larryi
Responses from larryi
| What's A Good Upgrade From A Manley Steelhead? This might be extreme overkill, particularly in terms of the blinged-out looks, but the Artisan Fidelity reconditioned Garrard 401 is something to aspire to: https://www.artisanfidelity.com/new-products/garrard-401-statement#:~:text=Garrard%20401... | |
| Tube tester? One more issue with older testers: the need for calibration. Older testers have to be occasionally calibrated. There are not that many service people that can properly calibrate an old machine. I know someone who does this. He said that it is ... | |
| What's A Good Upgrade From A Manley Steelhead? A new belt is about the only thing that would be needed to keep the Basis in fine fiddle. I own a Basis and I have heard the Phantom on a different Basis table. Both the arm and the Basis table are designed to maximize damping of vibration, both... | |
| Tube tester? If you don't have a nearby dealer with a tube tester, it might be nice to have one of your own. Most of the currently available models test only the most commonly used tubes (particularly tubes used by musicians in guitar amps). My local dealer ... | |
| Tube amps - what 3 things… I too like EL84 and 6L6 tubes. The KT66 is pretty similar in sound to the 6L6. The EL84 must be an easy tube for builders to work with (probably allows for use of cheaper output transformers) because that is where you most often see it being use... | |
| Tube amps - what 3 things… The most important features depend largely on the buyers attitude and expectations regarding components. If you are someone who is bothered by having to maintain/fix gear, or are bothered by the fact that tubes start to go bad from the moment the... | |
| What's A Good Upgrade From A Manley Steelhead? Rooze, I see that you are familiar with Deja Vu Audio in Vienna, Virginia. They make custom horn systems that are pricey, but, they are worlds apart from Klipsch, Altec and the like. Deja Vu utilizes pretty exotic vintage drivers and currently ... | |
| What's A Good Upgrade From A Manley Steelhead? I have not heard the Steelhead in my own system or one that I am familiar with, so I have only a general impression. I like what I heard from the systems I've heard, so it is certainly a good phonostage. I like what I run, a Viva fono, but, I ha... | |
| What are some good things to do when going to an audition I agree. If the shop permits it, bring your own electronics, particularly the amplifier (it makes the biggest difference in sound, and it will have the most compatibility issues). Try to get use to the sound of your own speakers while sitting ... | |
| What is your experience with amp power? I bought my amp from a custom builder who also built my preamplifier. They are "matched" in a way because the amp has input transformers that demand, for optimum performance, being matched to a line stage or preamplifier with a corresponding outp... | |
| What is your experience with amp power? I agree that 3 db is quite a bit of difference in sound level and I share your experience with channel balance. I use to run a Levinson No.32 linestage that allows for 0.1 db changes in volume. That gradation seemed ridiculously fine. With most... | |
| What is your experience with amp power? bigkidz, As I explained above, I had the same experience with a lower-powered and higher-powered Rowland amp. I generally tend to like the sound of lower-powered amps. I tend to like tube amps that run the likes of 6L6 or KT66 more than I do am... | |
| What's the best EL84 amp? The 6L6 amps I liked were old, vintage, RCA and Northern Electric amp, and the crazy expensive Western Electric 124 amps (they run 6L6 or the 350B tube).I have heard a number of custom built amps that use this tube. The similar sounding KT66 is u... | |
| What is your experience with amp power? It was a while ago that I auditioned two Rowland amps of very similar design. One was rated at 50 wpc, the other something like 200 wpc. The primary difference was the number of transistors per channel. Both were playing the same somewhat diffi... | |
| What's the best EL84 amp? dhcod, I like your description of a good EL84 amp--the sound is lively and "fun" and they can be a bit "rough around the edges." Have you heard a good 6L6 or KT66 amp? These tube types have a slightly richer sound and are often a bit less rough... |