gs5556
Responses from gs5556
| How do you properly break-in a pair of speakers? With respect to all above, when first firing up brand new speakers, they should be played at very low audible volume for the first day or so, then played with loud complex passages until the end of break-in. This is recommended by Neil Patel of Av... | |
| Tubes & Digital - Is There A Link? I don't think the focus of tubed recording gear is to "correct" sonic deficiencies of digital but to attempt to deliver a higher quality reproduction. Tubes, inherently, are capable of producing a higher level of detail than solid state. Also, it'... | |
| Why Aren't All Cables Pre-Burned In? A lot of audio dealers have demo sets (likely burned-in) for try out at home which should show you what they'll sound like after burn in. Easiest way of comparing cables and another reason why dealers are an invaluable asset. | |
| Are silver coated cables a bunch of hype? While I would tend to disagree with a blanket statement that "...silver [makes] no difference", there are a lot more factors in cable design than whether the copper is coated or not which affects what they sound like: cable geometry, conductors, n... | |
| What's the best speaker polisher/cleaner If your speakers are new, a microfiber towel works great in keeping them looking new. Picks up everything without scratching and really put on a natural shine. ***At least for my speakers!! (which is walnut wood veneer) which, years later, look li... | |
| Interconnect length You always can subtract but can never add... if you should reposition in the future, that extra 1/2 meter can save you the trouble of buying the same thing twice. | |
| neutrality vs. realism "Realism" is unattainable. The recording microphone is in no way as sophisticated as the human ear; something is always lost when a microphone picks up sound. And since our rigs are at the mercy of the source media, the best we can hope for is the... | |
| How do I set/adjust the bias on my tube amp? Even though tube amps are relatively easy to bias (a small flat head screwdriver and voltmeter are really all that's needed), manufacturers nowadays can insist you send them the amp for biasing. Probably to protect their warranty but most likely a... | |
| Levinson owners, what cables are u using? I use MIT CVT Reference cabling from the transport all the way to the speakers. I also have a Z-Stabilzer in parallel with each of the dedicated amp outlets, and Z-II power cords. I have the 20.6 monoblocks which simply love the MIT's. From my exp... | |
| Out of the mouth of babes For the brave of heart, the way of doing this is to 1) fix your equipment in place (bolt them to the floor or wall) so they are no longer portable appliances. 2) Install a fuse disconnect switch at the wall withing 5 feet of the unit 3) hardwire f... | |
| high-end vs. ultra high-end amplifiers May I approach this from another angle -- it is no secret that the price of a piece of equipment can be perceived by us in the hobby as directly related to performance (and maybe status). Could it be that some of these expensive pieces are designe... | |
| Dedicated Lines - specific questions Ken: With respect to what you are planning for the grounding, it is not a good idea to split the ground path to two separate points. First, it's against code. All grounding conductors must run side-by-side with the current-carrying conductors back... | |
| Need Advice, Getting a Spike a Day I would install a whole-house surge suppressor in the main electrical panel. Ask your local electrician for recommendations. | |
| link between speaker and floor What also might work well is if you place a 12x12 1/2-inch thick or larger stone tile under the speakers and spike 'em to the tile. Gives a good solid foundation. Worked very well for me. | |
| Equipment Break-in: Fact or Fiction From my experience, after about 20 to 30 hours what you hear is what you are (stuck?) left with. I agree with Marakanetz - the sound does not magically improve after a "break-in". What I noticed, whether source, amp or speaker, is only the imaging... |