Synergistic Red Fuse ...
almarg 6,582 posts 07-29-2016 4:15pm Interesting, Wolfie, that you should mention the late Lars Fredell ("The World’s Greatest Audiophile"), as just the other day I happened to be reading his brilliantly written and informative review of a Tenor OTL amplifier. As fate would have it I was invited to be in the (huge) room at the Tuscany Hotel in Vegas for the CES that year. On the same hall with Kharma, Wilson, Pipedreams and Walker rooms, also monster systems. The monolithic Rockport Hyperion speakers, which took four strong and coordinated dudes to move them since they weighed 500 lb each, were biamped by 4 Tenor amps. I am pretty sure this was the first year Tenor was at CES. Cabling by Jena Labs and Shunyata. I had five (count em) isolation stands in the room, one spring based stand under each Tenor amp and one sub Hertz Unipivot air spring platform under the CD player (Audio Aero). Jonathan Valin, who wound up shipping the whole schlmear back to Cincinnati for a review in The Absolute Sound, opined it was the best system at the show and was the best system he had ever heard, anywhere. Geoff Kait machina dynamica |
Oregonpapa & Charles1dad We briefly discussed the LINN turntable a few days ago. I will never forget the first time I heard the LINN. A friend of mine invited me to his house to listen to his system which consisted of the LINN turntable and Magnapan loudspeakers. He played a direct to disc LP named "FOR DUKE " by BILL BERRY & THE ALL STARS. I have never been the same since that night. The sound Stage was not just wide and deep but there was realistic height like I had never heard before. There were musicians blowing horns so I knew they were standing, and the pianist was sitting, Ray Brown's bass was also emanating from a lower level like it should. It was all there. And the Dynamics were unbelievable. At that time I had a THORENS TD-160 turntable. It had to go. That was when I decided to get the LINN. Have either of you ever heard this "FOR DUKE" record? |
Oregonpapa I am warming to the idea of owning the Von Gaylord interconnect you made reference to in an earlier post. The fact that you purchased a pair (or two) is the highest possible recommendation. When I make the purchase will probably depend on the cost of my wife's up coming dental expenses. I went on the internet and was surprised to learn Von Gaylord manufactures complete systems including amplifiers and loudspeakers. Why do they hide their lights under a bushel? I lived in London for 5 years in the late 1960s and was convinced I was aware of the most important audio manufacturers. But I had never heard of RADFORD. I had always believed QUAD (The acoustical manufacturing Company) was the cat's pajamas. And then I heard a RADFORD system. RADFORD was a relatively small company not prone to advertising but maintained very high design and manufacturing standards. Their products were the best I ever heard in England. It now appears Von Gaylord is similar to RADFORD in many ways. Thanks again for letting me know about them. |
Nyame, The "For Duke" recording was often cited as a reference standard by many reviewers in the early 1990s but I have not heard it. What you say about the LINN is true and it was a standard bearer for generations, yet I still found the Well Tempered table better in my system. My familiarity with Von Gaylord is through their highly regarded line of amplifiers and preamplifiers. I wasn't aware of their cables until Frank mentioned them in this thread. Charles, |
Nyame ... I have the "For Duke" album. Its a sock knocker-offer. :-) On the Linn turntable: The first time I heard one was at an audio store in Van Nuys, CA. There was a tech there who modified Dyna MKIII mono amps and Dyna PAS pre amps. His name was Michael Frazier. He knew how to eke magic out of those Dyna products. Anyway, he had a setup consisting of his electronics, a pair of little Linn "Kan" speakers and the Linn turntable. Michael and I sat there after the store closed for a couple of hours just immersed in great jazz. I still remember one recording featuring John Coltrane that put Coltrane's tenor sax right there in the room. It was amazing. On the Von Gaylord cables ... What I look for mainly in an audio system is a natural sound to the instruments. If the instruments aren't tonally correct, what's the point? I've heard systems costing in excess of 100K that don't get this part right. While attending audio shows, I always seek out systems/products that get the tones right --- the rooms that play music. That's what drew me to the Linn demo rooms in years past. Well, this past June, at the Newport show, My friend Robert and I spent time, as we always do, in the Harbeth demo room listening to their great 40.2's. That was one of the best rooms at the show from a natural sounding standpoint. The Harbeth speakers are truly great in this regard. I could listen to them for hours on end. After the Harbeth room, my friend Robert and I wandered into the Von Gaylord room. It was just the two of us and the designer Ray Leung. Here, we had just left the Harbeth room listening to the 40.2's at $16,000 a pair, and walked into a room with small speakers costing $6,000 a pair making music at least as good if not better than the big Harbeth's. We couldn't tear ourselves away from Ray's room. It was that good. The speakers, electronics and cables are all Ray's designs. After the show, I tried one pair of Ray's IC's. They went between my turntable and phono stage. That's all it took. I was hooked. So, now there's another pair of Von Gaylord IC's (balanced) between the amp and preamp. A pair of Von Gaylord bi-wired speaker cables are in the system now too. All of these cables replaced some highly regarded cables in their own right. The improvements attained with Ray's cables are, in a word, stunning. Highly recommended. Here's a link to Ray's Von Gaylord site: http://vongaylordaudio.com/beta/ If you take the time to talk with Ray, you'll find him to be a perfect gentleman with a ton of patients. Check out the reviews. OP |
charles1dad It was in the very early 1980s that I heard the LINN. I was not involved in our lovely hobby during the years 1986 through 2000 due to work and going back to school.I did not return to the hobby until 2001 when I began assembling a modest multi channel receiver based system. I was not able to enjoy listening to music on this system so in 2003 I decided to build a modest, but musical, two channel system, which morphed into the system I now have. During this long period of inactivity I gave away all my LPs (about 300) and equipment (Quad Electrostatic loudspeakers, home built mono-block power amps, home built pre-amp etc). It was a fantastic system.Each mono-block consisted of 4 items : Left power amp, right power amp, left power supply and right power supply. The amp was rated at 50 watts per channel into 8 ohms, 100 watts per channel into 4 ohms, 200 watts per channel into 2 ohms AND 400 watts per channel into 1 ohm. It was in fact a 400 watt per channel amplifier that produced its maximum power into one ohm. It was developed to power the Quads which could not handle high voltage. The electrostatics panels would arc if exposed to more that about 45 volts. For best fidelity no protection of any kind was used. I used a thin wire to short its outputs and it simply burnt the wire. Each amp used eight 250 watt bipolar transistors per channel in the output stage. It outperformed every amplifier it was compared to, including the Krell. The pre-amp was built the same way. Left preamp, left power supply, right preamp, right power supply. It used FETs in the input stage and each power supply was what one would expect to find in a small power amp. I gave away all my equipment to friends. I could not bear to sell them. They were too precious to sell. |
Hi Frank, Just out of pure curiosity what is the metallurgy of your Von Gaylord cables and are they shielded? I’ll acknowledge that many factors determine the final sound character of audio cables. We share very similar priorities I’ve come to discover from reading your posts over the past months. As you commented and I agree, for me it all begins with the demand for natural tone as the crucial necessity. Other important sonic factors follow once this mandatory criteria has been satisfied. I use the Ocellia Silver Reference cables (unshielded and with a paper dielectric)as they have fulfilled this role admirably. No question however that there are numerous excellent audio cables to choose amongst. I imagine that your Von Gaylord cables are wonderful. Charles, |
I knew Lars and his wife for a while before knowing he was THAT Lars (we lived in Redding, CT), and also met Tom Gillette at a neighbor's party. Tom's cool...One thing Lars and I joked about regarding the Mpingo things was the fact that because I had a lot of guitars around, the ebony or rosewood components of those should theoretically have the same effect as Sun Mook's imaginary and expensive magic tweaks, and the discs cost about the same as a good guitar (!)…I keep my guitars in humidified cases generally so I never tested that theory, and it's clear I'm not prone to waste time on silly or useless nonsense like Mpingos... |
charles dad 7.30.16 " What you say about the LINN is true and it was a standard bearer for generations, yet I still found the Well Tempered table better in my system." Charles, my post was intended to be about the direct to disc record. I mentioned the LINN because I thought you might be interested in knowing why I liked it so much. I already accept the fact the the Well Tempered table outperforms the LINN. Remember, I was enamored by the LINN in 1982. It is not surprising for it to be surpassed by many tables that came into existence in the 3 decades since then. Since I am not really seeking to build a state of the art system, I do not have strong motivation to travel long distances to hear equipment I have no intention of purchasing. Take care. |
Oregonpapa I will purchase the Von Gaylord IC you recommend. My initial reluctance to purchase an IC without an audition is because of my experience with the Audioquest Cheetah. It performs excellently only when connected between the CD player and the Pre-amp. It simply does not work between the pre and power amps. Earlier this year I made the decision to upgrade both interconnects and so I began the search by auditioning The Wywires Platinum IC and the High Fidelity CT-1. The Wywires defeated the CT-1 by a wide margin. The connection between Pre and power amps is secure. The designer of the Wywires cable ( I have forgotten his name ) was adamant that best results would be obtained if I connected his IC between source and preamp, so I know it will work well there. When I get the Von Gaylord IC I will first try it between Source and preamp. It is my belief that the best IC should go there. A quick word about the Wywires Platinum. It is truly awesome. Every now and then, I hear a component that is so perfect, in every possible way, that it is a joy to own. The Wywires platinum IC is such a product. Enough said. Just knowing you are using and enjoying the Von Gaylord IC is very reassuring. good luck |
Interesting stories, Wolfie. Redding is a beautiful town, of course. I'm not far from there, as I mentioned. Re the mention by the other gentlemen of "For Duke," I don't have that recording but I do have another M&K Realtime direct-to-disc recording of that era, "The Power and the Glory (Volume I)". It is a recording of classical music for organ, that was recorded in a large church that apparently has one of the world's largest organs. I'm hard pressed to think of superlatives that would do justice to its sonics. However I only played it via speakers once, as it is the only recording I have ever played that caused paint chips to fall from my ceiling :-) Best regards, -- Al |
Hi Charles, Well, the works on the recording include Bach's famous "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor," excerpts of works by Vivaldi and Wagner, and a piece by a 20th century American composer named Alexander Russell. The performer, Lloyd Holzgraf, I understand was the long-time organist of the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, where the recording was made, and he certainly gives a noteworthy performance IMO. However, organ music tends to be an acquired taste to many, and I would expect that there will be many to whom these pieces would not be appealing. And for that matter they are not pieces that I find myself wanting to listen to with any particular regularity, either. The following YouTube links appear to be uploads derived from CD transfers of the original direct-to-disc LP, each link corresponding to one side of the LP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd0bETda5uM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5nzfPi8w4E Best regards, -- Al |
Hello Al, ,Thanks for the links. If I can find the CD of this recording I’ll buy it. This will be fun and interesting hearing it reproduced with my low watt SET system. Besides I need at least one majestic organ reference recording in my jazz dominate music library LOL. Al if I’m unable to find this CD is there an alternative good organ recording you might suggest? Charles, |
Al if I’m unable to find this CD is there an alternative good organ recording you might suggest?Yup: https://www.amazon.com/Saint-Sa%C3%ABns-Symphony-No-3-Camille/dp/B000003CSK/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1469925056&sr=1-1&keywords=cd-80051 Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3, known as the "Organ Symphony," is music that I would expect to have much broader appeal than the pieces on the M&K disc. And I would certainly consider your use of the word "majestic" to be applicable to it as well. I have this on the original 1980 Telarc LP. Don’t let the fact that it was digitally recorded and mastered in the early days of digital discourage you; the sonics of many of the digital recordings that were originally issued on LP by Telarc prior to and around the time CDs came into being are excellent. That said, assuming that the CD was created with no added dynamic compression relative to whatever minimal amount (if any) may be present on the LP, I disavow any responsibility for what may happen if and probably when some of the passages on this recording drive your amp well into clipping :-) Best regards, -- Al |
Al, Regarding "early"digital recordings I have no fear, as you note there are excellent sounding examples to erase any stereotypical assumptions. Once I found the appropriate digital source components I was able to move from vinyl without any looking back. In my early experiences Redbook CDs weren't the problem, inadequate playback components were the issue. Charles, |
Here's my favorite Saint Saens Organ Symphony. Unfortunately, I can't find it on CD. It may have been reissued on CD at some point, so its worth keeping an eye out for it: http://www.ebay.com/itm/SAINT-SAENS-organ-symphony-PHILADELPHA-ORCHESTRA-Biggs-COLUMBIA-STEREO-US-LP... Also, you guys might consider getting into some Wurlitzer theater organ music. Here's a bargain on three CD's by the great George Wright: http://www.ebay.com/itm/LOT-OF-3-George-Wright-At-The-Wurlitzer-Pipe-Organ-AUDIO-CD-407-422-478-/152... I have some pretty rare organ music on CD that I couldn't find on Ebay. Limited edition stuff I guess. One is a recording of the magnificent threater organ at the Nethercutt Museum in Sylmar. CA. I've heard it played in live concerts a few times. Once was for a trubute to the great early film comedian Stan Laurel. They showed early silent films of Stan Laurel while the organist played along with the films. Stan Laurel's great grand daughter was in the audience. At the time, she was in her middle 80's. I bought the CD at the concert. That particular organ is the second largest theater organ in the world. When the organist hit the bass notes, it was like WWIII. The other rare one I have is a recording of the big organ that resides at The Mission Inn in Riverside, CA. I think they sell the CD in their gift shop. Both the Nethercutt and the Mission Inn recordings will convince most that they should have some really good organ music in their collections. Its not just for the spectacular sound ... The music is great too. OP |
And then there's the Hammond B3 as played by Barbara Dennerlein. :-) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60ut7yIuCEY |
7.30.16 I wrote: "The pre-amp was built the same way. Left preamp, left power supply, right preamp, right power supply." This statement is incorrect. The preamp consisted of 2 parts. The preamp and a single outboard power supply. I decided to make this correction before someone called 911 to report that there is a crazy man running around naked in the Audiogon fuse thread. |
I have SS organ symphony on an RCA Papillon Cd that is surprisingly good and my current fav. Ormandy and Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra. I think it's a different version than the Biggs version but not sure. I buy most anything done by E Power Biggs when I come across it. Nothing like a good quality pipe organ recording to test ones system limits. |
SR fuses have a rare and somewhat adorable attribute of not being rated with the accuracy of some, shall we say, "less precious" fuses, and might require you to use ones rated slightly higher than what your gear lists as appropriate…simply buy several (remember: 30 day return policy!), and remain near your gear with a fire extinguisher for day or two just to be safe. |
aniwolfe The chance of getting a bad fuse is so unlikely that there is no need to be concerned about it. If the fuse is defective it it is likely open and unable to conduct. If this is the case no current will flow through it and you hear no sound at all. The chances of getting a shorted fuse that would endanger your component component s about as great as being hit by lightning. Of greater concern is the direction of the fuse. The fuse will work as intended only if it inserted in the correct direction. Unfortunately the correct direction is not specified by the manufacturer. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the manufacturer recommends inserting the fuse, turn the equipment on, and play. If the sound is obviously compromised, take out the fuse and insert it in the opposite direction. Here is what I usually do. I look at the writing on the fuse where the value of the fuse is shown. ( eg.800 ma). Install the fuse in the direction that allows me to read the fuse value. Turn on the instrument and listen to music you are very familiar with. The music should sound at least as good as it did with the standard fuse. If this is the case, leave the instrument on overnight and play the same music again. Your ears will let you know if the fuse is bad. If it is bad take it out the fuse, reverse its direction, and reinstall. Good luck. |
Aniwoffe 7.31. 16 " Is anyone testing these fuses before installation. Is it necessary ? Any advice would be appreciated " Wolf_garcia reply 7.31. 16: "Simply buy several and remain near your gear with a fire extinguisher for a day or two just to be safe" There is absolutely no Statistical or technical reason to justify this advice. Let's be clear. This is a patently malicious statement published in a public forum with intent to do maximum harm to the reputation of Synergistic research. This is actionable behavior in a court of law. It is DEFAMATION. Does anyone here know whether Audiogon has a policy designed to protect its members from this type of menace? Does Audiogon have resources to review his posts on this forums and make a decision on how to protect us from this deranged individual? Surely there must be minimum standards of decorum. |
In general, sarcasm, exaggeration, biting criticism, parody, etc., that a reasonable person can be expected to not take as literal truth, are not considered by the courts to be defamation. However, referring to a member as "deranged" is a violation of Audiogon’s terms of service. Note that if you point to the lower right corner of any post a "report this" link will appear. If you click on it you will see that one of the reportable categories that is listed is "abusive towards another member." Just FYI. Regards, -- Al (Licensed but non-practicing attorney-at-law) |
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"Simply buy several and remain near your gear with a fire extinguisher for a day or two just to be safe" So is claiming a mains fuse is directional, and also dangerous to tell non techs to keep reversing them, until one time they forget to disconnect the plug from the mains, BANG!!! say goodbye to your short and curlies. Cheers George |
DEFAMATION : "The act of making untrue statements about another which damages his/her reputation. If the defamatory statement is printed or broadcast over the media it is libel and, if only oral, it is slander" It was probably unwise of me to categorize Wolfe's statement as actionable. It is certainly not against the law to express one's opinions, no matter how unfounded and irrational they may be. Perhaps I should said that he was merely a nuisance and left it at that. |
georgelofi 1,640 posts 07-31-2016 11:55pm So is claiming a mains fuse is directional, and also dangerous to tell non techs to keep reversing them, until one time they forget to disconnect the plug from the mains, BANG!!! say goodbye to your short and curlies?" Someone has died when switching fuse direction?! OMG!! |
I hope no one has asked this question already so all apologies, but has anyone tried using an sr fuse in their power conditioner? I have a black in my preamp that was a worthy investment. Id try some in my mono's but that is a pricier layout and since everything runs from the conditioner it makes sense that this could effect the sound as well. Have a great day. |
mapman 13,557 posts 08-01-2016 11:17am Once fuses are all in alignment, next there is a Machina Dynamica teleportation tweak up for bids now to be had for a mere $2. Geoff can explain the benefits. The end game is near! Or is it? :^) Grasshopper, If you're going to be my shill would it be asking too much for a little more enthusiasm? |
Nyame ... If this happened in Outter Mongolia between a man and a mule, the chances are it had nothing to do with a fuse. Fourwnds ... So far, no one has reported trying an SR fuse in their power conditioner. Why not be the first, then report the results here? I'd certainly be interested in the results. OP |
georgelofi 8.1.2016 " until one time they forget to disconnect the plug from the mains, BANG!!! say goodbye to your short and curlies?" This is a very important point. When providing instructions on how to install a fuse the first thing to say is "TURN OFF THE POWER" for a few minutes minutes prior to installation. Thanks georgelofi for mentioning this. My post dated 7.31.16 in response to aniwolfe should definitely have mentioned this. Most people know this should be done, but often forget. . |
nyame 124 posts 08-01-2016 2:32pm georgelofi 8.1.2016 " until one time they forget to disconnect the plug from the mains, BANG!!! say goodbye to your short and curlies?" This is a very important point. When providing instructions on how to install a fuse the first thing to say is "TURN OFF THE POWER" for a few minutes minutes prior to installation. Thanks georgelofi for mentioning this. My post dated 7.31.16 in response to aniwolfe should definitely have mentioned this. Most people know this should be done, but often forget. Just to point out there's a difference between turning the power off and disconnecting the AC power plug. |
