No kidding you are confused. Regarding your question maybe we can help if you want to post a pic.
I gave a similar reply as post #556
https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/the...enge-bother-designing-dac-56.html#post6134474
Well Gerhard, you really are of an opinion about me, that I have to defend myself from.
To answer your first question, I think that the original question on the Blowtorch thread was for the schematics of the Blowtorch electronics (of which we made about 45 or more) but were being phased out, because it was getting to expensive (for us) to make them, we were getting tired anyway, and we were running out of the original circuit boards (we made 100 and it took 2 for each amp) and they cost us $50 each (i know, because I paid for them out of my own pocket originally) At this time Bob Crump, located in Texas, the prime mover behind the Blowtorch, as he designed the case, and actually built the majority of them, using the circuit cards designed and built by me and my technicians in California.
Well, at that time, before the Blowtorch thread started, Bob asked me if we might just publish the schematics, since we decided not to make any more ourselves. I kind of went along with it at the time, but later when Bob unexpectedly died, leaving me with more than 7 uncompleted units already paid for, to finish, I decided to hold back in publishing the schematics, and thus when someone asked the question about the schematics, I basically declined to put them online. This started the Blowtorch thread as I recall.
Now for some added facts: No Blowtorch was sold to any audio reviewer or given away to anyone. One review was published, from the reviewer borrowing my personal unit, and then writing it up, but I got my Blowtorch back from him. Later, he wanted to buy one, but we could not give him a low enough price, even if we had essentially worked for free to make a unit for him, so he never got one. So much for reviewers. We never had any other reviews on the Blowtorch, but we used 'word of mouth' from customers and a yearly showing at CES to get new sales. That is all, no ads, no reviewer bribes, nothing else.
Now I realize that SOME manufacturers do bribe reviewers, run ads, etc, but not me! It was the same with the Vendetta Phono stage from about 1990. Again, no ads, no reviewer getting a product for free, (although some tried) just a few dealers who got their 40% mark-up which is normal in this business.
Audio has always seemed 'easy' for indifferent electronic engineers, and it is true that just about anybody with some understanding of electronics can make an amp or preamp that will produce audio sound. However, to make a 'great' sounding audio product is a lot harder, and most will fail in doing so. So Gerhard, live in ignorance. '-)
To answer your first question, I think that the original question on the Blowtorch thread was for the schematics of the Blowtorch electronics (of which we made about 45 or more) but were being phased out, because it was getting to expensive (for us) to make them, we were getting tired anyway, and we were running out of the original circuit boards (we made 100 and it took 2 for each amp) and they cost us $50 each (i know, because I paid for them out of my own pocket originally) At this time Bob Crump, located in Texas, the prime mover behind the Blowtorch, as he designed the case, and actually built the majority of them, using the circuit cards designed and built by me and my technicians in California.
Well, at that time, before the Blowtorch thread started, Bob asked me if we might just publish the schematics, since we decided not to make any more ourselves. I kind of went along with it at the time, but later when Bob unexpectedly died, leaving me with more than 7 uncompleted units already paid for, to finish, I decided to hold back in publishing the schematics, and thus when someone asked the question about the schematics, I basically declined to put them online. This started the Blowtorch thread as I recall.
Now for some added facts: No Blowtorch was sold to any audio reviewer or given away to anyone. One review was published, from the reviewer borrowing my personal unit, and then writing it up, but I got my Blowtorch back from him. Later, he wanted to buy one, but we could not give him a low enough price, even if we had essentially worked for free to make a unit for him, so he never got one. So much for reviewers. We never had any other reviews on the Blowtorch, but we used 'word of mouth' from customers and a yearly showing at CES to get new sales. That is all, no ads, no reviewer bribes, nothing else.
Now I realize that SOME manufacturers do bribe reviewers, run ads, etc, but not me! It was the same with the Vendetta Phono stage from about 1990. Again, no ads, no reviewer getting a product for free, (although some tried) just a few dealers who got their 40% mark-up which is normal in this business.
Audio has always seemed 'easy' for indifferent electronic engineers, and it is true that just about anybody with some understanding of electronics can make an amp or preamp that will produce audio sound. However, to make a 'great' sounding audio product is a lot harder, and most will fail in doing so. So Gerhard, live in ignorance. '-)
I would also like to comment on general electronic engineering:
I am a middle-of-the-road general electronic engineer, when designing circuits not audio specific. I proved this back in the mid 1980's when I was forced to get a 'day job' designing electronics for a relatively large (300 employees) firm that made optical equipment. There I designed and built competent, but not necessarily 'breakthrough' electronics for a medical laser design for eye repair. Everything that I made, worked, and my title was "Senior Electronic Engineer" although my degree is in physics, because I could do the work. I did this for about 1 1/2 years, finally bailing out with a new position as "VP of Engineering" for a small startup company headed by Saul Marantz. When this company went down soddenly, because of the stock market crash in 1987, I was forced to start 'Vendetta Research' in order to make a living.
Now what about general electronic engineering and how difficult is it? It is very difficult and I admire those who make breakthroughs in general engineering. Let us congratulate PMA and many others here who do it excellently! Unfortunately, I just can't maintain enough interest in general electronics to even remember the details of what I designed back in 1984-85. It just didn't stick with me, and I just did my job at the time. Nothing to brag about. But when it comes to audio, it is a different story.
Gerhard, you can be forgiven for being from another country, full of excellent general electronic engineers, and not knowing what my contributions have been over the last 52 years, starting with my years at Ampex, etc, etc. Check me out on the internet, if you want to know more.
Now, what about German engineering? At this moment, I am listening to a 1965 based Telefunken portable radio, that I admire greatly, as the best portable radio I have ever found. to the point of keeping it as my personal favorite, even today. It is composed of Ge transistors, with both an output and a driver transformer, and it doesn't seem to have overall loop feedback. How quaint, but how good it sounds, as well!
I am a middle-of-the-road general electronic engineer, when designing circuits not audio specific. I proved this back in the mid 1980's when I was forced to get a 'day job' designing electronics for a relatively large (300 employees) firm that made optical equipment. There I designed and built competent, but not necessarily 'breakthrough' electronics for a medical laser design for eye repair. Everything that I made, worked, and my title was "Senior Electronic Engineer" although my degree is in physics, because I could do the work. I did this for about 1 1/2 years, finally bailing out with a new position as "VP of Engineering" for a small startup company headed by Saul Marantz. When this company went down soddenly, because of the stock market crash in 1987, I was forced to start 'Vendetta Research' in order to make a living.
Now what about general electronic engineering and how difficult is it? It is very difficult and I admire those who make breakthroughs in general engineering. Let us congratulate PMA and many others here who do it excellently! Unfortunately, I just can't maintain enough interest in general electronics to even remember the details of what I designed back in 1984-85. It just didn't stick with me, and I just did my job at the time. Nothing to brag about. But when it comes to audio, it is a different story.
Gerhard, you can be forgiven for being from another country, full of excellent general electronic engineers, and not knowing what my contributions have been over the last 52 years, starting with my years at Ampex, etc, etc. Check me out on the internet, if you want to know more.
Now, what about German engineering? At this moment, I am listening to a 1965 based Telefunken portable radio, that I admire greatly, as the best portable radio I have ever found. to the point of keeping it as my personal favorite, even today. It is composed of Ge transistors, with both an output and a driver transformer, and it doesn't seem to have overall loop feedback. How quaint, but how good it sounds, as well!
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Modern audio is at a dead end for two reasons. The first reason, the young man has ceased to be interested in rock music to the extent that used to be a driving force in the 70s for the entire audio industry. The second reason is that previous schemes fundamentally limit the quality development of audio. For example, the classic circuit of the СD player, preamplifier and power amplifier and speakers does not allow to fundamentally improve the sound of the system. These two reasons are sufficient for the audience to eventually die out like dinosaurs.
I usually listen to the music with contemporary monitor-like audio equipments, but every time I hear old equipments like your Telefunken, I'm surprised to find they are as convincing as todays equipments in such a different way.
There is plenty of room for improvement in speakers. Just look at the distortion measurements. As for DAC (СD player), preamp and power amp, what do you think is lacking in audible sound?
They are not harmonized properly. For example, it’s best to integrate the DAC with the preamp right away so that you can adjust the volume digitally. Output voltages are also not optimal. For example, the usual thing is when the signal is amplified, and then to adjust the volume, this sound signal is suppressed, and this is all for the sake of an outdated standard. If you simulate all this on a computer, it becomes clear that this all leads to a significant increase in distortions of all kinds.
Now cheap speakers are too bad. And the expensive ones are too inaccessible. For example, in 70 there were Yamaha NS1000 with beryllium speakers, and these speakers even now play beautifully and at that time were accessible to anyone since they were a mass product, not piece goods. This is actually a very serious problem that there are no cheap and good products.
Choosing the individual components is really theoretically possible to get" magic", but most likely you will get a headache and a hole in the family budget.
Choosing the individual components is really theoretically possible to get" magic", but most likely you will get a headache and a hole in the family budget.
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Does it matter when you put on the music of your choice and sit at the listening spot of your choice?
And where does the choice of music and the place to listen? I think that this has nothing to do with the DAC issue, its architecture, and its proper alignment with other components in order to get the maximum effect.
My question to your "For example, the usual thing is when the signal is amplified, and then to adjust the volume, this sound signal is suppressed, and this is all for the sake of an outdated standard. If you simulate all this on a computer, it becomes clear that this all leads to a significant increase in distortions of all kinds." was, when you are using ordinary store bought components (prior to speakers) for listening to the music of your choice at the listening spot of your choice, do they compromise the audible sound quality?
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