In the early 70ies, I was by default beset by local fishermen at the Adriatic offering to pay me well for selling it. You're right Russ, their two stroke nature was very practical, but hardly clean.
At the time, only Evinrude outboards were allowd on lakes in Germany, as they were the only ones which met the stringent pollution requirements of Germany. No Johnsons. no Mercuries, no Volvos, only Evirnude. In the mid 70ies, the Japanese manufacturers were around in any force, that came in the 80ies, with Yamaha and Honda.
I loved that Seagull. In all the years I had it, I don't remember any single time it failed to start up at once that in the end wasn't diagnosed as my fault. Not once. I had a spare fuel tank, and even those two man carry metal hangers, and I don't remember ever using them. What for, I could easily grab one of the two pipes and carry it muself. Mine was the short stick version, ecause I had a German made Metzeler Inka S inflatable dinghy which could carry 4 to 5 people depending on size, and could be driven by an outboard motor, oras or sail, which is what my dad dearly loved, sailing in it. I finally had to let it go in the mid 90-ies, after 30 years of faithful service.
I cleand the Seagull and stockpiled it. It hadn't seen water untill 2010, a good 14-15 years, all that was done was to drip out the oil in the transmission shaft, put new oil inside, clean the spark plug and its started up normally after the first go. Fantastic machine.
That's British ingenuity at its very best, combined with obviously outstanding manufacturing. If I was British, I'd be proud of a company like that. Since I'm not British, I am proud only of the fact that dad had the good sense to find it and buy it. BTW, my dad was a mechanical engineer, and he loved its simplicity and functionality. Close to his heart, in his day he designed a new gearbox for the Russian made T-34 tanks, and the army people always said his was the best and most trouble free design they ever had.
At the time, only Evinrude outboards were allowd on lakes in Germany, as they were the only ones which met the stringent pollution requirements of Germany. No Johnsons. no Mercuries, no Volvos, only Evirnude. In the mid 70ies, the Japanese manufacturers were around in any force, that came in the 80ies, with Yamaha and Honda.
I loved that Seagull. In all the years I had it, I don't remember any single time it failed to start up at once that in the end wasn't diagnosed as my fault. Not once. I had a spare fuel tank, and even those two man carry metal hangers, and I don't remember ever using them. What for, I could easily grab one of the two pipes and carry it muself. Mine was the short stick version, ecause I had a German made Metzeler Inka S inflatable dinghy which could carry 4 to 5 people depending on size, and could be driven by an outboard motor, oras or sail, which is what my dad dearly loved, sailing in it. I finally had to let it go in the mid 90-ies, after 30 years of faithful service.
I cleand the Seagull and stockpiled it. It hadn't seen water untill 2010, a good 14-15 years, all that was done was to drip out the oil in the transmission shaft, put new oil inside, clean the spark plug and its started up normally after the first go. Fantastic machine.
That's British ingenuity at its very best, combined with obviously outstanding manufacturing. If I was British, I'd be proud of a company like that. Since I'm not British, I am proud only of the fact that dad had the good sense to find it and buy it. BTW, my dad was a mechanical engineer, and he loved its simplicity and functionality. Close to his heart, in his day he designed a new gearbox for the Russian made T-34 tanks, and the army people always said his was the best and most trouble free design they ever had.
Now you'll laugh - the British made Kenwood Chef universal kitchen machine, bought in Coventry in 1956, and much used by my mum is still alive and well tody, thank you. Yes, it had its motor rewound all of once in the mid 70ies, but other thn that, it never even hiccuped. It fed me throughout 8 years of primary school, 4 years of grammar school and 5 years of university, and then did it all over again in the same order for my son. From peeling of potatoes to mixing heavy dough for cakes.
Yessir, Scott, with you 100%. Current crop looks like toys in coparison.
That is so as is the air we breath. The rain that falls on Cirencester I count as new. Water taken from the Thames past Oxford I count as very secondhand. We get ours just before it has to pass through others very directly.
Was on the Birmingham to Oxford canel at Thrupp today. The Boat serves a very good Sunday meal at about $15. Tubular Bells was recorded one mile away.
Last night Rock and Roll at the Bikers pub Crawley near Witney. The Bikers whilst dressed in their coloiurs are very polite and welcolming. I am told the sound gear was set up by the Stones roadies. The lady is Collleens friend. Colleen was surprised I didn't know her.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyPKee16zdY
Babe Ruth (band) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Two of her band are from St Helena. Really great musicians.
I thought I would post my lastest mod to my OB speakers. The reason being we always assume too much when not trying it for real. The simple addition of 470 uF to the middle unit has completely changed things. The logic of the previous idea was this
A 15 inch bass unit is large. It can be trusted to do the bass. The amplifer won't like a 3 ohm reactive load. The original 200 Hz crossover point seems ideal. Not least because the 12 Lta rolls off at 100 Hz anyway. Why give the amplifer a hard time for no good reason.
Well, I couldn't have been more wrong. The small extra contribution of the semi EQ'ed 12 Lta is a big boost. The Quad doesn't get hot as the power required is low.
Mid band shout is still there but better balanced against some warmth. Now 70% of material is is starting to be very good.
For the $300 paid I am happy. I want to continue as a passive device as long as I can. If I drop the tweeter to 5 kHz and slightly roll the mid using an inductor it might be the right thing to do. This will require two pole to the tweeter. On paper the tweeter is a good match for the mid. When I go active I suspect it needs 6 dB extra. It might just be I like the 18 kHz it gives to be 18 kHz + 6 dB and the 7 kHz tone control used now is right. I will try 3u3 as it looks it mght have something to offer. I won't use phase reversal as it willl kill an already narrow dispersion. As it is the dispersion is rather good for what is being used and the big baffle screwing it up.
The slightly odd things about this speaker is punchy bass seems not what it will do ( Q ? It is 1.2 into open air, it doesn't bottom ) . I will look at a simple semi open rear loading for the bass unit. The shouty mid seems to be that the roll surround and baffle are too stiff. The baffle is where a difference might be had. Not how stiff, rather the mass. As the mid is now doing bass it must be kept ridged. What I would say of this speaker is " you don't always get what you want, but you might well get what you need ". I am glad I didn't rush to the active option. That might sweep the problems under the carpet which means it is still there, ghosts.
Bruno Putzeys' Mola Mola DAC is sounding very promising, both in concept, and qualitywise, 
. One of the CES 2015 video reports, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp6lsKzXMiA, offers a taste of the sound, and it's ticking the boxes so far.
What is amusing is that at the 5 minute mark in the video Bruno "exposes" the guts of the DAC, and casually remarks that it lacks the "digital artifacts" that virtually every conventional DAC chip produces,. Of course as the designer he would say something like that, but as someone respected by members in the engineering community, who typically insist that the currently produced DACs are "perfect", it's an interesting side note ...
Edit: And here an example of how easy it is to "dud" a comparison, Mola Mola Makua Preamplifier/DAC and On A Higher Note (and a lesson) | AudioStream ...
. One of the CES 2015 video reports, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp6lsKzXMiA, offers a taste of the sound, and it's ticking the boxes so far. What is amusing is that at the 5 minute mark in the video Bruno "exposes" the guts of the DAC, and casually remarks that it lacks the "digital artifacts" that virtually every conventional DAC chip produces,
. Of course as the designer he would say something like that, but as someone respected by members in the engineering community, who typically insist that the currently produced DACs are "perfect", it's an interesting side note ... Edit: And here an example of how easy it is to "dud" a comparison, Mola Mola Makua Preamplifier/DAC and On A Higher Note (and a lesson) | AudioStream ...
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Bruno Putzeys' Mola Mola DAC is sounding very promising, both in concept, and qualitywise,
Like the advert I saw on TV for an oled screen. The colours look so much better than my backlit LCD can produce.
But back then they cost the equivalent of a month's salary. I will inherit my mothers when she finally gives up using it. But I do know someone for whom the domestic ones were not good enough. He made a lot of bread at home and burned out the chef so got one of their pro range. He is however an edge case for the home market. He also built a basement in his garden shed!
The stylist of that food mixer designed British Rails HST 125 trains. BR thought he would make it look good. He did the whole job and found drag of 0.21 and allowed for two drivers, that wasn't easy. The bullet train is no better in drag I am told.
Kenwood hi fi was called Trio in the UK because Ken Wood objected. Trio I have very fond memories of. Kenny Lasky ran it and ran it very well. I would guess 30 % of the house I live in was paid by Kenny and Mr Robin Doughty his rep. I took it on when no one wanted to. It was the better thing I ever did. I had a go at Speedway riding. Robin was so impressed he left me six weeks stock on sale or return. Robin was a Speedway fanatic. I never had to pay for it. it just sold itself. We could beat anyone on price and get a great margin. We were a tiny shop. Trio we sold in spades. Their cassette decks were not very good. Trio KD1033 was a real winner even though it's 119 mm alingment point was way out. As long as 63.5 mm is right the other can be 2 mm out. I guess Pioneer PL12D also as they look to be near identical in places.
Kenneth Grange - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kenwood hi fi was called Trio in the UK because Ken Wood objected. Trio I have very fond memories of. Kenny Lasky ran it and ran it very well. I would guess 30 % of the house I live in was paid by Kenny and Mr Robin Doughty his rep. I took it on when no one wanted to. It was the better thing I ever did. I had a go at Speedway riding. Robin was so impressed he left me six weeks stock on sale or return. Robin was a Speedway fanatic. I never had to pay for it. it just sold itself. We could beat anyone on price and get a great margin. We were a tiny shop. Trio we sold in spades. Their cassette decks were not very good. Trio KD1033 was a real winner even though it's 119 mm alingment point was way out. As long as 63.5 mm is right the other can be 2 mm out. I guess Pioneer PL12D also as they look to be near identical in places.
Kenneth Grange - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Billshurv,
You may not know this, but the entire classic Kenwood chef range is a scaled down blatant copy of German Stefan professional catering machines. I used to worj with them while in the amry (we had national service back than in 1980), and everybody in the kitchen (all civillians except me, I was in a military hospital kitchen) was amazed how easily I used them, assuming I had never seen such machinery. Stefan had been making hotel and hospital kitchen machinery some 120+ years in 1980, i.e. had lived way longer than the Kenwood range. They even looked the same, only scaled up with Stefan, for example mom's Kenwood could peel like 2 kilos (app. 4.5 lbs) of potatoes in one go, while the Stefan not unexpectedly did 9 kilos (app. 20 lbs) in one go.
In both cases, outstanding machinery, it's actually wonderful seeing what the humen mind can do once it focuses on practicality (rather than weapons).
And yes, you are right, its price in 1956 was the equivalent of about a month's wage for a medium tier employee. Hoqwever, that only with most optional add-ons, which dad had to buy since he was not likely to have a second chance soon. As it turned out, he did get a second chance in 1961, and he did buy more add-ons. AS a result of that, we ate a hell of a lot more home baked cakes than we otherwise would, since the hard labor was out of the equation for mum.
You may not know this, but the entire classic Kenwood chef range is a scaled down blatant copy of German Stefan professional catering machines. I used to worj with them while in the amry (we had national service back than in 1980), and everybody in the kitchen (all civillians except me, I was in a military hospital kitchen) was amazed how easily I used them, assuming I had never seen such machinery. Stefan had been making hotel and hospital kitchen machinery some 120+ years in 1980, i.e. had lived way longer than the Kenwood range. They even looked the same, only scaled up with Stefan, for example mom's Kenwood could peel like 2 kilos (app. 4.5 lbs) of potatoes in one go, while the Stefan not unexpectedly did 9 kilos (app. 20 lbs) in one go.
In both cases, outstanding machinery, it's actually wonderful seeing what the humen mind can do once it focuses on practicality (rather than weapons).
And yes, you are right, its price in 1956 was the equivalent of about a month's wage for a medium tier employee. Hoqwever, that only with most optional add-ons, which dad had to buy since he was not likely to have a second chance soon. As it turned out, he did get a second chance in 1961, and he did buy more add-ons. AS a result of that, we ate a hell of a lot more home baked cakes than we otherwise would, since the hard labor was out of the equation for mum.
It takes a bit for some people to put their brains into gear
...When you listen to a recording of an audio system playing, it nearly always sound exactly like that - it's a hifi "pretending", and doing a bad job of it - it's very obviously not live sound, in the context of the video being taken of it ... just check out YouTube videos of expensive gear playing at shows - the playback of the system being recorded nearly alway sounds very "fake".
But if you do a video of 'convincing' audio then it won't sound different, it will come across as being very natural in the context of the everyday sounds also on the video. IOW, there won't be a contrast between the tonality of the replay, and all the extraneous natural sounds in the the video you're watching.
If you say that you have to listen to it in person, then you've immediately lost - you're used to how hifi normally sounds, and you immediately start compensating for its inadequacies, you're comparing that sound to all other hifi you've heard, and "marking" it on that basis.
Edit: With regard to looking at the screen of a TV, on a TV program ... note how the colours on the TV in the scene often look terribly wrong, intensely blue tinted, for example - you can't tell what the resolution is like, but you can certainly pick that the set is way out of adjustment ... it's that type of thing.
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A bit of a penny's dropped ... what a lot of people in audio are chasing, whether they will admit it to themselves or not, is "glamorous" sound - not "convincing", or "realistic" sound. The latter is just a bit boring, what the thrill is for many is getting something that's tarted up a bit - not so much that it's obviously distortion, but a bit of subtle makeup is added to give it the "glam factor". Hence, audiophile recordings which are extremely plain and dull in presentation, just waiting for the bit of lippy, foundation, and mascara of a typical "high end" system to give the playback a "Wow!" impact.
Also, why heavily enhanced recordings on these "high end" systems sound a disaster - the recording has already had the full makeover, so the system then trying to cake another layer on top again disastrously fails - nothing worse than a woman who has overcooked her "presentation", it's just becomes embarrassing ...
Also, why heavily enhanced recordings on these "high end" systems sound a disaster - the recording has already had the full makeover, so the system then trying to cake another layer on top again disastrously fails - nothing worse than a woman who has overcooked her "presentation", it's just becomes embarrassing ...
Entirely possible given when it was originally designed (late 40s). We borrowed all sorts back then. The point was that it was designed to last in an age when women were still housewives and didn't serve microchips and cook chill pies for dinner. A lot of kitchen equipment is designed these days for once a month use not once a day. Design life is interesting. A std black and decker drill motor is designed for a 30 minute life. that's why a multi-speed hammer drill will reverse is £30 and a single speed makita is £150 (or was last time I looked). One is designed to work.
I need a good blender. Hummus is a pain to make in a cheap blender. One day will get a blendtec. If they can grind ice all day in starbucks should be able to handle my use.
I saw a Blendtec demo where they ground up a Vitamix. Pretty impressive.
Blendtec has a series on youtube called 'Will It Blend?' and they blend anything including smartphones and tablets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBUJcD6Ws6s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBUJcD6Ws6s
Does anyone have experiance of running an LM317/LD1084 at the heat limit? I have just made a PCB for this. The special PCB version of the heatsink seems different and not as good as the spec says it is. I am running 1.5 A and 256 V input and no problems. It isn't boiling yet. It passed it's 207 V test. I have never tried to subtly blow one up. I have a 2A fuse and a 1.7 A crowbar to the voltage setting arm that knocks it down to 1.7 V. Am I right in thinking in the twilight zone it will reduce voltage as best it can. I am hoping this is enough, most PSU's don't bother at all and trust the chip to monitor the situation . Is it that dependable? The crowbar is a LM 324 and BC327. It has no effect at all when toggled up !!! There is a very small value high side sensing reisistor. As a test I will try to brake a LM317 and hope them similar. The device gives out 8 watts max at 1.5 amps and the heat sinks says 3.6 deg per watt. It is in free air. A choice between 1.5 AT and 2 AF fuse is next.
In this circuit somethimes a LED can be reverse biased by 6 V. There is a 10 K limiting resistor. Even at 24 V I measure no current and this has been running for days at 24 V without any chnange in LED output when forward biased. I can only think 10 K will not allow enough current to ruin the die? It makes the circuit very elegant to do this. I don't really have space to put in a 1N4148 in reverse bias. There are a number of LED's. I can put a resistor in series with the LM324, that means thinking of every possible thing and chip variation. I have just measured the circuit at 256 V and it is -4.33V. That's jammy, my 6V assumes 270 V and the LM324 as a perfect voltage source which it isn't.
In this circuit somethimes a LED can be reverse biased by 6 V. There is a 10 K limiting resistor. Even at 24 V I measure no current and this has been running for days at 24 V without any chnange in LED output when forward biased. I can only think 10 K will not allow enough current to ruin the die? It makes the circuit very elegant to do this. I don't really have space to put in a 1N4148 in reverse bias. There are a number of LED's. I can put a resistor in series with the LM324, that means thinking of every possible thing and chip variation. I have just measured the circuit at 256 V and it is -4.33V. That's jammy, my 6V assumes 270 V and the LM324 as a perfect voltage source which it isn't.
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