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  1. J

    Connect a DAC to a power amplifier or is it better to use DAC - PreAmp - Power Amp?

    GPT-o1 preview had this to say about the above analysis--I have not vetted it since my mind turns to mush when trying to read unformatted equations :) : 6. Key Observations: Incorrect Formula Application: The original explanation incorrectly used v=10log⁡10(R2−1)−r−gv = 10 \log_{10}(R^2 - 1) -...
  2. J

    Connect a DAC to a power amplifier or is it better to use DAC - PreAmp - Power Amp?

    If you are young and have unblemished hearing and listen to your music on perfect speakers in anechoic chambers, the theoretical degradation and/or noise added by a decently designed analog volume-control-ey device might be worth taking into account. If recordings specified the number (and part...
  3. J

    Blind test to try for yourself immediately: $ 78 turntable against $ 500,000 turntable

    I picked the AR-XA, Both sounded nice. I'll bet differences would emerge with, say, solo piano works with sustained notes. The belt drive decks I've owned (Pro-jekt & Rega) had issues, which were entirely solved by my present direct drive Technics. $78 used to be a chunk of change! The BLS...
  4. J

    Poll: What is your listening distance? (Fall/Winter 2024)

    Just over 3m to the speakers and about 4.5m to the sub in a 2.1 system. Max SPL in the 90dB range with 12W/channel (plus sub). Typical listening volume is more like low to mid 70dB range with peaks in the low 80s. (Data from measurements)
  5. J

    Technics SL 1210GR2 Turntable

    I responded rather patiently to this and similarly expressed sentiments: If my experience is useless and wrong, feel free to go do your own homework. You could start with some of the pointers I helpfully provided you with. There's a goldmine out there, right at your fingertips. What I'm...
  6. J

    Technics SL 1210GR2 Turntable

    This stuff is common knowledge in audio production. Do your own homework. There are differences of opinion as in any profession, but it's not hard to find mastering engineers who provide separate streaming and CD masters as a matter of course--though CD is becoming a relic and may in fact end...
  7. J

    Technics SL 1210GR2 Turntable

    De gustibus non est disputandum, yes indeed. Just leave "fidelity" arguments out of it for produced music and you're on solid ground. :cool:
  8. J

    Technics SL 1210GR2 Turntable

    You find it hard to believe because you're not involved in music production or delivery. I own a TC Electronic Clarity M Stereo, for instance, which is made specifically to provide LUFS (and other) metering so mixing and mastering engineers can tailor releases for the various platforms. Why go...
  9. J

    Technics SL 1210GR2 Turntable

    You're leaving out the human factor. Digital allows things like the "loudness wars" to happen, which the physics of vinyl playback won't accommodate. I have owned some really harsh sounding CDs that sound OK or better than OK on analog formats. Vinyl keeps mastering engineers honest. I suppose...
  10. J

    Technics SL 1210GR2 Turntable

    Compare dynamic range, crest factor, etc and then tell me they are the "same sound". The mastering differences are easily audible, and since we're discussing studio productions it's goofy to talk about "fidelity" because all of these things are artistic choices. Trent Reznor has publicly...
  11. J

    Technics SL 1210GR2 Turntable

    I had the same result on two different apps yesterday, using my iPhone 13 Mini: both said my SL-1500C was about 0.6% fast, which seemed unlikely. That's over half an extra revolution every three minutes! The common factor was the gyro in my phone, of course. To check the apps, I put a marker on...
  12. J

    What cables do you use in your systems?

    I make my own cables. Home stereo: Canare GS-6 with Rean NYS373 RCA connectors (unbalanced) Canare L-4E6S "Star Quad" with Neutrik NC3MXX/NC3FXX connectors (balanced) Canare 4S8 "Star Quad" with Amazon bananas (speakers) Live PA rig: Mogami W2552 with Neutrik NC3MXX/NC3FXX (XLR) and/or Neutrik...
  13. J

    Technics SL-1300G New Generation Grand Class Turntable

    Definitely. It's interesting to listen to original pressings of familiar albums and compare them to the remasters on CD (which I did in the 80s and after)--and then compare *those* to the later remasters on the streaming services. There's more than a difference in media at play here, with later...
  14. J

    Technics SL-1300G New Generation Grand Class Turntable

    Thank you for this, my SL-1500C's cueing is much improved!
  15. J

    Technics SL-1300G New Generation Grand Class Turntable

    The Red is ... OK. Inner groove issues and kind of a lo-fi top end seemed like the price I had to pay, and it generally sounded decent. It was on a par with the OM-10 stylus I had on my Rega RP1 for a long time, though the Technics is a much better deck. I don't want to overstate things, but...
  16. J

    Technics SL-1300G New Generation Grand Class Turntable

    Allthetimey for me, and there is an un- or under-documented feature that allows you to set it up so that it also powers the turntable off after a delay. You do have to lower the cue lever until it clicks to re-arm the auto-lift, so the reviewers might be experiencing operator error. I love...
  17. J

    Measuring speaker's impedance using a DMM? - Is Erin serious, or am I missing something?

    Assuming a 20Vrms amplifier output that doesn't sag at these resistances and purely resistive loads (i.e. the DC resistance = effective impedance): 3.6 Ω = 111 Watts = 20.45dBW 4.5 Ω = 89 Watts = 19.49dBW Less than 1dB difference.
  18. J

    Measuring speaker's impedance using a DMM? - Is Erin serious, or am I missing something?

    You're better off using the manufacturer's nominal impedance for a voltage-based power estimator (I hesitate to say "meter") than the driver's DCR.
  19. J

    How to tell if amp is sufficient?

    You're still overthinking this. The goal is to ensure a reasonable reserve, not explore the very limits of performance. If you're off by 20% (i.e. 1dB in power terms) it's more than good enough. 20% would be a gross measuring error but inconsequential to the listener. You're trying to do...
  20. J

    How to tell if amp is sufficient?

    You're overthinking this. (Disclaimer: I am an electronics engineer and I have a professional background in loudspeaker design.) Unless you're blasting cymbal concertos or piccolo sonatas at max volume, the main frequencies of interest are in the range of a couple of hundred Hertz and down. I...
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