I used to work in a high-end shop too. One time back in the late 90's, Madrigal was pushing an upgrade card for one of the Mark Levinson preamps, I think to update it to an "S" version or whatever. So, I was tasked with writing a letter explaining this to a customer who had one. I wrote two versions of the letter; the serious one and a joke one. Really wish I had saved a hard copy of the joke one, because it was pretty funny. I remember it saying something about needing to replace the Bio Membrane, and that special care should be taken not to look directly at certain components while the cover is off. I also think I said something about it taking several weeks to get the upgrade part because of the amount of time it takes to grow a new membrane...My buddy also helped the tech with some minor repairs at the hi-end shop. The story behind the relays is that he noticed they were used in some Mark Levinson product. He said if they work for ML then it was good enough for him. At that young tender age, I just shrugged my shoulders and called it good.
Now I think I know better.
I miss that job, we had alot of laughs.
I also miss listening to a pair of No. 33 every day.
The relays look spot welded, harder to DIY. Reed relays are used in several very sensitive instruments, of course that would not impress some ears.
I think I have chewed on a few live muscles at one time or another before the Sushi craze set in but didn't exactly find that a satisfying experience. I think my first Sushi experience was in about 1977 before most even knew what the word was. I think I choked that down and it was years later before I again ate any raw fish. Now I can eat most any kind of Sushi but I still don't like a few things, I just can't get past the texture of a few assorted delicacies. Sake and Sapporo always helps in that regard, but then you need a designated driver to take you home.
One day I will get to go down under and then Qusp can share some of his favorites.
One day I will get to go down under and then Qusp can share some of his favorites.
No one drives in Tokyo, I'll never forget seeing a salary man teetering on one foot (after way too many sakes) trying to pick a snack off a rack.
Advice avoid the squid innards and horse neck fat.
Now, let's put up a preamp or two from YOU, PMA. Then we can 'constructively criticize' your 'pride of workmanship' products. '-)
I hope that those of you without an 'agenda' reading this thread can see through the 'smoke'. I make all kinds of preamps, usually to suit a particular type of customer. Me, I'm into simplicity, but Parasound likes versatility, so we, you know, CTC, designed a versatile preamp for them. Same gang of designers, different product.
Bob and I stuck with the Blowtorch, Carl T. (the layout guy) chose the JC-2 to use. Everybody chose the Vendetta phono stage, usually in separate cases, except for mine.
Now, why do we do what we do? Are we in love with cost? No. Are we in love with technology? No. We ARE in love with elegant solutions to audio problems. So, complementary jfets are mandatory, folded cascode is a good thing to use, serious silver Shalco switches sound better to us than ANY other switch or relay. Space between contacts is our friend. Thicker aluminum is better than thinner aluminum. Power supplies should NOT be put into the same case as the audio path. +/- 24V-50V supplies are better than +/- 12-18V supplies. Keep the steel out of the connectors, if at all possible. Just put a magnet next to a suspicious connector, and if it attracts strongly, don't use it.
Audio transformers, even the best that we can find, are problematic, with distortion generation depending on drive Z, and frequency, and even at low levels, at low frequencies, often.
Power supplies should be separate and triple regulated to remove virtually any line interference, and signal crosstalk. And so on ... You know, it works for me! '-) Ignore my advice at your own risk.
I hope that those of you without an 'agenda' reading this thread can see through the 'smoke'. I make all kinds of preamps, usually to suit a particular type of customer. Me, I'm into simplicity, but Parasound likes versatility, so we, you know, CTC, designed a versatile preamp for them. Same gang of designers, different product.
Bob and I stuck with the Blowtorch, Carl T. (the layout guy) chose the JC-2 to use. Everybody chose the Vendetta phono stage, usually in separate cases, except for mine.
Now, why do we do what we do? Are we in love with cost? No. Are we in love with technology? No. We ARE in love with elegant solutions to audio problems. So, complementary jfets are mandatory, folded cascode is a good thing to use, serious silver Shalco switches sound better to us than ANY other switch or relay. Space between contacts is our friend. Thicker aluminum is better than thinner aluminum. Power supplies should NOT be put into the same case as the audio path. +/- 24V-50V supplies are better than +/- 12-18V supplies. Keep the steel out of the connectors, if at all possible. Just put a magnet next to a suspicious connector, and if it attracts strongly, don't use it.
Audio transformers, even the best that we can find, are problematic, with distortion generation depending on drive Z, and frequency, and even at low levels, at low frequencies, often.
Power supplies should be separate and triple regulated to remove virtually any line interference, and signal crosstalk. And so on ... You know, it works for me! '-) Ignore my advice at your own risk.
Eek, looks as good to me now as back then, including the GL/CP Clare's and toroidals.
(made it to the cross-border media, still have a magazine somewhere with a short review plus 2 pictures of the AL-1)
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salali or sarari man, low fish, flight chickit, cannibal in this town (carnival), large locks in this area (rocks)
SY, +1.
My buddy told me at the time that his design was pure class A, so it needed a ps worthy of a class A design. Massive toroid of 100+ VA.
As SY points out, it is useful to be able to pick out fad and fashion.
iaxxaxxai, that is some funny stuff! They had a guy on staff who had been selling audio for years and years and was known as the dean of Austin audio sales there. He told me point blank one time to stop obsessing about my cable choices. I swallowed everything I read in those days hook, line, and sinker (staying on the seafood theme)!
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Wayyyy cool to know how it all started. JC even got mention in that article.
I would post a pic but it's a variation on your design. It even has a $200 Penny & Giles pot in there. woohoo!!
Well, I guess that all pretty much wraps it up for this thread.
Summary: It's just a big numbers game.
se
Yeah, John and Walt got mentions. But he made me Elvis, so I guess I can't complain much.
I would post a pic but it's a variation on your design. It even has a $200 Penny & Giles pot in there. woohoo!!
Love the P&G pots. But they would have broke the budget unfortunately.
se
But he made me Elvis, so I guess I can't complain much.
I assume he never actually met you.
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