Oxford Power Compnay
As I understand it the Edison verses Westinghouse / Tesla conflict gave us that system . I can find no evidence to support what I say next . It is said 110 - 0 - 110 was the adapted Edison 3 wire DC system . In my shop in George St Oxford we had a water leak . It was the Old DC power conduit . It was fitting I should suffer from that . It went from the canal in Oxford up into town a bit . As with all DC it was not a very efficient method of getting power distributed . Shame we didn't get bi phase .
The Power Station
I went to visit Sid Smith of Marantz fame in about 1999 . On the way to his house was the most pristine 1930's power station I ever have seen and least where I expected it . I have to hand it to them how they look after things there . I am fairly certain it was in use .
BTW . My qualifications such as they are would be in electrical power engineering with electronics endorsement . Hence a mild interest in this . In honesty I didn't want to do it . It was the only way at the college I went to . I got a credit overall with distinction in electronics and maths . I have done a lot of mechanical engineering which I found easier . I have no qualification for that except playing with motorbikes . I don't even have O-level metalwork because I didn't go to the lessons . I was running part of a degree level engineering project . I woke up one day and thought , I shouldn't be doing this . No one ever asked me if I was qualified . My students did very well .
As I understand it the Edison verses Westinghouse / Tesla conflict gave us that system . I can find no evidence to support what I say next . It is said 110 - 0 - 110 was the adapted Edison 3 wire DC system . In my shop in George St Oxford we had a water leak . It was the Old DC power conduit . It was fitting I should suffer from that . It went from the canal in Oxford up into town a bit . As with all DC it was not a very efficient method of getting power distributed . Shame we didn't get bi phase .
The Power Station
I went to visit Sid Smith of Marantz fame in about 1999 . On the way to his house was the most pristine 1930's power station I ever have seen and least where I expected it . I have to hand it to them how they look after things there . I am fairly certain it was in use .
BTW . My qualifications such as they are would be in electrical power engineering with electronics endorsement . Hence a mild interest in this . In honesty I didn't want to do it . It was the only way at the college I went to . I got a credit overall with distinction in electronics and maths . I have done a lot of mechanical engineering which I found easier . I have no qualification for that except playing with motorbikes . I don't even have O-level metalwork because I didn't go to the lessons . I was running part of a degree level engineering project . I woke up one day and thought , I shouldn't be doing this . No one ever asked me if I was qualified . My students did very well .
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I was living there in the mid 70's. Once we were trying to install a Fairchild test system into a Thompson "factory" near Porte D'Italie.. Some consternation trying to plug the 3 phase Hubble into their bi-phase panel!
Nige, if I were to honestly write down the names of everyone who at some point inspired me to think differently than before he spoke, I would need weeks just to remember most of the names.
For a start, this forum thread, right here, makes me oblivious of D. Self's school of thought. I have picked up more here in a week than in all of D. Self's reading on his site and elsewhere.
Thorsten has, over the last 11 or 12 years, influenced my thinking more than D. Self ever could.
A few comments from John Curl here have spun me on entirely new orbits just like that.
YOU have made me stop and question what I thought was "common knowledge" on a number of occasions.
To be fair, all this assumes much personal communication, which I do not have in case of D. Self, which goes a long way in clearing up points.
So, who inspires me? Anybody with a clear thought he can elaborate on demand.
Who are we inspired by? The man who did it first. As far as I am aware, James Bongiorno produced the first fully complementary topology in the early 1970ies; strictly speaking, we ALL have been copying him since then, but in reality, many of us using that topology have been inspired by him. Some have changed things, improved things, tried different takes, and so forth, but isn't that the gist of all human knowledge?
Cornish pastry ...
Of course I tried it, and yes, I liked it. No big deal, we have tons of pastry in the local cuisine, so I am quite used to it. I love some of it.
However, with my body weight, I have to watch it. VERY limited quantities. So I "save" myself for occasions when I know the author/cook is and know that there will be a lot of it to choose from.
Of course I tried it, and yes, I liked it. No big deal, we have tons of pastry in the local cuisine, so I am quite used to it. I love some of it.
However, with my body weight, I have to watch it. VERY limited quantities. So I "save" myself for occasions when I know the author/cook is and know that there will be a lot of it to choose from.
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I'll bet it was! About 10 years later we were scratching our heads over the same problem. Trying to tie in a dimmer panel designed for 220V 3-phase to a 4-wire bi-phase service. It didn't work very well.
Fortunately the EDF (French power company) installed the transformer for us, free of charge. They were even king enough to put the watt meter after the transformer.
EDF want to build new Nuclear power stations for us . 10 free of charge and just get profits on any power sold ( they will get the money back in time ) . Alas no chance now . They were doing it to keep it alive and train engineers it is said . Despite all the problems I still beleive in it if done with correct levels of care . Asbestos is still the greatest danger in power stations regardless of type .
Hubble . I learned a new word today .
Hubble . I learned a new word today .
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Nigel, a minor point. Jim Bongiorno was not first with complementary differential topology. Dan Meyer, of Southwest Technical products was the first to 'advertise' the circuit topology in 'The Audio Amateur', for example. However, both John Iverson and I had independently developed it in 1968, and we were both designing amps with the topology. John I. for Electro Research or the equivalent back in the late 60's, and me for Ampex and Alembic. We did NOT learn it from Jim B. Jim is a good designer, in any case.
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Er, ... not Nigel, he is completely innocent, I was the one who said it. And I still remember where I got that from - W. Marshall Leach's first amp project published in "Audio". '75, or '76, something like that.
To be fair, Prof Leach did say that this was "as far as he was aware", and mentioned J.B. in context of a Dynaco amp circa 1971.
John, I would never call that "a minor point". Nobody is arguing, but as a fan of history, I do like my facts to be right.
For me, a great update - thank you.
Just spent the evening listening to my new setup, and it's gorgeous even without any tuning to speak of. Just looking at the specs of the speakers, and it seems I independently homed in on the same crossover frequency that the passive crossover was set at.
The overall impression is of the music smoothly pouring out of the space in front of me, as opposed to it being forced under pressure out of two boxes. Much less tiring for the ears.
I can see both theoretical and practical differences engineering-wise between active and passive, and every such difference is a positive for active. I recall asking earlier in this very thread why active systems aren't more popular among high-end audiophiles, but as usual, I forgot that it's not always about getting the best possible sound reproduction. So much money spent, and so much less than optimum results...
... but so good for a failing industry.
In my view, and in the most general terms, the audio industry stopped being about good and better sound in the early 80ies, when it was first hit by the new fad, video. A few years later, both audio and video were hit hard by the stll newer "gadget", the PC.
Sales slumped, then slumped hard, and ever since then we have had an interminable slew of snake oil vendours appearing and a steady demise of many proud names, such as Sansui, Akai, JVC, etc, etc.
Generally, it has stopped being about better sound and has become all about shifting as many boxes as you can. Anything for a sale. Quality now lives on the fringes of the audio industry, residing in small upstart companies mostly (but not exclusively) which need to be heard of, so they try hard. Most of the rest is run off the mill production.
Cuba Electric
Thanks Danny .
I measured 95 - 0 - 95 at 213 Chausee de Lille Tournai ( Dornik ) . I reported it to an electrician friend . He said although very bad it was not illegal ( before harmonization ) . You have it well above the stated 253 V . I did a survey of world electricity for my boss and produced for him a device which kept everything to +/ - 6% of 230 V at 4000 VA . It was rejected . I now learn it has been accepted because someone listened to it . I was told +/- 2% or forget it . I said that mine is only 0.5 dB out if the amplifier has no regulator . The house in Belgium had the most beautiful switch gear I ever saw in a house . Sorry to say the first thing I inspect is the incoming supply . I even have photos of Cuban instantiation ( US /USSR ) . On first inspection the Cuban system looks bad . It is not . It is just untidy .
Although not as fastidious as John and D V V ( which I observe and respect ) I find being told +/- 6% when 156 to 270 V is typical where it was designed to work a slight ridicule of my design ability .
If anyone is missing the point here . Bad electricity = bad sound . However balanced supply is so good we can ignore a little naughtiness ( 190 to 266 V ) . You will need special transformers to take it out of saturation if the noise bothers you or losing power .
Why Americans don't take advantage of their balanced supply is beyond me . Some even have the luxury of not having to share a transformer to the house . All they need do is balance the usage in the house . If you have the choice 100 000 VA to your house is good . I have 92 000 VA limited to 23 600 VA . Realistically it isn't that due to me not using 100 A fuse and 0 ohms cables . I am saying the potential in terms of impedance is useful .
I think my photo of Cuba says more than the usual long political diatribe . I wished I had some Motorola horns when I went there to put in the speakers ( and a hand full of resistors and capacitors ) . Chinese Motorola clones are $2 . Salsa is great . However it requires a minimum standard of sound quality to work it's magic . Cuba is great if asking . I wanted to meet the musicians , alas the ones I wanted to meet were already no more . I watched the most fantastic program on Euclid whilst there on TV . The Spanish was very easy to follow on that program . It took about 4 hours and if you didn't get the idea one way they tried others . I found a mic cable under my bed . However it was broken . I suspect it was used in the past . I had no secrets so didn't care . If this is typical I can see why our Russian engineer Vladimir is so well trained .
I live in Belgium and in my house I have bi-phase, so I think as an audiophile I should be glad
The 230 vac is made of 2 phases of 133 vac.
Thanks Danny .
I measured 95 - 0 - 95 at 213 Chausee de Lille Tournai ( Dornik ) . I reported it to an electrician friend . He said although very bad it was not illegal ( before harmonization ) . You have it well above the stated 253 V . I did a survey of world electricity for my boss and produced for him a device which kept everything to +/ - 6% of 230 V at 4000 VA . It was rejected . I now learn it has been accepted because someone listened to it . I was told +/- 2% or forget it . I said that mine is only 0.5 dB out if the amplifier has no regulator . The house in Belgium had the most beautiful switch gear I ever saw in a house . Sorry to say the first thing I inspect is the incoming supply . I even have photos of Cuban instantiation ( US /USSR ) . On first inspection the Cuban system looks bad . It is not . It is just untidy .
Although not as fastidious as John and D V V ( which I observe and respect ) I find being told +/- 6% when 156 to 270 V is typical where it was designed to work a slight ridicule of my design ability .
If anyone is missing the point here . Bad electricity = bad sound . However balanced supply is so good we can ignore a little naughtiness ( 190 to 266 V ) . You will need special transformers to take it out of saturation if the noise bothers you or losing power .
Why Americans don't take advantage of their balanced supply is beyond me . Some even have the luxury of not having to share a transformer to the house . All they need do is balance the usage in the house . If you have the choice 100 000 VA to your house is good . I have 92 000 VA limited to 23 600 VA . Realistically it isn't that due to me not using 100 A fuse and 0 ohms cables . I am saying the potential in terms of impedance is useful .
I think my photo of Cuba says more than the usual long political diatribe . I wished I had some Motorola horns when I went there to put in the speakers ( and a hand full of resistors and capacitors ) . Chinese Motorola clones are $2 . Salsa is great . However it requires a minimum standard of sound quality to work it's magic . Cuba is great if asking . I wanted to meet the musicians , alas the ones I wanted to meet were already no more . I watched the most fantastic program on Euclid whilst there on TV . The Spanish was very easy to follow on that program . It took about 4 hours and if you didn't get the idea one way they tried others . I found a mic cable under my bed . However it was broken . I suspect it was used in the past . I had no secrets so didn't care . If this is typical I can see why our Russian engineer Vladimir is so well trained .
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The only complimentary system I ever looked at was from Rotel . As it was stolen from them ( I found out later ) I never tried it . I have JB's number given to me years ago . I never phoned him, There is a Jean Hiraga circuit I halfheartedly tried . I didn't have the JFET's so used bipolar . I gave up and unfairly thought the JFET's not essential to tying the idea . It did all the oscilloscope stuff it should have .
In tubes I have always thought about how to make a P type tube . Perhaps with a semiconductor collection electrode where the anode of the N type would be . Unlikely it would work .
My greatest regret is never having made a " me " type simple op amp . I tried a few times but wasn't satisfied . It should be easy as many components essential to common day op amps can be left out as big components are not a problem . A simple yet wonderful discrete op amp thread would be interesting . I think it should have no more than 10 active components and equal or better OPA 604 . GBP of 20 MHz and < 2 nV noise . +/- 30 V would be ideal .
Thanks Danny and it goes in my dossier . Enjoy this music . This was the man I was to meet . I am an honorary prof of maths in Cuba . I never accepted it . The guy I was supposed to write to never wrote back ! I had written binomial theorem on a piece of paper and a cleaner found it !!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVKE6ewPrY4
Buena Vista Social Club - Chan Chan - YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVKE6ewPrY4
Buena Vista Social Club - Chan Chan - YouTube
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