Real or imagined?

[Aestate dies longiores sunt]

WHF journos in about 1993 or 4, about when I bought my Mission CD player and the external DAC that went with it, were extolling the virtues of putting green rubber bands round the outside edges of CDs.

Just saying...

...or green felt tip pen round the edge.*secret*

Have you not tried it, it really works.

I almost fell for it.

Personally, I found the sound of Sheena Easton CDs could be improved with rubber bands.

Put one round the CD, hook it over a forked stick by a lake, pull back, and...

+1

 

[Infiniteloop]

But I guess that instead you'll just continue to peddle your misinformation and bias.

No need to come back at me. I'm tired of responding to 'Experts' who claim themselves as such because they think they've read enough about a subject to convince themselves that they know it all.

Infinite, read up on the subject before you dig a bigger hole for yourself.

I have never pretended to know it all, but I would guess I am one of the few on this forum who are old enough to have actually designed equipment using valves.

You?

Why didn't you say so? - Perhaps you should stop wasting your time posting on here and instead offer your services to Audio Note, Luxman, Audio Research, MacIntosh, Unison Research etc. You should easily be able point out to them the error of their ways, show them why their products sound so dreadful and spur them on to avoid embarrassing themselves further by the continued use of such old, inferior technology.

I'm sure they'd glady listen to and accept your advice. - Who knows? They may even pay you.

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

But I guess that instead you'll just continue to peddle your misinformation and bias.

No need to come back at me. I'm tired of responding to 'Experts' who claim themselves as such because they think they've read enough about a subject to convince themselves that they know it all.

Infinite, read up on the subject before you dig a bigger hole for yourself.

I have never pretended to know it all, but I would guess I am one of the few on this forum who are old enough to have actually designed equipment using valves. 

You?

Why didn't you say so? - Perhaps you should stop wasting your time posting on here and instead offer your services to Audio Note, Luxman, Audio Research, MacIntosh, Unison Research etc. You should easily be able point out to them the error of their ways, show them why their products sound so dreadful and spur them on to avoid embarrassing themselves further by the continued use of such old, inferior technology.

I'm sure they'd glady listen to and accept your advice. - Who knows? They may even pay you.

Soldering irons at dawn, chaps. Name your seconds...

 

[andyjm]

But I guess that instead you'll just continue to peddle your misinformation and bias.

No need to come back at me. I'm tired of responding to 'Experts' who claim themselves as such because they think they've read enough about a subject to convince themselves that they know it all.

Infinite, read up on the subject before you dig a bigger hole for yourself.

I have never pretended to know it all, but I would guess I am one of the few on this forum who are old enough to have actually designed equipment using valves.

You?

Why didn't you say so? - Perhaps you should stop wasting your time posting on here and instead offer your services to Audio Note, Luxman, Audio Research, MacIntosh, Unison Research etc. You should easily be able point out to them the error of their ways, show them why their products sound so dreadful and spur them on to avoid embarrassing themselves further by the continued use of such old, inferior technology.

I'm sure they'd glady listen to and accept your advice. - Who knows? They may even pay you.

Soldering irons at dawn, chaps. Name your seconds...

Indeed. I was paid for this - at least for a while. My first job after graduation was in the research and designs group of a well known broadcaster. I moved to a different field after a few years, but depending on your age, there is a chance you have seen a TV programme that has gone through something I designed.

As for valves, apart from some esoteric applications - travelling wave tubes, very high power transmitters, possibly microwave ovens (depending on how you define a valve) hifi amplifiers and retro guitar amps, their use in mainstream electronics has come to an end. Everything from the most precise measuring equipment, the fastest computers to the cheapest audio amplifier uses solid state electronics. I have no axe to grind here, but frankly valves are old inferior technology. No problem if you want to go down that route, but it would be a mistake to be blind to their shortcomings.

 

[TomSawyer]

No problem if you want to go down that route, but it would be a mistake to be blind to their shortcomings.

Their shortcomings being the reason they're still used in guitar amps of course. A perfectly amplified guitar signal is a soul-less sound.

 

[shadders]

But I guess that instead you'll just continue to peddle your misinformation and bias.

No need to come back at me. I'm tired of responding to 'Experts' who claim themselves as such because they think they've read enough about a subject to convince themselves that they know it all.

Infinite, read up on the subject before you dig a bigger hole for yourself.

I have never pretended to know it all, but I would guess I am one of the few on this forum who are old enough to have actually designed equipment using valves.

You?

Why didn't you say so? - Perhaps you should stop wasting your time posting on here and instead offer your services to Audio Note, Luxman, Audio Research, MacIntosh, Unison Research etc. You should easily be able point out to them the error of their ways, show them why their products sound so dreadful and spur them on to avoid embarrassing themselves further by the continued use of such old, inferior technology.

I'm sure they'd glady listen to and accept your advice. - Who knows? They may even pay you.

Soldering irons at dawn, chaps. Name your seconds...

Indeed. I was paid for this - at least for a while. My first job after graduation was in the research and designs group of a well known broadcaster. I moved to a different field after a few years, but depending on your age, there is a chance you have seen a TV programme that has gone through something I designed.

As for valves, apart from some esoteric applications - travelling wave tubes, very high power transmitters, possibly microwave ovens (depending on how you define a valve) hifi amplifiers and retro guitar amps, their use in mainstream electronics has come to an end. Everything from the most precise measuring equipment, the fastest computers to the cheapest audio amplifier uses solid state electronics. I have no axe to grind here, but frankly valves are old inferior technology. No problem if you want to go down that route, but it would be a mistake to be blind to their shortcomings.

Hi,

What about a nuclear explosion EMP, wouldn't valves be the choice for comms equipment assuming no Faraday cages on solid state equipment?

Regards,

Shadders.

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

Valves....

You might not know this but one of the reasons we lost so many ships in the Falklands is that the anti ship missiles (Seadart or Seawolf - I forget which) used valves. They needed to warm up before the missiles could be fired.

About five minutes.

Figure out how far a Super Etandard fighter or Exocet missile can travel at, say, 500 mph for the plane, Mach 2 for the missile, in five minutes...

My paternal grandfather worked as the Chief Engineer at BBC Bristol until 1968. I suspect most of the components for his sons' stereos in the 60s came home in his briefcase. My dad's home built valve pre and power amps went in the trash in about 1972, replaced by a Goodman's Module 90.

Valves are fine if you like their warm sound and are prepared to change them occasionally, but technology has moved on. We don't watch cathode ray tube TVs any more. And guess what a cathode ray tube is? An effin' big thermionic valve!

 

[andyjm]

But I guess that instead you'll just continue to peddle your misinformation and bias.

No need to come back at me. I'm tired of responding to 'Experts' who claim themselves as such because they think they've read enough about a subject to convince themselves that they know it all.

Infinite, read up on the subject before you dig a bigger hole for yourself.

I have never pretended to know it all, but I would guess I am one of the few on this forum who are old enough to have actually designed equipment using valves.

You?

Why didn't you say so? - Perhaps you should stop wasting your time posting on here and instead offer your services to Audio Note, Luxman, Audio Research, MacIntosh, Unison Research etc. You should easily be able point out to them the error of their ways, show them why their products sound so dreadful and spur them on to avoid embarrassing themselves further by the continued use of such old, inferior technology.

I'm sure they'd glady listen to and accept your advice. - Who knows? They may even pay you.

Soldering irons at dawn, chaps. Name your seconds...

Indeed. I was paid for this - at least for a while. My first job after graduation was in the research and designs group of a well known broadcaster. I moved to a different field after a few years, but depending on your age, there is a chance you have seen a TV programme that has gone through something I designed.

As for valves, apart from some esoteric applications - travelling wave tubes, very high power transmitters, possibly microwave ovens (depending on how you define a valve) hifi amplifiers and retro guitar amps, their use in mainstream electronics has come to an end. Everything from the most precise measuring equipment, the fastest computers to the cheapest audio amplifier uses solid state electronics. I have no axe to grind here, but frankly valves are old inferior technology. No problem if you want to go down that route, but it would be a mistake to be blind to their shortcomings.

Hi,

What about a nuclear explosion EMP, wouldn't valves be the choice for comms equipment assuming no Faraday cages on solid state equipment?

Regards,

Shadders.

I don't disagree, but I think it would be fair to put nuclear hard, EMP resistant products under the heading of 'esoteric'. I am not sure I would consider that to be mainstream.

 

[lindsayt]

Valves....

...Valves are fine if you like their warm sound and are prepared to change them occasionally, but technology has moved on. We don't watch cathode ray tube TVs any more. And guess what a cathode ray tube is? An effin' big thermionic valve!

Many valve amplifiers with many speakers produce a warm sound.

The best valve amplifiers with the most suitable speakers do not produce a warm sound. They produce a tonally neutral sound.

Changing the valves every 5000 hours or so is an added expense. More so if you're into boutique 300b's. They way I Iook at it is: the cost of a lifetime's supply of valves is added to the initial purchase price for deciding if a valve amp is worth the money or not. For some types of valves my preference has been to build up a good stock of them as they are likely to go up in price over time. Especially the valves where the most sought after ones were made in the 1920's and 1930's.

Yes technology has moved on in terms of creating high powered amplifers, reliability, safety, damping factor / bass grip, ability to cope with low impedance speakers.

For me there's a very simple reason for using valves. And it's nothing to do with liking a warm sound or tube rolling.

The simple reason being: with the sort of speakers I'm into, in A/B demos the valve amps I've tried have sounded more realistic than the solid state ones in the all important midrange.

When it comes to recreating the midrange in a realistic way, technology has gone backwards.

 

[lindsayt]

.I almost fell for it.

Personally, I found the sound of Sheena Easton CDs could be improved with rubber bands.

Put one round the CD, hook it over a forked stick by a lake, pull back, and...

I like listening to Sheena Easton.

I'd much rather listen to The Lover in Me (DR 14) than Adele's 25 (DR 6).

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

.I almost fell for it.

Personally, I found the sound of Sheena Easton CDs could be improved with rubber bands.

Put one round the CD, hook it over a forked stick by a lake, pull back, and...

I like listening to Sheena Easton.

I'd much rather listen to The Lover in Me (DR 14) than Adele's 25 (DR 6).

I'd give both the rubber band and lake treatment, but that's just me. Remember that Hamlet ad with Russ Abbot and Des O'Conner using copies of Des's "Greatest HIT" [in the singular] LP in place of clays?