HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: steveh@pilot.dmg.ml.com (Steve Hannoford)
Subject: Re:  Dolby C vs. dbx
Organization: Merrill Lynch Debt Markets Group
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 18:58:29 GMT

I can tell you how Dolby works, but I can't really say how dbx
works, but my understanding (explained by more than one audio
engineer) is that Dolby is a reduction system which requires
the same implementation during playback that was used during
recording, where-as dbx will improve the quailty of the tape
even if you do not have dbx at playback (in fact I think that
dbx is only effective during recording).

What does that mean?

Dolby has two classes of NR:  Type B and the newer Type C.
Manufacturers can buy Dolby NR at several price levels, so
no all Dolby C are the same.  The type refers to how it reduces
noise, the level determines the quality of circuitry used, etc.

Dolby labs researched tape noise and isolated the frequencies
where the noise typically occurrs.  When you make a recording
with Dolby, the signal is boosted in that range, so that the 
signal to noise ratio is increased. (The signal is boosted so
that it 'covers up' the noise.)  This results in a top heavy
(increased treble range) recording.  During playback, the 
signal is reduced by the same amount, restoring the proper
treble levels, but the noise isn't there (well not as much
of it).  

If you record with Dolby and play back without, the tape will
sound brighter - obviously, because the treble was boosted.
It's like turing the treble all the way up and the bass all the
way down on the pre-amp...  Some people 'prefer' this sound 
(the brightness of dolby record without dolby playback), but
the signal is not like the original signal - the sound is altered.

My understanding with dbx is that its noise reduction is during
record only, and is not required during playback... Not only
is it a better reduction system (results in less noise than
either Dolby B/C), but it is also preferential because it
works without the requirement that the implementation at
playback match the implementation used to record....


-- 

+-------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| steveh@pilot.dmg.ml.com | My employer has no opinions and has  |
| Steveh Hannaford        |  nothing to do with anything I say.  |
Newsgroups: rec.audio

Hi Everyone;

I need troubleshooting hints to fix the following problem on my car
stereo:

Hardware:
Eclipse 300 with two amplifiers (one for the rear speakers and the other
for the back speakers)

Problem:
When turning on the stereo there is a very loud "pop" on the front
speakers only, even if the volume is all the way down.  If the volume is up
even a bit, then the "pop" continuos until the volume is turn dowm.


I check the ground and connections and everything seems to be ok.

Please let me know if you can help.
Thanks in advance,

Javier
From: mbk@hamilton (Matt Kennel)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: Very expensive cables (oh Gawd, when will it end?)
Date: 1 Oct 1992 21:47:31 GMT
Organization: Institute For Nonlinear Science, UCSD
NNTP-Posting-Host: hamilton.ucsd.edu
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL3

kurts@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Kurt Strain) writes:
: Believe it or not, you aren't going to change the minds of the tens of 
: thousands of audiophiles convinced that special cables help.

I don't think that any scientist disagrees with the notion that
it's possible to make a cable that intentionally sounds different.

I think most have grave doubts that the differences are a result of anything
other than well-understood and quantifiable linear signal propagation and
electromagnetic interference, interacting with the input and output
circuitry of the connecting electronics.  If this weren't true a hell of
alot of other more complicated things wouldn't work at all.

Of course, this can be quantitatively tested, by trying to find differences
between cables with equal shielding capabilities, and identical R, L and C.

Set up two measurably identical (i.e. difference is quantitatively measured)
electronics chains, with two different interconnects with equal R.L.C.

Feed identical signals and compute the magnitude of the signal difference,
with and without the cable change.

: Why you want
: to is beyond me

Because the Crazy Cable Cabal is ripping alot of people off, by knowingly
or unknowingly promoting cables with completely bogus arguments.

It's like going to a homeopathic 'doctor' who gives you a very expensive
solution to drink that makes you feel better when you're dehydrated.  Sure
enough, it works! And Don't You Arrogant Scientists Go Around Invalidating
Our Subjective Experience!

I think it's perfectly fine to play with cables if you accept what you're
doing.  Personally I'd rather use a box with quantified and
variable R, L and C on it, but that would take all the fun out of it.

But then again, maybe trying different cables without knowing what they
really do and working hard to find the difference is part of the fun, and I
accept that too.  It's just the price that gets me.  Maybe if I sold cables,
I'd sell them in packs of 10 pairs, each with different characteristics, and
tell people to go for it.

  How you are so sure we're not right is pretty, uh,
: amazingly enlightened (yeah, that's it).
: 
: Close the damn door on this issue, please.  And try to excuse my outbursts.
: (No, Richard D'something-or-other, you're still on my kill file).  :-)

--
-Matt Kennel  		mbk@inls1.ucsd.edu
-Institute for Nonlinear Science, University of California, San Diego
-*** AD: Archive for nonlinear dynamics papers & programs: FTP to
-***     lyapunov.ucsd.edu, username "anonymous".
From: borowski@hpspkla.spk.hp.com (Don T. Borowski)
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 19:21:52 GMT
Subject: Re: Help with tube amp requested.
Organization: Hewlett Packard Company, Spokane, Wa.
Newsgroups: rec.audio

In rec.audio, rej@sal.wisc.edu (Randy Jones) writes:

>My Scott Stereomaster 200B is acting up. After about a minute past its
>initial warm-up, the left channel launches into a hellacious crackling.
>Occasionally the crackling stops, and the highs disappear from that channel
>altogether above, say, 500 Hz, so that Liz Fraser goes mmfwwmf mmfmrrmf.
>The right channel is just fine.  Needless to say, this bothers me.
>
>The crackling sounded somewhat like an intermittent connection, so I cleaned
>all the switches but this had no effect. And that's about where my valve amp
>expertise ends.
>
>So, if you know about valve amps in general or mine in particular, I'd be
>real happy if you'd contact me. Specs, schematics, or other lore would
>be most welcome. 

First, try wiggling the valves (tubes as we call them here).  Sometimes
oxides build up between the pins of the tubes and the sockets, and a
good wiggle will break through this junk and bring back operation.

Other than than, you will need a schematic and some service equipment.  A
bad capacitor would be a likely suspect.


Donald Borowski    WA6OMI    Hewlett-Packard, Spokane Division
"Angels are able to fly because they take themselves so lightly."
                                       -G.K. Chesterton

Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: davidric@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (david ricardo)
Subject: Nakamichi Cassette Deck 2 reviews?
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Sat, 3 Oct 1992 04:13:52 GMT

I am in the market for a good cassette recorder and of course I would
like to buy the Nakamichi Cassette Deck 1, but it is beyond my budget
($840). However Nakamichi does make a model called the Cassette Deck
2. It is not a three head and does not have HX Pro. ($380) However,
is Nakamichi engineering in cassette decks so superior that this unit
outperforms
competitively priced 3head HX pro units? Does anybody own this
unit and has a testimonial they would like to share? I am also 
considering a 3 head Sony/Denon. Or is there some fantastic 
cassette recorder in this price range around ~400.

Then again a DAT would be nice, but then I need one in my car...

-- 

| Ricardo David              RacerX Engineering              |
| University of Illinois          ...keep them mowing        |
| davidric@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu                 blades sharp ... |
From: "herb chong" <herb.chong@channel1.com>
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: a problem with my nak
Date: 2 Oct 92 16:09:56 EST
Reply-To: "herb chong" <herb.chong@channel1.com>
Distribution: rec
Organization: Channel 1 Communications

PD>tape transport.  In general, one can't hear it too much unless the
PD>volume is turned down or during a soft passage.  The music coming
PD>through the speakers still sounds great.  But this knocking-clunking
PD>sound worries me a little since it may be a harbinger of problems to
PD>come.  Also, I often listen at low volumes, and I really do notice it.
PD>Curiously, when I push the "play" button without a cassette in the
PD>machine, the problem disappears.  I'm using decent quality cassettes:
PD>Maxell XL-II.

sounds like the tape takeup clutch is starting to go.

Herb...

---
  WinQwk 2.0 a#314  WOBBLEWOBBLEWOBBLEWOBBLE THUNK THUD BANGBANGBANG >CRASH<
--
Channel 1 (R)   Cambridge, MA
From: miles@ms.uky.edu (Stephen D. Grant)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Denon DRM 710 tape deck/Denon in general?
Date: 1 Oct 92 02:10:41 GMT
Organization: University Of Kentucky, Dept. of Math Sciences

I have heard that Denon makes excellent tape decks. True?    
Anyone familiar with the DRM710 in particular?
I was surprised to see the Signal/Noise ratio listed at >75db (Dolby C).
I have seen better specs on some other "lower quality" decks.
From: smee@bristol.ac.uk (Paul Smee)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: Help with tube amp requested.
Date: 6 Oct 92 08:53:31 GMT
Reply-To: P.Smee@bristol.ac.uk (Paul Smee)
Organization: University of Bristol

In article <27110037@hpspkla.spk.hp.com> borowski@hpspkla.spk.hp.com (Don T. Borowski) writes:
>In rec.audio, rej@sal.wisc.edu (Randy Jones) writes:
>
>>My Scott Stereomaster 200B is acting up. After about a minute past its
>>initial warm-up, the left channel launches into a hellacious crackling.
>>Occasionally the crackling stops, and the highs disappear from that channel
>>altogether above, say, 500 Hz, so that Liz Fraser goes mmfwwmf mmfmrrmf.
>>The right channel is just fine.  Needless to say, this bothers me.
>
>First, try wiggling the valves (tubes as we call them here).  Sometimes
>oxides build up between the pins of the tubes and the sockets, and a
>good wiggle will break through this junk and bring back operation.

Also, with the thing turned on, and the covers off (stop now if you
don't feel confident with this state of affairs), try tapping each of
the tubes gently to see if that affects the sound.  Use something
plastic -- cheap alignment tool (from Tandy/Radio Shack), plastic
chopstick, handle of a plastic cooking spoon; keep metallic stuff, and
your fingers, clear.  If you find that tapping a particular tube makes
things better, or worse, or simply even causes an extra crackle in time
with your tapping, then that's probably the bad one.

(If you knew enough to be poking around with fingers or conductive
tools, you wouldn't have asked the question in the first place, is my
theory.)

-- 
Paul Smee, Computing Service, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UD, UK
 P.Smee@bristol.ac.uk - ..!uunet!uknet!bsmail!p.smee - Tel +44 272 303132
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: ddrg@alfred.carleton.ca (Duncan Glendinning)
Subject: Re: ReVox A-77 Question
Organization: Carleton University
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 01:33:45 GMT

In <BvE55E.Cvz@world.std.com> DPierce@world.std.com (Richard d Pierce) writes:

>In article <1992Sep30.100810.27751@aston.ac.uk> evansmp@uhura.aston.ac.uk (Mark Evans) writes:
>>covingc@ee.tamu.edu (Mouse) writes:
>>: 
>>: I recently obtained a ReVox A-77 reel-to-reel, and I would be interested
>>: in getting some a operation or service manual for it.  Does anyone out
>>: there have on of these, or an address or phone number for ReVox?
>>
>>I have a feeling that the company is based in germany.

>Rather than a feeling, how about some facts?

>In the USA, Revox service infor and parts are available from

>     Studer Revox America
>     1425 Elm Hill Pike
>     Nashville, TN 37210
>     (615) 254-5651

>Studer is a collection of plants and facilities in Germany and
>Switzerland. The A-77 was manufactured in Switzerland in its earlier days.

My 9th edition copy of the "Revox A77 Service Manual" has the document
number 18.161.477 (and was printed in Switzerland).
FYI, the inside flap of my A77 instruction manual indicates that during
the era in which my deck was manufactured, Revox-International was a
Division of ELA AG (8105 Regensdorf-Zurich), and was manufactured by
Willi Studer, with plants in Zurich, Switzerland and Loffingen, Germany.
From: philg@zurich.ai.mit.edu (Philip Greenspun)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: DAT Royalty - Only on blank tape?
Date: 2 Oct 92 21:26:33 GMT
	<1992Sep29.190659.7320@portal.vpharm.com>
	<1992Sep30.152200.22634@bilver.uucp>
Reply-To: philg@martigny.ai.mit.edu
Organization: M.I.T. Artificial Intelligence Lab.
In-reply-to: bill@bilver.uucp's message of 30 Sep 92 15:22:00 GMT


In article <1992Sep30.152200.22634@bilver.uucp> bill@bilver.uucp (Bill Vermillion) writes:

   >Naw...What about WEA (Warner/Elektra/Atlantic{/Reprise/Sire/Atco/East-West/
   >Nonesuch/Asylum})? They're part of the
   >Time-Warner conglomerate, which is still decidedly American.

   Are you sure about that.  I thought I saw somewhere that Time/Warner
   was foreign controlled or at least highly owned.

Well, they can't do much without permission from Sony since the two of
them are wrapped up in a bunch of joint deals (this was made clear
when Sony forced them to retract their lukewarm support of MD a few
months ago and come out the next day with a humiliating expression of
total enthusiasm that had clearly been written in Japan).

On the other hand, Time-Warner is a US company by any reasonable
definition.

Philip Greenspun
MIT Department of EECS
From: cs108069@pandora.sdsu.edu (DeRose)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: Velodyne Problem!
Date: 6 Oct 92 05:41:42 GMT
Organization: San Diego State University, College of Sciences
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5

Cal, tell me how you've got it wired.  Are you using the speaker or line-level
inputs?  I've worked with all the Velodyne subwoofers and have noticed that in
some cases the VA and Foundation series pickup some crazy vibes.  How long are
your cable runs?  Do they pass over or around and AC lines?

If you try to eliminate as many variables as possible you're likely to solve 
the problem.

John :)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Adcom's new CD changer - opinions sought
From: sunshine@convex.com (Roger Sunshine)
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 14:50:31 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Engineering, CONVEX Computer Corp., Richardson, Tx., USA
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX ComputerCorp. The 
 opinions expressed are those of the user andnot necessarily those of CONVEX.

I recently listened to Adcom's new CD changer (don't   remember the model
though) and was pretty impressed.  It sounded "much" better than the similarly 
priced Yamaha model I also listened to.  It seems to be very popular here
in Dallas at the moment as the store I went to didn't have any in stock.  So
while I wait for them to get some, I thought I'd see what the collective net
wisdom has to say about Adcom's products in general and their CD players in 
particular.  Alternatives in the same price range (about $600) would be
appreciated.  I've looked at the Nak Music bank but have concerns about the
long term reliability about the drawer mechanism.  I've also looked at the
Sony ES players, and all though they sounded very good, I didn't think they
were as good as the Adcom.

Thanks for any information.
-Roger
-- 
----------------
Internet:   sunshine@convex.com
UUCP:       ...!uunet!convex!sunshine
ATTNET:     (214)497-4779
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: bremmer@stsci.edu (Marc H. Bremmer,S402,4458,ADD.11-14-91)
Subject: Speaker drivers FOR SALE
Keywords: speakers
Reply-To: bremmer@stsci.edu
Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore MD
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 19:44:34 GMT


For sale 

pair Audio Concepts AC8 8" mid Bass  Fs 30  Qts 0.40  Vas 55l
great in a 1 cuft sealed box they work great but are not in 
perfect cosmetic cond.
$35/pair I will pay shipping east US

Marc Bremmer


Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: clarke@acme.ucf.edu (Thomas Clarke)
Subject: Ultimate Cable?
Organization: University of Central Florida
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 12:09:21 GMT

I was going to keep this to myself and make a fortune, but then
after a little soul-searching I realized I was no Ross Perot.
Maybe somebody already makes something similar, anyway.
_____________________
LIQUID CABLES

Obtain the ultimate in tranparent sound from your system.  Our
cables use a liquid metallic conductor that avoids the graininess
caused by the crystal boundaries in conventional solid metallic 
cables.  Electrons freed from the limitations of the solid
Fermi surface are better able to carry all the subtle nuances
of sound of which your system is capable.

Cables are constructed from gallium-indium eutectic alloy to
insure liquidity above 18C (64F).  The liquid conductors are
contained within rugged plastic tubing to prevent accidental
breakage.  Cable end contacts are tungsten to insure long life.

Note:  Special low temperature models employing mercury, or 
sodium-potassium eutectic alloy are available - special 
licensing required, however.
______________________

Somewhat more seriously, 1 mm dia by 2 meters of gallium is << 1 ohm.
Mercury is a little resistive for cable use.  The best would
be sodium/potassium, but don't dare break one and then spill coffee
on it!  A reference said power companies have used hollow conductors
filled with sodium to carry power since sodium is among the highest
conductivity per unit weight materials.  Na/K is also pretty
cheap, but Ga/In could be sold at high end mareket prices.  
P.S. Gallium is said to attack most metals except tungsten.

Would be an interesting A/B.  Vary the cable temperature while
listening.  See if the difference between liquid and solid
was actually audible.

Next:  SUPERCONDUCTING CABLE  Nirogen dewar not supplied.


--
Thomas Clarke
Institute for Simulation and Training, University of Central FL
12424 Research Parkway, Suite 300, Orlando, FL 32826
(407)658-5030, FAX: (407)658-5059, clarke@acme.ucf.edu
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: tlode@nyx.cs.du.edu (trygve lode)
Subject: Re: Golden Ears?
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix @ U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 92 19:05:45 GMT

In article <1992Oct5.092831.26359@walter.cray.com> daw@cray.com (Dave Wright) writes:
>
>For all you golden ears and non-golden ears out there.

Let's see, I'm not exactly a golden-eared type, but I'm not quite in the
tin ear category either--so, I'll put myself down as iron eared. 

>With all this talk about audibility of cable effects that can't be
>measured, let's talk about measurable audible effects.
>
>Why does that AM car radio sound so good after weeks in the wilderness?

Because it serves as a symbol of your incipient return to civilization,
complete with kitchens, beds, and flush toilets. 

>Who in this group can here if the speakers are reversed polarity?
>    what are these audible effects.

I've only tried this experiment once and it's one of those effects that
I found subtle enough that, if there was a difference I could hear, it
must have been quite small.  (Hmmm...maybe it's time to try exercising
that polarity reversal switch on the d/a converter and see if I can detect
it on a larger sample of recordings.) 

>What if only one speaker has polarity reversed?

Easilly--I think anyone could detect such a change immediately, both by
its effect on imaging and bass response. 

>Can you tell if your speakers are matched pair?

Sure can--I just check the serial numbers....

>Can you tell if the drivers are time aligned(phase coherent)?

One of my stereos has speakers where the tweeter unit can be moved
independently of the woofer unit and, on these speakers, even moving
the tweeters forward or backwards does have audible effects. 

>Is the flat response/ perfect measurement speaker really desired?
>             Sound production vs sound reproduction

Perfect measurements are very much desired, just not as much as good
sound is.  (That is, I do not expect a standard battery of tests to
cover all audible characteristics of the speaker in question, nor do
I believe that the characteristics most obvious to test equipment are
necessarilly the most important psychoacoustically.) 

>Why does a shower with terrible acoustics by sound reproduction standards
>     sound so good?

Because some people just love the sound of their own voices? 
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: ritc0003@student.tc.umn.edu ()
Subject: Re: Velodyne Problem!
Keywords: subwoofer, noise
Organization: University of Minnesota
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 17:55:37 GMT

Take it to be repaired, or if you bought from a quality establishment they will
exchange it for a new one.  No sense in voiding the warranty by trying to 
fix it yourself.

Kent
From: grego@bit.UUCP (Greg Sanguinetti)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: magazines
Date: 5 Oct 92 15:15:52 GMT
Article-I.D.: bit.440
Reply-To: grego@bit.UUCP (Grego Sanguinetti)
Organization: BIT  Portland, OR

In article <1992Oct1.224748.13054@newshost.unh.edu> dcm2@kepler.unh.edu (Tommy the Cat) writes:
> requested magazine recomendations for working with tube audio projects:

Chris, try out Glass Audio. It only comes out twice a year and costs $18
for a two year sub but is reported to be well worth it if you are serious
about heating glass. Give em a call at (603)924-9464

Now me, I'm hopelessly stuck on silicon substrates so this recomendation
is second hand.
-grego
-- 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grego Sanguinetti, Bipolar Integrated Technology | Water, water everywhere,
grego@bit.uucp or grego%bit%ogi.cse.edu          | but I'd rather drink
or bit!grego@ogi.cse.edu or ...!ogicse!bit!grego | beer.
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: tmpjpe@eua.ericsson.se (Jesper Ullerstam)
Subject: Question, Turntable balance problem
Reply-To: tmpjpe@eua.ericsson.se
Organization: Ellemtel Telecom Systems Labs, Stockholm, Sweden
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 14:08:50 GMT

I have a Thorens TD-104 turntable (this is probably their worst construction ever, but
I got it for free). Two days ago the output on left channel suddenly dropped.
I would guess that it is about half of the output on the right channel. It is steady,
so I don't think that it is due to a cable or a contact problem. Since I'm not an
engineer, I do not know if this is a correct conclusion. I tried to switch the channels
to see if it is the amplifier that is at fault, but that wasn't it.

Has anyone had a similiar problem? If you have any idea how to fix this, please send
me an E-mail.

Thanks!                            /jesper

Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: gfl@hera.uucp (22402-lenahan)
Subject: Re: Golden Ears?
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 92 15:22:52 GMT
Summary: knowledge is often threatening ....

crgoc@orlando.uk.cray.com (Gary O'Connor) writes:
> > IMHO Mr Pierce,
> > A more arrogant reply I have rarely seen. Reply's like
> > the one you've given do nothing except discourage open ended discussion.
> 

I am generally refreshed by Dick's postings.  He is clearly
more knowledgeable than 99.9% of the folks ont he net, and
gives of his time and expertise freely.

What, exactly, is wrong with pointing out errors in both
answers and questions?

His were not far off of at least two other responses.

Grant