HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: nau@ssesco.com (William Nau)
Subject: Re: Pre-amplifiers
Organization: SSESCO
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 13:46:50 GMT

In article <92313.200625LLH111@psuvm.psu.edu>, <LLH111@psuvm.psu.edu> writes:
|> I currently have an Adcom GFA-535 power amp and an GTP-400 preamp-
|> tuner.  I just bought a Denon DCM-520, which has a good variable out,
|> I think.  I'm wondering if I should sell my preamp since I only use CDs,
|> and run direct from the DCM-520 to the GFA-535.  I listened to the
|> CD running direct, and I notice more bite in the highs.  Is there
|> anything inherently good or bad about running the DCM-520 direct to the
|> 535?  Drop me an E-mail and if I get more than a couple responses, I'll post
|> a summary.  Thanks.
|> .
|> Richard

Couple of things I heard against doing that.
- Preamps are buffered and amps are not.  Has something to do with matching
  impedance.  If they don't match, it can color the sound (possibly causing
  the bite in the highs you noticed).  Don't ask me
  to explain it.  That's all I know (heard).
- The pot on the preamp is likly to be of much higher quality than the one
  in the CD player.  This may also affect the sound.

However, the same guy that told me this also said "Try it".  If it works
on your system then what do you have to lose?  Doesn't cost anything.

I've also seen passive preamps that go for $60 (didn't have any kind of
input switching).  It had a buffered input and level control (up to line
level, but not past that) and that was it.  For someone who listens to
CDs and nothing but CDs, a simple passive preamp like that may be just 
what you need.
-- 
William R. Nau
Supercomputer Systems Engineering and Services Company (SSESCO)
511 11th Avenue South, Suite 216
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415-1536
(612) 342-0003

nau@SSESCO.com
From: kirk@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Kirk Lindstrom)
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 19:32:41 GMT
Subject: Re: Infinity Speakers - Any Comments
Organization: Shredding the water of SF Bay, HP-OCD
Newsgroups: rec.audio

>><   The best killer of tweeters is a crummy amplifier.

Several years ago a friend wanted to convince me that Infinity RS-10s
were fantastic speakers for the money and that I should get some and run
them with my AltecLansing speakers for better high end.  We started
with Luxman and threshold gear, moving coil phone...., etc.  About
200-400 WPC supplied thru some FURNACE CABLE we'd found.  We cranked them
up so loud we couldn't stay in the room.  Ran them for some time to see
if smoke would come out (it didn't).  My buddy worked at a stereo store and
had the speakers to "listen to".  Needless to say, I never pay attention
to "MAX POWER" ratings on speakers any more ;  rather look that your amp
can deliver the power your speakers require.

Kirk (bought the speakers) out
From: jcm11@po.CWRU.Edu (John C. Mackey)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Sony mid-end amps
Date: 6 Nov 1992 18:34:00 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: jcm11@po.CWRU.Edu (John C. Mackey)
NNTP-Posting-Host: thor.ins.cwru.edu


I'm going to be purchasing a Sony amplifier soon (probably in January) and I
am trying to choose between two.  The first is the STR-AV1070 ($500) and the
other is the STR-D1090 ($600).  Has anybody had any experience with either of
these amps, or do you know how they compare?  I know the features of the
AV1070, but I know basically nothing about the D1090.

Any info about either of the above (or any other $500-$600 Sony amp w/Dolby Pro
Logic surround sound) would be great...

-John
-- 
John C. Mackey  -  Music Composition major at Cleveland Institute O' Music
-----------------
Don't be a bufu - vote for Clinton / Gore in 92!!!
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: echuang@cco.caltech.edu (Ernest Y. Chuang)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Alternative CD clubs to BMG?
Date: 8 Nov 1992 19:21:35 GMT
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: sandman.caltech.edu

Does anyone have any recommendations for CD clubs other than BMG?
After ordering my 8 initial CD's from BMG, I've already pretty much
run out of titles in their catalog that I want, so I'm looking for
a CD club with a much bigger selection, but still good prices (or am
I being unreasonable already?... :-) ).

The only other CD club I've heard of is Columbia House.  I've heard
it has a wider selection than BMG, but I know they require you to buy
6 CD's at regular price in order to fulfill the membership obligation
(as opposed to 1 CD for BMG).  Does anyone have a rough estimate of 
the cost per CD? (after taking into account the initial freebies, 
shipping costs, etc...)

Any advice would be appreciated.  Thanks.

- Ernest
  echuang@cco.caltech.edu


Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: mcelmury@plains.NoDak.edu (Michael McElmury)
Subject: Rack mounting components
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 03:02:41 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: North Dakota Higher Education Computing Network

I have built up quite a bit of stereo components and decided that
I would like to rack mount everything. I found a rack that is about
what I want, however, the rack would require some of the components
(all but my two amps) to be placed at about a 35 - 40 degree angle 
from verticle. My question, how would my CD player (Adcom GCD 575)
react to this placement in the long run? I tried tilting the player
as it was playing a disk and it didn't seem to affect it. Would
extended use in this position hurt anything?

                  Thanks for any help you may provide.
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: nwsedlak@csugrad.cs.vt.edu (Neil Sedlak)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Pioneer VX-901S????
Date: 8 Nov 92 11:20:11 GMT
Organization: Virginia Tech Computer Science Dept, Blacksburg, VA

I am considering buying a Pioneer VX-901S Receiver (i may have flubbed the
letters a bit, but its the 901 and fairly new...)
 
Does anyone Have one of these?? Would you recommend it? And Finally has anyone
seen any good deals on one in the magazines lately?? I hate all these annoying
"CALL FOR PRICE" ads...

					Thanks in advance for any info
					Email me or respond here...
					nwsedlak@csugrad.cs.vt.edu
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: gmw1@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Gabe M Wiener)
Subject: Re: Defeating SCMS
Reply-To: gmw1@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Gabe M Wiener)
Organization: Columbia University
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 20:56:21 GMT

In article <1992Nov13.185500.20300@nntpd2.cxo.dec.com> winalski@adserv.enet.dec.com (Paul S. Winalski) writes:
>
>|>Defeating SCMS seems pretty simple to me - remember your first "Hi there"
>|>program? I rekon I could do it with a few PLLs and some delays. Perhaps in
>|>years to come people will have little competitions thinking up the most
>|>obscure ways to defeat SCMS. Hey, a mechanical design (cogs and all) would
>|>be neat.
>
>Such circuits have been designed, and the digital logic part is about as easy
>as you describe.  The trickier parts are the drivers and receivers for the
>signal cables into and out of the filter.
>
>The biggest problem is that it soon will be illegal to build or use such
>devices in the US.  The Home Recording Rights Act is now law.

Well, yes and no.  Such devices already do exist, and can readily be had,
but they're not sold as "black boxes" to aid in consumer piracy.  They're
sold to audio professionals who need to *assert* a given SCMS code on a
tape.  

The one I use in my recording work is a Digital Domain FCN1, which I
use to feed multiple DAT machines through independent buffers, and to
set the user bits as I choose, including SCMS codes.  I suppose that
one could use it to strip SCMS codes, though you'd have to go to a
professional audio dealership to obtain one, and for the price of such
a unit + the cost of a DAT machine, you could simply buy a machine
that didn't have SCMS to begin with.


--
Gabe Wiener - Columbia Univ.     "This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings 
gmw1@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu       to be seriously considered as a means of 
N2GPZ in ham radio circles        communication. The device is inherently of
72355,1226 on CI$                 no value to us." -Western Union memo, 1877
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: jwg@sedv1.acd.com ( Jim Grey)
Subject: Re: Are Record Club CD's The Same Quality?
Organization: Applied Computing Devices, Inc., Terre Haute IN
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 12:23:16 GMT

In article <1992Nov11.003456.25424@newshub.sdsu.edu> cs108069@pandora.sdsu.edu (John DeRose) writes:
>A friend of mine told me he heard somewhere that the CD's sold through
>companies such as BMG, etc. are inferior to store-bought ones!
>
>Support or refutations?
>
>John DeRose		cs108069@pandora.sdsu.edu


False.     
 
jim grey
jwg@acd4.acd.com
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: cive1em@jane.uh.edu (Chuang, Lu-chia)
Subject: A $2700 public audio system for a church???
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: University of Houston
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 15:53:00 GMT

Dear netters, I need your help.

My cousin is an architect. He is designing a church.
He is looking for an audio system for the church.
A local audio designer suggested a $2700 system which includes,
	a six channel mixer ($300)
	an equalizer ($300)
	a pair two-way speakers ($1100)
	an auto-learning-*&^%$#?????  mic ($300)
	labor ($440)
	and other staffs

Although I know very little thing about public audio systems for church,
I think the price is not fair.
BTW, I looked at Radio Shack's catalog. There're several systems priced
under $400. It is not difficult to hook up those companions.

The audio system for the church will be used for speaking
not for listening music. The church is about 40 feet by 30 feet by 16 feet.

My questions are :
(1)	Is there any difference between a home audio system and a public
audio system?
(2)	Is Radio Shack's system good enough for a church?
(3)	Should my cousin use the local audio designer's $2700 system?

If I have $2700, I will spend $2300 for a home theater and $400 for
the Radio Shack system  :)

Thanks in advance

-Luke

Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: bower@pecan.cns.udel.edu (Tyson Bower)
Subject: Definitive Technology - Opinions sought
Organization: University of Delaware, Newark
Distribution: rec
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 05:51:17 GMT

Speaking of Definitive Tech, what does the fine citizens of netland
think of this companies products?  I'm particularly interested
in hearing comments, criticisms, opinions on the model DR7s.
From: gmthomas@turing.seas.ucla.edu (Gregory M. Thomas)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: Infinity Speakers - Any Comments
Date: 12 Nov 92 05:39:14 GMT
Organization: SEASnet, University of California, Los Angeles

I have a pair of Infinity SM-122's which are Infinity factory seconds, that is,
they each have something wrong with one of them which caused them to not be
able to be sold by the company....One has a dented case (big deal), and one
has a slightly-off midrange.

Now, as I got these straight from the factory, I can say with no uncertainty
that their customer service department as I have dealed with it is extremely 
courteous and effective....I picked them up at factory will-call, and had no
problems with them at all.

So, enough about the company, how do they sound?

Well, for a pair of speakers in the $500-600 range, I think they are pretty   
good.  They get fairly accurate bass, a little bit boomy, but I like it that 
way....The mids are clean, although my amp has trouble with them, as it is
way underpowered for these speakers, and the highs are crisp.....

In short, I like them...I think they make an extremely good speaker for the 
price.  Their Reference Series speakers are a much better speaker, tighter
bass, crisper highs, and a much more precise midrange.  

Good speakers for the money.

Greg
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: monta@image.mit.edu (Peter Monta)
Subject: Re: DCC, MD Limitations
Organization: MIT Advanced Television Research Program
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 10:19:04 GMT

Brian T Cheek <bc2y+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:

> What would happen if you recorded a whisper + loud electric guitar sound
> on either MD or DCC.  The whisper would be dropped, correct?

If the whisper fell below the masking threshold in some bands, then
the coder might quantize it very coarsely or drop it altogether, yes.
Low-rate coders such as MD, DCC, or the even lower-rate systems
proposed for DAB and HDTV applications are *not* intended for further
processing.  You decode the sound and listen.  If you want to do
arbitrary signal processing, all bets are off.

> I hear the flames coming, but listen:  If musicians use either of these
> formats for source sampling, when you later go in to edit or
> effect-process those sounds, some of the original sound components would
> have been dropped, and not be acted on.

Sure.  If these coders are bad for your application, don't use them.

> Believe me, sometimes it's
> those frequencies that give body to the sound.  Nobody actually
> pinpoints them, but it sounds different if it's not there.

Now we get into some problem areas.  If it "sounds different", then
you've "pinpointed" it.  Either an artifact is audible or it is
not; phrases like "give body to the sound" don't mean anything.
If you claim that some "body" is missing from decoded DCC, for
example, then you're obliged to prove it by showing that you can
relaibly distinguish original from decoded in a blind test.

> [anti-source-coding remarks deleted]
>
> (Thats like HDTV
> with a lossy compression so it looks like VHS again!)

I work on MIT's HDTV system, and it is one helluva lot better than
VHS; so is our competition.  There's no issue of VHS/Beta, market
choosing inferior "lossy" technology---all proposed systems use
aggressive source coding.

"Lossy compression" is widely misunderstood to mean "bad".  Do you or
do you not want terrestrial HDTV (or DAB, highly portable audio
players, etc.)?  We will represent the signal as best we can with 20
Mb/s (or 250 kb/s for audio), and you can judge for yourself the
quality of the result.  Some people just have a knee-jerk reaction of
"gee, I'm not seeing exactly the same bits that came out of the
camera's A/D, therefore this system must be junk".  No offense.

Peter Monta   monta@image.mit.edu
MIT Advanced Television Reserach Program
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: brad@buck.viewlogic.com (Bradford Kellogg)
Subject: Is this group helpful? (was Re: How 'bout a new ...)
Originator: brad@buck
Organization: Viewlogic Systems, Inc.
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 20:04:08 GMT


In article <24172@alice.att.com>, jj@alice.att.com (jj, curmudgeon and all-around grouch) writes:

[stuff deleted]

|> Were I to want to build up a mid-fi system, I know what this group
|> would do.  It would start denegrating, insulting, and demeaning
|> each any every proposed component as well as the posters who
|> suggested them.
|> 
Yes, a few probably would. There always have been imperious, supercilious,
censorious, ostentatious, vituperative, way-smarter-than-you (and even 
verbose :-)) twits in the world, and some of them are hooked into the net. 
Another one of the little tragedies of life.

As another poster pointed out, it would be a shame to split people up into 
different income levels. There is alot of experience to be shared, and I 
suspect that MOST of the people reading this newsgroup are reasonable and 
would like to be helpful. Even those with $20,000 systems won't necessarily
think you are a subhuman piece of slime because you don't have as much 
disposable income as they do.  

Go ahead, ask for advice on the best $150 CD player. Someone will very
likely make some haughty remarks about your ability to tie your own shoes,
but I bet you someone else will respond with helpful advice. It's too
bad you have to filter out the slop, and it's REALLY too bad that a few
persons don't know the difference between this group and alt.flame, but 
the alternative is isolationism, and I think you miss alot of good stuff 
that way.  

Now pour yourself a glass of champagne and celebrate. It's Friday!

Cheers
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: bill@bilver.uucp (Bill Vermillion)
Subject: Re: denon vs sony
Organization: W. J. Vermillion - Winter Park, FL
Distribution: rec
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 15:09:19 GMT

In article <1992Nov10.1501.13370@channel1> "herb chong" <herb.chong@channel1.com> writes:
>JJ>It'all a matter of personal taste. Both Sony and Denon make fine sound
>JJ>players except perhaps for the cheaper models.

>i was choosing between a Denon DCD-1520 and a Sony 770ES?, the top of the 
>line Sony ES single disk player at the time, and i felt the Denon sounded 
>better. with transients, the Sony was a bit more harsh.

Our A/B'ing came probably a short while after yours.  Sony had just
introduced the noise-shaping with the 'equivalent of a 45 bit' signal
(that's the way they touted it).

But it was an extremely close race between them.   At that time we felt
the Sony had the edge - but it was very close.   This was with 2 audio
engineers (myself being one) and a friend of our who we consider to be
"golden eared" - that is from our observations - hot his claim - he
denies it.

But then the 1540 came out, and we never did get to AB that one.   

Up until they came out with the 508/608/708 series - the Sony's did
sound rough.    But these were the first really musical ones from them
IMO (and the O of many others :-) ).

The nice thing about all this is that the machines get better each
year.

The bad thing is that we now have to buy another machine :-(

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

Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: geno@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Geno J. Baruffi III)
Subject: Nakamichi MB-3
Organization: University of Hawaii
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 21:33:54 GMT

I'm interested in buying a new CD player, it has to
have multi-disc capability.  I've tentatively decided on the Nakamichi
Music Bank -3.  I especially like their new design (Black casing/amber display)
I'm curious if anyone has any experience with that player, or the
musicbank system in general.  Also if anyone can make other recommendations
in that price range (aprox. $530). If you have any horror stories regarding
the musicbank system, please relay them to me also.

Thanks for your help

Geno
From: lstowell@pyrnova.mis.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: Dennon vs. Sony
Date: 10 Nov 92 20:56:40 GMT
Reply-To: lstowell@pyrnova.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corp., Mountain View, CA

In article <1992Nov10.052826.1@vax.sonoma.edu> oberland@vax.sonoma.edu writes:
>No air conditioning in summer.  My AMP gets so hot that I have an external
>fan to keep the solder from melting on the power supply.
>(so, I exaggerate, but it does get in the 300+ degree range if left on for
>long periods.)  Generates enough heat to not need a space-heater in the room
>during winter(would guess 2-400 watts).
>
    If your university has a course on temperature effects on MTBF,
    you might consider attending.

>I spend a lot of time with IC's and have a distrust of their reliability
>when it comes to heat. 
>
>BUT an IC is a yes/no device.  Works perfectly, or not at all.  Transistors
>are not quite the same, and can still work to some degree with damage to them.
    You need to spend a bit more time with those IC's...and maybe a
    few transistors as well.  

    To say that your statement is inaccurate or misguided is to be
    kind.   


>
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: henry@monod.Biol.McGill.CA (Henry Pasternack)
Subject:  Re: PNP vs NPN Output Stages.
Organization: McGill University
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 02:18:54 GMT

>Here at ExtrAudio we have recently been studying the comparative merits 
>of PNP vs NPN transistor audio output stages.

   I like satire.  After studying this article in detail, it seems clear
that it is submitted in jest.  Consider the following:

   *** Deliberately pompous musical critique jargon:

      "[PNP transistors were...] more suited to the rendition 
       of quintessentially romantic lyricism..."

      "...NPN transistors were more at one with the idiom of
       Baroque counterpoint."

    *** Fabrication of an imaginary, absurd semiconductor device:

      "We are... working on an output design... with a hybrid
       NPN/PNP transistor..."

    *** Mockery of quantum pseudo-science:

      "We believe this effect owes to the... speed of 
       electrons... being relativistically affected (by the
       uncertainty principle)..."

   The clever satirist leaves clues as to his true intent; I believe
they are revealed here.  We can safely classify the original article
as an imaginitive prank.  Good job.

-Henry


   
Newsgroups: rec.audio,rec.audio.pro
From: gmw1@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Gabe M Wiener)
Subject: Re: DAT recorders with mike input
Reply-To: gmw1@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Gabe M Wiener)
Organization: Columbia University
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 20:55:38 GMT

In article <1992Nov5.144628.5134@tc.fluke.COM> strong@tc.fluke.COM (Norm Strong) writes:
>Does anyone know of a one-piece DAT recorder that will accommodate 2
>phantom-powered mikes?  It does not--repeat, does not--have to run from
>batteries.  Line power is entirely adequate--maybe even preferred.  
>It's important that it be portable, and operable by someone who knows
>nothing about audio recording.  They don't have to do a world class job,
>but they should get reliable results.  

There is no DAT on the market with built-in phantom powering.  There
are plenty of portables (Tascam P20, Dony D10 Pro, etc) that'll take
mic levels, but if you want to run phantom, spend the extra $50 for a
phantom supply.

As for operating it without knowing anything about recording, I wouldn't
trust such a person to set levels for you.

--
Gabe Wiener - Columbia Univ.     "This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings 
gmw1@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu       to be seriously considered as a means of 
N2GPZ in ham radio circles        communication. The device is inherently of
72355,1226 on CI$                 no value to us." -Western Union memo, 1877
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: sbradley@scic.intel.com (Seth Bradley)
Subject: Re: To the guy who flamed Infinity
Followup-To: alt.flame
Organization: Intel Corporation
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 19:17:24 GMT

In article <1992Nov12.003310.65290@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu> ptb2@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (PETER TALAN BERGEN) writes:
>Not all of us have $2500 or more to spend on a set of speakers, some of us are
>paying 23 G's for a college education.  GET A CLUE!!!!!!!!!

Gee, gosh, sorry, guess from now on I'll only post about equipment that
PETER TALAN BERGEN can afford, as there is no possibility whatsoever that
anyone would be interested in anything more expensive....This newsgroup
has participation from many people with many budgets, and I've e-mailed
recommendations to people for speakers under $100/pair in the past.
Why don't you get a clue before posting mindless flames.
-- 
Seth J. Bradley, Senior System Administrator, Intel SCIC
Internet: sbradley@scic.intel.com   UUCP: uunet!scic.intel.com!sbradley
----------------------------------------
"A system admin's life is a sorry one.  The only advantage he has over
Emergency Room doctors is that malpractice suits are rare.  On the other
hand, ER doctors never have to deal with patients installing new versions
of their own innards!"  -Michael O'Brien
Newsgroups: rec.audio