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dvv
Regular Joined: 12 Jan 2008 Location: Belgrade, Serbi Status: Offline Points: 95 |
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Posted: 14 Jul 2008 at 7:31pm |
Ooops, sorry TG, I didn't see ...
Tough luck then, because I'm off for my holidays this coming Friday. No Internet, no messages, just my notebook, me and some ideas I can hardly wait to work (a bit) on. I'll be back on August 7 in the evening; it's pretty convenient to have Greece just 8 hours of reasonable driving away - well, that's 10 hours when you include border crossings and coffee stops. Less, if you also include speeding ...
Though the term "speeding" is highly relative. In Greece, most highways are speed limited to 110 or 120 km/h. Then you see the cops smile when every Greek worth his salt does what comes naturally to them - put the pedal to the metal, and damn the petrol costs. Take off your Mr Nice crown and put the hammer down. Go as fast as your car can manage, literally, the fortunate part being that most cars in Greece have 1,400 cc engines, I am told the tax man starts being brutal above that. And I'm sitting in my 2 liter car ...
And you wonder why I go to Greece every summer ...
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tg [RIP]
Moderator Group Joined: 19 Jan 2008 Location: Sydney Status: Offline Points: 1866 |
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@dvv - the man is away on hols for a week - http://www.gspaudio-community.activeboards.net/forum_posts.asp?TID=193
Normal programming will resume shortly :D |
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dvv
Regular Joined: 12 Jan 2008 Location: Belgrade, Serbi Status: Offline Points: 95 |
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I always seem to find these great topics last ...
Graham, if you recall, we talked about this very phenomenon some years ago. I can't remember if Alba was mentioned, but I do remember saying that an integrated from Amstrad, while hardly a revelation, did sound way better than one would epect, better than some competing far better known models, and all that at about a third of their price. But hey, that's Amstrad, the "all but the kitchen sink" company, what do they know about good sound?
Perhaps an even better illustration of the mud we are wallowing in is a Sanyo integrated amp, which appeared in the early 80-ies. It used STK power modules when they were truly horrible (unless you used them at half their rated power, but they are infinitely better these days) and, as with many Sanyo Marubeni products, it was feature rich and cheap. As far as I have been able to ascertain, it has appeared as an OEM product by quite a few companies, mostly from Germany: Saba, Nordmende, BASF and as Lenco from Switzerland.
If tested as a Sanyo model, it not only got thumbs down, it also got a kick in its electronic arse - yes folks, this is a bad karma product. But if the IDENTICAL in all respects but the external looks product with a different name came by (yes, I did check, I did compare the schematics, I did compare the parts, etc), hey, it was all right, no big deal, but all right. Never mind that it cost more - or perhaps that's why it was "better".
Product sharing like that has been around since those days, but invariably with the same result. Yet, for one who knows, an inverse deal was also possible - if you bought a nominally German, but actually Japan made Palladium integrated amp, you really bought a Pioneer SA-8500 Mk.2 repackaged, paying around 20-25% LESS than for the "real" Pioneer.
Graham, it's all in the marketing. Marketing is when you add say two totally useless but also zero harm diodes in your say DC Servo circuit, and call it an "Intelligent DC Input Output Transformation", or IDIOT. You just have to have an acronym, man, without it, you ain't whole!
I already suggested, and I repeat what I'd do in your place - I would very seriously consider an all discrete circuit. Op amps are just fine, but it is a fact that they are closed, they sound the way they do and there's little you can do about it. In a dicrete circuit, you keep absolute control over how it sounds and lose nothing in the process, even if it is more complex and involving (but also more fun!). Actually, you not only do not lose, you gain if you put your heart into it. You end up with a veritable monster, which at 10V rms has a noise and THD factor of just 0,05% - but at 500 kHz! Under the same conditions, Noise+THD at 20 kHz is below -100 dB, or 0.001%. I think - I can't measure below that. Nor do I want to, frankly, there's no point.
I could ramble on for some time, but I'll spare you the torture - let me just repeat that you are now in a situation where you realistically HAVE to come out with a monstrosity of some kind. Never mind if it sells, it's primary job is to highlight your technical prowess and thus rub off some stardust on the regular line. Heck, everybody and their dog did it, how do you expect to get out of it?
If you have a problem with starting the ball rolling, let me know and I'll supply a few circuits FYI, you can use either them, or simply as a starting point for your own, whatever, so long as you do do it. I hereby publically renounce any and all royalties on any basis, except for another pint, of course, you don't get out of that.
As for helping out in any way I can, well, I still have the same address and, oddly enough, the same enthusisam as I did when we met, despite a few more years and kilos under my belt. I'll help any way I can.
But, before you do anything, excluding only doing nothing, I want you to sit down and calmly think over a shunt regulator. Then make a model and listen to your own Solo and try to believe it's the same one from just a minute ago. It ain't gonna be easy! It's that much better.
Cheers,
DVV
P.S. Graham, I can't find where I activate the feature which informs me of new messages in a thread I am following. Being the Lord of the Site, kindly activate it for me.
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ManuelC
Regular Joined: 23 Jun 2008 Location: Portugal Status: Offline Points: 67 |
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Well Han,
Right, all equipment we use tampers with the source, but I believe that happens because we can't help it- it would cost millions to record and reproduce perfectly a quiet, casual conversation.
The idea is that it would be good to be able to reproduce the original recording (in itself a whole mix of technical and artistical choices and circumstances) as best as we can, nothing added, nothing filtered (hint).
But, of course, as it was very well put, even our listening rooms become factors, let alone our ears and the time of day.
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tg [RIP]
Moderator Group Joined: 19 Jan 2008 Location: Sydney Status: Offline Points: 1866 |
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Yes, that is OK - I have made some guesses anyway
Can't find a way to weld the covers on the review samples can you ? A quick spot with a MIG torch on the screw heads should do it, just enough to stop them being removed (block up the slots) - quench with a wet rag straight after - shouldn't have time for heat transfer to damage anything - I've welded right next to windscreen seals this way without damaging the rubber. You would just have to drill the screws to get them out afterwards. I'm probably being silly - good luck with it anyway. |
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Graham Slee
Admin Group Retired Joined: 11 Jan 2008 Location: South Yorkshire Status: Offline Points: 16298 |
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Well it's a good job that this old retro item blows the crap out of all the chic-boutique favourites!
@ tg: I'm sorry this is so sketchy but until the trade feel comfortable with this "shocker" of a product I can't really say or even hint. |
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That none should be able to buy or sell without a smartphone and the knowledge in how to use apps
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stuxter
Senior Member Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Status: Offline Points: 140 |
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@ dave `im leaving ` millier... for once we actually agree on something
@ab pest.... couldnt agree more.... who... with a top notch system, is gonna sit down and listen to GIRLS ALOUD. If they mixed one of thier albums to sound good on hi-fi, then its gonna sound poop on radio !
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