Signatures

ServerBaboon wrote: Is this signature why you don't seem to have any inclination for Valves? I must admit to having a fondness for valve distortion, not enough to buy one but enough to enter HiFi Choices latest competition.

Valve distortion is the same as class A bi-polar transistor distortion (I'm sure I just upset the valve brigade...), except the transistor adds an extra distortion due to its non-linear input/output characteristic. However, this non-linear input/output characteristic can be overcome by reducing its gain using a trick called emitter degeneration, at which point the distortion curves can be made to exactly match those of a valve.

A valve is a cumbersome thing only available in one polarity, but it should be possible to utilise two or three in a very similar way as a modern high linearity transistor stage so as to remove its "signature" - I'd love to try that!

But where I don't have time or money on my side to attempt such a coup, the valve gear of the day became as it is because being for audio, such distortions didn't matter! Yes, delve deeply enough as I do, and you find that has been the attitude in audio all along - apart from a few like myself, the industry has relied on "spin" to sell its products instead of technical excellence (which CAN sound stacks better but you've been told differently soooo many times...). So hi-fi today is simply the continuance of the radiogram of yesteryear - a splinter group that couldn't give a damn (IMO) that's become the accepted norm among the masses.

"We" have evolved to regard the imperfect as being the thing to aspire to.

However, there are a few who are not satisfied with running with the pack. It started with me as the typical rebellious teenager of the day (the 70s) deciding the non-conformist or hippie route was better than being a conformist mod or a rocker!

To pinch a line from Python's "Life of Brian" when Brian shouts "we're all individuals!" a little voice is heard to say "I'm not!" - In other words he truly is.

In the world of hi-fi, to do it the correct way - to actually try and provide the most linear output, which when it is pulled-off lets the music "blow your mind" in a similar way to the real thing done really well in a live performance - well, it simply doesn't fit the mould. Because it's far easier not to be an engineer and regurgitate the "audio doesn't matter" circuits and use salesmanship to convince the buyer it's what he/she wants.

So we now have the original movement: High Fidelity, as the ridiculed outcast with me because of my (slightly?) rebellious nature quite enjoying being part of it. Don't get me wrong - I'm not having a strop over all this (although I used to) because over the years I've found there are sufficient like-minded people willing to partake of my wares to let me be just the right side of the line - "in the black".

And yes to Sceptre, these are the conversations I anticipated. Very helpful indeed in understanding the users of hi-fi products, and what a community such as this should be about. It's a support community. To support who? Me? No, the customer who's enquiring mind wants to go further than the usual "spin" and discover some real truths, but only if that's what he/she really wants.

It's not my job to be nanny and make sure each thread here calls our own tune. Let that be a job for presidents and prime ministers.

But getting back to the discussion: I feel that hi-fi is not delivering what it says it will deliver. Hi-fi frowns on tone controls so much so that you seldom see them today, but they're simply being replaced by "fixed" signatures instead. Wouldn't it be better to let the user decide and fit tone controls again?

I remember the dissatisfaction I had with my "hi-fi" purchases in my youth. Rather than being able to get into the music, I always ended up fiddling with this, fiddling with that, and giving up and instead going down the pub (or worse...)

I just see this perpetuating itself with others - thousands, millions perhaps - not being able to get into the music, but instead looking for answers and buying the products of those that fiddle-about instead of from the minority on the fringes who can get it right.

In our case we'd like to do the line-stage, the power-amp, even the speakers that could just be the solution to the perennial dissatisfaction that when you think of it, sells hi-fi mags. But we are prevented from doing so by the very virtue that people buy en-mass the products of "spin" which keeps our business too small to have the resources to do so.

And I guess that's my moan - that's what "brought it on"

As another member commented, few manufacturers are so open as we are here, most prefer to hide. In the absence of "spin" it looks as if this support community (as well as being a place for its members views) is our only tool to get our message out.

Graham, keep up the good fight. There is a HUGE community out there that is dedicated to preserving the music the way it was presented, and just like you, dedicate their untold hours to realize that goal.

 One can always adapt to what ever it is that they feel is lacking or needed in a given "recording", but once added or removed in the mastering, all is lost.

  It is not a perfect world. There is no end all answer. But as you have proved, give me an Amp that totally duplicates what it is fed, that gives me the ultimate control to adapt whatever it is that I need at that time to get whatever it is that I'm looking for out of a given recording.

  If thats as clear as mud, what I'm saying is in most cases, if I were to design something, it would be to worst case scenerio. In this case I think it's best to design to the best case. Meaning, I would much rather hear the best from my best recordings rather then hearing my worst recordings at their best and sacrifice my best recordings.

 Enjoy the music all of my music loving brethern!!

ServerBaboon wrote: Is it better to copy the album layout as it was released or reorganised for audio quality....  concept albums could be an issue..

It would be best to use the original master tape.

If the vinyl itself is copied it would make sense to keep them in the same order: If the first track of a side was made the last track it would have to undergo the subtle tweaking as outlined in the Kevin Gray article to make the highs "fit" without breaking through or flipping the stylus out of the groove. Likewise if the last track was to go first it wouldn't benefit from the less convoluted path because the highs had already been tweaked down to fit the tight "bends" of the inside groove. Hope I'm making sense? Kevin Gray explains it much better.

Some albums are tweaked really well whereas others probably used less skilled mastering engineers, and that's why we all have a few records we call "bad pressings". In the case of a really well-mastered album, then in copying it, you may not notice the subtle differences if laid-out in a different order.

Lastly, JohnC has a friend who collects old mechanical Gramophones. He told me that he's got some old French Gramophones and records, and they play centre-out! (aren't CDs done like that?) I thought "how logical!" The last track is often the grand finale, and so the band or orchestra is usually going all-out with cymbal crashes, trumpet blast's, etc. So being on the outside every bit of the music can be captured "as-is", without the need to turn anything down, so all the energy of the recording is reproduced verbatim as possible. So rather than slamming the French as Brits often do, we and the Americans (IMO) should have adopted their method! But as with most things, it seems too late now to change.

David,

You are not alone.

Most people go through the same process - it's a bit similar to banging your head against a wall - it's great when it stops!

So numerous people have ditched hi-fi to concentrate on something more fulfilling, but why?

Too many ruddy opportunists!

The proliferation in the amount of hi-fi equipment on offer is testament to that!

The vast majority of these opportunists have no understanding of electronics!

(I should know - I've worked with some)

But can I mention who they are? Correct! I'd be spending the rest of my life in court!

Just think? The proper people would be rolling in riches if these opportunists would simply go an **** off!

Because you and millions other's would not have/or be considering ditching hi-fi.

FYI (and I'm sure Leo will testify to this) I spend a ridiculous amount of time getting things to sound good - tonal balance, "PRAT", dynamics, you name it.