HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: rec.audio

>(Greg Sanguinetti) /  9:20 am  Dec 22, 1992 /
>Not scientific but interesting annectdote:

>When I auditioned CD players for my system I (single) blind AB tested two
>Sony ES systems. One was a 16 bit 4x system and the other was a dual 18 bit
>8x system. Two copies of same CD switched into same amp/speakers. Independent
>person working switch.

>Although I was not able to articulate the exact differences I heard. In all
>cases I picked the same player as having a more pleasing sound. I was easy
>for me (not golden eared in my opinion) to hear the difference. I picked
>the 18 bit system. It also had some extra features I liked. The sound
>difference alone may not have swayed me to pay the extra few hundred US$
>required.

It is *possible* that the difference you heard was due to superior
*analog* circuitry in the more expensive system.  Remember that most CD
players put out an analog signal.  Failure to consider this is perhaps
the biggest misconception in the whole long-running LP vs. CD flame war.

- Gary Rosen
From: andrew@alice.att.com (Andrew Hume)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: big caps
Date: 3 Jan 93 19:33:06 GMT
Article-I.D.: alice.24542
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill NJ


for those in need of big electro caps, i repost here a message
from sci.electronics. this is just for your information.

	Give MECI a call at 1-800-344-4465 and ask about part # 191-1894F
	It's a 30,000 uF electrolytic with 60V rating. These are "Computer
	Grade" whatever that means. The price is $17.02 each or $8.51
	for 5+

	If you want to OVERKILL, ask about part # 192-0218F which is rated
	for 75VDC and has a comfortable 230,000 uF capacitance! You pay
	for it, though, $37.56 or $18.78 for 5+

	Hope this helps. In case you need more than 75V you can always
	put 2 of the above in (let me see) parallel (me thinks).

	Take care.
-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DO NOT REPLY HERE. REPLY TO "fmgst+@pitt.edu". THANK YOU. If that doesn't work,
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Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: dennis@csadfa.cs.adfa.oz.au (Dennis Hart)
Subject: Re: Any comments on Rotel separates?
Organization: Australian Defence Force Academy, Canberra, Australia
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 23:11:37 GMT

In article <BzH1C3.2nE@news.cso.uiuc.edu>, droberts@aquila.astro.uiuc.edu (Doug Roberts) writes:
> 
> A friend of mine is thinking about a Rotel Amp/Preamp combination.
> Does anyone have any experience with Rotel separates or suggestions
> for better quality/features in the same price range?  Thanks in
> advance.  E-mail responses appreciated.
> 
> Doug Roberts
> droberts@sirius.astro.uiuc.edu

I have been living very happily with a RC-870/RB-870 combination for about
5 years now.  They were bought in the UK and matched some of the highly touted
local opposition (can't remember what they were now) for overall sound
quality, and were better value to boot.

While I can't speak for current models, on the basis of my experience I would
most certainly put Rotel high on the list of contenders.

Hope this helps, and good listening/buying to your friend.

Dennis Hart
Australian Defence Force Academy
Canberra
From: cal@gsbux1.uchicago.edu (Cal Lott)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: EAD Transport + Threshold Amp = buzzing noise?
Date: 29 Dec 92 21:17:50 GMT
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations

kirk@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Kirk Lindstrom) writes:

>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.

	On this note, can anybody recommend a power filtering component
that doesn't cost a mint? I know that Adcom has something called the
ACE-115 or something like that. This is the first that I have heard
of IDOS power strips. What are they like?

						-Cal
--
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Cal Lott          "Oh, I see-- I thought 'no' meant 'spoon'!" --Dan
Email me, baby!   cal@gsbux1.uchicago.edu   cjl1@midway.uchicago.edu
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: pdm@sisters.cs.uoregon.edu (peter d. mark)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: cassettes and cold weather
Date: 23 Dec 92 20:41:36 GMT
Article-I.D.: cs.1992Dec23.204136.29493
Organization: University of Oregon Computer and Information Sciences Dept.

i've heard that heat can be disastrous for cassettes, so leaving
cassettes in hot cars in the middle of the day during the summer
is something to avoid.

how do the winter's low temperatures affect cassettes ...

1. if they are left in a car for several hours, then played while still cold,
2. if they are brought into a car from home, then played while they are at 
      room temperature, but while the car (and therefore the tape heads, 
      capstan, roller, etc) are still cold?

can lasting damage to the cassette occur from these?

please respond by e-mail, instead of, or in addition to, posting.
i can only access these groups via a painfully slow telnet connection,
and i do so very infrequently.  

thanks very much,
peter
pdmark@colby.edu (please respond to this address, not the one in the header)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re:  CD SOund QUality
From: MATGBB@LURE.LATROBE.EDU.AU (BYRNES,Graham)
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 02:48:15 GMT
 <1992Dec21.213820.2737@cbnewsh.cb.att.com> <vanz.029i@tragula.equinox.gen.nz> 
 <24474@alice.att.com> <shetline-271292021613@128.89.19.80>
Organization: La Trobe University
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.24

In <shetline-271292021613@128.89.19.80> shetline@bbn.com writes:
> First, I just want to assure you that I have no problems with CD sound, and
> I
> believe that I've got a good idea what the Nyquist theorem is about at a
> qualitative, if not mathematical, level. But I do have a question for those
> who
> understand it better:
> 
> I wonder what happens to higher frequency signals as they approach half the
> sample rate? It seems to me that at *exactly* half the sample rate, the
> amplitude of a signal would be entirely dependent upon its phase
> relationship
> with the sampler, going from maximum amplitude when samples were taken at
> the
> peeks and troughs, down to nothing if the samples happened at
> zero-crossing.

Absolutely correct. You cannot accurately reproduce a signal sampled at
precisely double its frequency. But for anything less, you can.
> 
> It seems then that slightly lower frequencies would slide in and out of
> phase
> with the sampler.
In a sense, it is this "sliding in and out of phase" that allows the sampling
to work: there is no point always sampling at the same point on the waveform.

> What, if any, audible effect could this produce? Would
> low-
> pass filters eliminate such an effect? Wouldn't the end result be like
> amplitude modulation, producing a spread of frequencies centered on the
> original
> signal frequency, +/- the beat frequency?
>
Hmmm, you have almost fallen over it. You get a spread of freq's centred on
1/2 the *sampling* frequency. -beat  gives the original recorded tone (yes!),
+beat gives the (first) aliase tone. The job of the low pass filter is to
get rid of the latter, while keeping the former.

> My apologies if this has already be brought up a sickening number of times.
> 
> -Kerry
Well, at least you brought it up in an original way as a question, rather
than as a pseudo fact (eg "it is obvious that it can't work blah blah blah)
regards, Graham
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: swkong@kittyhawk.ecn.uoknor.edu (Sieg Wooi Kong)
Subject: Any good Audio Stores in Texas?????????
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 16:00:17 GMT
Organization: Engineering Computer Network, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA


Hi! 
I'll probably be going down to Houston during these holidays and I was
planning to buy a Yamaha receiver (RX-850) or maybe open my eyes to other
models that are available in the market.
So if there are any Texans out there who knows where I can get a good deal
on sound equipment in Houston I'll be much obliged if you could tell me 
about it.
I'll also like to know whether it's reasonable to buy from Houston cos of
it's sales tax exemption and comparing it to mail orders, is there a big
price difference?
Once again, thanx to all you folks out there.

Melvyn
and it keeps going and going and going and going and going ......


From: kirk@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Kirk Lindstrom)
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 16:50:13 GMT
Subject: Re: mfsl uhqr dsotm
Organization: Shredding the water of SF Bay, HP-OCD
Newsgroups: rec.audio

........................................................... FWIW, i have a 
sealed copy of the Sheffield Labs LAB-2, Thelma Houston's I've Got the 
Music in Me that isn't worth more than i paid for it. i have another copy 
i play instead, and the CD too. the record is definitely better than the 
CD, but i don't think they paid much attention to quality of the tape 
copy.

Herb...
----------

Wow, I remember "I've got the Music in Meeee" well.  Got me interested in
Audio in '75 in the Dorms of UCB.  Listened to it MANY times on a guys
Dynaco ST50 or ST70 and Magnaplane speakers and some TT with touch pads
to turn it on and off.  I have the CD version today and it doesn't sound
as good as I remember it back in '75 (but then fond memories are usually
better than the present).

If I remember, that recording was done direct to disc and had wonderful
clarity and dynamic range.

Kirk (thanks for the memories) out
Newsgroups: rec.audio,rec.video
From: scott@sdc.com (Scott Dunbar)
Subject: Re: Is Laserdisc _really_ robust ?
Originator: scott@minnie
Keywords: Laser Disk, fiber optic output
Organization: sdc
Distribution: sdc
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 18:46:16 GMT


In article <1992Dec30.083149.9655@mel.dit.csiro.au>, gre253@mis.csiro.au (Steven Green (+61 6 276 6813)) writes:
> I've been following the "is S-VHS dead" thread for quite a while, and
> noted several comments that concluded "... LD is more robust than
> video tape ..." 
> 
> But, is it _really_ ? Sure tapes seem to wear out at a rate of knots in the
> rental arena. But would you trust a 12" _expensive_ LD to a pack of "typical"
> video rental freaks? Just look at the state of some of the video tapes and
> covers - it makes you wonder what they did with them !?
> 
> I've lent CD's _once_ to freindes, they returned in less-than-original,
> condition, with scratches, finger-prints, beer stains ,etc ....
> 
> Are rental LDs treated with care or do the mongul hoards play frisbee with
> them?
> 
> BTW - Don't flame my naivity (sp?) I live in Australia - We don't have
> a floroushing LD rental market - yet.


    My experience in renting discs has been good.  The discs seem to be pretty
tough, although often the covers aren't in the best of shape.  The only thing
I tend to do is make sure there are not obvious quantities of dust/peanut butter/
other crap on the disc before playing.  An advantage of the LaserDisc is that
you can inspect the _whole_ disc for major problems _before_ using it.
-- 
scott dunbar                             Systems Devlopment Corporation
scott@sdc.UUCP                           Chicago, IL
..uunet!tellab5!sdc!scott		 312 739 1111
From: donrm@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Don Montgomery)
Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1992 18:20:39 GMT
Subject: Re: RECOMMANDATION FOR WALKMAN ABOUT $100
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Santa Rosa, CA
Newsgroups: rec.audio

In rec.audio, frankc@faatcrl (Frank Coffman) writes:

>     Sony sports.

Of all the Sony yellow-cased "sport" manually-tuned walkmans I've looked at
in the stores, more than half of them have had one or both knobs broken 
off.  That doesn't tell me much about the durability of that model.

I really liked the digital tuned Sony sports walkman, it's built like the
proverbial brick outhouse, but it lacks extended base ("megabase"?).  It 
also draws close to 50 milliamperes from its 3 volt battery source.  Why 
can't someone design a synthesized radio that doesn't kill batteries?  When 
I compared the Sony sports digital to an Aiwa with extended base, I was so
disheartened that I returned the Sony for refund and decided to research 
the market once more.  (BTW, throughout these tests, I was using my own top-
end portable 'phones and fresh alkaline cells.)

I sure got some weird looks from salespeople when I pulled out my pocket
VOM and measured battery currents.  Nearly every manufacturer of digital
portable drew 45-65 mA, with manually tuned models drawing < 25 mA.

Anyway, I'm still without a portable.

Don Montgomery
donrm@sr.hp.com
From: grego@bit.UUCP (Greg Sanguinetti)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: Question about rear speakers for surround sound
Date: 22 Dec 92 18:40:37 GMT
Article-I.D.: bit.541
Reply-To: grego@bit.UUCP (Grego Sanguinetti)
Organization: BIT  Portland, OR

In article <5751@gold.gvg.tek.com> chrisc@gold.gvg.tek.com (Chris Christensen) writes:
>The surround channel is an effects channel.
>
Agreed, of course.

>If you challenge my assumption connect the surround channel to one of
>your main speakers and listen to it.  I believe that you will find
>that the suround channel is band limited,  if not, I want to know the
>movie you used so I can test it for myself!
>
Chris, have you looked at the surround line outs on a spectrum analyzer?
I have not. I'ld be interested to know what actually is there. I tried
using my BA-150's for surround. They have good bass. It seemed that enough
bass was comming their way to make them work.

>I have said it before and I will say it now,  the selection criteria
>for the surround speakers is: smooth amplitude and phase response will make
>the surround "sound" at it's best! 

Also agree with this, but add dispersion to the list. Still my favorite for
surrounds are plannars. I do however dissagree with Chris on the placement
as I prefer them on the side and he prefers the rear wall. My rear wall is
not an option due to ergonomic reasons (it's my kitchen!) so it's a good thing
I like the sides eh?

-grego
>-- 
>Chris Christensen                  The opinions I express are my own,
>chrisc@gold.gvg.tek.com            and sometimes they are wrong!
>916-478-3419 FAX 916-478-3887      After all, I *AM* only human.


-- 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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,rec.video
From: DPierce@world.std.com (Richard D Pierce)
Subject: Re: Radio Shack garbage
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 02:32:49 GMT

In article <C0AwKt.Jp6@ccu.umanitoba.ca> umhaugh0@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Bruce A. Haugh) writes:
>
>Ok, maybe they are not made by Bose per-se and maybe some do use Bose
>parts, but why then did a certain Optimus speaker that RS sold say in
>small print beside it (By Bose)?  Maybe I'm missing something?
>

First, I did not say that they used Bose parts. I said they used parts
from the same vendor Bose uses. Let's take another example. The "tweeters"
in the Bose AM-5 are made, by among other people, Tonegen. Some of Boston
Acoustics drivers are also made by Tonegen. Using your logic, are we to
conclude that Bose makes Boston Acoustics speakers? I certainly hope not.

Very few of the drivers in Bose loudspeakers are made by Bose. Very few of
the drivers in Optimus speakers are made by Radio Shack. There are quite a
few third party driver vendors in Japan, Taiwan, Korea, India and the
Philipinnes that are more than happy to supply drivers to both Bose and
Optimus. In pretty much every case, the drivers are custom designed (well,
design might be glorifying the process a bit) and manufacturerd for the
specific OEM customer application. So, again, to conclude that Since Bose
and Radio Shack happen to shop at the same store is tantamount to them
living together in carnal acoustical sin is really stretching it more than
I can accept.

There may or may not be a single model that fits the description you cite.
I have not seen this specific example, so I cannot testify as to its
authenticity. But from this one sample (presuming it's authentic) you have
made the leap of faith and logic that "Optimus speakers are made by Bose",
one which I and probably many others have a hard time swallowing.

Both Bose and Radio Shack speakers have a whole realm of problems on their
own without having to confuse the issue by this sort of nonsense. However,
there's a couple of facts that need to be addressed. You may or may not
like Bose and Radio Shack speakers. That, unfortunately, relegates you to
something approaching the minority. I have it on good authority that Radio
Shack holds over 25% of the world-wide speaker market, somewhat more in
the U.S. and Canada. Combine that with Bose's $350 million or so per year
and you get close enough to half the market that evrybody, I mean,
EVERYBODY else is not even an also-ran. So, regrettably, there is little
correlation between quality of sound and proven consistant market success.

-- 
|                Dick Pierce                |
|    Loudspeaker and Software Consulting    |
| 17 Sartelle Street   Pepperell, MA  01463 |
|       (508) 433-9183 (Voice and FAX)      |
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: perry@lheavx.gsfc.nasa.gov (Brendan Perry)
Subject: Bookshelf Speakers II
Followup-To: rec.audio
Organization: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 19:27:11 GMT


Thanks a lot to all who wrote me. In fact, I'm thanking you all
on the net because too many people responded and I'd have to 
quit my job and go full time answering everyone. Meanwhile, there
were plenty of good suggestions and I'll be on the lookout for 
any on the list I've made . For those of you who want to know,
the results are:

About 10 votes for Paradigm Titan's ($200) and/or Phantoms ($250)
       6 votes for BIC Venturi V52 -- got high marks from some
							                               never heard of by others
                                      ($100 +/- $100) ???
       4 votes each for Celestion Model 3 ($250) , 
                        B&W 201 ($200)
			                     PSB Alpha ($225)
       2 votes for Mirage ($220)

Again, thanks to all and I'll post who the 'winner' was when I get 'em.
But, how do you know I'm not naturally tone deaf and would actually
prefer $29 Joe's Blow Inc Speakers (to avoid flaming a mass-market
company)???


Brendan
From: ryu@husc8.harvard.edu (William Ryu)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Cheap bass extension to Minimus 7 speakers.
Keywords: Minimus, Radio Shack, Bass
Date: 3 Jan 93 22:06:24 GMT


	First of all I would like to make it clear I have no money.

	Until I can get a better system, I have been listening to a pair of
Minimus 7's from Radio Shack powered by a old 40 watt Technics Receiver. 
I was toying with the idea of running just a 12inch woofer via a crossover
(I don't know the split point) through the speaker B outputs of the
receiver.  I haven't tried this yet, but I hope it would act as subwoofer
(as long as the crossover point was low enough).  I do realize the chances
of the woofer matching the Minimus 7's is pretty slim.  Does anyone out
there happen to know where the Minimus 7's drop about 20db on the bass
side of things?  Also does anyone happen to know any subwoofers that would
be a possible match for the Minimus 7's?  I'm dying of bass starvation.
Anyone think this will work?

Will Ryu
husc.harvard.edu
From: hhtra@usho21.hou281.chevron.com (T.M.Haddock)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: Ireconcilable Differences?
Date: 30 Dec 92 21:41:54 GMT
Organization: Chevron

In article <19921230104741CSMSPCN@MVS.OAC.UCLA.EDU>, CSMSPCN@MVS.OAC.UCLA.EDU writes:
|> 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?

 Yes, one with casters.  Roll 'em away for her, roll 'em out for you.
From: kirk@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Kirk Lindstrom)
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 16:52:31 GMT
Subject: Re: More subwoofer amplification & power
Organization: Shredding the water of SF Bay, HP-OCD
Newsgroups: rec.audio

You can get deep cycle marine batteries for under $50 at places like
Costco and Price Club (where I got mine).

Kirk out
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: gfl@herahera.cc.bellcore.com (lenahan,grant f)
Subject: Re: quiet current sources.  Any ideas?
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 92 15:00:28 GMT

rg@kunikpok.UUCP (R.G. Keen) writes:
> 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.
> > 
> 
> Try bypassing the zener.

Oh, I've tried quite a few things.  Understand that a B-E
junction is very noisy, and that the effective impedance of a
current source is very high.  Thus voltage noise across it
is also high.

Combine this with the amplifying effect of a BJT on any
voltage reference noise, and the problem becomes significant -
and hard to fix. 

The answer will fall in one of two areas:
	1 - filter the BE junction (can't filter output or zener)
	2 - find an alternate current source

I prefer the latter, and still solicit inputs.  But about 20 hours
of various people's time have already gone into this - its become
annoying!

Thanks again, and thanks for your suggestion.  Regrettable its
not so simple as a noisy Zener.

Grant
gfl@hera.cc.bellcore.com


Newsgroups: rec.audio