128x128

sdecker

Responses from sdecker

Cars. What does the typical audiophile drive?
1) tastefully modified '90 VW Corrado, 181Kmi2) '05+ Audi S4 wagon, '07+ Saab 9.3 Aero wagon, '07+ VW GTI, Volvo V50 or V70R wagon, BMW 335, something as sporty and spacious (hatch) as the Corrado really doesn't exist anymore :-(3) '04-'06 BMW M3 ... 
How hot should a McCormack DNA-225 get?
I'll make the assumption you bought your 225 used. If so, have you checked the main (externally accessible) fuse? Perhaps the amp developed (or always had) some kind of internal problem on power-up that kept blowing the line fuse so he simply repl... 
Cardas Golden Presence - anyone familiar?
An all GC system *may* be too warm, but it sure depends on system setup, components, acoustics and preferences. George Cardas is no dummy so it's likely there's a synergy there that keeps the sound from going overboard. You'd certainly be getting ... 
Cardas Golden Presence - anyone familiar?
I auditioned Cardas Cross, Neutral Reference, Golden Cross and Golden Reference *interconnects* a couple years ago. I ultimately bought Golden Cross: both Goldens had a lot more resolution than NR & Cross, but the slight added warmth of GC aid... 
Compare Large Advent?
The spec for the 'New Large' Advent loudspeaker was 89dB/W/m. I drove mine fine for years ('79-'89) with a modded Advent 300 receiver. I replaced the electrolytic crossover caps with much better poly caps. Because they were inexpensive speakers, t... 
NOS Ortofon VMS 30 MkII
I bought the VMS20e MkII new in 1980 (discounted to $55!) and am still using it today. I replace the stylus every year or two, which are amazingly still available. It's in a Thorens TP30 low-mass (7.5g) tonearm. The 20 has a nude elliptical stylus... 
MM cart loading vs HF response
OK then, I'll simplify my question:Does adding load capacitance to a MM cartridge increase or decrease its high-frequency output?Any MM owner with a decent phono stage that offers easily-selectable capacitive loading can answer that, unless the en... 
Good Semi-automatic Turntables ?
I'll just use this thread to rant about the lack of semi-auto TTs anywhere in high-end audio. While even luddite audiophiles expect a remote for their CD transport or even a volume/mute remote for their preamp, why is nobody else complaining that ... 
Cable auditions - Hard Work?
Yes, it's hard, tedious work. The good news is once you're done, find what you like, you don't have to go through it again for years as suggested above. As I built my system I used perfectly acceptable $200-$300 ICs for my 'major' components. Now ... 
PS Audio Prelude power cord.
Audphile1, your comments above are as one would expect, but SMC's byline "hand-tuned performance" is literally true. I was unsatisfied with the sound of my amp when he modded it from revC to revA, and had several conversations and emails as to wha... 
PS Audio Prelude power cord.
OK, I'm months late to this thread but just ran across it. I too am using a Prelude ACPC on my McCormack DNA05 Dlx, and noted that it gave the amp a slightly darker, tilted-down, frequency balance. However in my case, that was just what I was look... 
Thiel 2.3 vs 2.4 the real difference
Art, I agree with what you said, but in my case I was intimately familiar with my 2.3s. But not with the dealer's (excellent) room and equipment. As the 2.4 is so similar, it was the differences to the well-known 2.3 that stood out pretty clearly.... 
Thiel 2.3 vs 2.4 the real difference
Tim, from my original post with the 2.3 and 2.4 side-by-side for hours I suggested they *were* very close, with the 2.4 doing just a couple things a bit better. Depending on what's important to you and the subjective metric of "%", yeah, the 2.3 i... 
Thiel 2.3 vs 2.4 the real difference
2.3s started production in early '98 and the woofer was changed after about 400 units were built. The coax driver was changed (small tweaks to reduce resonances and a peak) sometime in 2000, along with a crossover modification to accomodate this. ... 
Thiel 2.3 vs 2.4 the real difference
Sorry to be so late adding my comments, I don't peruse the forums like I used to. The thread I started 12/03 about this is still there but not found when searching the archives. I've owned late-model 2.3s for a couple years now, and compared them ...