Oooh se, its great when you get all philosophicalYes it is still a transformer ontologically, but no its not one existentially. Any help?
I transform, therefore I am.
se
Centre-tapping does indeed make all the difference to my earlier advice. Nice one
Well, there are also the so-called "grid chokes" which have massive amounts of inductance.
se
Marketing would need to know what answer you wanted, a priori. Then they'd apply some techniques like this one :
http://users.aims.ac.za/~mackay/probability/survey.html
http://users.aims.ac.za/~mackay/probability/survey.html
In support of your claim about working down to low levels, EM Electronics range of miniature amplifier modules for high resolution temperature measurement and calorimetry. Resolve micro degrees with Thermocouples. measures down to picovolts with a transformer front end, thats lower than most here.
Wrinkle
I find it rather puzzling that people who fret about what kind of capacitor to insert in a signal path at any signal level don't have the slightest compunction to inserting a transformer in the signal path and one with a ferrous core in it at that. To make matters even more bizarre, they are ready to insert it at the very lowest signal level in the circuit where any noise and distortion it introduces will be amplified with the maximum gain possible. This where the alternative to what is just one more atavism that pervades and characterizes audiophiledom is obvious. Where I come from that is not called engineering.
At the very least, the problem of providing adequate signal levels for modern amplifiers should be solved where the problem is created in the first place, with the people who manufacture MC cartridges. If they can't provide a suitable signal best suited to the peculiarities of their own product, why is it the responsibility of the preamplifier designer to invent a one size fits all solution especially when there are so many variables among alternative MC cartridges?
At the very least, the problem of providing adequate signal levels for modern amplifiers should be solved where the problem is created in the first place, with the people who manufacture MC cartridges. If they can't provide a suitable signal best suited to the peculiarities of their own product, why is it the responsibility of the preamplifier designer to invent a one size fits all solution especially when there are so many variables among alternative MC cartridges?
You guys may want to read this:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/everything-else/184001-distortion-blind-test.html#post2498619
jan didden
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/everything-else/184001-distortion-blind-test.html#post2498619
jan didden
Or a transformer whose secondary is connected to a grid of a pentode (not uncommon). The voltage is taken from the secondary, but essentially is unloaded.
The more apt question is why people who fret about any steel or magnetic materials in the resistors or capacitors of their amps will still be happy with transformers.
Why should we? If some people cannot distinguish between mp3 and hi-res files, what does it mean? Does it mean that mp3 is good enough for all people? Looking for various anecdotal stories to prove a point you have doesn’t prove anything in any scientific measure. May be XX% of the population cannot detect 10% harmonic distortion. So?
Because some people are curious and like to do experiments in order to understand reality. Others aren't and are happy just to buy some equipment, plug it in, and not worry about increasing their understanding. That's OK as well- I don't spend much time fretting about the sparkplugs in my car.
Well, I read your post several times and I still have no idea what this is all about.
I posted the link to a thread that I thought was of interest to people interested in how we react to certain things. I wasn't aware I was making a point about this or that I was trying to prove anything.
Are you sure your post was a reaction to my quoted post?
jan didden
In some kinds of so called music, much of which the mass market buys most, horrendous disortion from the likes of guitar amps and people shrieking their guts out into microphones so close they are almost inside their mouths, 10% distortion IS the music. For others with weak insipid and even pubescent voices why would distortion matter? And for much "pop music" recording engineers deliberately record them into overload and would no matter what the available dynamic range of the recording system was because it will sound loudest and most irritating and therefore most attention getting on the radio. What's the point of reproducing that kind of sound accurately anyway? In those cases, a ipod and earbuds are overkill, a display of expensive looking audio equipment merely boasting of their money.
Years ago - even before digital audio became available to the masses, studios were listening to popular (non-classical) music on those dreadful little near-field 'monitors', called something like 'Horrortones.' I know at least one world famous at the time studio that used cheap kitchen radios and made mixing judgements on that experience. Based on the fact that so much "music" of today is strongly rhythmical and (in many cases) hardly carries a tune the replay quality of the recorded material is of little importance.....also you can bet what you like that most engineers are mixing the recording to sound it's (dubious) best on MP3.
On the other hand we have had so called "audiophile" recordings, often on extra heavy vinyl, many of which are no better in terms of being close to the music than an average normal pressing. Yes they are often quieter, but very very few good performances have been captured on such recordings. They too often sound contrived to the extreme.
But we have to play what we can get.
- Status
- Not open for further replies.