at your receptacle? 124 volts +/- ,2 volts	9
Isolated Ground Outlets Hosp Grade vs Audiophile In my opinion the IsoClean duplex is clearly the best. It is expensive, however, $180	8
Shoul I consider a power conditioner? Go ahead and try them, but make certain, as you listen, that they improve rather than harm your sound. Most do lower noise but also rob dynamics and smear the sound	8
shatki holographs Yes, yes, no, better	8
Need advice re: Tube dampers Like everything in my experience, I have found that I cannot stand Herbies on some tubes and love them on others. The same goes with TopHats. If the tube is vertical, they are . . .	7
Help on wiring dedicated circuit for Audio If you put in multiple dedicated lines, it is imperative that they all be on the same phase of the power line. Otherwise, you can have 240 volts between two components on different. . .	7
diffuser panels made more simple? I have several RPG like units made from The Master Handbook of Acoustics that I will give to anyone coming by to get them	6
what the heck is a Namiki DF-100 Direction Finder Seasoned has it largely correct. The device senses dc leakage voltage and goes with the orientation of the plug that has the lowest voltage. I would disagree, however, on how . . .	6
Clever Substitute for "Poor Man's Audio Deske" ? I have been trimming my disks with the Audio Desk for three years. I have never had any problems with the 1000 cds and sacd I have trimmed. I have a friend with a home solution . . .	6
Newbie question about reversing Phase?? Dc2, there was a previous discussion of this. I had always thought as you do that the contact with direct current should be an outward push of the driver. Now I am less certain. . . .	6
which way to start tube-rolling ? please Having much experience with my Exemplar/Denon universal player, I would have to disagree with Ed about it being "just a buffer." This particular tube mod uses the 5965/. . .	6
What is the Diffrence in these AC Receptacels If you really want to be anal, buy a big outlet box and install multiple outlets. Then you can quickly try each. Have I done this? Of course not! I have installed seven different . . .	5
Will cable & internet pollute our power? There is an enormous amount of garbage on ac lines, with some of it deliberately put there, some by the power companies. There are many devices intended to remove this garbage and . . .	5
Just installed Cathedral Sound Panels I think you mean they had a neglible effect	5
Do ground lifters alter sound? Your language caused me pause. You are talking about cheater plugs, I now suspect. There really are no quality cheaters, although I have heard that Siltech used to make some. Many . . .	5
Summer Heat/Impact on System-Listening I visited a friend with new speakers and amps. It was a hot day, and his voltage varied between 104 and 114 volts. The sound was very disappointing. Texas is not on either . . .	5
Aurios and Tungsten balls You will have one of the best isolation devices when you get the balls centered. Their is a very small depression in the center of the screw that holds the Aurios together. I use 7. . .	5
AT&T ST glass vs. AES/EBU connection I used to have dacs that accepted glass and EBU. I strongly preferred the glass. Jim Aud recommends 10 m. as the minimum length? Now that I have the Meitner I am back to glass. It. . .	4
Dedicated circuits? Bldng a new house. Help. Dedicated lines and their guage, conditioners plugged into them, and the quality of the ground all make a difference. All of this can get pretty expensive so you will have to . . .	4
Does anyone know these tubes I agree with Avguygeorge. I have laid in many of these although I presently use none. They look to be identically constructed	2
120V AC to 100V AC adapter: There are 120 to 100 volt step down transformers. Some people use 100 volt units on 120 current with no ill effects. A friend's ac is typically 110 volts while mine is 124 volts. . . .	1