larryi
Responses from larryi
| how do you know a bad tube? Newbee, The act of turning off a component, often results in noise, without any component necessarily being defective. That is why one should not turn off sources or the linestage/preamp first, because any such transient "pop' will be amplified by... | |
| how do you know a bad tube? I don't know of any kind of simple and cheap tube tester that will reliably tell you when a tube is going bad. Most testers are not cheap and many require calibration and maintenance.Also, a tube can begin to go bad in ways that certain testers wi... | |
| how do you know a bad tube? You should have at least one extra set of tubes. That extra set will provide the tubes to swap and test for the bad unit. It also means your equipment is never out of commission just because a tube is going bad. | |
| Exactpower Ep15a or PS-Audio p500 PS Audio has been advertising new power regenerators that are supposedly much more efficient (less energy loss as heat). You should look into that.I like the sound of Accuphase regenerators, which are pretty efficient, but they are quite expensive. | |
| Speakers to replace Martin logan Prodigys In smaller rooms, or where one must place the speaker close to a rear wall or a corner, I would recommend the Gradient Revolution. A great speaker designed specifically for such situations. They will give you some of that openness and clarity that... | |
| Opportunity to buy the best Preamp... but which? It sounds like a fun project -- looking for a preamp without heavy constraints on price. But, at best, we can only suggest what to look at, because it is nearly impossible to guess what sound you would prefer and how the preamp will behave in your... | |
| Will an external soft start device limit current? By limiting current on turn-on, soft start circuits greatly extend the life of tubes. When cold, the filament in the tube has a much lower resistance than it does at operating temperature. That means that when you turn the component on, there is a... | |
| Tube pre-amps: turn off when not in use? Physically, what is happening when the tube is in the standby mode? Is the filament heated, but no voltage on the plate? Are other components kept "warm" as well? | |
| Tube pre-amps: turn off when not in use? I turn all my tube gear off when not in use. Tube gear gets warmed up pretty quickly, as compared to solid state, so there is less of a reason to leave the stuff on all the time. All of my tube gear uses tube rectification, so the turn on is relat... | |
| Basis Vector vs... I have a Vector I arm; I am pleased with its performance. My primary beef with the design is with the inability to adjust VTA easily. I have resorted to making a series of spacers (PVC pipe) to fit between the base of the arm and the armboard, eac... | |
| Cartridge upgrade for SME 20/2A??? Esoxhntr,I noticed that you have all Blue Circle electronics. If you like the sound of a particular line of electronics, it does make sense to stick with that line all the way through a system. That would argue in favor or staying with the BC phon... | |
| Is there a modern equivalent of Allison Ones? Amoung the most versatile, in terms of placement, and best sounding along the wall or in corners that I've heard is the Gradient Revolution (active), though I bet the passive version would be no slouch.Audionote speakers also sound very good when ... | |
| Kharma Midi vs. Sonus Faber Stradivari Amati Aside from shows, I have heard Kharma speakers in two home systems. In both instances I did not like the sound at all -- a strange combination of dry, antiseptic sound and dynamic lifelessness (i.e., poor microdynamics at lower listening levels). ... | |
| How high is your soundstage? Chesky Records put out a test CD that included a very interesting set of test signals that sound like short bursts of static. If the system is set up properly, and if walls or furniture, etc., do not interfere too much with the direct sound from t... | |
| Top ten tube amps The following are some of the better amps I've heard in my system or in familiar systems. Most of them can only be used with somewhat efficient speakers.Audionote (uk) SogonAudionote (uk) Gaku-OnAudionote (UK) Kageki (the one I own)Western Electri... |