blackbeardben

Responses from blackbeardben

Review: Dayton B652 Monitor
Thanks for the great write-up. I'm getting a pair for myself and a pair as a gift.Oh, and you can get these for an even better deal than $29. You can get 'em together with the Dayton T-Amp for just $58 - which is crazy, since the amp alone costs $45! 
Kappa 9 vs Martin Logan Quest Z
In terms of bargains the Kappa 8 is one of the best out there, if you can find one with good drivers near you. An Adcom GFA-555 will power them quite adequately, so you don't have to spend a ton of money to power them either.If you want to drive t... 
Help power pair of Infinity Kappa 9's please
I think with all the naysayers in this thread, it's worth mentioning that there are two modes for the Kappa 9 woofers to operate in:1. The "extended" mode, which is the "amp-killing" mode that goes down to 0.8 ohms.2. The "normal" mode, which puts... 
A history question about planar drivers
Yeah, I already did the search - but when I did the exact same search I only get 7 results instead of 9. There's something odd about that.Either way, we'd have to know the details to search for the original patents. 
A history question about planar drivers
Good point.Regardless, it would be interesting to find out the specifics behind how other companies began using planar magnetic drivers (legally and otherwise). 
A history question about planar drivers
My first thought here is that (using your terms) the "idea" is reproducing sound and the specific implementation is a thin membrane impregnated with a wire coil, suspended between magnets and caused to vibrate by applied AC current.The U.S. Code s... 
A history question about planar drivers
That's very interesting - especially that electrostatics predated what are now "conventional" cone drivers.Another thing that caught my eye is that the planar magnetic design was originated by Jim Winey in 1969, yet Infinity, Apogee, and others we... 
Adcom GFA-555 fuse stuck
I guess I should mention that I've since moved up to a pair of Infinity Renaissance 90 speakers. Wow - what a difference they make (although the Kappas are still excellent).I had to bi-amp them though - the 555 alone was almost entirely bass-less ... 
Adcom GFA-555 fuse stuck
Cool, that's good to know in case I ever have any trouble in the future. To be honest, I'm kind of looking at getting a pair of GFA-565s or maybe a Mac sometime in the future.Unfortunately, I've had more trouble with the Carver (actually, now I ha... 
Dolby True HD vs. DTS HD
It's coming out June 1, actually.http://www.cinemablend.com/dvdnews/War-Of-The-Worlds-Invades-Blu-Ray-June-1st-23365.htmlSo you can't have tried the audio on lossless then - maybe you were switching between DTS and DD, hearing dynamic range compre... 
Dolby True HD vs. DTS HD
So for those that don't have receivers capable of decoding the lossless codecs, how do the DACs onboard the Blu-Ray players compare? Would the lossless codecs through a somewhat inferior DAC sound better than the lossy ones through a better DAC?Of... 
Adcom GFA-555 fuse stuck
Well, I went to Radio Shack today and they indeed had the right size fuse holder. It cost me $3, so my total repair cost was under $7 including new fuses.Installing it was a snap - there was just enough wire left on the leads to strip and solder w... 
Adcom GFA-555 fuse stuck
The fuse holder didn't melt - it was cracked already so I wasn't able to remove the fuse, which has presumably burned out since I don't even get the power light to turn on.I didn't hear any clipping (or see the distortion lights come on) until jus... 
Adcom GFA-555 fuse stuck
Well, I extracted the whole fuse holder after the cover split apart on me - the nut and washer holding it in were brass, actually. It also turns out that there was a crack in the holder body as well. It must have been overtightened last time the f... 
Adcom GFA-555 fuse stuck
That's a great idea. I didn't think about epoxying something else to it - I've got a spare knob that might work well. That way I'd never have to worry about using a screwdriver for it again.