[433521]

LOL!

Then there's this. I've always just kind of intrinsically known that clear noise is better than unclear noise:



Lots more little known facts presented by this manufacturer. Makes me want to run out and buy one of their turntables right....never.

https://blog.fluance.com/direct-drive-vs-belt-drive-turntables/


One more for fun. I had no idea a belt drive was made of elastic. Neat. But it's apparently a good option for those that don't want a direct or idler-drive system destroying the platter as it goes round and round. Which're or not.

My B&0 is completely isolated or nearly so, the Fluance transmits light taps through the speakers pretty easily. Nice looking working table, needs isolation. A good used b&o with a new cartridge is a better solution.

 

[ImagesbyMurray]

Yep. Though the dark elastic reaches operating equilibrium, temperature wise, much faster. Good for when you only have time for one side of an album.

A huge unforseen problem with black elastic, however, is if it is exposed to sunlight through an unshuttered window; the uneven cyclical heating contributing to unacceptable levels of "wow" and "flutter". Of course this can be greatly reduced by copious amount of alcohol either imbibed (the wow contingent), or liberally applied to the belt itself (flutter fanatics). There is a lively, sometimes contentious forum discussing this ad nauseum (including lubrication properties of single malt, vs: blends, along with suspect AP55 measurements). Possibly best solution; set everything up in the basement........

 

[Paladin79]

I've got that at home. Very tasty, a nice integrity bottling.

What I have is only produced for England as best I can tell, and barrel strength. 126 proof.

 

[hammersrocco]

Similarly I am running an Asgard 3 with HE-5XX. Source is an LP12/Mani and Modi Multibit (with a Beresford Caiman II / Dorado for some Delta Sigma presentational variety). I also have a pair of Audeze LCD-2Cs for alternative flavours. Once run-in (and is does take a LOT of time to do so) the HE-5XX can match the LCD-2Cs in overall performance. They do require some careful attention though - first of all the run-in, then some clean sounding interconnects (I am using Mogami 2549, which is directional along its sleeve lettering), positioning the ears to be back of the cups, and having the Asgard 3 warmed up for a day. Conversely the LCD-2C sounds best about 30 mins after the Asgard 3 is switched on.

Under the right conditions the highly revealing, open sounding, and musically communicative HE-5XX can really perform. I also concur that the HE-5XX sounds best on high gain.

Regarding damage from gain. Gain in and of itself will not damage your headphones or ears. It is volume and increased driver excursions that will do the damage.

Gain is linked to the amount of feedback. In general, high gain will approach the gain of the amplifier without feedback. Low gain will tend to be the gain imposed by the feedback. One results in a different sound, and differing levels of noise, from the other. [GENERALISATION ALERT] High gain tends to sound more responsive (playing to the strengths of the HE-5XX), whereas low gain gives an even frequency response but with the some muting to dynamics and transients - like it is being put on a leash.

Is the Ananda a worthwhile upgrade over the HE-5XX and in what way? I have a feeling it might be best saving for the Arya (after my next Schiit DAC).

Andrew

Thanks for the reply - learned something about gain - in my mind running in high gain for a low impedance high sensitivity headphone was akin to running a car in the red - think I misread! Thanks for the clarification.

To Answer @Andrew Randle posted question - the Ananda definitely feel like an upgrade from the HE-5XX - the sound signature is IMHO better to my taste. Tighter bass, sweet mids and well defined highs - all an improvement over the HE-5XX - But to be fair, is something you notice only by going back and forth - if I had not gotten the Anandas, I would have never felt unhappy with the HE-5XX. This is of course, to my ears and only my opinion - no returns if you get the Anandas and disagree!

Thanks for the info

hammers

 

[tesarpa]

What I have is only produced for England as best I can tell, and barrel strength. 126 proof.

Needs some water before drinking, huh? 63% seems too much for my taste.

 

[Paladin79]

Needs some water before drinking, huh? 63% seems too much for my taste.

Tastes vary but I am most likely to have a small sip of this over ice.

 

[macdonjh]

Wait....so then, um, what you're sayin' is um... Crap. Fine then.

And that bra strap was sounding the best so far (it was black) except when that little metal clip in the middle kept going "thunk/klomp" every time around...

Sorry, what were you listening too? I was distracted by the braless girl in the front row.

Sometimes it's OK to focus on the visual and let the audio fade away...

 

[bcowen]

Sorry, what were you listening too? I was distracted by the braless girl in the front row.

Sometimes it's OK to focus on the visual and let the audio fade away...

Clarence Carter, of course.

 

[artur9]

I'm envisioning (hoping, really) there is an audiophile somewhere in the world ripping the elastic out of socks, underwear/lingerie, etc. to figure out which sounds best when used as a belt drive replacement.

It's like Cuban cigars.
The elastic from the hosiery of virgin brides is clearly, by far, the most acoustically enchanting.

I hope no one's offended by that...

 

[artur9]

I have worked as an engineer for 40+ years, and management has pyst me off at least once per week in each of those years. But they have never asked me to lie,

One place I worked, I was ordered to NYC to a private conference in a hotel (aka offsite - not the office's meeting room) with 3 VPs and ordered to go back to Philly and lie to my co-workers because, and I quote, I had a reputation for honesty and everyone would believe my lies.

I went back and whenever the topic I was ordered to lie about came up, I just remained silent.

My attitude towards management took a change after that. Not that I was pleasant to manage before it, either

 

[artur9]

A good used b&o with a new cartridge is a better solution.

Has anyone seen/heard the Fender MoFi table? I'm thinking it's the only Fender I would be capable of playing.

 

[Paladin79]

One place I worked, I was ordered to NYC to a private conference in a hotel (aka offsite - not the office's meeting room) with 3 VPs and ordered to go back to Philly and lie to my co-workers because, and I quote, I had a reputation for honesty and everyone would believe my lies.

I went back and whenever the topic I was ordered to lie about came up, I just remained silent.

My attitude towards management took a change after that. Not that I was pleasant to manage before it, either

I have worked in many phases of management as well as ownership; generally employees have a pretty good idea of what is going on or tend to speculate and often guess correctly. I can recall being asked to tell 100 employees that they could not take much time off over Xmas or the company could be in trouble. The owners then proceeded to take a couple weeks off themselves and certainly everyone knew it. I left that company and started my own and made a wonderful living with what I brought to them while they lacked the dream or desire to make it work.

 

[45longcolt]

You know I had heard about this. And I am a total hypocrite, because when an audiophile says something like "the sound of thick air" I think he or she is crazy, but when an obviously stoned rock musician says the same thing I think the producer and engineer need to try to accomplish what the artist wants.

Edit: On the other hand, from that same Wikipedia piece, "Garcia commented that parts of the album were "far out, even too far out..." If Jerry said it was "too far out" I am inclined to believe him.

To air is human...

 

[Stevko]

"Under the Skin"

What I have is only produced for England as best I can tell, and barrel strength. 126 proof.

Enjoying it neat or with water?

 

[JohnnyCanuck]

JC