Scott,
I hardly think that the purchase of a slightly expensive set of headphones is "indulgence" when it comes to audio.
Perhaps a gilded amplifier, in the 6 figure range is indulgent?
Or speakers to match?
How about a pair of used Acoustats?
Indulgent?
Changing out the electrolytic in the Mk-121 interface for good quality metalized polypropylene caps? Indulgence?
C'mon! That's absurdity!
This has nothing to do with being frugal. In fact many of the people who participate here are frugal which is why they got into building their own gear - so that they could have the "gilded" quality without the big price!
Fwiw, you could build your own set of ES headphones, or ES speakers... try the ESL section here??
Since I am near Albany NY, I could visit you in Boston...?
Or the other way around?
But maybe that use of time and gas would be indulgence?
Nah.
Scott, life is short, go for a good set of ES headphones! Live a little! Living like a modern "monk" is ok up to a point, but ur not in the midwest, you're not a kid any more, and this ain't the summer of love! 😉
Go for it, Scott!
_-_-bear
I hardly think that the purchase of a slightly expensive set of headphones is "indulgence" when it comes to audio.
Perhaps a gilded amplifier, in the 6 figure range is indulgent?
Or speakers to match?
How about a pair of used Acoustats?
Indulgent?
Changing out the electrolytic in the Mk-121 interface for good quality metalized polypropylene caps? Indulgence?
C'mon! That's absurdity!
This has nothing to do with being frugal. In fact many of the people who participate here are frugal which is why they got into building their own gear - so that they could have the "gilded" quality without the big price!
Fwiw, you could build your own set of ES headphones, or ES speakers... try the ESL section here??
Since I am near Albany NY, I could visit you in Boston...?
Or the other way around?
But maybe that use of time and gas would be indulgence?
Nah.
Scott, life is short, go for a good set of ES headphones! Live a little! Living like a modern "monk" is ok up to a point, but ur not in the midwest, you're not a kid any more, and this ain't the summer of love! 😉
Go for it, Scott!
_-_-bear
Up? Up where?
Albany is out or over from you... due west.
Where is Bob Cordell?
Ur in Cambridge? I'll be in Boston, I think on May4th... but perhaps this is best off thread?
Maybe this is the kernel of something...
_-_-bear
Albany is out or over from you... due west.
Where is Bob Cordell?
Ur in Cambridge? I'll be in Boston, I think on May4th... but perhaps this is best off thread?
Maybe this is the kernel of something...
_-_-bear
syn08 said:
I have never officially assisted John Curl (except for repairing a test instrument of his). Associate is different and it could be said by the McCarthyites that all of us on this forum are associates.
As for justification I do try to show a solid basis for claims and a line of reasoning at least for speculation. And apologize for mistakes.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Wall of Sound
I have an analog ac ammeter, Sensitive Research, 16" scale moving pointer 1/4 of 1% accuracy, made in the '60s, has a NASA calibration certificate. Its still pretty accurate.
The state of the art for measuring AC has not changed much since the '40s. Use a vacuum thermocouple with a sensitive dc voltmeter (used to be a slide-back voltmeter but it now is a digital meter) for really accurate measurements. Same for DC voltage: measured with a bridge technique like it was in the end of the 19th century.
Its not the instrument, its knowing what to look for. A modern fast scope makes it easier but that 5 MHz scope can show the oscillation if you know how to look for it. Usually if you understand the principles you can find or make a way to measure it.
At what an IC costs to design I'm sure that the necessary instrumentation will be made available. Although sometimes I have been surprised.
bear said:
I have an analog ac ammeter, Sensitive Research, 16" scale moving pointer 1/4 of 1% accuracy, made in the '60s, has a NASA calibration certificate. Its still pretty accurate.
The state of the art for measuring AC has not changed much since the '40s. Use a vacuum thermocouple with a sensitive dc voltmeter (used to be a slide-back voltmeter but it now is a digital meter) for really accurate measurements. Same for DC voltage: measured with a bridge technique like it was in the end of the 19th century.
Its not the instrument, its knowing what to look for. A modern fast scope makes it easier but that 5 MHz scope can show the oscillation if you know how to look for it. Usually if you understand the principles you can find or make a way to measure it.
At what an IC costs to design I'm sure that the necessary instrumentation will be made available. Although sometimes I have been surprised.
Modern IC design means design, engineering, and technology in the single bottle, the name of which is "Computer Software". What thermocouple? 
😀
😀
Well. This brings to mind a tendency among some budding designers I've encountered here who seem to mix up engineering and music. It seems as if they want to be musicians themselves and think they are designing musical instruments. It is a sort of self-indulgent arrogance, IMO. The musician is the supreme artist; the audio designer is merely the messenger, tasked with not defacing the art too badly. Without this humility it is easy to believe your own BS.john curl said:
John, IMO your ability to be straight with people even after a lifetime spent in the audio industry should be held in high regard. Your experimental process for judging circuit improvements is very good. Well, much better than your process for judging engineering science, anyhow.
I always like to check the judgement process behind any assertion. I find that is a good way to sort the wheat from the chaff.
I think you'll find that everyone has the right to make fun of anyone and their ideas. Unless you are under the power of a fundamentalist regime in which case you may have that right taken away from you. The mocked also have the right not to take offence. I don't recall anyone contesting that ByBee knows his properties of materials. But this esteemed knowledge is of no relevance to audio unless it translates into sonic improvement as verified by a reliable judgement process. I queried this process; no response. I also think his website makes outrageously exaggerated claims, further polluting any integrity that may still exist in premium audio.
"What can be asserted without proof can be dismissed without proof. " - Christopher Hitchens
And the profound:
"“Belief in truth begins with doubting all that has hitherto been believed to be true.” - Nietzsche
... as well as Barrie Gilbert's quote I came across the other day:
"[And] Never cease to ask lots of questions, the most powerful of which are ‘why?’, ‘what if?’, and ‘how about?’ It is such questions--compulsively posed and then addressed as we each ponder our next step--that lead to the breakthroughs that will fuel tomorrow's world.”
Now that we are quoting anyway, here's AudioXpress' long-time house motto:
"The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it" - John Stuart Mill.
A bit formal perhaps, but true nevertheless.
Jan Didden
"[And] Never cease to ask lots of questions, the most powerful of which are ‘why?’, ‘what if?’, and ‘how about?’ It is such questions--compulsively posed and then addressed as we each ponder our next step--that lead to the breakthroughs that will fuel tomorrow's world.”
Now that we are quoting anyway, here's AudioXpress' long-time house motto:
"The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it" - John Stuart Mill.
A bit formal perhaps, but true nevertheless.
Jan Didden
scott wurcer said:
I know, I was using the term 'boss' in a metaphysical, Bruce-Springsteen-kind of way 😉
scott wurcer said:
Thanks, I did!
Jan Didden
with the center tap tied to the neutral/earth bar, making it a two phase system with 180° phase shift?Glen[/i] Are types of equipment like this just exempt from the earthed secondary rule? Are there more stringent requirements for the primary-secondary isolation / construction of the transformer (Though I would not have guess so said:
Regards
Can I ask the Mods to split this thread?
I'll compile a list of posts relating ONLY to safe isolation and split it off into "new thread title".
I'll compile a list of posts relating ONLY to safe isolation and split it off into "new thread title".
Excellent idea, Andrew. I'm out of pocket for the next 10 hours or so, so hopefully someone else will step in if you can compile a list. Many thanks!
I believe, unlike many here, that Barrie Gilbert is on to something. Of course, he proved 15 years later, what Matti Otala could not get into the JAES, quantitatively, but oh well, better than some others.
Traderbam, I find that if I tried to make fun of you, that I would get into trouble with the moderators. What do you think?
john curl said:
John, do you also believe in his motto that I quoted, or do you believe that we should accept things based on authority, tradition or religion?
Jan Didden
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