[bcowen]

They also make Valhalla wire

Problem is that I need about 7 meters to get to my left speaker. $16,299 is more than I paid for the speakers, amp, preamp, DAC, and transport combined. But then I'm running a $150 tube in my $150 Vali 2, so why become sensible now?

 

[RickB]

Problem is that I need about 7 meters to get to my left speaker. $16,299 is more than I paid for the speakers, amp, preamp, DAC, and transport combined. But then I'm running a $150 tube in my $150 Vali 2, so why become sensible now?

Show this to your banker and I'm sure they'll be happy to give you a second mortgage for it.

 

[bcowen]

Show this to your banker and I'm sure they'll be happy to give you a second mortgage for it.

I'm already behind on my last cardboard payment. Doubt they'd be much help.

 

[Roy G. Biv]

If arrays float your boat then I'm sure either of those would do the trick. Me, I prefer omnidirectional systems and if we're talking needing a new house to listen to them (and cost no object) I'll go for MBL 101 X-tremes with all MBL electronics driving them. By far the finest sound I have ever experienced from a home-audio system.

I've never heard MBL or any omnidirectional systems for that matter. The science behind them is interesting and I'd love to hear them. Now that audio shows are a thing again I may need to start planning my schedule around a few of them.

@AudioGal I hear ya. If I'm going to spend new car money on speakers rest assured they'll not be hidden.

Edit: Last month I spend used-car money replacing my gd household AC system. Can't be without it in TX but it still makes me think I'm in the wrong business...

 

[Paladin79]

I'm already behind on my last cardboard payment. Doubt they'd be much help.

One day I promise to make you something out of wood, of course I need to fulfill promises to others first. I owe at least two people cutting boards so I was laying them out today. I am not happy with the colors yet but I will get there.

 

[Mike-WI]

Problem is that I need about 7 meters to get to my left speaker. $16,299 is more than I paid for the speakers, amp, preamp, DAC, and transport combined. But then I'm running a $150 tube in my $150 Vali 2, so why become sensible now?

Ignoring cables and $ considerations...

The Vali 2 + expensive tubes doesn't seem so much a mismatch for me, but rather optimizing simplicity and form factor.

 

[33na3rd]

I'd start here: Ulfberht and add upgrades.
Sadly my house is too small. So's my wallet. But a girl can dream, can't she?

Now I feel silly daydreaming of LS3/5A's!

 

[tincanear]

I work in software and the most frustrating thing, to me, is someone who spends minutes/hours what-ifing when making a change and running the tests literally takes 30s.
I don't have magic smoke to consider, thank goodness.

I think in Jason's situation, he is talking about making /debugging multiple prototypes using different topologies, etc. based on currently available parts and placing orders for key components when the prototypes are only 60% complete.

 

[Dogmatrix]

Question... in my experience solid core speaker wire has sounded like ass, why is this so?

A likely non psychological answer would be connection quality , a multi strand will squish down making a good mechanical connection but a solid will create a smaller contact point which is weaker mechanically . A good mechanical connection is always superior to solder by the way

 

[tincanear]

They also make Valhalla wire

so I can either buy this (or a similarly priced) $$$$ cable or for same money get two Tyr amps (one black, one silver of course), a Freya+ with spare NOS tubes, a Yggy OG, an Urd...hmmmm

 

[bcowen]

One day I promise to make you something out of wood, of course I need to fulfill promises to others first. I owe at least two people cutting boards so I was laying them out today. I am not happy with the colors yet but I will get there.

Fine then. And just so you know, that cutting board would sound better with Tiger maple.

 

[macdonjh]

Fine then. And just so you know, that cutting board would sound better with Tiger maple.

If the board is maple, should its stand be cardboard for best sound or superior aesthetics?

 

[macdonjh]

Well, schiit, I am pursuing my second hobby this wekend and sitting at the craft brewery which opened near my observatory. The owner invites food trucks. Tonight's food truck offers only crawfish. That's a pretty social dinner and since I'm by myself I don't feel like peeling my dinner.

Before you other Texans get your pitchforks and light your torches, I am sitting nearly a half mile NORTH of I10, so this post is not cultural armageddon.

 

[AudioGal]

While we've moved past tube life, I wanted to insert a comment. One of my hobbies is collecting vintage Tektronix 500 series vacuum tube oscilloscopes (yes, I know, I'm weird), like this one (not mine, but I do own two of these): Tek 547 . These things are 50+ years old and usually have most of the original tubes. During restoration I replace more carbon comp resistors and bumblebee paper capacitors than I ever do tubes. With clean up and recalibration they perform to factory spec. With the original tubes. Most of which have many thousands of hours on them. Tube life is often dominated by the design choices made in the circuit around the tube than the tube itself. Tektronix designed theirs very conservatively, dominated by the passive components around the tube, using mostly generic receiving type tubes. Nothing exotic. So it drifts a little or looses a bit of emission over its life, no big deal. In amplifiers that were flat from DC to 30-50 MHz with no global feedback.

Makes me wonder about some of the designs of audiophile grade preamps and amplifiers that eat tubes like popcorn. Something's not right there.

 

[bcowen]

If the board is maple, should its stand be cardboard for best sound or superior aesthetics?

Yes. Of course.