[kevin gilmore]

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxworks /img/forum/go_quote.gif I was told a story about old DEC computers - and I do believe it - that back when they had the vax 11/780 and 750 series, the only real diff between two of the similar sized cabinets was that they had different color skins (these are washing machine sized computers; or even larger) AND the backplane was swapped out by DEC field service just to make the customer 'feel' that he's getting an actual upgrade.

You were told wrong. I happened to personally own one of each of these.
VAX-11 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A 11/780 ran at 5mhz and was 1 vax mips.
There were a total of 8 boards that made up the cpu.

a 11/750 ran at 3.125 mhz and was .5 vax mips.
There were a total of 3 boards that made up the cpu.

The backplane upgrade on the 11/750 was necessary to upgrade
from 1mb of ram to 8mb of ram.

 

[linuxworks]

I didn't mean an upgrade from 750 to 780 (that would be impossible; they weren't even the same form factor; not even close). but it was something in that model line.

I had a field service guy at DEC tell me this (I did work at DEC many years ago). I believe him when he said this to me as he probably _did_ said upgrades.

the backplane swap was just for show. the real upgrade was pure software. not sure if 'every other NOP' was what was removed but I bet it was a bunch of delays or waits that they lowered when they sold the upgrade.

 

[n3rdling]

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxworks /img/forum/go_quote.gif one had a pad covered with tape; that made the motherboard think the cpu was a 3ghz one instead of 2.4

Very interesting...do you know if this can be done for the E6600 as well?

 

[Mariuslk]

Oncle Erik, fishski13 and Operandi: Awesome, I'm definitely going to look into that. I'm actually not staying here in the US permanently, I'm an exchange student and going back to Norway in july... So I think I'm going to wait until then. I can imagine it will be a pain in the but to take several speakers with me back home. At least, worse than getting my headphones w/amp home

 

[Uncle Erik]

Mariuslk, shipping cabinets would not be worth it.

However, if you can swing a good deal on some drivers you could get those back without much trouble. You could also build crossovers here and take those back. I think you've got a pretty good exchange rate right now - might as well take advantage.

P.S. Skal!

 

[linuxworks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by n3rdling /img/forum/go_quote.gif Very interesting...do you know if this can be done for the E6600 as well?

only certain batches were overclockable (easily).

note that I had been using intel mobos and those typically do NOT allow bios settings to change frequency, voltage, etc. the only way is to fool the bios by the programming pins on the chip, covering them up or shorting them. but on a 'proper' motherboard, you can skip the hardware hacks and do it all in software.

I picked intel boards because they were the only ones to have the chips I wanted (intel gig-e and ICHn style sata hub). very very hard to find the gig-e chip from intel on non-intel boards (and this is the best performing consumer gig-e chip).

 

[Volkum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxworks /img/forum/go_quote.gif I picked intel boards because they were the only ones to have the chips I wanted (intel gig-e and ICHn style sata hub). very very hard to find the gig-e chip from intel on non-intel boards (and this is the best performing consumer gig-e chip).

The EXPI9301CT is like $30 on Newegg and uses the 82574 chip. Far less painful than using an Intel board, IMO

 

[Operandi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif Mariuslk, shipping cabinets would not be worth it. However, if you can swing a good deal on some drivers you could get those back without much trouble. You could also build crossovers here and take those back. I think you've got a pretty good exchange rate right now - might as well take advantage. P.S. Skal!

Yeah you could get some small drivers back with you. Of course you live in the land of Seas, one of the best manufactures of drivers out there so I would assume you get a pretty good price on that.

 

[regal]

To the original question, I've found that you can build tube amps for relativaly cheap that compete with big big dollar amps. For example you can basically build a $3500 Eddie Current Balancing Act for about $1000 at most. But when it comes to solid state stuff like DAC's and SS Amps its tough to compete as a DIYer to a good chinese manufacturer (one that you can trust.) I spent about $600 building a Pass D1 DAC clone ($5000 commercial) but it didnt sound as good as a similiar chinese DAC I bought for $500. There is another DIY DAC the tent DAC which is supposed to be the best of the best and is very expensive to build. Even with cheapo DAC's like the Zahlaou you will find that you spend almost 75% of the real thing if you try to duplicate it.

 

[GWorlDofSPACE]

I agree whit most of you.
In Hi-End there are small changes that makes the difference. The designs are well know but the whole implementation is the key.
"DIY is something that you can not live without any more." If I buy also something commercial after sometime I always look for improvements and here is the DIY stuff light years ahead.
Its also a sphere of inventions and lifestyle which is wonderful. You build your own stuff whit your imagination.
How would be if you could order a car from factory whit your style and stuff you have designed on your computer!!

 

[AudioCats]

If there is a mass produced option, it will be cheaper ($ + time) to just buy that commercial one and mod it. Full DIY is very very time consuming, and you pay very very high over-head when buying nitch-market boutique components.

 

[regal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AudioCats /img/forum/go_quote.gif If there is a mass produced option, it will be cheaper ($ + time) to just buy that commercial one and mod it. Full DIY is very very time consuming, and you pay very very high over-head when buying nitch-market boutique components.

Yes but high end tube amps can really be better DIY, the commercial high end tube amps are mostly silly designs with a lot of asthetics but not so good topology. Perfect example are the Woo and EC DHT designs where they use 6SN7s to drive the 300B's, much better options out there. I would never buy a commercial high end tube amp when a better amp can be built for less than half the price. Solid state is a different matter entirely.

 

[Parafeed]

[deleted]

 

[Parafeed]

[deleted]

 

[regal]

Just search DIYAudio there are plenty good designs, the 6SN7 has too high of a plate resistance to properly drive a 300B. Search the internet for 300B designs and study up, for headphones you just need to have Electra-print wind a transformer for 32 and 120 taps, thats who makes the Balancing Act OPTs they run around $250 a pair. Electra-print even has a few great designs on their website. Sorry but silver wire transformers aren't as important as a good design. Also there is a thread on diyaudio that shows how to make a nice current sourced DC reg for DHT's.