For the Love of Audio & Hi-Fi. Is it Dead?

[lovinthehd]

A pre-amp for playback with only a 3 band eq, even if parametric, still wouldn't get me too worked up

 

[Ren Kitchener]

A pre-amp for playback with only a 3 band eq, even if parametric, still wouldn't get me too worked up

Haha - I tried my best lovinthehd. Okay, how about a 5-band parametric with high and low shelving switches - would that get at least one eyebrow to twitch? Just to add, they could be made with LM4562's......could that get the second eyebrow to twitch? (It would be rather expensive though).

 

[N6RTHERN]

If it's not too late to return the premium cable... Just thinkin' out loud.

I finally got a type c DAC coverter for my Sony Over Hear Headphones to connect to my Samsung Note 10 I love it so I won't return the cable lol I just found it ironic how this article popped up after a bunch of Google search for HiFi auxiliary cords to go with another type C DAC converter that I'm ordering now for my Sony HT-ST5000

 

[lovinthehd]

Haha - I tried my best lovinthehd. Okay, how about a 5-band parametric with high and low shelving switches - would that get at least one eyebrow to twitch? Just to add, they could be made with LM4562's......could that get the second eyebrow to twitch? (It would be rather expensive though).

I have a couple better than that on hand already.

 

[Ren Kitchener]

I have a couple better than that on hand already.

Oooh - is this something you can share lovinthehd? I'd be genuinely interested to hear/know a bit more about those.

 

[Chad Gerkin]

Great article, thanks for reminding me how many hours I spent researching and listening to audio gear. I have a superb system now but the process of buying the equipment wasn’t nearly as much fun as the good old days.

The good ole days didn't include $20,000
For a good Pre amp, 2 channel Amp, and set of Stereo speakers. Not even a $10,000 turntable, just a 500$ blu ray player to spin Cd's. But it all in what u want. I blame my Dad for my Audiophile sickness. Lol. Thanks Dad. But sure love it to this day.

 

[Rod Sheridan]

My interest in audio started when I was in high school in the 70's.

Reading audio magazines, especially articles by Dr. Floyd E. Toole, going to trade shows in Toronto (remember them?), and hanging out in audio stores was a way of life back then.

Building both electronics and speakers ( a pair of Altec A7's followed by a more space saving pair of 816"s using the same components) and rebuilding tube amplifiers such as the Dynaco units with improved parts or circuit modifications.

Then there many kit type audio components from Heathkit, Dynaco and others, as well as many solid state power amplifier modules that simply required you to supply a chassis, power supply and some jacks, and of course back lit analogue VU meters. In those days even Radio Shack sold audio components including drivers, crossovers and some electronics.

Now I have a pair of Lascala's as the front speakers (yes I have an understanding wife who let me replace the 816's with the Lascala's).

My children are in their 30's, neither of them own an audio system aside from an iPod and a pair of earbuds, where did I go wrong
Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

 

[3db]

]

Selecting the right low resistance and capacitance speaker cable was also part of the nostalgia and part of the excitement - the new active speakers have taken this away. I don't like active speakers for one single reason - they need to be turned on and off - twice. Oh, and the other single reason is that you can find the perfect looking speaker, but it will probably have a less perfect amplifier in it. Ah, and the other single reason is that tone control becomes difficult unless you have this in a preamp in between the speakers (I don't like remote controls either).

Selecting low resistance and capacitance speaker cables is another one of those audiophile myths.

The first link is probabally the most important link to show why the transmission line model does not work in audio frequencies.

http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/tex...nt/chpt-14/long-and-short-transmission-lines/

Basically, it has to do with cable lengths or what the article describes as electrically long or electrically short. If our interconnects and speaker cables approached the quarter wave length of the highest audio frequency, then that cable would be considered electrically long. Do get an idea how long this, I punched in 20 KHz into the calculator in this link; http://www.1728.org/freqwave.htm and I got an electrical wavelength (not an acoustic wavelength) to be 1.4999 e^4 meters or 14.999 kilometers. To meet the minimum requirement for "electrically long", divide this by 4 to get our quarter wavelength defintion which will be 3.75 Km. Based on these numbers, it would be safe to say that most of us have speaker cables that are electrically short.

In an electrically short cable, the voltage/current is considered constant through out the length of the cable at a given instant in time. The voltage/current does vary with time but if one could freeze time and take out a voltage meter and measure along the cable length, one would get the same reading along any point on the cable. This means that the amplifier doesn't see the affects of the capacitance or inductance of the cable but it does see the resistance of the cable and the load attached to the end of the cable. This resistance is relatively small compared to the speaker and can be ignored if appropriately sized for the cable run length and the power its expected to carry.

To illustrate another point... remember traveling down a road beside telephone lines and every once in a while, you would see a big lump in the line? That is a transformer along with capacitors and inductors to shape up the signal before it continues to travel along the lines and match impedances. We would require to insert this in our speaker cables if they were many times longer than the 3.75km calculated from above.


Its stands to reason that if the speaker cable is not seen by the amplifier (capacitance and inductance values of the cable does not affect the amplifier), then swapping in and out different speaker cables will not affect the sound provided once again that the cables have sufficient cross sectional area for run length and intended power delivery.

 

[Ren Kitchener]

]

Selecting low resistance and capacitance speaker cables is another one of those audiophile myths.

I know, I know 3db - but it's still part of the ritual and misguided nostalgia - very much like touching wood - I clearly appreciate that wood has no magical properties whatsoever, but it just makes me feel better if I do touch it, when I hope for something positive.
But I also know for certain, that a Matte Grey, 'twin & earth' cable dangling stiffly from a speaker, is just not going to look that nice, particularly with all the irreversible kinks in it. So, I go for attractive, fine stranded, low oxide, low resistance and low capacitance cable, not because I must, but because I can, and it makes me feel better. Anyway - I had used some 'bad cable' once, and my amplifier oscillated like an....oscillator. I separated the cores, and it worked fine - Coincidence? Faulty amplifier? I don't know and I never really wanted to know - it was going to be 'good low capacitance cable' from now on, where all my friends were awestruck at how much difference the cable makes - because I told them it's 'low oxide' cable designed by German Engineers. After all, an attractive, flexible, thick, stranded, twin, wide, parallel, copper cable, is, by default, low resistance, low inductance and low capacitance - which is pure luck - or is it?

But thank you for taking the time to write this down for me - it's actually very useful.

 

[MR.MAGOO]

There are lots of folks from all over the place posting around here. Any small record stores or chains you all liked and remember from your youth? Liquorice Pizza was one I remember from the 80’s. Loved the logo.
View attachment 43699

This takes me down memory lane, here in So. Calif. my friends and I would frequent Licorice Pizza, and Music + (Plus), The WhereHouse, Wallichs Music City. There was a small Indi record store, one owner, forget the name, I bought my first John Lennon LP there (John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band).

 

[Trebdp83]

Remembering L.A.’s First Great Record Store, Wallichs Music City Los Angeles Magazine

Bing Crosby shopped the aisles, Frank Zappa worked the floor

www.lamag.com

 

[Trebdp83]

Was before my time. Only ever went to the now closed Amoeba Music on Sunset when in LA. Still go by Salzar’s Records when in Ventura.

 

[3db]

I know, I know 3db - but it's still part of the ritual and misguided nostalgia - very much like touching wood - I clearly appreciate that wood has no magical properties whatsoever, but it just makes me feel better if I do touch it, when I hope for something positive.
But I also know for certain, that a Matte Grey, 'twin & earth' cable dangling stiffly from a speaker, is just not going to look that nice, particularly with all the irreversible kinks in it. So, I go for attractive, fine stranded, low oxide, low resistance and low capacitance cable, not because I must, but because I can, and it makes me feel better. Anyway - I had used some 'bad cable' once, and my amplifier oscillated like an....oscillator. I separated the cores, and it worked fine - Coincidence? Faulty amplifier? I don't know and I never really wanted to know - it was going to be 'good low capacitance cable' from now on, where all my friends were awestruck at how much difference the cable makes - because I told them it's 'low oxide' cable designed by German Engineers. After all, an attractive, flexible, thick, stranded, twin, wide, parallel, copper cable, is, by default, low resistance, low inductance and low capacitance - which is pure luck - or is it?

But thank you for taking the time to write this down for me - it's actually very useful.

I apologize for missing on your sarcasm about the ritual. Usually, I don't miss sarcasm but that one flew over my head.

 

[lejack]

This article very much resonates with me, however, I would never trade in large Advents, the originals, for anything, since they were, and still are, the best, if refoamed. I'm sorry I don't have my original pair.

 

[lovinthehd]

This article very much resonates with me, however, I would never trade in large Advents, the originals, for anything, since they were, and still are, the best, if refoamed. I'm sorry I don't have my original pair.

One of my few audio regrets was that I didn't keep mine, too....

 

[davidscott]

One of my few audio regrets was that I didn't keep mine, too....

Yep I purchase a pair of the New Large Advents back in 1979. Smooth with unbelievable bass. Sold them when I moved to a small apartment and picked up some Allison cubes which also quite good btw. Loved those Advents.

 

[JohnF]

Yes! Carefully and deftly spin the heavily weighted knobs on the top-end big receivers and analog tuners from the late-70's and watch the dial pointer go coast to coast! Butter. Wonderful. Need to spin it "just right" so as not to introduce undue stress on the internals. Fun times back then. Going to the stereo stores -- with the smell of fresh warm electronics in the air...

 

[upshift]

My first major purchase when I got out of college included: Infinity speakers, Phase Linear 500B, SoundCrafstman pre-amp/equalizer, Technics turntable with Rabco tonearm.
Boy did I do the research and listening tests before deciding on those components.
My wife was ok with it because she knew what it meant to me, but my mother could not believe we bought that before we had a washer and drier.
People would come over "just to listen".

JD

 

[Dean Kurtz]

There are lots of folks from all over the place posting around here. Any small record stores or chains you all liked and remember from your youth? Liquorice Pizza was one I remember from the 80’s. Loved the logo.
View attachment 43699

I worked there in the mid 70's. Spent half my earned money on LP's. Lots of free concert tickets and promo's too. Best and most fun job I ever had.

 

[Dean Kurtz]

I worked there in the mid 70's. Spent half my earned money on LP's. Lots of free concert tickets and promo's too. Best and most fun job I ever had.

My first job at a record store was in Fullerton, CA. Called Musixbox. Small place. Also sold car stereo and I bought my first receiver there. An old Scott. I made my DIY speakers in wood shop. Then moved up to Phase Linear pre amp and power amp. Bought ESS AMT 1 A's. Then went on to Infinity Kappa 9 speakers. Now I'm down to a couple Boston Acoustics VS260's and an old Energy sub, plus a Musical Fidelity M1CDT transport, Denon DVD3910 (for SACD and DVD Audio- and just replaced the laser) and a Denon BDT 1713UD for movies. My two receivers have both died. I am still excited about buying a Parasound 2 channel (going back in time there). Both my kids have spent big bucks on their systems. And they both are way into records. Buying half speed masters. I remember buying the early Mobile Fidelity for about $15.and thinking that was a lot. Anyway, I'm still into it, but a little short on cash at the moment. It's all good. Gave my kids first pick on records (still had about 800) and sold and gave away the rest. I now have over 1,000 cd's.