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A wishlist of gear to be reviewed by Amir

D

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Since i saw a review of Rhythmic subwoofer i wonder how they compare to BK electronic and Klipsch R-112SW. The Klipsch subwoofer is often for sale for 450 dollars in my area.

http://www.bkelec.com
 

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A800

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Behringer NX.
 

Wes

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I'd like to see a review of DSP software and DACs with DSP that compares ease of use, and ability of each item to adjust speakers for room effects, cross-over issues, etc.
 

sejarzo

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After reading the review of the Niles SI-275 amplifier, a good, robust commercial product, I thought about OSD, an American (HQ in SoCal) company with the typical China-based manufacturing that I see pop up occasionally in my searches for things audio on the internet. Unfortunately, for 9 of the 10 product choices of their consumer amps listing at Amazon, 20% of the 103 review/ratings over a 10-year period are one-star, mostly for DOA and quickly dying products - and there are several such ratings in the past year.

If you sign up for marketing emails from OSD Audio's own outlet you get 10% off your first order. A couple of weeks ago, they also sent out an email with a 15% off code (since expired) which would put that amp at $375, or $75 per channel. That site also has some attractive pricing on raw speaker cable, long RCA and HDMI cables, tv mounts, etc.

https://www.outdoorspeakerdepot.com/
 

mhardy6647

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Based on a quick search here* It doesn't look like @amirm has "tested" the (in)famous little FX Audio 6j1 preamplifier gizmo ("The $31 wonder" as some have dubbed it). I have a perverse fascination with weird, cheap Asian-sourced vacuum tube equipment like this little preamp -- but even I draw the line at wasting spending investing 31 US Smackers on one to try! I also wonder why these things use pentodes instead of triodes for amplification -- but, hey, that's just me.

(EDIT: Ooops, I had a picture of the wrong gizmo initially -- this is das Ding an sich)

1587044040712.png

1587043804671.png


I imagine that this is no more, or no less, than a little purpose-built distortion box to add tube warmth and color to harsh, sterile digital (as some folks are wont to say) a la the plethora of cheap "tube buffers" that were popular a decade or so ago. Of course, a well-designed buffer should be about as neutral an electronic gizmo as can be devised, even if it uses a vacuum tube as its active element!

I'd be interested to see if my preconceived bias is accurate (I really do try to keep an open mind -- at least about some things!). I'd also be curious to see if tube rolling (as they say) might yield measurable differences in performance -- although I do believe all y'all have evaluated that particular tube hifi hobbyist trait previously with other components (??).

At any rate, thought it would be worth mentioning.
Thanks.
Carry on.

:)

________________________________
* https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?search/1961828/&q=FX+Audio+6j1&o=relevance
 

Veri

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Based on a quick search here* It doesn't look like @amirm has "tested" the (in)famous little FX Audio 6j1 preamplifier gizmo ("The $31 wonder" as some have dubbed it). I have a perverse fascination with weird, cheap Asian-sourced vacuum tube equipment like this little preamp -- but even I draw the line at wasting spending investing 31 US Smackers on one to try! I also wonder why these things use pentodes instead of triodes for amplification -- but, hey, that's just me.

(EDIT: Ooops, I had a picture of the wrong gizmo initially -- this is das Ding an sich)

View attachment 58965
View attachment 58963

I imagine that this is no more, or no less, than a little purpose-built distortion box to add tube warmth and color to harsh, sterile digital (as some folks are wont to say) a la the plethora of cheap "tube buffers" that were popular a decade or so ago. Of course, a well-designed buffer should be about as neutral an electronic gizmo as can be devised, even if it uses a vacuum tube as its active element!

I'd be interested to see if my preconceived bias is accurate (I really do try to keep an open mind -- at least about some things!). I'd also be curious to see if tube rolling (as they say) might yield measurable differences in performance -- although I do believe all y'all have evaluated that particular tube hifi hobbyist trait previously with other components (??).

At any rate, thought it would be worth mentioning.
Thanks.
Carry on.

:)

________________________________
* https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?search/1961828/&q=FX+Audio+6j1&o=relevance
Would be funny to see its effect be audio-gd levels of horrific, with so many people on YouTube praising them..
 
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mhardy6647

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I suspect they're pretty grim -- I actually doubt that they sound all that great, euphonic distortion notwithstanding...
but (!) I don't know that. ;)
 

mhardy6647

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1588725348842.png


oooh, oooh, oooh! I've got one to add to the wishlist!

So... I just got this e-mail ad from musicdirect pushing Bob Carver's unusual US made (and relatively inexpensive) little 75 wpc vacuum tube stereo amplifier (Carver Crimson 275). It has some interesting design wrinkles, leavened with some of Carver's standard-issue just a little too good to be true shtick.

1588725736356.png



https://www.bobcarvercorp.com/copy-of-crimson-raven
https://www.musicdirect.com/power-amp/Bob-Carver-275-Stereo-Tube-Amplifier

Sample prose, from the Carver Corp. website:
Our amplifiers simply do not run hot. Like their more expensive siblings, they are the coolest running tube type amplifiers in history allowing you to actually touch the tops of the mighty KT120's and never be burned! The internal temperature of our amplifiers is a bit warmer than the inside of your mouth, resulting in an indeterminate lifespan.

Due to the unique design, all the components in the amplifier undergo much less stress than in conventional designs. Due to the efficiency of the concept, our transformers can be lighter and despite Bob Carver specifying esoteric steel for their cores, it helps us sell a $4000 amplifier for under $3000. Transformers are traditionally the most expensive component so if there’s no compromise in performance, this is a genuine benefit.

Now, unfortunately, I am not in a position to buy one and have it drop-shipped to Washington State (well, I could -- but Mrs. H would likely keeeeel me; sorry!), so I doubt this particular wish will ever come true -- but still I thought it worthy of mention.

1588725523246.png


;)

Full disclosure -- I did give serious consideration to buying one of these amps when it was introduced (at an attractive introductory price), but, after an extensive but somewhat odd discussion (including Carver's business partner) at another forum, I chickened out. I am still awfully intrigued by this amp, which, for better or worse, is quite a bit different than one's average 2 x 75 watt vacuum tube amplifier (e.g., McIntosh 275) in size, weight, and price.

Thanks for your attention & consideration!
 

A800

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It's pretty loud. I wouldn't want to have one unless it was in a closed cabinet. Incidentally, Amir has one of mine so I expect you'll see measurements before too terribly long.
Fan mod, no problem.
Great. :)
 

MZKM

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View attachment 62073

oooh, oooh, oooh! I've got one to add to the wishlist!

So... I just got this e-mail ad from musicdirect pushing Bob Carver's unusual US made (and relatively inexpensive) little 75 wpc vacuum tube stereo amplifier (Carver Crimson 275). It has some interesting design wrinkles, leavened with some of Carver's standard-issue just a little too good to be true shtick.

View attachment 62076


https://www.bobcarvercorp.com/copy-of-crimson-raven
https://www.musicdirect.com/power-amp/Bob-Carver-275-Stereo-Tube-Amplifier

Sample prose, from the Carver Corp. website:


Now, unfortunately, I am not in a position to buy one and have it drop-shipped to Washington State (well, I could -- but Mrs. H would likely keeeeel me; sorry!), so I doubt this particular wish will ever come true -- but still I thought it worthy of mention.

View attachment 62075

;)

Full disclosure -- I did give serious consideration to buying one of these amps when it was introduced (at an attractive introductory price), but, after an extensive but somewhat odd discussion (including Carver's business partner) at another forum, I chickened out. I am still awfully intrigued by this amp, which, for better or worse, is quite a bit different than one's average 2 x 75 watt vacuum tube amplifier (e.g., McIntosh 275) in size, weight, and price.

Thanks for your attention & consideration!
What was odd about the discussion? When I was at the Florida Audio Expo last year, they paired their amps with KEF Blades, and Frank Malitz blatantly said their tubes don’t sound any better/different than solid state, and that people usually hear a difference because they are coming from low quality solid state.
 
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Crane

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i actually am curious to know what you have for review @amirm especially the speakers. i'm itching to buy new bookshelves for my desk and figured why not send to get them measured first. That said i'm currently looking at focal aria 906 going for $900 new on amazon but would be down for suggestions.

They will be used on a desk for PC use and also as a medium size room speaker for a Tv hanging above the desk.
 

MZKM

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I have a few bookshelves coming (PSB, Sony, Presnous, NHT, etc.). Mostly budget stuff though.
If it’s the NHT C3, that would be awesome, as the measurements from SoundStage/NRC looks awesome, but having it in Spinorama form would be amazing (also, their graphs are so low res that it’s hard to tell lines apart).
 
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