John Curl's Blowtorch preamplifier part II

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I reckon it's relevant in this thread....a whole bunch of minds old and young defining what the world wants in a modern speaker system.
The nitty gritty might to be moved but overview discussion here is fine.

It has been already mentioned.

Very kind of Spaceistheplace for his two posts. A kind of fresh air for this thread but the specifics for the future speaker belong to a new dedicated thread.

:cop:

Now let’s pay some attention to the rules please.

George
 
George,
Sorry I didn't intend to high-jack the thread. I do find the discussion of what it will take to reach a younger market as being important to the future of the high end market, but I'll add perhaps as in many other things this industry will just become a nostalgic shell of itself, how many people still play with model trains, not many I would imagine. HiFi will go the same way it seems if it remains the same.

I'll start a thread for my particular speaker and perhaps one on marketing and the new paradigm of the younger crowds expectations.
 
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Trains aren't for everyone. Neither is good audio - especially these days.

High end audio began as a hobby for the general population. Most people had that wooden console that was their window on audio. We somehow began to sell them systems with wires (how'd that happen?). The industry eventually abused everyone (greed I guess) and we are back to it being a hobby. Personally, as long as there are people who lie and cheat in the industry (on grand levels), people will protect themselves by ignoring the industry. What else would you expect?

It's not life and death, its just audio. Everyone else knows this, why don't we?

-Chris
 
Kindhornman, I found your recent input interesting, certainly more that than the general discussion about just about everything, or the politely worded insults that many make with each other.
Today, I sit with another engineer trying to make an even better power amplifier. Have we been successful so far? I think so, but we can certainly do better. It never ends, because we just do not yet know how to make the very best amplifier that it is possible with present day technology. This amp is a very different departure for me, using tracking switching power supplies, 5V analog op amps, advanced topology, etc.
I have heard this design sound wonderful, and I have heard the same design sound marginal. I hope that we can make it sound good to great in almost any situation. Still, it is a mystery to me as to exactly how.
 
'Bit late for that.

Cars, Food.... All okay, but speakers not?

Either they're actually trying to reel us in or just move any sort of topic that actually seems to be moving somewhere out of this thread before it gets lost forever. :)

Anyhow, it's whatever. No worries.

5V opamps, though, is a bit interesting for audio, unless it's mobile/trying to save power.
 
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We are using very low active power supply voltages that move with the input signal so that we can use 'high efficiency' super 5V IC op amps as the main driver. We are also using some AD825's for handling part of the signal functions. This is a powerful amp, that you can carry under your arm.
Today we intensely discussed 'arbitrary' details like what board material would be best, what bypass caps, etc.
 
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The idea has never taken hold... same idea used with limited voltage opamps.....to boost output volt swing..... but the smps etc have started to become important to over-all product cost.... with world wide shipping, the weight of high power transformer/rect/filter and increased size is a big transportation cost factor. But why cant we make such PS types more reliable and off the shelf at comparable/lower cost for consumer amps?

BenchMark's power amp uses a compact smps of some sort but its complexity is scary as a (re)liability.


THx-RNMarsh
 
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