I'm not even sure that the returns are positive at this point. Most of the really, really high end systems I've heard are distinctly inferior to more modest but better engineered systems. The one exception I can think of is the top of the line MBLs, which actually do sound slightly better than some stuff you can buy for 1-2% of their price tag.
Hello Ken. I used to develop products for the Leather Industry while working at Rohm and Haas Co which was based in Philadelphia. The underlined in your note was a common saying in the industry and still is. Collagen from the sow's ear and silk [origin?] are still unrelated polymers of amino acids. Their inter- conversion will be a challenge.
Best regards
while a far cry from ambiosonics implementation, I remember hooking up multiple set of speakers all around the room to try to get a sense of space and musical immersion. I am not much on adjectives or experience, but for me, the spatial rendering of music tends to be what i seek out when listening to equipment. Its my little bit of audio nirvana when i can find something that does this, even if its a bit of a lie. I think there is a lot out there that is very pleasing to the ear. True to reality is something I will not touch. I continue my pursuit of the lie, hopefully steering things in the high value category, and yes, sometimes high value can be expensive.
Not sure if the following is what you used to do with those multiple speakers, but an effective, and purely passive solution which uses no electronic decoder, method of generating a pleasing sense of ambient immersion from plain stereo program content is via the old Hafler matrix method.
Should you not be familiar, this entails taking a second pair of speakers and wiring them to play only the difference information of the stereo content. This is done by wiring the extra pair of speakers in series with each other across the positive L and R power amp terminals - so long as the stereo channels share a common ground. Aim the now ambient sound producing speakers away from your listening position. Down along th left and right sidewalls tends to work well. The resulting effect isn't terribly artificial, if this sort of thing is your cup of tea.
Last edited:
Carver explored similar, and we once trademarked "Phat Stereo" a similar process. I pointed out a few weeks ago there are occasional TV shows or films that image their soundtrack far left or right or even behind very convincingly through even the most POS equipment.
All them 20K$ amps are just "sculptures in aluminum".
I've only personally heard the 7K$ Genesis stealth. It sounded as good
as the lowly "Honey Badger" or my new Slewmaster. It had 2KVA (over 1K$ in
parts ... easily).
- Just a MOV for softstart
-85C caps - for a 1600W/2R class A !!
-PCB's were cheap and easily damaged
-was barely serviceable
Parasound amps are expensive (3K), but are serviceable and VERY
well designed. Best price ratio short of 5 digit.
PASS labs is in the "sculpture" realm
Pass X250 is nearly exactly like my DIY amp , but approaches 9K$.
-same 1Kva+ /100Kuf+ PS.
-same 5-6 pair TO-3P device class AB.
-wires/cables all over the place - no shield over the trafo ??
But , it has fancy heatsinks .... Big "PASS" lettering , and that cool
current sensing VU meter on the front - this is the other 5-6K$ ??
.....that you would spend over a parasound (which actually is better designed).
I suppose these commercial enthusiasts must put food on the table. To match
them are other people with so much money and so many frivolous pursuits.
Just like rock stars and movie stars , get the name ..... pull back on value -
charge whatever !!
OS
I've only personally heard the 7K$ Genesis stealth. It sounded as good
as the lowly "Honey Badger" or my new Slewmaster. It had 2KVA (over 1K$ in
parts ... easily).
- Just a MOV for softstart
-85C caps - for a 1600W/2R class A !!
-PCB's were cheap and easily damaged
-was barely serviceable
Parasound amps are expensive (3K), but are serviceable and VERY
well designed. Best price ratio short of 5 digit.
PASS labs is in the "sculpture" realm
Pass X250 is nearly exactly like my DIY amp , but approaches 9K$.
-same 1Kva+ /100Kuf+ PS.
-same 5-6 pair TO-3P device class AB.
-wires/cables all over the place - no shield over the trafo ??
But , it has fancy heatsinks .... Big "PASS" lettering , and that cool
current sensing VU meter on the front - this is the other 5-6K$ ??
.....that you would spend over a parasound (which actually is better designed).
I suppose these commercial enthusiasts must put food on the table. To match
them are other people with so much money and so many frivolous pursuits.
Just like rock stars and movie stars , get the name ..... pull back on value -
charge whatever !!
OS
Last edited:
I like the personalized nature of audio. Folks do have different taste. I just tend to agree that it has gotten a wee bit out of hand, that being said, I would like very much to be be well paid for designing audio equipment. OSTripper, I think it goes without saying that everyone would agree that yours designs are the best any one who doesn't believ this have simply not looked at the numbers.
any one who doesn't believ this have simply not looked at the numbers.When people have more money then they know what to do with then they don't care if the return is worth the added cost. It's not like they are going to go buy 100 stereos for $1000 each, they only need one, so they buy a $100,000 stereo instead.
The sheer fact of the matter is that they can afford something most people cannot and that status symbol is a way of showing it off.
Do you think Scrooge Mcduck can hear his stereo anyway when swimming around his vast piggy bank?
The sheer fact of the matter is that they can afford something most people cannot and that status symbol is a way of showing it off.
Do you think Scrooge Mcduck can hear his stereo anyway when swimming around his vast piggy bank?
You could buy a sculpture by Theta for $12k or you could buy the same nCore innards wrapped by NAD for $4k.
Or build your own for about $1k.
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.