@fsonicsmith
Perhaps I have mistaken you for someone, however your last post was rather heavy handed. But lets shake hands and move on.
I hope to be brief because this is not on topic. I do not think I have ever mentioned Charley Hansen in any post. Please correct me if I am wrong. I would like to read an interview that you particularly like, could you please provide a link? He made excellent equipment and I can see from JAs measurements he did a good job on the three major characteristics of a good amplifier, one that would drive a wide variety of speakers well. On this I am in complete agreement with Charley. Im not sure why I need to listen to his amps, I am confident they sound find. Charley and I are on the same page with what is important. Though some may take objection to the following here is what I have found:
If you compare several amplifiers that meet the three criterion of damping, low distortion, good current delivery then these are what I call good amplifiers. Good performing amplifiers tend to sound very similar because they are GOOD. Now if we take one of those ampifiers and compare it to amplifiers that do not meet the three criterion (there are more than 3 but the first 3 are the most obvious) in an A/B setup, levels matched, the differences can be quite alarming and immediately obvious on either pink noise or the proper choice of source material. This has been my experience over 45 years of doing this. I invite others to get their opinion. I invite you to come listen, bring any amp you like and lets have a go at it.
In the current setup I am using QUAD 57s and a few cone speakers. I prefer ESLs and find them more revealing. I think everyone knows I moved to Santa Barbara from VIrginia specificaly to work with Harold Beveridge in 1978. As I recall he paid me $500 a month plus royalties on my preamp. I didnt do it for the money I did it to apprentice to a master.
In the past year I have repaired and listened to a Reference Line SS amp, A big 833 SE amp. Several Single ended 45, 2A3, 300B. Of course I listen to all of mine and aways to the strict A/B.
As to modern amps, on some we are going backwards. The Cary SLI 150 is an example. While it measured badly it sounded fine to Herb because he played it at the low range of power where the distortion is low. This is a very common occurance at Stereophile. Once a broken EAR amp got a great sonic review and upon test it was discovered to be very distorted about a few watts. However below that level where the reviewer used it there was no appreciable distortion. It is clear to me that most reviewers do not put a high power amp through its paces. Its just not how they listen.
These days anyone who can get an amp to work at all and has the ability to get it to market ends up doing so.
Eveanna Manley is a close friend, I have stayed at her home when David was still around. I have sold them EI EL84s. I know the stingray well from the point of supplying tubes. The bias control range is rather narrow, Have you had any trouble getting tubes that will not bias up in the range of the pot? We had do do selecting for some customers.
I think you are mistaken. I don't recall ever entering into any debate of any kind let alone some type of trolling-skirmish with you. IMO, you are once again confused.
Let me ask you this Roger; other than one of Ralph's amps, which modern era top-tier tube amps have you actually sat down and listened to with not just your own planar speakers, but also modern coned speakers across a decent spectrum? I ask because as I have said previously in this thread, you keep referencing ancient amplifiers of the remote past which you conveniently choose to piss all over. Others have asked you this same question too and you have not responded. Are you living in a cave?
I re-entered because I could not resist. I saw that your irascible behavior has continued and not just towards me, so I felt better about re-entering. I do respect you and your knowledge base, but it also pays to be a gentleman. Towards the end of his life, Charley Hansen (you misspelled his name a few posts ago-shame on you) was very vocal about MQA and his debate with JA on another forum became quite heated. Throughout that give and take, both managed to remain polite and civil. You could take a lesson from them.
I brought up Charley Hansen's interview towards the end of his life about his latest iteration of amps finally-in his opinion-capturing the sound of the best modern tube amps. Have you sat down to listen to any of his amps? Have you analyzed why they might sound as they do from an engineering standpoint?
I am into vinyl, thank you. I am the proud owner of a Manley Steelhead, which I bought new. I love it and love Manley. I wish the aesthetics of their amps suited me more. I acknowledge that letting aesthetics get in the way of a purchase decision seems silly. I also acknowledge that Ralph's views on cartridge loading differ from my own. But as you quoted me (accurately), I have 1% of your engineering knowledge and his too. But I have years and years of empirical experience and based upon that, I have chosen to disregard Ralph's views on cartridge loading as simply not applicable to my particular system and experience.
Perhaps I have mistaken you for someone, however your last post was rather heavy handed. But lets shake hands and move on.
I hope to be brief because this is not on topic. I do not think I have ever mentioned Charley Hansen in any post. Please correct me if I am wrong. I would like to read an interview that you particularly like, could you please provide a link? He made excellent equipment and I can see from JAs measurements he did a good job on the three major characteristics of a good amplifier, one that would drive a wide variety of speakers well. On this I am in complete agreement with Charley. Im not sure why I need to listen to his amps, I am confident they sound find. Charley and I are on the same page with what is important. Though some may take objection to the following here is what I have found:
If you compare several amplifiers that meet the three criterion of damping, low distortion, good current delivery then these are what I call good amplifiers. Good performing amplifiers tend to sound very similar because they are GOOD. Now if we take one of those ampifiers and compare it to amplifiers that do not meet the three criterion (there are more than 3 but the first 3 are the most obvious) in an A/B setup, levels matched, the differences can be quite alarming and immediately obvious on either pink noise or the proper choice of source material. This has been my experience over 45 years of doing this. I invite others to get their opinion. I invite you to come listen, bring any amp you like and lets have a go at it.
In the current setup I am using QUAD 57s and a few cone speakers. I prefer ESLs and find them more revealing. I think everyone knows I moved to Santa Barbara from VIrginia specificaly to work with Harold Beveridge in 1978. As I recall he paid me $500 a month plus royalties on my preamp. I didnt do it for the money I did it to apprentice to a master.
In the past year I have repaired and listened to a Reference Line SS amp, A big 833 SE amp. Several Single ended 45, 2A3, 300B. Of course I listen to all of mine and aways to the strict A/B.
As to modern amps, on some we are going backwards. The Cary SLI 150 is an example. While it measured badly it sounded fine to Herb because he played it at the low range of power where the distortion is low. This is a very common occurance at Stereophile. Once a broken EAR amp got a great sonic review and upon test it was discovered to be very distorted about a few watts. However below that level where the reviewer used it there was no appreciable distortion. It is clear to me that most reviewers do not put a high power amp through its paces. Its just not how they listen.
These days anyone who can get an amp to work at all and has the ability to get it to market ends up doing so.
Eveanna Manley is a close friend, I have stayed at her home when David was still around. I have sold them EI EL84s. I know the stingray well from the point of supplying tubes. The bias control range is rather narrow, Have you had any trouble getting tubes that will not bias up in the range of the pot? We had do do selecting for some customers.