John H. Dunlavy Speaks Out...
But Are You Listening?
(G-d i hope so. Additional comments by me at the end of Johns writings)
The large number of recent
postings regarding
audiophile cables and loudspeaker design is encouraging.
Perhaps, it is indicative of a newfound level of interest in
the way cables work and perform. Several posts raised
questions and or proffered information that deserve
comment. Unfortunately, my cramped work schedule
leaves little time for writing individual replies to everyone.
Therefore, I will try and lump related answers together
and attempt to cover as much important territory as
time allows.
For those who asked how impulse response, step
response, amplitude Vs. frequency response and
phase Vs. frequency response are related to one
another, lets consider the following. The
impulse-response of any linear analog network,
including amps, loudspeakers, cables, etc., is
important because it contains information about
virtually all other measurable and audible performance
properties. Beginning with a measurement of
impulse-response, the frequency-response,
phase-response, cumulative-decay-spectra,
step-response, energy-time response, etc., may
be rapidly and accurately determined by FFT
analysis, such as that provided by the now well-known,
computer-based, MLSSA measurement system.
(We have three MLSSA systems running full-time
for R&D and production QC applications, in
addition to spectrum analyzers, distortion analyzers,
vector-impedance analyzers, complex waveform
generators, etc.)
Further, in answer to another question posed on the
NET, variations in phase Vs. frequency within a linear
system are the “first derivative” of variations in amplitude Vs. frequency. And, variations of amplitude in the
“time domain” produce variations of both amplitude
and phase in the “frequency domain”. Indeed, virtually
all measurable performance attributes of any linear
system, whether it be an amplifier, a loudspeaker,
a cable, etc., are related to each other in relatively
simple ways that are easily treatable by
mathematics - an extremely powerful tool for those
who understand and know how to use and apply it.
Several posts seem intent on taking issue with
what I said about low-loss, low-impedance
loudspeaker cables causing some poorly-designed
power-amps (with a slew-rate exceeding stability limits
created by an improperly designed inverse-feedback
loop) to oscillate. One recent post said: “This is the
third time you have ascribed high slew-rate amplifiers
to the problem of cable interface. This is misleading.
It’s also the third time I have contradicted you on this
point, which is why I’m sending this reply directly via
email this time (as well as to the ng)”.
But in my post on the subject, I never directly related
“slew-rate” to oscillation without the caveat: “... created
by an improperly designed inverse-feedback loop”.
Indeed, the following text (exactly as I posted it on
the NET) is the relevant paragraph that seems to bother
this particular contributor:
“Most “seemingly” unexplainable, yet truly
audible
differences between cables, can be explained if
critically examined with respect to equipment interface
considerations. For example, a well-designed, low-loss
loudspeaker cable (with a relatively-low
characteristic-impedance of perhaps 6 to 8 Ohms)
can cause many expensive, well-regarded power-amps
(with a slew-rate exceeding stability limits created
by an improperly designed inverse-feedback loop)
to oscillate at frequencies well above the audio range.
This is sometimes audible as a low-level,
high-frequency “crackling noise” (usually emitted
by the tweeter as it’s voice-coil is being cooked).
Such amplifier instabilities may also alter the “sound”
of the amplifier by creating an “edgy” quality on musical
transients or an exaggeration of high-frequency notes,
etc.. But the amplifier, in this case, is at fault - not the
loudspeaker cable.”
From the above, I fail to grasp how this person
interpreted my comments as inferring that I believe
amplifier stability is directly related to slew-rate - alone!
Far from it, for some of the best power-amps I have
heard and/or tested exhibited very high slew-rate
performance - obtained by using proper high-frequency
transistors in a “minimalist circuit configuration with
relatively little inverse-feedback”. I sincerely hope
that the above comments set the record straight
and that I do, indeed, understand network/circuit theory,
transmission-line theory, amp design, slew-rate,
stability margin, inverse-feedback problems, etc.
One post on rahe recently noted that, “I’ve been
following Stereophile’s analysis of time-coherence for
a while now, and have noticed that almost none of
the speakers reviewed are time-coherent, including
those which received excellent ratings.” Without
attempting to justify “excellent ratings” sometimes
given by Stereophile for loudspeakers that do not
exhibit “time-coherent” performance (good impulse,
step, waterfall and energy-time responses), their
reviews are most often an amalgam of two different
approaches for judging “accuracy”: 1) subjectively
perceived accuracy (based upon listening) and, 2)
objective accuracy (determined by assessing a
full-set of accurate measurements). The best reviews,
in my opinion, are those that compare the results of
both and attempt to resolve and explain any lack of
correlation that might exist. Subjectively determined
accuracy, taken alone, is an unreliable means for
establishing the acoustical merits of audiophile
components. This is because even the most honest
attempt at determining accuracy by listening, is
subject to personal experience, preferences, whims,
long and short-term memory, program material,
equipment interface problems, listening room
modes, etc. Also, one reviewer might consider a “warm,
mellow sound” to be most accurate while another
might be attracted by a “more detailed, analytical
sound” and so forth. If a multi-member group listens
to a system and attempts to arrive at a consensus
regarding its accuracy relative to some “standard”,
the danger exists that the strongest-willed member
may, without consciously intending to do so,
inadvertently impose his or her choice on the
other listeners.
Thus, Stereophile’s frequent use of both
measurements and listening evaluations represents a
giant step ahead of most other mags, all too many of
which rely solely upon the questionable virtues of
a “golden ears” guru with unproven auditory credentials.
Those mags that also incorporate measurements in their
reviews often provide the reader with only a limited
range of measured data, usually graphs of
frequency-response, impedance and a few others -
that yield little or no information regarding “time-domain”
performance, e.g., impulse-response, step-response,
waterfall, etc. Properly interpreted, these latter
measurements provide readers with a far more
accurate means for correlating how a loudspeaker
will sound if compared to live music in “real-time”.
These are some of the reasons why we consider
Stereophile the magazine of choice for audiophiles
wanting product reviews offering reasonable grounds
for being believable. However, I have heard many
audiophiles comment that Stereophile should provide
an occasional “tutorial” intended to help readers
interpret the meanings of measurements and how
to apply them in comparing one product with another.
(Anyone at the mag listening?)
Several individuals have inquired as to why we
designed and sell our own cables. The answer is simple:
we believe that most audiophile cables are very over-priced,
do not perform as advertised and do not provide the
technical properties required to insure the best
possible system performance (taking into consideration
system interface problems). For example, most
interconnect cables exhibit a sufficiently high
capacitance (typically in excess of 30 pF/ft.) to cause
non-linear distortion at high-frequencies when used with
some pre-amps and power-amps. The relatively
inexpensive top-of-the-line Radio Shack interconnects
are a shinning example of an excellent performing,
low-capacitance cable (typically about 15 pF/ft.)
that is very, very affordable. Our own interconnect
cable exhibits nearly half the capacitance but is a bit
more expensive - though very affordable for most
audiophiles.
With respect to loudspeaker cables, we measured
most of the best known and most expensive audiophile
brands and were shocked to find that little correlation
existed between selling price and measured/audible
performance. If you read back to some of my earlier
postings on the subject, you will discover that I covered
the matter in a reasonably thorough manner. We will
continue to design and market our own cables to meet
a consumer and professional demand for cables
offering credible performance, based upon solid
engineering criteria and accurate measurements
of all relevant performance parameters - at very
affordable prices. While we do so, we also tell
audiophiles and professional users that, especially
for relatively short lengths of cable, there appears
to be no consistently audible difference between
most loudspeaker cables (including high-quality
#20 AWG Zip-cord). The same applies to most
interconnect cables, regardless of their cost. But, in
my opinion, it costs no more to design and manufacture
cables that conform to the dictates of good engineering
practice than those cables whose properties and
performance are very questionable. So, why not do
so - and give customers a break from all the flooby-dust,
buzzard-salve, snake-oil and hokum that surrounds
the advertising of too many of today’s cables?
Best Regards,
John Dunlavy
Please click here to send John Dunlavy e-mail.
Additional comments by me.
First i must ask you cool dudette/dude readers this one question: What is
the "ideal" speaker? Well, in my humble opinion it would be TOTALLY time and
phase accurate. No over or undershooting, no compression, add absolutely no
"coloration" of it's own... It would also have an acoustic output which either
IS or mimics a single point in space (in other words, it would reproduce an acoustic wave
whos output was as though the ENTIRE frequency spectrum was being emitted from only one
small point in space. NOT spread over a long space vertically, nor horizontally within
space). For i'm in TOTAL agreement with John concerning how some so-called
"high-end" speakers have such anomalies in their time and/or phase coherency
that i'm stupefied that so-called "golden eared" reviewers can't hear these
obvious digressions. If i told you how to modify your Wilson Witts (yeah, Wilson. Same
folks who told me on the phone they had ZERO phase data on the Witt, yet i betcha they had
the Stereophile review there with the phase data. YEP, i told 'em it was in Stereophile
YET they wouldn't supply ME, a purchaser of a pair of Witts, with it). ANYWAY, i
digressed, my humble apologies.
As for improperly designed so-called "high-end" gear. YEP,
there's LOTS of it around folks! For i, too, have had various problems which lead me to
wondering why. Well, when i opened up the unit(s), i saw how some well, actually highly
respected designers are either ripping-off simple circuitry and beefing it up a bit, or
worse still, designing gear to an extent that would NEVER be given even a "C
Grade" by an Electronic Engineer (EE) teacher! Please believe me, i've shown
professors some of these schematics AND gave them the actual unit. BOY were they amazed!!!
When John Wrote: [referring to ( 1) subjectively perceived accuracy (based
upon listening) and, 2) objective accuracy (determined by assessing a full-set of accurate
measurements)] "The best reviews, in my opinion, are those that compare the results
of both and attempt to resolve and explain any lack of correlation that might exist."
For i can't agree more. ONLY by trying to understand WHY better measurements does not
necessarily equal better music reproduction can we then begin to correlate the data
properly. Subsequently, we can then build/design/make electronic instruments that, in
turn, reproduce music to a more accurate/realistic level in my humble opinion.
Cables are, at times, so very much over hyped by the manufacturer of said
cabling (as is some equipment) that to comment would take too much space and time for now.
In agreement with John, a "system" approach, in my humble opinion, IS the best
method for proper music reproduction. This DOES NOT necessarily mean "all components
must be from one manufacturer". It DOES mean that by using proper education/judgement
when buying a product, one understands that you are inserting said product into a
"system". And that "system" is a sum of its parts. A most humble
thanks John for allowing your post here on my www site. It is GREATLY appreciated.
Need a Good Fix???
Remember the old days of "high-end" audio??? Ya know, when you
never REALLY had a completely working system all at one time. Either a tweeter was blown,
a cantilever folded on you for no apparent reason, or your "state-of-the-art"
amplifier blew another output device. Well, have those days returned? What IS high-end
gear anyway? Is it just a beefed up version of a standard higher quality consumer
electronic design? Or is it like a Formula 1 car where things are so technologically
advanced that no one can predict the long term reliability of a technology? Sometimes a
bit of BOTH are what makes a better quality, more realistic sounding product tick. But
what are the consequences? Who will fix your Cygnus X-1 Hypersensitive, Ultrafast,
Reference Supreme ______ (fill in the blank) when it breaks two years down the road?
Sometimes the original designer left the company, usually just a month or
two before your unit dies, and no one really knew how to repair your unit. Or how about
the company going out of business (usually just a month or two before your unit dies of
course)? Where IS the customer service. Well, fortunately we have folks like, and i'm
proud to say, like Lew Johnson of conrad-johnson, or Gordon Rankin of Wavelength Audio. In
my humble opinion, there are the two most dedicated dudes i know who believe in FULL
customer service par excellence. Over the years i've seen where they have gone above and
beyond the "call of duty" to help others. They will not lie to you nor mislead
you. Years of stories do i have in my mental notebook of how well they have serviced the
"audiophile" community.
But what happens when a company becomes very popular after you bought
their product(s) and they forget about customer service, or their customer service isn't
what it once was? Has popularity taken it's toll? Is good help hard to find? And if in the
unlikely event you DO have a problem what can you do? You're stuck. Your local technician
doesn't have that tweaky, custom made part that broke. How about sending the schematic
that's needed to troubleshoot the problem in the first place before you have to send it to
outer Mongolia to the repair facility? After all, it could just be a defective capacitor
in the power supply... or something worse. Without the schematic who knows? Recently i
myself had a Weller soldering gun go bad. Ya know what, i sent the defective iron to them
to be serviced and instead or repairing it they sent me a brand new one!!! So when i
needed another soldering gun here for a backup you can easily guess what brand i bought.
So what DOES happen to your Cygnus X-1 two years from the original date of
purchase and it no longer is functioning? After all it is still under the manufactures
warranty right? Ya know, i'd love to say because of the five year warranty and the price
you paid it'd be fixed pronto!!! But alas, i have lost faith in *some* companies customer
service (not referring to c-j or Wavelength Audio who have the BEST customer service i
know about). No matter if you spent $1,000 or $100,000 with them, it seems that your stuck
with a broken Cygnus X-1. And i'm not the only one. My friend has had a totally different
brand's preamplifier and phono stage in for repair. Well, after more than six months there
is no sign of it (and this company's products came with a ten year warranty and in it's
time was considered the worlds best available product line no less). So to all you
manufactures out there, are you just in it for the money? Did you start of with good
intentions only to be seduced by how much money you can make? Are you in this
hobby/business for the joy of music? As you have grown, have you also "beefed
up" your customer service department? Do you care just as much for the guy who bought
your bottom of the line unit as you do for the customer who bought your
"Reference" product? Inquiring minds want to know?
All I Want To Do Is
Enjoy The Music!
"The snow is snowing
The wind is blowing
But I can weather the storm
What do I care how much it may storm
I've got my love to keep me warm"
Lyrics by Irving Berlin
Yep, no use denying' it. It's winter time here in Northern America.
Can you say snow? Well, it's time i put away my cheesy skateboard and buy my very first
snowboard. Sounds simple doesn't it? Read a few magazines, ask a few folks what they like,
then just go to the store to find a board that looks like it'll do the job. And let's not
forget to get the cloths to keep warm, and like, you're there! Sounds simple right? HA!!!
That couldn't be further from the truth!!!
And you felt that the tubes vs. solid state / vinyl vs. CD group gets hot
and bothered. Just mention the word Burton to a big group of snowboarders and just sit
back for the reaction! First off they're relatively expensive compared to the other
boards, gear and clothing. Like "high-end" audio, mention an item that's
relatively expensive and watch the "bang for the buck" folks tell you how
"X" is just as good and then hear them ramble on for awhile as to why they feel
the way they do. i mean, all i want to do is snowboard and not buy junk or get ripped
off!!!
So what DOES this have to do with "high-end" audio. Well, i
almost said "forget this sh*t" only because all the bickering back and forth
made me wonder what kind of nuts or fanatics these folks must be!!! All we're talking
about is a simple sport! Ya know, just for FUN. REMEMBER FUN?!?!?!?! So what if, say, a
normal person went to the rec.audio forums here on the internet and asked what's the best
music reproduction system for $2,000. Please keep in mind to the average person $2,000 is
A LOT of money for a system. When they see $1,000 Pro-Logic rack systems at their local
"HiFi Hut", two times the price should get them a REALLY GOOD system right?
Oh, but buying a snowboard isn't enough. You need boots, bindings and
cloths too. That should be easy to find what's good right? HA!!! Like music reproduction,
you get MORE arguments back and forth. And just like snowboarding you need to have
accessories too right? So in music reproduction we got our folks who GOTTA chime in and
say you need to spend a few hundred on cables! OH MAN, then the "all cables sound the
same" vs the "cables sound different" folks. Yeah, there we go. Like if we
didn't argue about the amps, preamps, vinyl, CD, solid state, electrostatics, horns, etc
enough. Hit 'em with the cable stuff too. That a'boy!!! So what would YOU do? Yes, i've
been so guilty of arguing some points that i oughtta be imprisoned. But what would YOU do
when you're so passionate about music??? What are the snowboarders to do when they really
love their sport?
Oh yeah, i forgot to mention, you need some kinda wax or some such to keep
the bottom of your board nice and slick. You got your hot wax, cold wax, special
"Boardin' Bob's secret formula" stuff... Audio you ask? Well, we, got your green
ink pens for CDs, your special RCA cleaners, your vinyl cleaning formulations, your secret
tweaks (yeah, snowboarders got tweaks too), add ad-infinitum (or is that add nauseam?). So
while we argue and argue what does this say to the "outside world"???
Well, it possibly shows that we are passionate about things that bring us
joy in life. That we care enough to have traveled a "road" and then to share our
opinions/experiences about it. And above all else, that we may be nuts. Just so ya know, a
relatively inexpensive snowboard setup can cost a dude $400 (not including clothing). So
how do you tell a guy to spend, say, $750??? MAN, that's almost TWICE the righteous
bucks!!! After all, the inexpensive stuff looks a lot like the more expensive stuff. THEN
when you finally get to the store the salesperson goes on and on about formulations and
parts and weight and "state of the art" construction and... Well, i kinda
understood what they meant... kinda.
Well, i could go on and on yet you probably get the point. Maybe the image
of self-proclaimed "audiophiles" could use a tweak or two? Maybe? Maybe
snowboarders need to keep things in check too. Maybe monkeys will fly outta my butt and a
cow jump over the moon? Oh well, got me a full Burton snowboard setup courtesy of a good
friend who likes to see me "get stupid". Glad he didn't see me after i took that
spill on my skateboard last month. Stupid me was holding onto an accelerating car and when
we hit about 30 mph i lost it and dumped onto pavement. Hmmm... where IS that big tree,
bigger rock and worst of all, that possible avalanche on the ski slope again? Are we
having fun yet?
As a side note: i DID see some things that looked A LOT like small
"tone cones" for about $14 for a set of three at the sports shop! Then there was
these small titanium bolts that would fit my cartridge. OH YEAH, there was also this other
stuff which... Please G-D help me, i'm NUTS!!!
Home, Home Again
i Like To Be Here When i Can.
Just so ya know, we've settled down after our big move (please see the
picture of the week for the week of 11/15/96) and are embarking on our long awaited
journey. Life is basically one big journey. We're born, we learn through experience. These
experience can be our own or we learned by others sharing thier experiences with us. All i
touch and all i see is all my life will ever be. We are all equal in the end.
Or is it, "I get by with a little help from my friends" (the
Beatles)? So today i've decided to add a NEW page. Great sayings or wisdoms from the
lyrics hear in the songs i personally enjoy. Personally speaking, MUSIC has ALWAYS been
there for me. So my life reflects the reality i've experienced AND the music enjoyed over
the years too! MUSIC, it's transcending no matter who you are, the language you speak, the
country you're from, your religious or nonreligious beliefs, etc. And how IS it that music
has survived over all these years?
From the early days of human existence to our "modern day"
living music has seeminglessly STILL transcended the technological "enhancement"
or "improvements". How is it that the feelings Beethoven wrote in his music is
still felt when "modern day man" listens today. Feelings... Is it one of the
fabrics of basic human existence? Most people feel it is. And through this
"fabric" do we express, or at least the composer of the musical piece (or the
poetry of a poet) share her/his feelings? Music as therapy? Maybe so. We humans seem to
feel the need to share our deepest feelings to gain a better outlook on ourselves, our
life, our current situation(s) no matter the time of day, year, or the technology that may
surround us. No matter how man has evolved music has remained a constant.
Early in our human existence we used rocks and logs. More recently we use
digital samplers and MIDI. It's ART where someone is expressing their feelings. It seems
that some folks have forgotten that when the term "Artist" is used, it means
ARTIST. As in a form of art. As certain terms get watered-down or over used, we may forget
the words basic meaning. Just as a painter starts out with a blank canvas, a musician
starts out with silence. Both begin with blank space. It's how the artist chooses to fill
the space that brings their feelings and thoughts to the surface. And the instruments a
musician chooses to use to express their art is like the different colours painters use in
their art. Please, may i humbly request that we never forget that music, paintings,
dancing, etc are all ART forms. Please treat them as such. A most humble thank you for
your time. It IS appreciated.
Nuclear Warfare?
So here i was reading how some manufacturer who aspires to making
"high-end" products used some rubbish new "definition" he musta made
up while high to basically describe "dampening factor". This manufacturer, i
guess, felt like trying to make believe their amplifier does stuff others don't. So when
someone calls a spade a spade, said manufacturer threatens a lawsuit to this honest dude.
Well, come closer my friends and lemme tell ya a lil' ol' secret. If a person like this
threatens a lawsuit FIRST, then they _usually_ have a weak "hand". At least in
Britain they have advertising laws which regulate the BS manufacturers try to spew to the
public.
Lawyers are like, say, nuclear warfare. i got quite a few, you have a few
too. If either of us use them no one ever REALLY wins. Maybe i'm somehow fortunate. Ya
see, over the years my assistance to others has opened up doors to such lawyers and
government officials who you see representing some very big-named folks. HEY NOW, all
lawyers and government officials aren't, well, er, um, scum. There are quite a few
REEEEALLY nice ones out there who are also tired of the BS they read, hear, and see. These
folks in particular like to fight for the "common man". They hate when some
corporation bulldozes over the little guy who is an honest, law abiding citizen.
So YO!!! Manufacturing dudettes/dudes, if ya wanna sue someone please
lemme know. i'll do my best to extend my "umbrella" to a cause i feel is just
and worthy. If YOU make these honest folks retract what they say while YOU spout all that
"mystifying BS", then i'm right here. Thanks! Have a day!
YO! Measure THIS!!!
A girlfriend of mine once said with humor "Well, I can see why guys
can read maps. After all, they regularly feel that one inch equals a mile." And how
do we music lovers measure our toys? Is the current method used by most 'zines REALLY
applicable to "real world" situations? And why is it that i disbelieve
measurements at times, yet value them in others? And can you explain to me, theoretically,
how a bumblebee can fly?
So what method do some 'zines use to measure the performance of the D.U.T.
(device under test)? Well, if it's an amplifier, they use a nice constant resistant load
and then use some sorta test frequencies. May i humbly ask to see a vote here. How many of
you out there have speakers that have a nice constant resistant load presented to the
amplifier? Hmmm, not many of you out there. Now, those who have their hands up, how many
of you listen to test signals and not music. Hmmm... i don't see ANY hands still up out
there. So why would you measure the performance of an amplifier in a way that it's not
used in the "real world"?
And what about speakers? Most 'zines use short test tone bursts and they
also might use a special "acoustic chamber" to measure the speakers acoustic
output. Do you listen to short test tones? And how does your room's size and acoustics
effect the apparent acoustic output of the speaker from your listening position? So how
are we going to measure speakers?
Well, there's no easy answer, yet there IS a solution that seems more
appropriate in my humble opinion. More "real world" as it were. Why not have two
or more music/sound reproduction systems as a constant. Have the systems vary in, say,
more sensitive vs. less sensitive speakers. When you want to measure an amplifier you
could use MUSIC as a test signal (what a concept huh?). Then measure the acoustic output
difference between the "known" acoustic output vs. the D.U.T. acoustic output
from the pre-designated listening position. Sounds simple huh? Yes, there will ALWAYS be
those who will NEVER be happy no matter how we choose to measure the D.U.T. It seems to
make more sense, more logical as it were, to measure items under the conditions in which
they are used.
With the appropriate computer software and test equipment integration, we
can have our cake and eat it too (or at least have a nice, big, juicy slice of it). The
most modern, technologically advanced computer is worthless without we humans to ask the
correct questions, to supply the proper software. As Pablo Picasso said "Computers
are worthless. They can only give you answers."
DVD:
Dreadfully Vacant Design
Though some may say that DVD is what the consumer wants and the
"high-end" needs, they may be sadly mistaken!
(Phew!) THERE, i said it. Read it again if you wish. Then read it again
and again. YES, DVD is dead, gone, history, a void, null, history... one bad idea that led
to other bad ideas that led to the financially interested (read: copyright folks) to rear
their heads... So why would some dude who loves music and wants a better way to reproduce
music feel that the DVD format is dead? After all, DVD can have higher sampling rates and
more information stored on it. Yes, this WILL allow us a better ability at reconstructing
the original sound waves produced from a musician in the digital domain. So why would i
say it's dead? What's wrong with DVD? Why is it a bad idea? And why do i talk and dress
the way i do? Well, we'll do our best to express our feelings on all those questions but
the last one's. Hey, i just gotta be able to chill out with my homies cool dudettes/dudes.
Ya' know?
Ok, some writer geeks want DVD. Guess they don't realize what the general
public REALLY wants. Guess they don't know what this industry REALLY needs. Guess they
need to get a clue huh? Maybe some writers are too busy writing and designers too busy
designing to realize what's happening in the real world. OK, so this is a harsh article,
yet if only knew what was to come you'd throw away DVD like we all did the 8-track. Well,
at least you could record on the 8-track tape! Though with it's fidelity who'd want to? My
most humble apologies for the side path. Let's get back to DVD shall we?
DVD. Sh'yeah, like we need a glorified laserdisc format. Yes, the picture
beats out all other normal consumer formats, yet how many homes are laserdisc in? Is going
DVD with it's compression and all really going to be the same as laserdiscs picture
quality? Will the smaller size of the software attract more consumers? Remember the
Minidisc format? Are you there Sony? Can you hear me? i've heard through the grapevine
that you DO read my www page (and a few other manufacturers so i've been informed).
Just what we need, another closed-ended architecture format.
"What?!?!" sez the industry, "You want to record??!?!?!" (Said with a
bit of sarcasm) Naaaa, who records nowadays. Look at how well the blank audio tape
industry is doing? How about the blank VHS tape industry? How are sales of CDR's doing?
Please. Pretty please OPEN YOUR EYES THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY!!! We're coming at you like
a freight train and it's full steam ahead.
The industry sez to little children at camp "Sorry and all, you can't
sing our songs due to copyright infringement." Are you, the industry, serious? How
much money is enough for you? Are you so coldhearted that little children trying to have
fun CAN'T DO SO just because they are singing your songs around a campfire? My feelings
were that you WANTED people to like your work. If people like your work don't they try to
enjoy it? Isn't imitation the sincerest form of flattery? Maybe a few of the young
children who didn't know the song s/he's singing will buy it as soon as possible. Are you
so short minded that you won't let children sings songs due to copyright(s)? It saddened
me VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY
VERY deeply when i heard the news. Why not simply ban ALL radio stations from playing your
music due to the ability to record it on tape. And let's ban TV too because of the VCR.
Why not ban ALL copyrighted music and TV programs all together due to the possibility that
someone might record it or sing it? Will i need to get a permit to sing songs now? Yes,
this may be a few extreme examples, yet where are you, the industry, going with your
actions? We ALL want to know.
Well, there's a reason why this page is titled "Senseless
Ramblings", because they may be just that. DVD is dead and the future is near. Yes,
there IS another format that we have in mind that everyone who i spoke with in confidence
feels it's great. NO, not just industry folks but the consumers as well. It's also an open
architecture format so upgrading and backwards compatibility is built it as it were. Have
fun DVD, we're already 3 formats ahead of you. As the TV commercial goes, "In life
there are passengers and there are drivers. Drivers wanted." And on that note, my
car's a-calling me. After all, i can't drive 55!!!
Truth Is Not A Four Letter Word
Although i enjoy humor most of the time, there are times to be serious as
well. Recently i have seen on the internet as well as other forums that truth can be, at
times, a hard thing to find. This article is quite serious and pertains to the various
media we all probably read known as the "high-end" magazines. Advertising works
the same way. Isn't the advertising dollars a magazine can generate help to finance it?
And after all, doesn't a manufacturer desire you purchase her/his product(s) as well? So
what do they both do to grab your attention? And is there always truth spoken when a
magazine review quote is used in an advertisement. Or is it that old saying "one hand
washes the other"?
First may i humbly say that not ALL magazines are not truthful. Also,
truth can be found in many forms in various ways and quantity thereof. Sometimes we must
read between the lines in order to gain a better perspective of what is really being said.
For i'm not perfect and therefore may say something i feel is truthful at that time only to
find out later i was misinformed/wrong. There ARE some folks who have gained the trust of
others though various ways/means. Though if there is full knowledge of untruthfulness when
they type, write, e-mail, or say something, then how shall we as trusting individuals know
it's not the REAL truth? Maybe it's a half truth? And is a half truth worse than no truth
at all? Can a woman be "sort of pregnant"?
Now what if, say, cable "A" is the best for one music
reproduction system but cable "B" is the best for another? Aaaaaaah, another
"twist of fate" as it were. Sometimes there are no truths, only ideas and
opinions. So as the TV show the "X Files" sez, "The truth is out
there." Though is there REALLY truth to be found everywhere? Is this truth the same
everywhere and pertains to everything? Maybe, maybe not. Should i believe EVERYTHING a
person writes including my own writings? Maybe, maybe not. Feelings may not be based on
facts/truths, yet the way we feel about them IS a fact.
Hopefully my senseless ramblings get YOU to feel and think a bit. Maybe
it's a lesson in futility? OR this could just be another senseless rambling where i have
"lost" a few more of you in the matrix. Either way, thanks for taking the time
to read this "Senseless Rambling". It IS appreciated.
Our Future Is What We Make Of It.
WARNING: The below senseless rambling discusses "progressive"
subject matter. Viewer discretion is therefore advised.
As the media debates over DVD, CD, AC-3, DDS, etc., there are others who
disregard ALL of these for another. Computer technology is becoming more advanced every
day. The current capabilities of reproducing audio signals digitally is far and away
better than any current commercially available format. The same goes for video as well.
Cyberspace and the internet have grown by leaps and bounds over the past two years alone.
Technology stocks are considered a "hot ticket" in this "bull" market.
So with all this happening now, what IS our future?
Well, we have all seen the various movies that show how through
technological advances our daily lives may be effected. Yes my friends, we're talking
about a world of total cyberspace. Before you choose to ignore the rest of this senseless
rambling, please realize that how we attempt to reproduce music/movies/sound is a type of
cyberspace of sorts. Crude as it may be, it still is an attempt never-the-less (personal
note: Please realize where computer technology was 30 years ago as compared to today.
Where will it be 30 years from now?). Who will be the pioneers of this field? How will
these pioneers discover how to better "fool" or "trick" our senses and
minds to feel/think as though we are in real space? Reality... what a concept.
My feelings are that one day we will achieve a better understanding of how
we humans function and therefore adopt technology to these requirements. For when i attend
a live concert there's more to it than just the sound. The atmosphere, the smells, the
feelings, etc are all part of the experience. Once we achieve the capabilities to recreate
this, what will we do with said technology? How will we, as humans, use this technology?
Hopefully the saving grace is that we feel the need for real human companionship, have an
inherent desire for freedom, and that most of us choose to not survive in a life of
predictability and boredom.
To keep this brief, i'll close by saying a few last words as it were. Who
will be ultimately responsible for the usage of this newfound technology? Who will be
responsible for the human "casualties"? Just as the internet has caused a
disruption in some lives, how will this even more interactive format effect us? Shall we
hold Oppenheimer responsible for the deaths and human suffering due to his discoveries?
Shall i hold the candy industry responsible for all my tooth cavities? In the end, we are
all responsible for our own actions.
My most humble apologies if the above article may seem like a true
senseless rambling. i find no absolution to my rational point of view. Maybe some things
are instinctive, but there is one thing we can do. You can try to understand me. i can try
to understand you. A most humble thanks for your time. It IS appreciated.
NEWS FLASH!!!
"Doctor Everett Righteous, founder and leader of the MMM (the
Majority for Musical Morality) became influential in American politics through the use of
his own cable TV network. He spoke about the evils of rock 'n' roll music, and how it's
permissive attitudes were responsible for the moral and economic decline of America. He
was charismatic, entertaining, and above all, he understood the media. The MMM soon gained
enough power to have rock 'n' roll banned.
Robert Orin Charles Kilroy was a world famous rock 'n' roll star. As this
new law was passed, Kilroy and his band were finishing a National tour. Their last
performance, at the Paradise Theatre, would serve as the test case. On the night of the
concert, as Kilroy played to a packed house, The MMM marched in and stormed the stage.
When it was over, a MMM protester was dead... Kilroy was convicted of murder and sent to a
prison ship with other rock 'n' roll misfits..." Taken from the Styx album titled
"Kilroy Was Here".
Isn't it ironic that some people feel the same way about rock 'n' roll for
"audiophiles" per se. After all, rock 'n' roll isn't "real music".
It's wailing guitars, synthesizers, reverb units, gating, delay units, etc. So if you're
an "audiophile" you're not allowed to enjoy rock 'n' roll??? Is Mr.
"High-End Store" frowning at you when you play that Doors Lp???
So if rock 'n' roll isn't allowed in "Mr. High-Ends" store, what
should those of us who enjoy rock 'n' roll music be allowed to listen to? Mrs. Dulcimer
and Her Rebel Rockers do cover tunes like "Stairway to Heaven"??? The Weavers
playing "Comfortably Numb"? As the current "old school" reviewers gain
in age and loose their upper frequency hearing there's a new breed coming along. What are
those of us who were raised not only on classical and jazz, but also the Doors, Pink
Floyd, and Led Zeppelin to do?
Well my humble opinion is that it's time for EVERYONE to realize that we
all enjoy the music WE choose to enjoy. We all dress the way WE choose to. And if i bring
my copy of Metallica "Load" as a reference Lp, then so be it. After all, We all
have our preferences in life. And the main reason why America is a country today is
because of one simple word: Freedom. So if you enjoy rock 'n' roll, please ignore the
"high-end" sales drone who may at first wince at your Funkadelic Lp. Who knows,
after hearing it he may later find out that he enjoys it and buy himself a copy! As they
say, "Don't knock it till you tried it."
The More We Feel We Know About
The Greater The Unknown
"But i'm not gonna buy it now, it hasn't been reviewed. How do i know
how it sounds..." OH G-D!!! If i had a yen for every time i read/heard this
mantra i'd be retired in Sweden. And how 'bout this one: "Tubes?!?! They cost too much and
you need to change them too often and they're not available." OH NOOoooo!!! Well,
this "mack daddy" article is gonna make a few folks happy, others not so happy,
and in the end hopefully make YOU realize that self-empowerment and self-reliance should
reign supreme. To Thy own self be true.
A typical scene at a "high-end" store:
Salesperson: So you had it in your home system for a week,
great! How did you like it?
Customer: Well, it DID reproduce music really well. My
music never sounded better...
And the price is really good too.
S: So how would you like to pay for it?
C: Well, do you know if it's going to be reviewed soon?
S: Sorry, no. The manufacture chooses to not send
reviewers their products because it may not be in their
best interest.
C: Well, i rely on reviewer "Z" and if he likes it,
THEN i'll buy it.
Did i miss something here? Weren't YOU, as the customer, quite happy
with the product and you felt the price was right? SO WHAT CHA WAITING FOR?!?!?! It
enabled you to enjoy the music to a higher degree, right? You also felt the price was fair
and you did have the funds available for it. So please BUY IT!!! i have heard many older
folks say that they wish they had done or done that during their lifetime. Sorry and all,
i choose to NOT play the "only if game". For i can't change my past, nor totally
dictate my future. Therefore i live for today. Make today as though it was my last and to
enjoy close friendship, music, movies, etc as much as possible. And in life don't we all
enjoy different things?
And that brings up another point. Is your system, your listening room, and
your preferences EXACTLY like the reviewers? If not, then are you waiting for a review
that will have the EXACT outcome as if the unit was placed in your system? And if not,
then what about all the above things that can effect the outcome of a review? What if your
cables were more/less synergistic with the reviewed piece? What if your room acoustics
were different? And G-D forbid your speakers aren't EXACTLY the same as the reviewers. And
if it's a tube (valve to my good friends on the other side of the pond) component in
question there's even more...
Aaaaaaah yes, tubes. What if the reviewer used Russian tubes and the
manufacturer has since decided to supply the unit with Chinese tubes? Here's a
mantra i
hear quite a bit:
Salesperson: So how did you like the Tube Exxstacy 2000
preamplifier?
Customer: Well, it was the best thing i have heard in years!
How DO they do for only $XXXX dollars?
But...
S: But?
C: Well, i don't want to have to be replacing tubes all the time.
S: Exxstacy's designers know what they're doing.
This unit's tubes should last you at least 5 years before
they need replacing. It's simple to do too. Just unscrew
the top on the unit and out with the old, in with the new.
C: Well, i dunno. Please let me think on it for a few nights.
A show of hands here please. How many of you out there have actually
kept a unit, ANY unit in your "high-end" system for more than three years? Now
five years? Now ten years? Hmmmm, i see quite a few hands going down. So just think for a
moment how old your oldest component is. i have no hard data on this, but an edjamacated
guess from all the music/movie reproduction systems i have had the pleasure to enjoy would
seem to dictate an average life of four years for electronics in a system.
Reliability in tube units are quite good so that's out of the picture.
Professional guitar players use tubes in their "head units" and we all know how
gentle stage rodies can be... NOT!!! Though there's even more to this situation (my humble
apologies for the lengthy article here). How DOES a tube component "sound"?
Well my friend, it all comes down not only to the design but also the
tubes you used in it. How many of you with solid-state devices can easily change out the
output transistors? And how long will those output transistors be available. Lemme let cha
in on a little secret. Quite a few solid state output transistors from 15 years ago can no
longer be found (i have tried long and hard with a few of 'em). Tubes??? Well, the 300B,
211, 2A3 has been around for a long, long, long time. Better still, they are in a vacuum so
the odds of it working are better than their solid-state counterpart in my humble opinion.
Also, with a tubes component you can change the way it reproduces music by changing the
various tubes in it. Life is good (and so is the current and future of new tube
production).
WOW!!! Sorry and all. Got carried away there for a moment. So to sum it
all up, to thy own self be true. Trust yourself and your ears. i've personally bought
reviewed components that sounded good to the reviewer only to find it not up to my
standards in my music/movie/sound reproduction system. Then again, i have a few components
in my system that received a bad review yet it's great in MY system. Then there's the
non-reviewed pieces here that are just as enjoyable as the reviewed pieces. The more
components i try, the more i get bewildered at times. Let no man write my epitaph.
Do It Your (own damn) Self.
i learn more from my experiences with children than with the most
articulated adult(s) at times! As my good friends children played Sega, i found this toy
from years gone by. Lego. Differently shaped blocks are put together by you to form
whatever "masterpiece" you so desire. Lego has big blocks, small blocks, red
blocks, yellow blocks, flat blocks, tall blocks... You can build whatever your heart
desires. Or can you? After all, you only have a certain variety of shapes, colours, and
sizes you can choose from. What at first appears limitless, over time seems all too
limited.
Yes, the variety is quite good, though what if we wanted a rounder, more
aerodynamic piece for the nose of the car you're tryin' to build? "High-end"
audio is like Lego. We first see a virtually limitless amount of "blocks" to
use, only to find oneself limited by it's available offerings. Once we have used all the
combinations of blocks to accomplish what we had imagined, where can we go from there?
Well my friends, manufactures may have realized the same thing at one time
or another. What happens when you have used every commercially available part and are
still not satisfied? Well can you do as i kinda did as a child. i simply used dads Dremil
and shaped my very own Lego block specifically for the purpose/job/figure i wished! Parts
can be the same way to a manufacturer in that if what isn't available, s/he has the choice
of making their very own part specifically made for the purpose they wish. The choice may
also come down to the expense and marketability of a product which uses, say, two $900
handmade silver foil resistors. Just as rounding off a Lego block made my car better
visually, a $900 resistor may enable an amplifier to reproduce music better.
SO what's a person to do if they have tried every product they know of to
assist them at reproducing music and they are still not satisfied? Easy! Make your own
component! If you're not happy with what's available for a phono stage and you're capable,
it's easy to try various combinations of parts/designs to hopefully construct your
nirvana. Some may say that those "do-it-yourselfers" can be a unique bunch. Then
again years ago Nelson Pass, Arnie Nudell, David Wilson, and Mr. Shishido were also of the
"do-it-yourself" variety. So i say "word up" to all you
do-it-your-own-damn-selfers out there. After all, we never know when you will find a
better screwdriver and choose to share your "labor of love" with us. And if
there's someone out there with a screw loose, it's probably me!
Is It Live Or Is It...
Amazing what inspires me to start writing. Thank G-D for laptop computers!
Just now a mobile audio enthusiast was braggin' how good his mobile music reproduction
system is. He was tellin' me about all his trophies and successful finishes at various
mobile audio competitions. So yeah, i'm a sucka for music so we hopped into his car for a
listen. Ya' know, maybe one day i'll be a bit more tactful... maybe. This article WILL NOT
discuss what i heard but something even worse! He hasn't heard a live acoustic concert in
a long, long time (like 5 years, maybe more according to him). And with that said, our
story begins...
So i asked him a simple question. How can one judge the music reproduction
quality of their music reproduction system if they aren't familiar with how live, acoustic
music sounds (go on, say THAT sentence three times fast :-{)+ ). Well, he explained, that
he doesn't like classical nor jazz and where can one find Pantera (his band of choice he
mentioned) playing live and acoustically? Yes, i understand his point yet what does he use
to gauge how well his system reproduces music? Did he use a real time analyzer (also known
as simply an RTA)? Or did he try using RTA with a time energy frequency meter (TEF for
those hipsters)? Or, heaven forbid, his ears?!?!?!
A twist of fait...
He said that a flat curve on an RTA sounds boring and lifeless. Ok, so how
does he judge his mobile music reproduction system then? He felt his ears was the best
way. Allllllllllllrighty then. So what does he use to feed his ears to gauge his system
for realism? Ahhhhh, so you now see the twist! He went on to express that most of the
music he enjoys they record using equalizers and other effects. YES, most "pop"
and "metal" music is recorded using equalization, compression, expansion,
synths, reverb, gating... ad infinitum. So how do we, as music lovers, know what was
actually recorded on the album? Simply said, we don't. We can make educated guesses, but
will never REALLY know what the intended sound sounded like per se.
THEN he said he enjoys "bass music" and bought speakers that
play "bass music". My feelings are that speakers (and a system for that matter)
should play ALL types of music equally well at reasonably realistic volume levels. Ooooooh
what's a woman to do? Well, we continued to discuss a few more things and then he left
probably feeling that i'm nuts, crazy, or just plain stupid. After all, he has all these
mobile sound competition trophies at home which reinforces his feelings/thoughts/etc.
Sometimes in life there are no "right" nor "wrong" answers per se,
only opinions. If you have any opinion on this article, please e-mail 'em to me. Thanks!
Why?
WARNING: Some long rambling here BUT there's possibly a good message as to
"why" i enjoy more sensitive speakers and single-ended amplifiers.
So LITERALLY just 15 minutes ago i was at this cool club. Ya' know the
type... Small progressive music club where there's no PA system. All ya' hear is the
actual music from the actual instruments (what a concept huh). Black haired, belly button
pierced, female drummer playin', stage divin', scarf your last beer drinkin', sleep with
their best friends sister types (my kinda dudes). And then it HIT me like a pile of heavy
metal thingies!!!
Some folks wonder why a live, amplified guitar obviously sounds live
whereas when we try to reproduce that sound on our music/sound reproduction system it just
don't cut it. Well, here's my 2 cents and careful feelings and nonsensical ramblings. A
guitar amplifier generally has something along the lines of 100db of gain and uses tubes.
The SLIGHTEST pluck of a string turns into this awesome grundge-like, slam danicin', beer
guzzlin', stage divin' effect on me (though i actually don't drink nor do drugs). So Steve
get on with this article already fer Chrissakes!!!
FINE then, here's my feelings on why most music/sound reproduction systems
lack what a simple geetar/amplifier/speaker combo does. Well, if ya wanna get those same
volume levels we have two choices. One of 'em is to have these 86 db/w/m speakers and a
200 watt per channel amplifier. Yeah mon, we can wake the dead and then kill 'em again
with this set up. OR you can have some speakers along the lines of 98 db/w/m sensitive and
just a handful of watts achieve the same volume levels. BUT...
Well, i'm gonna get into some MAJOR hot water here BUT i have NEVER heard
a very, very high quality 200 watt per channel amplifier sound nearly as pure as one that
produces just a handful of watts. Here's my feelings: The more stuff you put in a
singal's
path, the worse off the purity of that signal will be in my humble opinion. Now if you
have some "high quality" sensitive speakers, you can use a single-ended
amplifier which is probably the simplest, most "pure" amplifiers available!
Therefore, simpler is better. Less = More. Mo' music, mo' music, mo' music :-{)+ . Yes, i
have heard/owned some very high quality 200 watt tube and also solid state amplifiers.
Sorry and all, they just don't cut it compared to my 27 watt, GE VT4C single-ended tube
amplifier. No way, no how, and maybe never in my lifetime unfortunately :-{(+ . Yes, i'd
like a 200 watt amplifier better then what i gots now, but i just don't see it happenin'
anytime soon in the realm of reproducing a signal with the purity i personally demand
:-{(+ .
ALSO, more sensitive speakers seem to subjectively reproduce a more
realistic rendering of the dynamic structure of the music. What can i tell ya except that
it's 2:15am and i just came back from this stage divin', slam festin', skank your last
beer guzzlin' joint. They actually wanted me to play the drums too and i was more than
happy to jam out with 'em. i wanna thank you for actually putting up with my rambling
here, though i have found that my best ideas come from such experiences. It would be a
pity, in my humble opinion, to waste all this energy. Anyway, i got this girl waitin' for
me so as it sorta sez on the top of my home page "i better run".
High-Performance Audio Reviews
