atmasphere

Responses from atmasphere

Class D amplifiers. What's the future look like?
Why is there this "push" to Class-D in the first place? What do you gain? In what way would they ever be sonically better than a good Class A or AB amp? @moonwatcher Class D offers something that is very hard to achieve with A and AB amplifiers... 
Annoying trend? New vinyl equalization and compression
I doubt that Technics is selling all their new turntables to just the high end market. When we were mastering LPs for a digital source file, we would try to make sure that the file had no DSP other than normalization. In that way we could master ... 
Class D amplifiers. What's the future look like?
They will go the way of cd players, in ten years no one will need them. Ralph and others perhaps have some time to cash in. He does not prefer his class D to his and many others tube amps. He won't fool me. @inna I don't think if I was trying t... 
300b lovers
If you do direct-coupling correctly, it can be very reliable. I don’t think it wise to direct couple throughout the circuit though! The advantage of a direct-coupled cathode follower driver tube are several. First, there is more current available... 
Annoying trend? New vinyl equalization and compression
Compression is used because it takes less time to engineer the LP side. You just start the source file (or tape) and let the cutter do its thing. You might spend 4x as much money if you don't use the compression, trying to sort out how to cut the... 
Preamp for a GaN-FET amp...
It would seem that while tubes have the preferred distortion ratios, their total distortion is higher than all solid state preamps.  So, what is it that is creating this preference and is this something that solid state preamps can "copy"? @sna... 
Preamp for a GaN-FET amp...
then why isn't GanF also the future of preamps. @snapsc The issue is technical. The issue is something called Gain Bandwidth Product, which is important in amplifier design, if that design is using feedback. With conventional solid state and tu... 
Can a tube short without blowing?
Can a tube short without blowing? @txp1 Yes. Usually when you get a pop, its the tube arcing, often due to an internal short. But it might check just fine after that, or it might be dead or anywhere in between. Its a pretty good bet the tube wi... 
300b lovers
They now dominate high-end audio, which was not true thirty years ago. I remember going to some CES shows with hardly any tube amps at all, never mind DHT’s, and now they are everywhere. While it is correct that there are more tube amplifier pr... 
300b lovers
Nice article! Too bad direct coupling wasn't tried. That would have been fun to see.  
Help and opinions needed on pre-amp situation
The Lumin S1 was their top of the line/flagship offering prior to the X-1. In the menu it has a setting for "Analog Output Level" and has "Normal" or "Low" for choices. Not sure if that has anything to do with what @atmasphere Ralph mentioned abo... 
Warm vs Revealing—the struggle for balance
Anyone else doing this back and forth? @w123ale No. Whenever you have increased detail that is also fatiguing (bright and harsh), the fatigue is often the result of distortion.  You know you're making progress when the presentation is detailed... 
300b lovers
Here is an example of direct coupling: http://www.single-ended.com/Lagarto/shishido/811A.png Is 6f6 grid load easy enough for SRPP? ECC82 can be changed for 6sn7. @alexberger It needs grid stop resistors. Its usually a good practice to bypas... 
Help and opinions needed on pre-amp situation
@veerossi To add the phono section to the MP-3 is inexpensive if its ordered that way. Regarding sound quality there are a number of variables. The most common thing you run into is that most of the balanced line equipment made for high end audio... 
300b lovers
With 5687 you can get even wider bandwidth especially on bass. @alexberger All tubes have response to DC. If you hear a difference with the ability to play bass, its not the tube type that's causing it. The reason we like to use 6SN7s is there ...