I'm confused. Since when did John Curl have anything to do with designing a McIntosh system for the Grateful Dead? I know about the system of course, it's famous, but he didn't design amps for McIntosh, did he? What was he then, a consultant putting it all together for them?
The guru on fuses:
For two years, I have asked why and how fuses could possibly matter. All I got was arguments of faith, pro or con. I needed a real audio guru who actually knows. Here is a link from John Curl’s discussion on Parasound’s website. He engineered and designed some some great equipment, including some Mark Levinson gear, The Grateful Dead’s 30 plus McIntosh amp powered Wall of Sound, and his admittedly, somewhat price compromised Parasound designs. He discusses the electrical properties of standard fuses, showing how they are compromised. The entire article is quite enlightening, but to skip to the fuse section, go to the bottom half of page 6. https://www.parasound.com/pdfs/JCinterview.pdf
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For those of you who think you are authorities, and especially for those of you who only read the half paragraph on fuse measurements, READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE! The gist is neither that fuses matter or don't, even though his explanation clearly shows why they should make a difference, nor is it that measurements do not matter. Curl clearly explains how critical listening shows differences that have not yet been measured, and how this experience clearly leads to better instrumentation that finds measureable electrical differences. |
roxy54 No, John Curl did not design McIntosh products, but he used for the system. He designed the crossovers, and worked with two other engineers on the monitor less dual microphone system (wired and positioned out of phase with each other to remove any feedback from the speakers behind the mics). He also provided his expertise for other wiring issues for the Dead's Wall of Sound system. There were two to four semi trucks, depending on the venue, each with sets of scaffolding. As the band played one venue, the second structure was being assembled at the next destination. Acid King Owlsley Stanley built the speaker cabinets, and JBL made many of the drivers, along with Electrovoice, I believe, abut Curl designed the electronics other than the amps. BTW, at Miami Jai Alai, about two and a half dozen 300 wpc transistor amps ran the instrument speakers, while 350 wpc tube amps were used for the singers, in order to get pleasing harmonics. Interestingly, there were no mixing boards, nor monitors. Check out the system below. I saw and heard it indoors at Miami Jai Aai, where a smaller number of amps, were used than at the outdoor stages, only a few dozen. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_of_Sound_(Grateful_Dead)#:~:text=The%20Wall%20of%20Sound%20was,as.... |
I liked the part about magnetic resistors vs nonmagnetic. Also the different cap composition and that it’s usually the first part to fail BETWEEN different stages.. Again quality parts are going a long ways, but he emphasizes the importance of HIGH quality copper resistors.. AND the best in dielectrics when it comes to cap composition. He didn’t seem to be a very big fan of mylar or aluminum either. I also picked up we should build, to spec, then listen, not concede that because the units are specked correctly no complaint can exist.. He says "LISTENING" is still the final say so, in a nut shell.. I say what about magnets on either side of the fuse holder.. Just like a laser being focused with magnets.. What the heck is that gonna do? I been wondering? He doesn’t like stray magnetic eddies.. What about where we want them... That silly fuse? Anyways, time to feed the chickens.. Regards.. |
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