Audio - High Fidelity

May 15, 2008

(Added a link to the link list.) Well, this page has been out of date for so long that it's almost not worth fixing (but I'll try every now and then). I should just stick in a link to the Modpage List, which you can see here and leave it at that. Let me say, however, that the primary reason I created what is generally an odd addition to a medically-oriented site is that I wanted to, as with the section on Ham Radio, attract an audience that would otherwise go unreached so that I could "gently" expose them to the usually personal but important subject of tissue and organ donation. My idea was that, in this way, ultimately more people would sign up and thus more people that need life-saving organs (and tissue) to survive would get them. OK, it was a little utopian and surely hasn't changed the face of what is truly a crisis situation, but that was the idea (and still is). However, it's taken on a life of its own, and as such, I get probably as much email about various audio topics on the site as I do about IPF and lung transplantation. But that's OK--it's attracting people, which means that it might be working. Yet while I don't want to forget the real reason why this section was created in the first place, and even though it represents the end product of my own mental and physical therapy that I genuinely needed during my illness and (fortunately) after my transplant, I hope that it is able to stand on its own as a modest yet significant contribution to the (primarily vintage) audio community. I'll let you decide if that's the case. Just know that the systems described below have changed considerably since the pictures were taken, hopefully as noted in the text.

Computer Room System

You saw this system if you clicked on the link on the homepage in the Audio Stuff section, shown here. Except that now it sports a Musical Fidelity A-1000 amp, a Musical Fidelity E-60 CD player acting as a transport working into an MSB Link III DAC, a Musical Fidelity E-50 FM tuner, a Sony TC-WA7ESA dual cassette deck, PSB Century 400i satellite speakers, a PSB Alpha One sub-woofer, and a Rega Planar2 belt-drive turntable with a Rega SuperBias MM cartridge. They call the E-series the Elektra system in England, and while I had an E-10 installed in the system, I recently found an A-1000, which represents an significant upgrade. The E-10 has MOSFET outputs which I always liked for their tube-like sound, but the A-1000 is Class A and is nearly transparent. I originally modeled the room using KB Acoustic's Visual Ears demo software when I had two subs in the system, but one of them has moved into a secondary test system, although still in the same room. Interestingly, adding the second sub did not change the response a bit. Since you can't save info with the demo version I had to take a screen shot--you can see speaker and boundary reflections, satellite and subwoofer speaker placement, and a standing wave plot by clicking here. You can download the Visual Ears demo from their website, at http://www.kbacoustics.com. With the addition of the A-1000, this system has become a marvel of involvement and honest musical reproduction.

Solarium System

This the largely a vacuum tube-based system, shown here--now a Conrad Johnson PV-2Ar preamp, Dynakit Mark III's converted to triode-connected KT-90's, a Sony CDP-C445 5-CD Carousel acting as a transport that runs into an Audio Alchemy DTI that converts its TOSlink output to coaxial which then feeds a Theta Cobalt DAC (with the factory-installed analog output device upgrade), a Sony TC-WE605S dual cassette deck, a Sherwood S-2100 AM-FM Stereo tube tuner, Acoustron Model LWE-1A 15" 3-way speakers with motional feedback, and a Kenwood KD-3070 direct-drive turntable with an AudioQuest sorbothane mat and a Shure V-15 Mk.II cartridge. I just recently re-tubed the Mark III's, which then prompted me to replace their line cords with UL-approved three-wire pigtail sets (from Radio Shack--where you have questions and they have blank facial expressions), along with the appropriate Panasonic line-rated bypass caps. I then, over time, upgraded the power supply to Sheldon Stokes' under-chassis filter bank, added Frank Van-Alstine's bandpass filter input network, and put toggle switches in each of the Mark III's to select Triode or Ultralinear operation. I lived with it in the UL mode for a few weeks for the first time in probably 10-15 years, and while it wasn't as bad as I expected, I eventually put it back to Triode mode and it's been that way ever since. This system, for all the years and mods, is dead quiet and still sounds like a million bucks--beautiful.

Studio System

This system sits in the basement, in the 8-track studio--a Tascam 388 reel-to-reel tape deck/mixing console, an SAE Mark IB solid-state preamp, a factory-updated Sunfire "Load-Invariant" amplifier, a pair of PSB Stratus Goldi speakers--it was time to move up from the JBL 4312 sound--a Sony DTC-700 DAT deck, a Parasound C/DC-1500 Carousel/Transport coaxially linked to an Audio Note DAC-1 D-to-A converter, a Nikko Gamma I FM tuner, and a Sony TCK-615S cassette deck. An old photo of some of the electronics can be seen here, along with some assorted effects--Alesis Miniverb II, alesis third-octave EQ, Yamaha SPX-90, Behringer Composer, el cheapo patchbay, etc. Also you can see my old AGI 511-A preamp--from Willow Grove, PA!--that I eventually sold. And I finally replaced the green 20-year old or so Monster speaker cables with AudioQuest Type-4 bi-wire bundles (two half-inch cables per speaker), to take advantage of Bob Carver's voltage and current outputs. Pretty interesting results there. Oh, and there's some various older Ensoniq equipment like an ESQ-1, an ESQ-M, a Mirage rack-mount, a Sampled Grand Piano, and so on. This system now handles performance-level playback without a whimper, and is as clean and realistic-sounding as any I've heard. The Parasound is a genuinely decent transport, amazing since it is a changer and changers are not generally associated with decent performance. By the way, did I mention that we have three dogs? That look like wolves (big teeth)? And a rifle (that I used to take to Boy Scout camp)? No? Oh, OK. Well, we do.

TV Room System

This system just does its thing, and provides a lot of enjoyment night after night. It now consists of a Carver HTR-885.1 Pro-Logic DD-Ready A/V receiver (which I like a lot), NHT Super Zero satellite speakers and an NHT SuperCenter center speaker, an NHT SWP-1 sub-woofer, NHT HDP-1 dipole surround speakers, a Drake 1824 TVRO receiver and VCRS decoder connected to a Perfect 10 ten-foot mesh dish outside, a Pioneer 626D DVD deck with built-in DD and DTS decoders, a JVC HiFi VCR, an Akai HiFi VCR, and a Sony 32" WEGA TV (not the XBR). You can see a dated picture of the front part of the system by clicking here. It took me forever to get up to Pro-Logic, then even longer to gravitate to DD and DTS, of all things! I used to use a Damark close-out RCA Dolby Surround receiver for years that cost about $185 and while it kicked a lot of ass, it did a poor job with dialogue. That's why they developed Pro-Logic (duh). Now I'm back to a generation or so behind in technology again, if you're counting Progressive Scan and HDTV.

Shop System

EICO Logo This system consists of a mish-mash of gear that I've either recently acquired and/or rebuilt, which changes on a more-or-less weekly basis, but currently consists of a Dynaco PAS-3X and FM-3 tuner, a Hafler DH-500, an HK TA-3000X-II AM-FM Stereo receiver, a Scott 312-C FM Stereo tuner, a Marantz CD-67SE working into a Cambridge Audio DACMagic2 Mk II, a Technics ST-Z45 AM-FM Stereo tuner, a Parasound P/HP-850 preamp, and PSB 800i speakers. Part of the system (as it originally was) is shown here . I also have some (old) individual pictures--a SCA-35 and the FM-3 , an HF-81 , and finally some of those components minus the speakers, as shown here . Elsewhere in the shop is a clean Scott 340B driving KLH Sixes and a bunch of Dynaco A-25's that I use to voice amps and tuners and run off a NAD 7020A.

Single-Ended System

Audio Note Logo This is my token semi-affordable single-ended system--not shown--that I put together to use as a reference system for voicing all of my modification projects--an Audio Note OTO SE Phono integrated amp driving original early-60's Electro Voice Marquis 12" 3-way vented horn speakers. It turned out to be more like a contrast system, actually. I replaced the tubes in the OTO with Teles and some Bugle-Boys that I had around. It's hard to improve on this system for enjoyment and warmth. The OTO is but another example of the fact that you just can't make a bad-sounding amp with EL-84s. All that remains to be added is a picture.

Audio-Related Links

When I first got home from my transplant, I put this list together as a mental exercise (right). It finally got sorted--too bad a lot of the sites start their title with the word "Welcome"! Anyway, have fun.

:: JS Audio ::
[AMCHome] AMC Hi-Fi HomePage
A Buyer's Paradise for TV's VCR's and Stereo's
ABC Vacuum Tubes
ABC - Home Theater Specialists
Accuphase Distributors AXISS
Acoustic Image
Acurus High End Audio/ Home Theater Products Home Page
Acurus Home Page
Always Western New England's Best, Northampton Audio
Ambrosia Audio & Video
AMFI Home Page
Amp impedance x spkrs impedance
AMPAGE - Tube Amps and Music Electronics
Angela Instruments
ANTHEM: Sonic Frontiers Inc.
Aragon Home Page
Arcam
ARCANE AUDIO LABORATORIES
Aronov Audio
Ashly Audio Inc. Home Page
ASM Link Page
ASUSA
Atma-Sphere® Music Systems, Inc.
AUDIO ADVISOR Closeouts - Electronics
Audio Amateur Corporation
Audio and Acoustics
Audio and Home Theater Enthusiast's Page
Audio by Van Alstine Home Page
AUDIO CLASSICS, LTD.
Audio Companies - Manufacturing
Audio Components
Audio Connection
Audio Electronic Supply Solid State Preamplifier AE-2
AUDIO FX - New, Used, and Demo Specials
Audio Heaven Audio & Video
Audio HK -- Audio Links
Audio Ideas Guide: Canada's leading high end audio magazine
Audio Images
Audio Influx Corporation Main Index
Audio Interlinks
Audio Mail Order List
Audio Mecca Link EXTRAVAGANZA
Audio Note
Audio Odyssey
Audio On-Demand
Audio Orleans: High-End Audio / Home Theater / Surround Sound
AUDIO OUTLET
Audio Products from Bryston Limited, Peterborough, Ontario
Audio Related Internet World Wide Web & FTP Sites
Audio Review
Audio Revolution
AUDIO SHOPPER
Audio Society of Minnesota
Audio Solutions Home Page
Audio Trader
AUDIO TUBES & ELECTRONIC PARTS
Audio Video Solutions Table of Contents Page
audiobile
AudioFile & AV Homepage
AudioGlassic
Audiolab (Cambridge Systems Technology)
AudioSold.com - Free audio auctions.
audiolit
Audiomax-LTD
AUDIOPHILES
Audiophilia Online Magazine
Audio-Video Logic The Midwest's Ultimate Stereo Store
AudioWeb Home Page
AudioWeb Newsstand: Vacuum Tube Valley: Magazine Info
AudioWeb Newstand: Listener
AudioWeb Newstand: Positive Feedback
Aura Systems, Inc. - Corporate Headquarters
Avalon Audio Video
AveNet Marketing, Inc.: NORTHSTAR Leading the Way Inc.: Amplifiers
Avondale Audio - A World of Audio Conversions
B&W Loudspeakers
Beam-Echo Home Page
Blue Circle Audio Inc. - www.bluecircle.com
Boston Acoustics
British Federation of Audio
Bryn Mawr Stereo & Video WWW
California Audio Labs
CAMBRIDGE AUDIO
Camera World of Oregon
CARVER Corporation
Cary Audio Design, Inc. - A Worldwide Statement in Audio Amplification
Cassette House
Cassette House/DAT Stuff
Castle Acoustics
CDKINGS
CDnow : Main : Homepage
CDworld: The Largest Internet DISCOUNT Entertainment Store
Centasound HomePage
Chesky Records
Circuit City Audio, Video, Computers, Appliances, Car Stereo, Personal Electronics
Classic H.H.Scott Pages
Colonelvideo Homepage
Community Audio
COPLAND HOME
Core Sound's Home Page
Counterpoint: Home Page
Crutchfield - Car Audio - Home Theater - Home Audio - Video - Electronics
Curcio Audio Engineering, Homepage
CWest Tube Sales
Cyrus Home Page
DAT WEB
Definitive Technology Homepage
DENON Electronics
Densen Audio Technologies Homepage
Dick Olsher's Audio Tip of the Month
Directory of /pub/access/rdd/valves-or-tubes-&-audio-etc.
DIY Audio Amplifier Page
DIY Audio Pages
Dynaco CD Player
Dynaco Products and Modification Overview
Dynaco, Audio, Stereo, Components, Speakers, Contest
E/Town: The Home Electronics Guide
Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) OnLine
eBay Listings: Audio Equipment
Electrocompaniet frame control file
Epos ES 12
Event Electronics Home Page
Fi: The Magazine of Music & Sound
FIREBOTTLES!
Frameset for Audio Discussion Forum
Galen Carol Audio Home Page
Gateway To Enjoy the Music
Gold Aero, Inc. 805-946-4625
Golden Tube (Unofficial) Home Page
Golden Tube Audio home page
GOLDMUND
Greg Smith's Home Page
Gryphon Audio Designs
Hafler Home Page
HAMMOND MFG. CO. Enclosures, Transformers & Power Bars
Harman Kardon Homepage
HCM Audio Home Page
Heiko's DAT Page
Hello, Mister Valve!
Hi Fi Farm High End Home Audio Equipment
Hi-Fi - Hot Wired Rega
Hi-fi at Heatherdale - Tape Decks
Hi-Fi Choice
HiFi pages
Hi-Fi World Magazine, The UK's best specialist Hi-Fi magazine
HIFIBASE by Audiolit
Hobbiests & DYI'ers
Homebrew Tube Amp Corner
Hot List for Sunfire
http://www.amchome.com/Hi-Fi_Links.htm
http://www.audiolit.com/thorens/
http://www.audioxpress.com/index_fr.htm
http://www.kimber.com/plinks_mags.htm
http://www.marantz.com/
http://www.philips.com/marantz/
http://www.svetlana.com/products/audio/
http://www.ultranet.com/~kennedyk/Dyna1.html
http://www.videoplusaudio.com/
http://www.z-man.com/
I Hate Sony
Index of /pub/comp/audio/mods/
Internet Audio Links
Introduction To SMR Home Theatre
Jason Scott Distributing Home Page
Jeff Rowland Design Group, Inc.
Jerry Raskin's Needle Doctor (800) 229-0644
KB Acoustics Audio Software Speakers
KBAcoustics
KEF AUDIO Home Page
Kevin's Vacuum Tube Audio Web Page
Linn WWW Home Page
Llano Design Group
Loudspeakers, Stereo, Home Theater Loudspeakers from Monitor Audio
Mamas Hifi - Enlightened Audio designs table
Manley Labs Home Page
MARANTZ HiFi '96 '97 Audiophile series reference CD-Players
Marchand Electronics Inc.
Martin-Logan
Meadowlark Audio Homepage
Meridian Audio Home Page
METAXAS AUDIO SYSTEMS
Metaxas Ultimate Hi Fi Audio Amplifiers,Electrostatic Speakers and CD Systems
Michell Engineering: Audio, Turntables, Amplifiers
Minidisc Equipment Mail Order
Minidisco Home Page
Mission Cyrus Home Page
Mondial Designs Home Page. Acurus, Aragon, and AMFI
Music/Audio Electronics
NAD - find the answer within
NAD Electronics Ltd.
Naim Audio Home Page
Nakamichi
Nakamichi America Corporation
Needle Doctor Online Catalog
NeviSonics Home Page
NHT Homepage
NHT--Alternate
NorthCountry Audio/Electronics/Audio/High-end/Stereos/New/Hi-Fi
Ohm Speakers - HomePage
OneCall Mail Order Audio Video Warehouse
Overture: Ultimate Audio/Video
PARASOUND Info Page
Parts ConneXion
Pass Labs Home Page
PATS TUBE SCHEMATICS
Perreaux
Platinum Audio
Musical Fidelity
plinius web site
Proceed
ProductWeb: for Cassette Decks
Pro-Ject Audio Systems
PSB Speaker Systems
Quad Electroacoustics Home Page
Quicksilver Audio Home Page
RA Labs USA Inc.
RECEIVERS
Rega Home Page
Richardson Electronics Ltd: Electron Device Group: Home
Rogue Audio Vacuum Tube Amplifiers
Rotel of America: Home Entertainment Electronics
Saturday Audio Exchange/Main
SDS Labs Page
Secrets of Home Theater & High Fidelity
Signature Sound, Syracuse, NY - Main Page
SLI-30 Integrated Stereo Amplifier
Sonic Frontiers Inc.
Sound Consultant High End Audio
Sound Dynamics
Sound Dynamics 300ti Review by John R. Potis Jr. [SMR]
Sound Lab Speakers: Electrostatic Loudspeaker Technology
Sound Valves Home Page
SoundStage!
SoundStage! John Upton - Tu-be or Not Tu-be
Soundstream
SOVEREIGN * HIGH END HIFI * D-31008 ELZE * GERMANY *
spektr1.html
Stereo Exchange Inc.
STEREO SHOP OF MASSACHUSETTS
Steve Ekblad's Home Page
Steven L. Bender's Home Page
SUMO High End Audio
Sunfire Home Page
Swiss High End Audio Society Feedback
TDR High-End tube kit amplifiers
The Absolute Sound Home Page
The AF Section
The Audio Guys
The Creek 4240
The dat-heads mailing list archive
The Hi-Fi Playground
The MiniDisc Appreciation Page - Home
The New Tube Company
The Nucleus Series Loudspeaker
The Parts Connection
The 'Provisional' Dynaudio North America web page
The Sony D7/D8 Resource Guide
The Stereo Trading Outlet
The Tube Store
The WholeSale Connection
THIEL Cover Page
Triode Electronics-Amplifier Parts
Triode Electronics-Home Page & World HQ
True Audio Designs
Tube Beginner's Article Links
Tube Dude's Webpage of Vacuum Tube Lore!
Tube Gear
Tuner Information Center
Unofficial AMC-Weltronics Web Page
UPTOWN AUDIO
Utility Research
Vacuum Tube Logic
Vacuum Tube Web Resources
Vacuum Tube/hk
Valve Amplification Company
Vandersteen Audio
Vintage Audio Equipment
Vintage Audio's Home Page - Vintage Tube Stereo Equipment
Visions in Audio
Von Schweikert Research - Welcome
Welborne Labs Website
Welcome to Accuphase.com
Welcome to Adcom On-Line!
Welcome To Audio Advisor
Welcome to Audio Concepts
Welcome to Audioman, The Audio Store That Never Closes
Welcome to Camelot
Welcome to Cardas Audio
Welcome to CSA Audio on the Web
Welcome to GoodSound
Welcome to Hi-Fi Choice!
Welcome to Hsu Research
Welcome to Kimber Kable - Click on our Logo to Begin.
Welcome to Marantz America
Welcome to Mordaunt-Short
Welcome to Music Hall Online! (Creek and Epos)
Welcome To Paradigm
Welcome to Parasound Products
Welcome to PhilipsMagnavox
Welcome to Rockford Corporation--HAFLER
Welcome to The Audio Oasis!
Welcome to Vacuum Tube Valley
Yamaha Consumer Electronic Categories
Yamaha Integrated Amps
Yamaha Preamps/Amps/Tuners
YBA Integre

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