[Hofy]

Thanks for the extra input! Any links to people showing their spooky-looking adaptors?

I only had a single tube adapter. This is the Vali2 I ran for a couple of years. socket saver with a 9pin to 8 pin adapter so I could use a NOS 6SN7.

 

[CJG888]

Like the exposed pins between the adapters...

I had a similar issue on my LD Mk III: in the end, I trimmed the pins on the octal adapter.

 

[artur9]

By the way, there is no such thing as a "Monoblock" amplifier. There are mono amplifiers. The term "monoblock" was likely first misapplied by some audiophoole trying to describe the way a mono amplifier typically looks. Or by a car audiophoole thinking it sounded like a cool name. Pretty much the same sorts of creatures, except one chases "better" while the other chases "louder."

/rant

Mono-channel amplifiers?

 

[23jim]

New Schitter here, my Asgard 3 just shipped today. Can't wait to try it with my HD 660S.

How about a Modi Multibit update? Bifrost a bit over my budget.

 

[artur9]

I am unsure of what the use case is in a domestic setting for an 800 wpc power amp.

Some acoustician or speaker designer or something said to get realistic sound one needed 500Wpc amps. IDK if that was continuous (seems crazy) or instantaneous (more likely?)

My amps are like 120 and sound glorious. I think the house would fall down at with 500W.

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

You don't need an account to watch on facebook or youtube but you will need an account to post comments. As they say, therein lies the rub.

Yes.

 

[artur9]

In fact, I just tried watching some videos on Youtube without account and it works too.

I never log in to U-tube and it always works fine for me.

 

[banda]

I only had a single tube adapter. This is the Vali2 I ran for a couple of years. socket saver with a 9pin to 8 pin adapter so I could use a NOS 6SN7.

haha wow!

 

[Les Strat]

If you want a high fidelity "mono block" amplifier with known good pedigree that can go to 2 ohms mono, get a pair of McIntosh MC2300 amps, set the switch on the back for mono and parallel the relevant output taps for your desired impedance. Yep, parallel. These beasts have output transformers, even though they're solid state. You want to drive a 1/2 ohm load with 600 watts? They'll do it. Without complaining. Be warned, they're heavy. 130lbs heavy.

That McIntosh is a serious power amp @AudioGal
As I recall, they were very expensive back in the '70s.
I had neither the cash, nor the speakers, for such beasts!
I believe The Grateful Dead used a bank of them in their huge PA system.
Great PR for McIntosh.
In the UK, a manufacturer called AVI made some really good monoblocks back in the 90s - the S2000MM ( they were true monaural amps).
They produced 150W into 8 ohms and 225W into 4 ohms and for a while were popular for driving low sensitivity speakers like ATCs.
I heard some back in the 90s driving ATC SCM 20s and they delivered fantastic clarity and control over the bass.
Here's a link from the old AVI website:
S2000MM Monobloc Power Amps (avihifi.com)

Edit: AVI followed up the S2000MM with the S2000A
This was a stereo amp which produced 250W into 8 ohms and 500W into 4 ohms.
Not quite McIntosh territory, but pretty powerful!
S2000A_review.pdf (avihifi.com)


I am sure that a pair of bridged Vidars is far superior, ( as well as being more powerful) than the AVIs, as those designs are now over 25 years old.
Back in their day they were regarded as real 'giant killers' as they were great value for money.
Now of course we have Schiit
Jason has really shaken things up with his innovative amplifier designs on both the Vidar and Aegir
.

 

[banda]

That's a good question. It is situation dependant

For general outdoors, it is fine unless I need to pass by construction areas. In this case, I will either find ways around it, or simply move faster
For areas that are known to be noisy (e.g. concerts), I will just go ahead and use earplugs (e.g. Etymotic's musician earplugs) since these are designed and proven to lower volume to acceptable ranges while still not affecting the quality of audio (in fact I find these to help make things sound less bassy, thus achieveing a better tonal balance)
For home audio, I usually set the volume such that the audio is no louder than normal conversations. Using ReplayGain helps for my music files since it sets the maximum volume of each file to 89dB in a loseless way, allowing me to just set the volume knob of my amp to one position (usually around 40% to 50%) and be comfortable with that instead of having to keep turning the knob for each file

I also read up on the manuals of my musician earplugs since they give very useful information on what to aim for and what to avoid.
Here they are
https://www.etymotic.com/consumer/hearing-protection/mp915.html
https://www.etymotic.com/downloads/...high_fidelity_hearing_protection_brochure.pdf
https://www.etymotic.com/downloads/...its_and_the_importance_of_noise_dosimetry.pdf
https://www.etymotic.com/downloads/.../noise_induced_hearing_loss_know_the_risk.pdf

Great information to share, thanks!

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I just furrowed my brows by your post. Wouldn’t a solid state Lyr be an Asgard 3 with an RCA (input only) module installed? Meh, I’m just confused. Don’t mind me...

Have you seen the specs? They're not the same. That's just silly. Aesthetically, sure, but their power output is very different. If anything, Lyr did have a SS variation when using LISST tubes. That still didn't make the same as the Asgard 3.

 

[artur9]

In that spirit, how do you know when loud is too loud? I purchased a cheap microphone to calibrate my speakers and it says up to 83 db is as loud as I get right now.

My friend google says:

The impact of noise adds up over a lifetime. If you are exposed to loud sounds on a regular basis, your risk for permanent damage increases over time. Even a single but long-lasting loud event can cause damage. Sounds at or below 70 dBA are usually considered safe, even if they last a long time. Noises are more likely to damage your hearing if they are:

• 85 dBA and last a few hours.
• 100 dBA and last at least 14 minutes.
• 110 dBA and last at least 2 minutes.

Isn't @Pietro Cozzi Tinin an audiologist? Someone on this thread is...

I believe I've had tinnitus all my life so the added damage from "too loud" events in my younger days is only diarrhea icing on the crap-cake that is my hearing.

My speakers don't suffer the usual distortions that accompany "too loud." For that reason many reviewers and the manufacturer say Don't go crazy on that volume control, your hearing won't warn you that you're damaging your most valuable audio equipment (your ears, in case it wasn't obvious).

I went to one headphone meet and everyone seemed to listen to twice-as-loud-as-the-deaf-guy (me). I say, Don't go crazy on that volume control.

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

Isn't @Pietro Cozzi Tinin an audiologist? Someone on this thread is...

I believe I've had tinnitus all my life so the added damage from "too loud" events in my younger days is only diarrhea icing on the ***-cake that is my hearing.

My speakers don't suffer the usual distortions that accompany "too loud." For that reason many reviewers and the manufacturer say Don't go crazy on that volume control, your hearing won't warn you that you're damaging your most valuable audio equipment (your ears, in case it wasn't obvious).

I went to one headphone meet and everyone seemed to listen to twice-as-loud-as-the-deaf-guy (me). I say, Don't go crazy on that volume control.

No. I am a trauma specialist. MD, PhD

 

[A Jedi]

I am a trauma specialist

Perfect.

I've been traumatized by the BBQ sauce bickering (a well cooked piece of meat requires no sauce). Help please.

 

[23jim]

perhaps an improved version of modi multibit with single 18-bit DAC chip per channel, 4X oversampling, unison w/o electromagnetic isolation, SE out only. either the same mini chassis or Modius-sized (non-modular).

Yep, they would have more of my money today if that happens.