HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: mso26892@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Tal )
Subject: Re: 'Bookshelf' Speakers???
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 01:25:32 GMT

perry@lheavx.gsfc.nasa.gov (Brendan Perry) writes:

>Greetings,

>I'm in the market for a pair of so called 'Bookshelf' speakers in the $200
>to use as my secondaries. I have a 33 WPC Denon DRA-300 I bought in 1984
>and
>still does the job. My primary speakers are Infinity RS-8a's I also got in
>1984. I mainly play Rock & Roll, Blues and Reggae and want a second pair of
>speakers to allow for listening in another room than my system.

>I listened to Mirages (don't remember the type, but they were $208, marked
>down from $250), JBL's, Polk Audio's smallest, and am going to try Baby
>Advents, Infinity Reference 1's, and Boston Acoustics. I really liked the
>Mirages, didn't like the Polk's (too much phony low-end, like they were
>trying too hard to make the bookshelf's sound like the Tower's) , didn't
>like the JBL's (too 'muddy'). Any suggestions? I saw in the paper the
>Infinities for $199 and the Boston Acoustics for $184. 

>Thanks in advance,

>Brendan

   Try listening to Celestion 3's.  They are listed at $279/pair but I think
they can be bought at lower price.  When I was looking for a pair of small
speakers about a year ago, Mirage 260 and Cel3's were my final candidates
after some research.  I thought they both outperformed Infinity's and
Polk's in all categories.  I ened up buying Mirage($250/pr) because I was
able to a deal on my Rotel amplifier with Mirages.  Mirages and Cel's both
have great treble and honest bass response which are often unpleasant and
exaggerated in many low cost speakers.  Also consider Wharlfedale Diamond
IV($300) which are reviewed by Stereophile to be musically enjoyable.

Fun hunting!

Minsuk Oh
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: Caughill <Caughill@mixcom.mixcom.com>
Subject: Which CD boombox is best?
Organization: Milwaukee Internet Xchange BBS, Milwaukee, WI U.S.A.
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1992 02:00:18 GMT

Hi. I'm not completely sure I'm in the right place, but I'm sure you'll tell 
me if I'm not. I'm looking to buy a reasonably expensive CD boombox with dual
tape cassette players. Can someone recommend something? Thanks! E-mail me at
Caughill@mixcom.com.

Mike Caughill
-- 
Caughill@mixcom.com
From: bogdan@eecs.nwu.edu (Bogdan Vacaliuc)
Subject: Sansui Receivers
Organization: EECS Department, Northwestern University
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 16:17:45 GMT

Hi,

  Has anyone heard about whats going on with Sansui lately?  I've been told
that theyve been through a couple of buyouts, and that they will be introducing
a new line next year.  What are your opinions of Sansui products of the
past and what they might come up with in the future?

  I'm interested because considering the purchase of a receiver.  I'd like
to spend about $200 - $300 for the reciever.  Also, could anyone recommend
a pair of speakers?  Again, I'm looking for speakers below $200/pair.  Someone
earlier recommended the Polk.  Why?  And what are some characteristics I should
look for in a speaker/reciever that can be bought today.

  I plan to use the system in a 10'x12' room, most likely suspended above the
ground, since floor space is a premium.  Later, we might put it somewhere else
when we move, but this is the room I'm in most often.

  Thanks for any suggestions/comments!

-bogdan
 bogdan@eecs.nwu.edu
From: lstowell@pyrnova.mis.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: Velodyne ULD-12 hums - why, and can it be fixed?
Date: 29 Dec 92 19:29:37 GMT
Reply-To: lstowell@pyrnova.pyramid.com.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corporation

In article <18969@mindlink.bc.ca> Mike_Benna@mindlink.bc.ca (Mike Benna) writes:
>2 months ago I purchased a Velodyne ULD-12 and I have only one complaint
>about it: it hums.  Not loudly, but it hums.  Even when everything else
>around it is unplugged (except the control unit), it hums.  It sort of
>sounds like transformer hum and it seems to be coming from the speaker
>(I haven't turned it over to verify).  Since it hums even when it is the
>only thing plugged in (and all speaker leads are disconnected), I'm sure
>it's not a ground loop problem.

   Never be sure of anything in electronics....its a good way to
   embarass yourself.   

>
>1) Is this normal?
    
    Can you hear the hum from your normal listening position or only
    when you stick your ear in front of the driver?   


>2) It wouldn't be so bad if the unit would automatically shut off after
>   several minutes of inactivity.  Any idea why the Foundation series
>   has the auto shut-off but the ULD series does not?
>
    Simple.  What's the cost of the two models?

  Try SHORTING the inputs to the sub.  You may need to try each
  individually as well as all together.   

  If that stops it, then you likely do have some type of grounding
  problem that you'll need to chase down. 

  If you still have hum with all inputs shorted, then the hum is
  being generated in the subwoofer.  Depending on the level, it may
  be "normal" [everything hums if you turn it up enough and stick
  your ear in the right place] or the unit may be defective.   

  Go to your dealer and listen to HIS units of the same model and
  see if they hum as well....   [WHAT, you didn't do this before you
  bought the unit? >:-) ]     

  
Newsgroups: rec.audio,rec.video
From: umhaugh0@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Bruce A. Haugh)
Subject: Re: Radio Shack garbage
Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1993 04:31:50 GMT

In <1993Jan2.214615.6951@wam.umd.edu> bladin@wam.umd.edu (Ilana J. Getz) writes:

>In article <1993Jan2.084526.1056@cmkrnl.com> jeh@cmkrnl.com writes:
>>In article <C05qz7.Mp7@cs.uiuc.edu>, gillies@cs.uiuc.edu (Don Gillies) writes:
>>> Re: Somebody's Radio Shack Speakers (the ones rated highly in Consumer
>>>   Reports) are not working well as center-channel speakers.
>>> 
>>> Radio Shack makes total garbage; most likely your problem is all Radio
>>> Shack's fault.  I would never buy a Radio Shack product.  
>>
>>This is a trifle overstated.  RS's upper-end scanners, for example, are widely
>>considered to be among the best available, and they have a long history of
>>reliability.  Many of their short wave (now often called "world band") radios
>>are also well-regarded (these are relabelled Sangean units, so I guess you 
>>could say that they're not really a RS product).  
>>
>I worked at good 'ol RS when I was in college, and I think I can provide
>some insight.

>Radio Shack manufactures about 50% of th stuff they sell, and the rest is
>farmed out to other suppliers. For example, when I worked there, they made
>all of the stereo receivers, but none of the VCR's. To make matters worse,
>the situation is not consistant within a product line. They made all of their
>low-end cassette decks, but none of their high end ones. The cheap ones were 
>crap, and the high end ones were pretty good. On top of all of this, the
>list of outside suppliers chages from year to year. One years models may be
>repackaged Sharp TVs & VCRs, the next may be a different model all together.

>What's the bottom line? A total lack of consistancy. You simply cannot say
>that "all of the RS gear is bad," or even that all of one particular
>line of products is good or bad. They may all come from a different place.

>As a sales person with a morals (yes, a contradiction), I had a hard time
>selling a lot of this stuff with confidence. I didn't work there long...

>I agree that it is best to avoid RS products in general, but not because
>they are all bad. Rather, there is no way to know which ones are bad.

>*****************************************************************
>*  [~\  /][  /[~~ **** Dave Bittner **** "Lemme' get this    ****
>*  [  )/-][ / [~  ****   Mac User   ****  straight...you do  ****
>*  [_//  ][/  [.. **** Rollerblader ****  offlines on D2 ?"  ****
>*****************************************************************


I've noticed as well that they are selling less parts and shifting more
the selling of products. (I wonder what that's going to do for them)
They sell some speakers by the name of Genexxa which is actually made
by Pioneer and ofcourse their Optimus speakers are made by Bose.  I'm
just wondering if these are low end stuff that they rename and let a 
"low-end" store sell.

Bruce
umhaugh0@ccu.umanitoba.ca
Miles wanna-be

Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: mc@vicorp.com (Mark Charalambous)
Subject: 8mm Video Recorders
Organization: V. I. Corporation, Northampton, Massachusetts
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 22:58:15 GMT


Does anyone know if the digital PCM format on the Kodak MVS 5000
(Modular Video System), manufactured by Matsushita, is compatible
with Sony's 8mm Digital PCM format (EVS-9000?)?

I assume that the video format is compatible. Is this assumption
correct?

The Kodak MVS5000 is a component 8mm camera, tuner-timer and player/
recorder featuring Multi (6) track digital stero PCM audio.

Thanks in advance,
Mark Charalambous
mc@vicorp.com
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: joe@avs.com (Joe Peterson)
Subject: Adcom 575 vs. Rotel 955
Organization: Advanced Visual Systems Inc.
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]
Date: Fri, 1 Jan 1993 16:42:04 GMT

Does anyone have an opinion about these two CD players?  How is the Adcom?
I have heard negative things about the Rotel 955.  What do people think?
A guy at the stereo store told me that the Rotel 955 was EXACTLY the same
as the 855 except for the faceplate.  Is this true?

						Joe
From: shetline@bbn.com (Kerry Shetline)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: polarity inversion
Date: 4 Jan 93 02:28:17 GMT
Followup-To: rec.audio
Organization: BBN
NNTP-Posting-Host: bbn.com

In article <1993Jan3.064402.19553@guinness.idbsu.edu>, Dave Jensen
<djensen@claven.idbsu.edu> wrote:
>The audibility of absolute polarity (which, by the way, is not a function of
>time, as is phase) will be most noticeable with a high-transient, low-frequency
>signal (below 60 Hz).

A "low-frequency transient" would consist of a low-frequency fundamental
and a set of higher-frequency harmonics.

>The impact of a prominent, well recorded kick drum will
>be weaker if the speaker polarity is opposite that of the assumed correct
>recording polarity where a positive pressure produced a positive voltage at the
>microphone.
>
>A very simple test to satisfy your curiosity would be to listen to the
>difference in woofer sound quality as you apply a battery across the terminals
>of your speaker cabinet. I believe you'll find the compression wave produced by
>a positive voltage on the positive terminal (pushing the speaker outward) will
>yield the more satisfying thump.

It was part of my original statement about polarity that those instances
when it is audible were most likely attributable to asymmetric limitations
of the equipment used to reproduce a given signal (as opposed the ability
to directly perceive polarity itself). Your test is a perfect example of
this. The speaker will likely be pushed (or pulled) well into a distorted
range of operation. It is merely a question of taste which distortion is
more pleasing.

Good equipment operated within its limitations should not display this
phenomenon. If it does, choosing polarity gives you the choice of which
transients get which type of distortion. This choice will likely have
little to do with getting closer to the 'true' sound.

-Kerry
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: neidorff@uicc.com (Bob Neidorff)
Subject: Re: quiet current sources.  Any ideas?
Originator: neidorff@makore.uicc.com
Organization: Unitrode Integrated Circuits Corp., Merrimack, NH
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 21:42:32 GMT


In article <1992Dec18.203205.20576@porthos.cc.bellcore.com>, gfl@herahera.cc.bellcore.com (lenahan,grant f) writes:
|> I need to modify an input buffer for lower noise.
|> 
|> Can anyone suggest a method for making a _quiet_
|> 15-ish mA constant current source?  The olde zener-
|> bipolar solution is proving noisy.
|> 
|> I am well aware of saturating JFETs to maintain Idss;
|> the only problem here is that JFETS are kinda "sloppy",
|> and I don't know how to specify anything close to 15 mA.
|> Mostly, I see specs of min=10, max=40.  Oh, great.

You can get a 2N4118 or 2N4398, for example, from Motorola.
This N-Channel JFET has an Idss between 80mA and 240mA.  Now
wire it up with a series source resistor of 75 ohms or so
(select it with a few typical FETs to get it right) and you
will have a dependable 15mA current source.  The resistor in
series with the source "degenerates" the JFET so that if it
happens to be a higher Idss device, it will have more source
resistor voltage drop, and thereby less on current.

I selected 75 ohms because the JFETs are specified with between
1V and 3V of VgsOff.  15mA at 75 ohms will give 1.13V drop, which
should put the JFET fairly close to the 15mA bias point.  My guess
is that a 5% resistor and a wide range of JFETs will give current 
tolerance of +/-20%.

V+
|
|  |  I=15mA
|  |
|  \/
|
|
|____|
     |  2N4398
     |<----
 ____|     |
|    |     |
|          |
|          |
/  75      |
\ ohms     |
/          |
\          |
|          |
|          |
|__________|
|
|
V-

-- 
Bob Neidorff; Unitrode I. C. Corp.  |  Internet: neidorff@uicc.com
7 Continental Blvd.                 |  Voice   : (US) 603-424-2410
Merrimack, NH  03054-0399 USA       |  FAX     : (US) 603-424-3460
From: jcm11@po.CWRU.Edu (John C. Mackey)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: I bought the Paradigm center speaker...
Date: 31 Dec 1992 07:22:20 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: jcm11@po.CWRU.Edu (John C. Mackey)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


Some people had expressed interest in the Paradigm center channel speaker,
and I just bought one (Paradigm CC-200) today, so...
Here are the specs:
- 3 driver, 2-way bass reflex systems w/ resistive ports
- 5 1/2" bass/midrange drive units feature:
     -aluminum chassis ("to minimize mechanical vibration, ringing,
        and flexing")
     -polypropylene cones
     -multi-layer voice coils, kapton formers, other mumbo-jumbo
- High-frequency drive units feature:
     -polyamide domes
     -aluminum formers and ferro-fluid cooling/damping

Crossover: 2nd order electro/acoustic at 2.8kHz.  (Frequency- & phase-
     corrected)
High Frequency Driver:19mm (3/4") polyamide dome w/aluminum former, ferro-
     fluid cooled & damped.
Bass/Midrange Drivers: Two 135mm (5 1/2") polypropylene cones w/high
     pressure diecast chassis, kapton former.

Low Frequency extension:  60Hz (DIN)
Frequency response (on axis): +/- 2dB from 100Hz-20kHz
Sensitivity-Room/Anechoic: 92dB/89dB
Suitable Amp Power range: 15-120 watts
Maximum input power: 80 watts
Nominal/Minimum impedance: 6 ohms/ 4 ohms
Weight/Width/Depth: 6 1/8in x 17 1/8in x 14 1/2in
Weight: 20lbs
Finish:Black Ash
-----
WELL!  Being an audio fool (I even kinda like some Bose speakers),  I
don't know how these specs compare to others.  All I know is that this is
the best center speaker I heard, and I listened to the Bose, the Polk,
a Boston Acoustic, and a few others.  The Paradigm sounds at least as good
as the $250 Boston Acoustic (IMHO), and the Paradigm only costs $179.
It's clear that this center speaker is a true SPEAKER, not just a wide-range
driver or two thrown into a magnetically shielded box.  So far, I have
absolutely no complaints about the speaker.
Thanks to everybody who suggested I check into Paradigm... I'm very
pleased.  I'm considering selling my Bose 301's and purchasing a pair
of Paradigm speakers for my main channels.  (Has anybody heard their $399
pair?  I forget what the model is called.)
Oh, and once again, I picked up the Paradigm CC-200 for $179.  The hi-fi
store received 10 of them yesterday, and after I purchased mine this
morning, they only had 2 left.  Sheesh!  Good luck getting a hold of one!

-John
-- 
John C. Mackey  -  Music Composition major at Cleveland Institute O' Music
-----------------
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: CSMSPCN@MVS.OAC.UCLA.EDU
Subject: Ireconcilable Differences?
Date: 30 Dec 92 10:48:00 PST

My ears like tight bass, excellent imaging, and clean sound.
I listen at low to moderate volume.

My wife likes pleasent sound that can be low enough that it doesn't
intrude on conversations at a dinner party.

To me an unobtrusive speaker, is one which doesnt seem to be the
source of the sound when it's playing.  (The imageing is so good that
the speaker seems to have as much to do with the sond as any of the
other furniture in the room.)

My wife thinks an unobtrusive speaker is one which she doesn't notice
when she enters the room.  My current set of 4 foot tall coulumns,
placed two feet out from the back wall and three feet from the side
walls don't qualify.

The question is, is there a set of speakers/stands which will
satisfy us both?
From: lstowell@pyrnova.mis.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: Wireless Speakers
Keywords: Invra-Red Speker connection
Date: 31 Dec 92 02:57:13 GMT
Reply-To: lstowell@pyrnova.pyramid.com.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corporation

In article <1992Dec30.174531.3232@ennews.eas.asu.edu> berry@enuxha.eas.asu.edu (Joel R. Berry) writes:
>Hello all,
>    I am sorry if this is the wrong group to post this, but it seemed
>to be right.  I am looking for a device that will allow a speaker to
>exist where there are no wires strung.  I want to have some type
>of transmitter on the tuner and have a receiver by the speaker.  I was
>wondering if anybody has any knowledge of devices such as this.  I
>have no information at all so any suggestions would be welcome.  

   There's a company called Datawave that has a small FM transmitter
   and speakers with FM receivers.  The speakers either look like
   small cheap Fm radios or rocks.  

   If you want stereo, you'll need TWO transmitters (their adverts
   in audio mags tend to gloss over this).  

   Sound quality for the Datawaves can best be described charitably
   as "cheapo fm portable" or worse.
From: moskowit@panix.com (Len Moskowitz)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: 'Bookshelf' Speakers???
Date: 25 Dec 92 19:12:06 GMT
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix & Internet, NYC

In article <1992Dec23.105711.993@cmkrnl.com> jeh@cmkrnl.com writes:

>> PSB Alpha and Celestion 3.
>> Len Moskowitz
>> moskowit@panix.com
>
>I strongly agree.  Personally I found the PSB Alphas to be more to my liking
>than the Celestion 3 -- I thought the C3's were a little thin in the upper
>midrange -- but both are fine speakers, designed to be used against a wall (ie
>in a "bookshelf"), and both are *spectacular* bargains (the Alphas go for
>$200/pair, the C3's for about $280). 

East 33rd Street Electronics in NYC has the Celestion 3 for under
$210/pair.

-- 
Len Moskowitz
moskowit@panix.com
From: kirk@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Kirk Lindstrom)
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 15:13:55 GMT
Subject: Re: EAD Transport + Threshold Amp = buzzing noise?
Organization: Shredding the water of SF Bay, HP-OCD
Newsgroups: rec.audio

For the buzz, try borrowing some IDOS power strips from your local hifi
store.  My problem was ground loops which a few teflon washers on a 
$15 emi/surge supressor strip (to float the grounds) cleaned right up.

Kirk out
=> "We are what we pretend to be."  -  Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Kirk Lindstrom - OCD Product R & D | Hewlett-Packard Co.  M/S: 91UA |
|   Engineer/Scientist, Hardware     |                                |
|------------------------------------| Optical Communication Division |
|     kirk_lindstrom@sj.hp.com       |                                |
|    Kirk Lindstrom / HP0100/UX      | 370 W. Trimble Rd.             |
| ph 408 435 6404 | fax 408 435 6286 | San Jose, CA  95131-1096       |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+

Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: ptg2351@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Panos Tamamidis )
Subject: Re: Define "Headroom"
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1993 02:26:38 GMT

bill@bilver.uucp (Bill Vermillion) writes:

>>There has been a lot of discussion on "do I really need a 200 watt amp"
>>I have seen responses like " a (""better sounding") 100 watt amp can
>>sound better than a 200 watt amp.

>When you do the math properly, it sometimes comes out to be
>cheaper to buy more efficient speakers than buy the amount of
>power you need.   

 Quite correct. Problem is that most of the good speakers produce around 86dB.
 Of course, you can always buy Cerwin-Vega speakers; with an efficiency of
 100dB you could play really lound even with a K-Mart receiver.

>-- 
>Bill Vermillion - bill@bilver.oau.org  bill@bilver.uucp
>                - ..!{peora|tous|tarpit}!bilver!bill

 Panos
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: berry@enuxha.eas.asu.edu (Joel R. Berry)
Subject: Wireless Speakers
Keywords: Invra-Red Speker connection
Organization: Arizona State University
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 17:45:31 GMT

Hello all,
    I am sorry if this is the wrong group to post this, but it seemed
to be right.  I am looking for a device that will allow a speaker to
exist where there are no wires strung.  I want to have some type
of transmitter on the tuner and have a receiver by the speaker.  I was
wondering if anybody has any knowledge of devices such as this.  I
have no information at all so any suggestions would be welcome.  
Thanks
   JOel Berry
   berry@enuxha.eas.asu.edu
--

-----------------------------------------------------------
Joel Berry | berry@enuxha.eas.asu.edu
-----------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: b-grant@nwu.edu (Barry Grant)
Subject: Re: polarity inversion
Followup-To: rec.audio
Organization: Northwestern University
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 22:51:32 GMT

Steve Owen gave a technical explanation of polarity inversion. Let me just
add that flipping the polarity switch can make a significant difference in
the quality of sound. I have some CDs that are shrill and irritating, until
I reverse polarity and they seem more like music and I can enjoy them. 

Clark Johnsen, owner of the Listening Studio in Boston has written a book
about  polarity inversion, -The Wood Effect-.  I've just ordered it from
him. 

Barry Grant
Northwestern Univesity
Evanston, Illinois
b-grant@nwu.edu
From: andrew@alice.att.com (Andrew Hume)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: exit
Date: 30 Dec 92 19:18:14 GMT
Distribution: rec
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill NJ

In article <1992Dec30.100645.16650@vax5.cit.cornell.edu>, fnox@vax5.cit.cornell.edu (Mark L. Margolis) writes:
~ Can someone send me a copy of the issue in which Stereophile lists its
~ "recommended components" listing. BTW, what issue is that?
~ 
~ I will pay for a copy of that issue.
~ 
~ Is Parasound listed?
~ -- 
~ 
~ ******************************************************
~ *                                                    *
~ *   Mark Margolis     FNOX@VAX5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU      *
~ *                     FNOX@CRNLVAX5.BITNET           *
~ *                                                    *
~ *   Cornell University - Ithaca, New York 14853      *
~ *                                                    *
~ ******************************************************
~  



	the latest recommended component listings are in vol 15, no 10
(october 1992). the parasound HCA-800 II makes it in class D. its recommendation
is guarded; the others in its class are the B&K ST-140 and the NAD 2100.