Sound Quality Vs. Measurements

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Sid told me Model 10 killed the company.As expensive as it was they effectively put $250 in every box ( Sid's words). And that was when $250 was a lot of money. Dick and Sid I think designed it together? Sid said between them both you got one decent engineer.

Rubbish.

If as you said Sid Smith designed their other products, such as my 170 DC power amp, he on his own was one hell of a designer. As best witnessed by the fact that this model, which appeared in 1978, can still outsound the vast majority of modern amps.

And its partnering preamp, 3250 B, is a serious device, although the competition did catch up with it and passed it somewhat.
 
I modified the Sony audio output, and it cost me more to do that than the original cost of the tuner itself. No, it is in the FM processing that is the subtle difference.
The 10 immediately sounded (real) rather than just accurate. Quite a shock really. Richard Sequerra has always said that Sid was a great designer, and I believe it. I only met him once, but I wish I had known him years earlier.
 
That Nokia far out performs the iPhone I don't use on anything. I realized the other day I text without looking. The buttons are superior to my TV remotes that last a year. The Nokia even has a half descent camera. It was sold off half price as no one wants Nokia. ///

My Nokia Windows smartphone is significantly faster and more responsive than my Oppo Android smartphone.

Maybe the best Oppo model matches the Nokia, but the prices are high and I don't like supporting Android very much.

When I realised the iPhone doesn't have Bluetooth and can't transfer files normally like a flash drive either, well, I don't see why they need to close in the system like that.

In Asia the iPhone used to be the most popular / respected, but I think it's changing now.
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For a company phone I think a Nokia Lumia Windows phone is pretty good.
 
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I just got my Marantz 10 up and running. It IS special. Beats the heck out of my Sony.

Congratulations.
Did it need any alignment? Whom did you trust for this?

George
 

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When I realised the iPhone doesn't have Bluetooth and can't transfer files normally like a flash drive either, well, I don't see why they need to close in the system like that.

In Asia the iPhone used to be the most popular / respected, but I think it's changing now.
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That's directly a result of the Steve Jobs' philosophy. Apple has been making closed boxes since the Apple II.

Saw prototypes of the next gen this week, it just keeps going 2K pixel displays, etc., didn't see many iPones.
 
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Harold Black. I was told Mississippi ferry boat , New York makes more sense.

There is one massive part of the story not told. Having many phone line is irrelevant. That is time share multiplexing that only requires a mechanical multiplexer. What it does show is many users and long distance the next step.

A zero feedback amplifier might produce 3% THD. That is at least 3 times better than a primitive telephone requires. Black's 1928 amplifier probably was of 0.1% THD as the feedback reached 50 dB.

The main reason the feedback was required is the open loop amps had open loop gain. That means that using 5 amplifiers in a chain the gain would be at the mercy of the mains voltage. Some days too quiet, others total distortion and overload. Negative feedback sets a gain which is irrespective of voltage if sensible options chosen. Thus any number of amplifiers can be chained together. The low distortion was a byproduct as was the reduced output impedance. A voltage regulator to the amplifier would have helped. Negative feedback a far easier solution. Note that Black said it took time to arrive at a broadband amp. Stability was always the problem. I doubt they used more than 20 db feedback if telephones.

Fascinating to see the face and hear him.
 
Nigel, it is not useful to 'second guess' Harold Black. You can google just about anything that he thought in the early days and why he went to negative feedback from all transformer coupled all push-pull class A amps that were used in the 1920's. These early amps probably would still sound good today driving a horn loaded system, if we could try some.
 
I just looked at the u-tube on Harold Black, and while it is interesting, it is only part of what Harold Black went through back in the 1920's-30's, and this added significant info is available in other u-tube presentations.
From an engineers point of view, he suffered much of what all advanced concepts suffer when first brought forth. For example, he had to guard against others in the organization 'taking over' and claiming that without their input, feedback would never work. Or the British Post Office denying a patent for feedback, because it appeared to be a form of perpetual motion.
 
Or the British Post Office denying a patent for feedback, because it appeared to be a form of perpetual motion.

That's not exactly correct.

From the IEEE interview of Black:

Black:

Here in the United States one makes an invention of what is the old-fashioned idea of perpetual motion. Some very intriguing things have been so proposed. I was taught in school never to do that. The U.S. Patent Office then – and only then – says, "Submit a working model." That is then the last that is ever heard of that invention. My inventions were patented in many foreign countries. That's very costly and important, and they have to go into use within [a certain period of time]. Now my invention was clearly in the field of electronics. Curiously, Great Britain has a rule that in electronics that if they have reason to believe that it does not work they may request the inventor to submit a working model. In my case they said the negative feedback amplifier would not work and asked me to kindly submit a working model. Harry A. Burgess then got affidavits that seventy such amplifiers were working in the telephone building at Morristown, New Jersey.

Wolff:

That's fascinating.

Black:

He also sent pictures. In view of that and the fact that it had been described in two publications by that time – my own plus the other to which you just referred – they conceded that it could be patented in Great Britain.
 
George, in your spare time, do you play cards with God every Saturday night?

He seems to be listening to you, as well as reading your posts here. A few pages back you said if our (yours and mine) fates ever meet.

Well, it seems they might. I should be in Athens November 1-3, I just learnt today that my wife was invited to deliver a lecture on some world medical congress on at that time in Athens. No details yet, but they should be forthcoming soon.

So, heat up the water for a Greek (ex Turkish, given a choice make that Zagori water) coffee, and make sure the tzatziki is forthcoming. :D

As for the surprises, well, you'll just have to wait and see, won't you? :D
 
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