That in part, probably, but this is the first time I hear BB 2134 op amps sounding really good.
Admittedly, although it's sitting in good company (Luxman C-03 preamp, Citation 24 or Marantz 170DC amps, alternatively Karan Acoustics KA-i180 integrated amp), which helps, it really suprises me with the quality of sound it produces. Not the world's best, but surprisingly good for the money.
Maybe I did not make it clear, but I suggested to use the same source, a CD or LP and record that with silver and coper interconnects into the recording device. Than we can listen to these recordings.
So:
1 Source (LP/CD) > coper interconnect > recorder
2 Source (LP/CD) > silver interconnect > recorder
The only difference between these recordings is the interconnect. Should be easy to do.
Unfortunately, this reminds me of where so much thinking in hifi circles goes "wrong", for me - it's the focus on the adding of "goodness", in this case that having good amplification "helps" the quality. From my perspective, it's that the 'correctness' of the sound is not hampered by the CD player having overly obvious flaws.
And, in the same vein, that the BB2134 suddenly sound "good". I see it as the opamps being very precise in their operation, but if used or implemented wrongly then they perform poorly, and/or highlight deficiencies elsewhere in the component
Sorry Dejan,
, ...
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Hi,
So do I. You need 99.999% pure silver for it to sound really great.
Not all copper sounds the same, neither does all silver sound the same IME.
Cheers,
So do I. You need 99.999% pure silver for it to sound really great.
Not all copper sounds the same, neither does all silver sound the same IME.
Cheers,
1) What opamp do you think is usually better than 2134? Then have you put it in place of the 2134??
IMO, 2134 has always sound "very good" (any company who strive for performance per price will probably adopt it). It has that monotonic decrease of higher order distortion. Dominantly second order distortion. Precise or not, this is what the majority like, especially when it comes to price to performance ratio. Just like the Vifa XT25. I don't like them, but the better ones cost a lot more.
BTW, PCM1710 as is used in lower NAD, is not high-end. In many blind test they and the TDA1543 always end up at the bottom. The "DAC List" can help you to see what chip is used in successful players.
I was surprised to get the TL084 opamps in my active speaker sounding very good. They're not normally regarded as having audiophile credentials but it can be done. The secret is keeping power supply noise very low - opamps run in classB so biassing them into classA is a big part of the recipe. Dejan has already mentioned how much better opamps sound with a CCS on the output, a resistor also works fine.
I must have a play with 2134s....
Hi,
So do I. You need 99.999% pure silver for it to sound really great.
Not all copper sounds the same, neither does all silver sound the same IME.
Cheers,
Amazing, I guess we who are not worthy just have to sit back and watch. Care to perform this feat in front of Penn and Teller? I don't think so. Really could one of the GEB volunteer to do a demo of separating purities of silver and copper for an audience?
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Hi,
Please do.
I did say "IME" (and it's one I have repeated hundreds of times) so YMMV.
I also have a set of silver interconnect cables that was factory made (and bloody expensive) that I do not like at all.
Furthermore I've not measured any L, C or R values of the cables (copper or silver) so it's just what it is: my personal preference within the context of my system.
That said, I'm certainly not the only one experiencing the same so...
Cheers,
Please do.
I did say "IME" (and it's one I have repeated hundreds of times) so YMMV.
I also have a set of silver interconnect cables that was factory made (and bloody expensive) that I do not like at all.
Furthermore I've not measured any L, C or R values of the cables (copper or silver) so it's just what it is: my personal preference within the context of my system.
That said, I'm certainly not the only one experiencing the same so...
Cheers,
And I would thoroughly agree - create as benign an environment around the active components as one possibly can, the true benefit is significantly better perceived sound quality.
I have found it very illuminating, examining simulations of typical circuit topologies when slightly stressed, and seeing how the internal behaviours, the waveforms, rapidly deteriorate when only a very short way out of their comfort zone - much audio circuitry can easily slip into ragged edge behaviour, it seems; which makes sense when you hear the auditory equivalent so often from systems ...
Fine, so it falls into the class of I hear what I hear and I don't care why. Lots of folks fall in this category.
Sooooo many guaranteed winners.
Richard Clark Amplifier Challenge FAQ
Certainly if there's a cable which you "Don't like at all." indicating it's instantly identifiable, I don't see how you would have even the slightest issue passing a proper ears-only test with something several orders of magnitude more complex, like an amplifier.
Richard Clark Amplifier Challenge FAQ
Certainly if there's a cable which you "Don't like at all." indicating it's instantly identifiable, I don't see how you would have even the slightest issue passing a proper ears-only test with something several orders of magnitude more complex, like an amplifier.
I would find it deeply disturbing to have system sound so twitchily sensitive - it sounds like a game of balancing audible distortion characteristics to me, the slightest variation in anything sends recording from the "good" pile to the "bad" pile, and vice versa - not a good place to be,I did say "IME" (and it's one I have repeated hundreds of times) so YMMV.
I also have a set of silver interconnect cables that was factory made (and bloody expensive) that I do not like at all.
Furthermore I've not measured any L, C or R values of the cables (copper or silver) so it's just what it is: my personal preference within the context of my system.
That said, I'm certainly not the only one experiencing the same so...
Cheers,
!!Overall, I would be chasing a very strong constancy of the SQ - a stable, vs. an unstable, equilibrium ...
Yes, I use a pair of audio cables made from about $15 of Belden and Vampire parts that are much better than some expensive silver cables that I've tried.
Hi,
I wouldn't call it sensitive per se. It was set up as a working tool for the company rather than just a system to simply listen to for leisure.
Absolutely. Making your own cables is fun and does not have to cost an arm and a leg to obtain excellent results.
I would like to know why but until now I still don't.
Some people tell me they prefer gold wire over silver, others prefer non-metallic cables and so on.
Not knowing why doesn't stop them from having their preferences, so what?
Cheers,
I wouldn't call it sensitive per se. It was set up as a working tool for the company rather than just a system to simply listen to for leisure.
Absolutely. Making your own cables is fun and does not have to cost an arm and a leg to obtain excellent results.
I would like to know why but until now I still don't.
Some people tell me they prefer gold wire over silver, others prefer non-metallic cables and so on.
Not knowing why doesn't stop them from having their preferences, so what?
Cheers,
As I've mentioned many times, the "why" is pretty straightforward - keen listeners are sensitive to the elements of low level distortion in the sound, all the "hard to measure" stuff. And playing with materials, configurations, lots of the "dumb" things, alters the spectrum, the nature of that low level distortion - which means the sound is "different" every time "silly" things are varied.I would like to know why but until now I still don't.
Some people tell me they prefer gold wire over silver, others prefer non-metallic cables and so on.
Not knowing why doesn't stop them from having their preferences, so what?
Cheers,
To get out of the nightmare of juggling all this "stuff", one needs to be aware of what 'correct' sound is like, and chase that, and that only. Then all this silly, niggling stuff falls by the wayside, is no longer relevant - and one can settle back and just enjoy quality reproduction, aim to just improve the depth and scope of how recorded sound should be projected ...
Did a little bit of sticky beaking here, note you have been quite chatty over the years, Frank - you mention a "magic" moment with a Jadis amp way back when, until it started to blow tyres - that was a short session of 'correct' sound; has there been anything that matched since?
BTW: With you on the Edith Piaf thing - that sort of singing can get the tears rolling down one's cheeks if not careful, an absolutely amazing woman ...
BTW: With you on the Edith Piaf thing - that sort of singing can get the tears rolling down one's cheeks if not careful, an absolutely amazing woman ...
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