Vintage HiFi Audio Forum

General Banter => Welcome Wagon => Topic started by: NatiKid on April 14, 2011, 10:57:24 PM

Title: Rockin' in Beaver County
Post by: NatiKid on April 14, 2011, 10:57:24 PM: Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to introduce myself. I'm from Cincinnati originally, but live in Beaver County now. I have been an audio tweaker since I was 3 years old and my older brother taught me how to start a record on his turntable. When I first moved to Pittsburgh 3 years ago, I felt like I was in audio purgatory. I had never lived anywhere with such a dead high end audio scene. Vintage Hifi and the audio geek fest has been a breath of fresh air for me and has renewed my excitement for high end audio gear.

I’m an electrical engineer by training and have designed some DIY audio gear over the years. It’s my audio philosophy to try and understand and explain better sound quality with the established properties of Physics, so I don’t prescribe to some of the kookier system tweaks out there. With that said, I also acknowledge that sometimes stuff just sounds better and we don’t really understand why. I guess that’s part of what make the hobby fun for me.

I have various rigs in the house, but my primary listing rig is:

BandO RX-2 Turntable (in search of a new cart)
Marantz CD63SE with tweaks (upgraded caps and ultra low jitter clock upgrade)
Oppo 980H Universal Disc Player
Carver C-5 Dual Zone Preamp
Sunfire 300x2 Power Amp
Legacy Audio Classic Signature III Speakers

and zone 2:
Texas Instruments CC8520 Wireless Audio Interface
Luxman M-1000 Power Amp
Boston Acoustics A-100 Speakers

I look forward to talking gear and music with you all. Don’t hate me because I’m a Bengals fan (it’s tough enough as it is).

Thanks,
Andy

Go Bengals!!!!! :P
Title: Re: Rockin' in Beaver County
Post by: bmwr75 on April 15, 2011, 06:14:49 AM: Welcome Andy.

Define "kookier system tweaks". I'm sure you'll get a reaction from at least one of the nuts on this forum. ;D
Title: Re: Rockin' in Beaver County
Post by: Kingman on April 15, 2011, 06:45:08 AM: Welcome NatiKid!!!!
Quote
[so I don’t prescribe to some of the kookier system tweaks out there.]...What do you think of cable technology???? :D
Title: Re: Rockin' in Beaver County
Post by: rgpit on April 15, 2011, 07:31:34 AM: Welcome to the forum NatiKid

I noticed you have one of the newer Texas Instrument wireless audio interfaces. Wonder where you got it? Hmmmm ......... ;D

rgpit
Title: Re: Rockin' in Beaver County
Post by: mikey813 on April 15, 2011, 09:03:27 AM: Welcome to the forum. Also, your systems look great and Can you post some pictures of that Luxman.
Little Mikey
Title: Re: Rockin' in Beaver County
Post by: OCCD on April 15, 2011, 10:00:55 AM: Welcome Andy. I did not know you are a Bengals fan.
Title: Re: Rockin' in Beaver County
Post by: thuffman03 on April 15, 2011, 10:27:37 AM: Welcome to the forum. I am sorry to hear about your choice of football team.
Title: Re: Rockin' in Beaver County
Post by: Reverend on April 15, 2011, 11:49:18 AM: Welcome to the funny farm! ???
Title: Re: Rockin' in Beaver County
Post by: NatiKid on April 16, 2011, 02:43:08 PM: Regarding Kooky tweeks, here is one that I'm pretty skeptical of. Although, I must admit I have never tried it:

http://www.gcaudio.com/resources/howtos/demagnetization.html (http://www.gcaudio.com/resources/howtos/demagnetization.html)

Audiophile grade USB cables are another.

Here is a great one. Golden Sound Ultra tweeters:

http://www.goldensound.com/productlist/next-generation-audio-accessories (http://www.goldensound.com/productlist/next-generation-audio-accessories)

Ultra Tweeter's principle of operation is very unconventional - they don't generate frequencies in the audio band or even in the 20-100 KHz band like super-tweeters, but in the Gigahertz frequency band (normally used for satellite and microwave communications).
Ultra Tweeters organize and improve flow of acoustic energy through the propagation medium (air) in the room, allowing the air to more efficiently transfer the main speakers' acoustic signal to the listener. Like a policeman in busy downtown traffic, Ultra Tweeters maintain a more orderly, uniform and efficient flow of the acoustic waves through the air by quantum mechanically modifying the air molecules. This modification of the air molecules produces a wider frequency bandwidth, lower noise floor, more "air," and lower distortion. Ultra Tweeters are compatible with any existing speakers without the need for time alignment of drivers or having to match the Ultra Tweeters' acoustic output to existing speakers.

They work at frequencies above 1GHz to improve the flow of acoustic energy? Last time I checked, there is no acoustic energy in the >1GHz band. But what do I know; for $900 you can get a pair. Better hurry. I bet there is a line out the door. ;D
Title: Re: Rockin' in Beaver County
Post by: rgpit on April 16, 2011, 05:49:22 PM: I wonder how far a GHz acoustic wave can travel in air. Betcha not very far ... maybe a millimeter?
Title: Re: Rockin' in Beaver County
Post by: NatiKid on April 16, 2011, 06:27:29 PM: I wonder if they have FFC certification for these tweeters? Or maybe they only "quantum mechanically modify the air molecules" in the 2.4GHz free band...
Title: Re: Rockin' in Beaver County
Post by: MyAudio on April 17, 2011, 12:35:07 AM: Welcome Andy.

Hope to meet you soon.
Title: Re: Rockin' in Beaver County
Post by: SunnyDaze on April 17, 2011, 02:43:40 AM: Welcome to the forum.

I don't give my true views on cabling or tweaks. It's like discussing politics or religion.

One interesting note, a 1Ghz soundwave? Really? Really?
Title: Re: Rockin' in Beaver County
Post by: NatiKid on April 17, 2011, 01:01:01 PM: Thanks all for the warm welcome!

Little Mikey, I have some pics of my Luxman amp for you. I'm an html forum newbie, though. Can someone give me a heads up on how to post pics? Many thanks in advance!!
Title: Re: Rockin' in Beaver County
Post by: NatiKid on April 17, 2011, 01:21:54 PM: Kingman,

Quote: "What do you think of cable technology?"

Sounds like a loaded question...

I do think cables (especially low level interconnects) can have an impact on system sound. With that said, I think the industry has over emphasized the importance of having the "right" cables over things that I consider more important (like proper speaker placement and room acoustics). Just me 2 cents.

BTW, I hear there is a new company here in Pittsburgh that is making kick ass high-end cables. You wouldn't know anything about them by any chance would you? I like a lot of copper between my amp and speakers!!!!!!
Title: Re: Rockin' in Beaver County
Post by: rgpit on April 17, 2011, 04:52:22 PM: Quote from: NatiKid on April 17, 2011, 01:21:54 PM
Kingman,

Quote: "What do you think of cable technology?"

Sounds like a loaded question...

I do think cables (especially low level interconnects) can have an impact on system sound. With that said, I think the industry has over emphasized the importance of having the "right" cables over things that I consider more important (like proper speaker placement and room acoustics). Just me 2 cents.

Andy ... You should have been a politician!
Title: Re: Rockin' in Beaver County
Post by: tube_dan on April 18, 2011, 03:00:13 PM: Welcome Andy!

(A good friend of mine [in Ann Arbor] is from Cincinnati and also a Bengals fan.)

Looooove Skyline chili!
Title: Re: Rockin' in Beaver County
Post by: tube_dan on April 18, 2011, 03:02:41 PM: btw -- my house is in Chippewa and being rented, but visit friends often -- text me your # and'll let you know when I'm by -- beers on me. 412-680-1116
Title: Re: Rockin' in Beaver County
Post by: NatiKid on April 21, 2011, 09:04:55 PM: Will do Dan. Thanks! BTW, I've been known to polish off 6 or 8 cheese coneys myself from time to time...