John Curl's Blowtorch preamplifier part II

[SY]

Originally Posted by john curl

Then, others of similar belief to SY, poked fun at it for being so expensive and excessive in mass, power consumption, etc.
.

Except I did no such thing. The closest I came to that was my analogy to Rolex. I have, and will continue, to poke fun at goofy stuff like Bybee or Schumann or Belt until such a time as they step up to the plate with evidence. The fact that you're eager to defend them in a team-sport sort of way just means you're collateral damage.

And I have said, and will continue to say, that your excellent engineering efforts and reputation are good enough to stand alone; they are only tarnished by your continuing association with those sort of charlatans. You know that I have the highest regard for you personally and for your integrity, and devoutly wish that you'd not lend your prestige and reputation to these far lesser humans.

[Rod Coleman]

Originally Posted by bear

-
My position is that all we have at our disposal are tools, techniques and ears - thus in reality the field of audio remains that of an art based upon and utilizing technologies and is not a science. ie. nothing is completely deterministic.

THUS: a device like the BLOWTORCH!!

_-_-bear

I'll subscribe to that. It's close to the Horowitz & Hill philosophy for Electronics design overall:

...our philosophy that electronics, as currently practised, is basically a simple art, a combination of some basic laws, rules of thumb, and a large bag of tricks.

- Paul Horowitz, Winfield Hill, "The Art of Electronics" Preface to first edition, 1980.

Sure, I'll use simulation, CAD, measuring instruments and other Tools of Apollo, but science does not rule this work. Intuition, the bag-of-tricks, and listening & enjoying the music drive the finished result.

Rigid Scientific thinking, at its worst, ends up with the kind of designs of D. Self, who only discusses distortion measurement, and omits listening tests completely. Attempts to build amps based on his principles often end in complete disappointment, unsurprisingly. The whole purpose of amplifiers (to allow records to give pleasure) is forgotten.

I imagine Doug saying to his wife: "make us a cup of tea, Flossie. I'll put a nice CD on the distortion analyser."

[SY]

Originally Posted by bear

CERTAINLY not with a power amp.

I've limited my discussion here to line amps. Power amps are a different animal, with much more qualification necessary to ensure lack of audibility.

Likewise, you have an open invite anytime you're in Austin. My home system isn't too terrible to listen to.

[AVWERK]

The audio critic at one time was great reading at the time he actually listened and reported correctly his 3D experience to audio. And he was right on the button

Then he moved down to the ABX comparsions and was forever trapped in the 2D world

What a shame...

Regards
David

[john curl]

AND your system is not composed of $20 boxes put together, because that is all that is 'necessary'. Put your system where your beliefs are, SY! ;-)

[Joshua_G]

Originally Posted by SY

I've limited my discussion here to line amps. Power amps are a different animal, with much more qualification necessary to ensure lack of audibility.

You didn't reply my questions concerning your line amplifiers.

[SY]

Originally Posted by Joshua_G

You didn't reply my questions concerning your line amplifiers.

That's because you didn't ask about line amplifiers. You just asked a general question about designing with tubes.

[SY]

Originally Posted by john curl

AND your system is not composed of $20 boxes put together, because that is all that is 'necessary'. Put your system where your beliefs are, SY! ;-)

"Necessary" is your term, not mine. All things equal, the Rolex wearer will nail hotter babes than the Timex wearer and hand that watch to his grandchildren. That has nothing to do with telling me what time it is, but are part of the functions of that watch.

[Joshua_G]

Originally Posted by SY

That's because you didn't ask about line amplifiers. You just asked a general question about designing with tubes.

Do you design your tubes line amplifiers for measurements only?
If yes, why not use opamps, which measure better than tubes?

[SY]

Originally Posted by Joshua_G

Do you design your tubes line amplifiers for measurements only?
If yes, why not use opamps, which measure better than tubes?

Have you seen the measurements on my line amp? Will an opamp be significantly better (assuming that 0.004% THD is "good enough")?

Perhaps you should read that article as well.