You suggested I leave my solid state components on all the time in spite of the trickle charge when off. Today after almost 2 weeks I heard better more solid lows, more air between the instruments, less hash, etc. Miller Carbon also introduced me to the Schumann Generators (2) which I also find helpful. I have very heavy Vandersteen speakers and am deliberating those suggested springs. Thanks MC
to restrict your options due to the promotion of someone you disagree with sure gives that person a boat load of power.
Good one.
Frank, that was a classic. Thanks for reminding me.
snilf-
Chuck, if I may call you that, I hope we have the chance to meet one day. We'll disagree about a lot, but what's the point of associating only with those who mirror one's own worldview? You've given a great deal to this forum, and as this thread proves, many of us appreciate it. So: thanks.
My favorite philosopher Alan Watts says he wants people to disagree, because that is how you learn both who you are and who they are.
The world of ideas is like everything else: competition is good. It is how we improve.
The main problem or stumbling block is unlike in sports where everyone knows the rules, in the realm of ideas hardly anyone knows the rules, or worse, they learned the wrong ones.
When people actually follow the rules... I was dead set against springs until one day out of the blue some guy I never heard of before said, "Hear me out". He then proceeded to lay out such a good case for springs I went from opposition to advocate in a matter of minutes. By the end of the day 'whether or not' was 'done and gone' and it was all about how to do it. That guy was Rick. I learned a lot from him then and have learned a lot more since.
For years, decades really, experience had me convinced of the waste of DIY cables. Until one day out of the blue some guy I never heard of before sent me some he had made, one of which was so good it was hard to believe. That guy was Lubos and his Moneoone power cables are now confirmed serious high end by more than just me.
Reason I mention those, neither one of them was looking for someone they knew would just automatically agree. Lubos in particular sought me out precisely because he knew that being hard on DIY in general I would be skeptical and hard on him.
So that's the way it goes. For every one bent out of shape at losing an argument or not being agreed with there's plenty more happy to find that is the case.
Where's the sport in playing with the guy who lets you win? Why would you even bother?
Its laughable so many clowns on here hate MC. I dont even seek out his advice, but through trial and error/tinkering I find it. I just come here for the advice of those who know. Carbon is one of those. Hes a braggart sure, and I can see how some may feel he belittles them, but he knows his audio. Much more then his detractors. Whatever their disdain is for him it has nothing to do with his audio knowledge, its a personality issue.
100% agree with the ’’true’’ postings on behalf of millercarbon!
MC without a doubt has considerable experience both traditional and outside the box. I always appreciate the obvious time and thought he puts into his responses.
He is among a few select other members (that I have come across) whose contributions carry any weight regarding system/component setup/selection, troubleshooting, and especially tweaking in simple, elegant and cost effective ways (many of which I actually tried with great success).
No I am not part of any ’’MC hairum’’.
Just respectfully sharing my honest opinion.
Oh, my Hegel, Ampzilla 2000 2nd edition monoblocks and a Forte 1A are left on 24/7 unless I am away for a few days (or thunderstorms). DACs, phonstages also 24/7. All SS.
The sick part is, and this is a long story, but there's things I am not at liberty to discuss on-line (Frank knows) that have a huge impact. When Danager was here I pulled one out and handed it to him while the music was playing. He heard the sound field collapse, looked at this little doo-dad in his hand and was all, "What the??!?!!"
Experiences like this make it quite clear we do not really understand very much about what is going on. But if I say something like that, just today I said "maybe you will understand" and the poor guy went all MDS on me. But that is the stone truth: we do not understand very much of what is going on!
Yes there are things we do understand, or seem to understand, very well. When those come up it would be dishonest and a disservice to pretend otherwise.
But I will let you in on a little secret. If there is one thing that could be called my secret weapon it is that I am fully prepared to admit I don't really know what is going on. Why? Because the minute you are sure you know, you stop looking.
If I was so arrogant and certain as the haters make out then I never would have tried HFT, ECT, PHT, springs, TC, Townshend, Moneoone, Schumann, DBA, on and on.
Every single one of those was a risk in that it could well have been a flop. Instead, almost all were a total success.
There is a thought process that goes into it, but it is so hard to explain, don't know if I could even if I tried. What I can do is show by example. That is why I keep making the point I have been able to make some really killer purchases for going on 15 years now without ever auditioning any of them. There is a thought process. Maybe people can learn by watching, I don't know. But I assure you as hard as it is to explain nevertheless it is there! It is skill not luck- and this is vitally important to understand because if I am right and it is a skill then that means it can be learned. You can do it too.
let you in on a little secret. If there is one thing that could be called my secret weapon it is that I am fully prepared to admit I don't really know what is going on. Why? Because the minute you are sure you know, you stop looking.
someone else:
Wow I didnt know MC was recommending components before owning them. If this is true, nothing more need be said or known.
ITYS (I told you so.) Leave SS gear ON. Tubers . . . try it. I can hear the righteous electricians howling now. Electrons in/electrons out. I like my electrons HOT!
I will indeed choose wisely and will never recommend something I havent spent considerable time with. For now I choose not to read anything that you have to say.
Hello, Bigtwin- Hegel just started that power saving mode due to euro restrictions. The new Hegel V10 phono preamp did it to when I demoed it. On the V10 you can over ride it. Maybe their other models can be over ridden too. I leave on SS. MC-Good on ya mate! Seriously, Thank you for all of your help.
Years ago I sold electronic encapsulants to OEMs. The most destructive test they run is thermal shock, which is chilling to a certain temp then immersing in a hot liquid at the specified temp. Brutal. The second most destructive is thermal cycling, turning on and off. Enough said.
shamus2211- The point is to let me know they would vote me off the island. But their island is The Lord of the Flies. Mine is Manhattan: a rich, vibrant hub of culture, knowledge, and commerce.
I traded in my 19 1/2 year old solid state Bryston 4bST amp and BP25MC (not a MillerCarbon Edition :-)) pre amp last year with neither component ever having an issue. I turned them off every night and on later the next day. Leaving them constant on didn’t seem to improve their performance. The guru at the hi-fi store recommended I leave my new solid state gear on.
Most electronic devices will last longer if left permanently on. Consider that a PCB contracts and expands as it cycles through the warm and cool/cold periods with different coefficients of expansion and you have the ingredients for failure. Commensurate with this movement is the associated condensation.
The surge of start-up current is highest when the circuit is cold. If you take the old style incandescent lamps they almost always failed when switching on because that is their cold state where resistance is lowest and max. current is drawn. I don't know about you guys but I will not subject my kit to that harsh cycle.
I also leave my valve amps on standby with apparently no stress to the valves. As I build most of my stuff I incorporate a standby switch which disconnects B+ and switches the filament supply to about 60% of operating voltage to avoid cathode poisoning. This keeps the condensation at bay and the amp warm and ready for use.
That strikes me as a really good approach. What seems to happen is there is a sort of dielectric saturation process that happens with everything, until it reaches a sort of equilibrium. The majority of this happens pretty fast but the last little bit can take a while. So things that sound pretty bad at first sound a lot better half an hour later, but then continue to improve for some hours only not as much and slower. Ted Denney believes this happens even at idle, no music required, and so it stands to reason lowering the voltage will keep things at a high level ready to go. Wish more would do this.
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