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Post by Boomzilla on Jan 5, 2024 11:36:22 GMT -5
A question for novisnick? Nick, you now have a LOT of good equipment. Of the gear you have, which item(s) have made the biggest improvement in sound quality? And which were disappointments? Thanks.
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novisnick
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Post by novisnick on Jan 5, 2024 13:30:05 GMT -5
A question for novisnick ? Nick, you now have a LOT of good equipment. Of the gear you have, which item(s) have made the biggest improvement in sound quality? And which were disappointments? Thanks. That IS a very good and thought invoking question. One that will require a bit of time to think about. It is also a very complex question as I do have three separate systems. I’ll assume you’re asking overall but if not, are you asking about my HT , analogue or streaming systems? Each system required much research and trial and error with some purchases and returns. Others required blind buys, as you very-well know, and some required reselling the gear. What a wonderful and painful trip its been and I wouldn’t change the voyage for almost anything!
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Post by Boomzilla on Jan 5, 2024 14:55:03 GMT -5
That IS a very good and thought invoking question. One that will require a bit of time to think about. It is also a very complex question as I do have three separate systems. I’ll assume you’re asking overall but if not, are you asking about my HT , analogue or streaming systems? Each system required much research and trial and error with some purchases and returns. Others required blind buys, as you very-well know, and some required reselling the gear. What a wonderful and painful trip its been and I wouldn’t change the voyage for almost anything! I guess for now, answer separately for each of the three systems - if it were easy, I wouldn't have bothered you! LOL Thanks for the feedback.
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Post by leonski on Jan 5, 2024 15:56:51 GMT -5
I would ask NOVI that IF a certain gear improved system 'A', would it have the same effet on 'B' or 'C'?
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novisnick
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Post by novisnick on Jan 5, 2024 16:35:47 GMT -5
That IS a very good and thought invoking question. One that will require a bit of time to think about. It is also a very complex question as I do have three separate systems. I’ll assume you’re asking overall but if not, are you asking about my HT , analogue or streaming systems? Each system required much research and trial and error with some purchases and returns. Others required blind buys, as you very-well know, and some required reselling the gear. What a wonderful and painful trip its been and I wouldn’t change the voyage for almost anything! I guess for now, answer separately for each of the three systems - if it were easy, I wouldn't have bothered you! LOL Thanks for the feedback. Boomzilla it’s never a bother to answer questions or help my friends here in the lounge. I was curious as to what direction I should go. I’ll get back to you after I’ve had a few minutes to reflect.
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novisnick
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Post by novisnick on Jan 7, 2024 16:44:24 GMT -5
I would ask NOVI that IF a certain gear improved system 'A', would it have the same effet on 'B' or 'C'? This is actually a much easier question to answer. Anytime I have an opportunity to improve the power supply of a piece of gear I will do it. Absolutely worth every dime invested in an improved PS. Most manufacturers try to save money in this area and it is usually the weakest link in a good piece of gear. Streamer? Yep! DAC? Yep!Monoblocks? Yep & yep! 😁. Headphone DAC,? Yep!
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novisnick
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Post by novisnick on Jan 7, 2024 17:59:34 GMT -5
@boomzil I’ll list two groups of gear, first the losers of what didn’t work or didn’t work well. Cheaper and inexpensive poorly designed controllers. We’ve all seen those poor quality in a pinch switches that we grabbed for temporary use and then forgot about it as it seemed to work and do the job. Only after one is searching for every last bit of SQ do we remember that its the weakest link. Many friends here have the knowledge and know how to build a quality switch but sometimes one needs to know a little more in order to get or build the best one for your particular system. I reached out to a small company in Canada by the name of Mapletree Audio Design. www.mapletreeaudio.com/ They worked with me to make sure my switch would not harm any of my gear. These were two retired engineers that have been involved in audio for many many decades. One may think that whats the big deal? Until you realize that one of the switches would be for two very different types of amp, Three different preamps and two different speakers. Speaker switch is easy, I have built many of them but the other two switches are a bit more complex IMO. Two different amp types, tube and SS. Three different preamps, Emotiva RMC-1, Brooklyn DAC which is much more than a simple DAC and my McIntosh C220 tubed preamp. One of the other huge requirements of building this multi switch was that its signal path had minimal degradation to it. This was achieved IMO SO , my Mapletree switch is a winner and many off the counter switches may be dangerous to your gear and they are the loosers. Now the winners as to what has worked well in my systems Generally, cables and wires that are made with quality products and bare or soldered joints have worked in every instance. Signal carriers should be scrutinized! Sometimes you get what you pay for and other times youll end up paying for Pixie Dust. Im not going to get into a debate about this topic but please take what I state with your salt. Boomzilla I could actually write a book just to answer your question and I think you know that. LOL Perhaps the reason you asked.🤣 I could break down every aspect of my multiple systems and perhaps still not answer every question that comes to somebody’s mind. Another WINNER As noted above power supply is important, right down to your breaker box. I’m not advocating a new pole out front of you house but separate circuits for power components and signal carriers is advisable. ROOM TREATMENT We all know this but how many of you actually do it and to what extent? Can I say, THIS IS IMPORTANT! Loud enough? I think not! 🙄 6 walls each room has and being parallel is not a good thing. Usually can’t do anything about that but the rest of it can be altered. And now we require some kind of tools to fix the sound in our room.But wait, there’s more. Do the three different systems require different settings for fixing different problems? Yes and no but I won’t get into that here and now. Treatment, Measurements, eduction and some type of room correction software are winners. As a group these things have all paid off in the end with better sound in my rooms. Back to your original question as it seems I may have read too much into it. As far as gear goes, its an educational path and its not a looser if you sell it but have learned something you can keep with you. I, like you have spent many dollars and hours of time Winners, Living within ones means and never ever finance any gear. There are more important things in life and one never knows what tomorrow brings. If its in my gear list its a winner. Would I like other gear or a different room? Perhaps but for now I’ll sit back and enjoy what I’ve assembled with a little help from my friends. Y’all know who you are. If your ears like something then don’t worry about what somebody else thinks. I have friends that prefer bass, or treble or midrange a wee bit then a flat sound. We all enjoy music and theater differently. Embrace the things one likes and accept those others enjoy. Loosers, Don’t buy cheap wires or cables that are not well constructed. Just rambling on as Im way under the weather this week, sorry for the delay Boom To every Lounge member and guest; Im willing to answer anything I’ve missed, please don’t hesitate to ask.
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Post by leonski on Jan 7, 2024 19:38:44 GMT -5
From Novi QUOTE ROOM TREATMENT We all know this but how many of you actually do it and to what extent? Can I say, THIS IS IMPORTANT! Loud enough? I think not! 🙄 6 walls each room has and being parallel is not a good thing. Usually can’t do anything about that but the rest of it can be altered. And now we require some kind of tools to fix the sound in our room.But wait, there’s more. Do the three different systems require different settings for fixing different problems? Yes and no but I won’t get into that here and now. END QUOTE
Talk about enough material for a book......or a couple feet of reference shelf! For SURE. I've been advocating non-parallel walls for years. Even a slight pitch to the ceiling from front to back can work. As features of NEW CONSTRUCTION you can really design in goodness from the start and minimize band-aids. Offset studs? Exterior door between listening room and the rest of the house? Even double sheetrock on 2 of 4 walls may help. Ceiling construction to minimize transfer to other spaces. Plenty of discrete power drops.....even maybe a sub-panel.
Clean sheet design as original construction is nothing BUT opportunity for the best space possible.....
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Post by Boomzilla on Jan 7, 2024 20:46:46 GMT -5
In hopes that you get a chuckle…
In the late 1960s I was in high school, and our family attended Grace Baptist Church. The Sunday School teacher for the teens was Ms. Dorothy Parker – an intelligent and friendly woman. Normally, Ms. Parker would start Sunday School with a Bible verse, talk about its implications, and then have us all discuss it.
As was common in the late ‘60s, ALL the girls wore miniskirts. One Sunday morning, Ms. Parker arrived with a figurative bee in her bonnet. She began the class with discussion of how sinful miniskirts were since they stirred up lusts in young men.
I thought initially that Ms. Parker was just having her say and would move on to another topic, but no - It seemed that Ms. Parker was going to persist about miniskirts.
The girls in the class became increasingly uncomfortable, squirming and trying (discreetly and not so discreetly) to pull their miniskirts down, so as to make them look slightly longer.
I eventually decided to intervene and, raising my hand, informed Ms. Parker that I had a poem that I thought might apply to the topic. Now instantly, Ms. Parker was suspicious since she knew that I was a little troublemaker. But being an intelligent woman, and having significant curiosity, she eventually overcame her misgivings – “OK, Glenn, let’s hear this poem.” I replied:
A codfish lays ten thousand eggs, The homely hen lays one. But the codfish never cackles to show you what she’s done. And so we scorn the codfish while the homely hen we prize; Which only goes to show you – it pays to advertise!
I think I was the only kid in Grace Church’s history to be kicked out of a Sunday School class!
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Post by leonski on Jan 7, 2024 21:37:44 GMT -5
Not simply executed at halftime during services? You got off easy.....
In some organizations? Your PARENTS would have been shunned.....or worse.
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Post by mountain on Jan 8, 2024 9:17:10 GMT -5
In hopes that you get a chuckle… In the late 1960s I was in high school, and our family attended Grace Baptist Church. The Sunday School teacher for the teens was Ms. Dorothy Parker – an intelligent and friendly woman. Normally, Ms. Parker would start Sunday School with a Bible verse, talk about its implications, and then have us all discuss it. As was common in the late ‘60s, ALL the girls wore miniskirts. One Sunday morning, Ms. Parker arrived with a figurative bee in her bonnet. She began the class with discussion of how sinful miniskirts were since they stirred up lusts in young men. I thought initially that Ms. Parker was just having her say and would move on to another topic, but no - It seemed that Ms. Parker was going to persist about miniskirts. The girls in the class became increasingly uncomfortable, squirming and trying (discreetly and not so discreetly) to pull their miniskirts down, so as to make them look slightly longer. I eventually decided to intervene and, raising my hand, informed Ms. Parker that I had a poem that I thought might apply to the topic. Now instantly, Ms. Parker was suspicious since she knew that I was a little troublemaker. But being an intelligent woman, and having significant curiosity, she eventually overcame her misgivings – “OK, Glenn, let’s hear this poem.” I replied: A codfish lays ten thousand eggs, The homely hen lays one. But the codfish never cackles to show you what she’s done. And so we scorn the codfish while the homely hen we prize; Which only goes to show you – it pays to advertise! I think I was the only kid in Grace Church’s history to be kicked out of a Sunday School class! I attended the First Babtist Church with my grandmother as a kid. I think I was the only kid that got kicked out of pastors class (a class you took with the pastor before getting baptized) for ………… asking too many questions? ?? Go figure. 😂😂.
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Post by Boomzilla on Jan 8, 2024 11:06:15 GMT -5
I attended the First Babtist Church with my grandmother as a kid. I think I was the only kid that got kicked out of pastors class (a class you took with the pastor before getting baptized) for ………… asking too many questions? ?? Go figure. 😂😂. Yeah - Clergymen usually have NO sense of humor about their dogma. I was once on a plane and tried to tell the priest beside me a joke about a priest and a nun. Despite the fact that it WAS a funny joke, I was ostracized until the plane debarked its passengers at our destination. What a shame! The greatest gift we have is the ability to laugh at ourselves (and our beliefs). If you don’t use that, you’re a sourpus indeed.
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Post by marcl on Jan 8, 2024 11:31:18 GMT -5
I attended the First Babtist Church with my grandmother as a kid. I think I was the only kid that got kicked out of pastors class (a class you took with the pastor before getting baptized) for ………… asking too many questions? ?? Go figure. 😂😂. Yeah - Clergymen usually have NO sense of humor about their dogma. I was once on a plane and tried to tell the priest beside me a joke about a priest and a nun. Despite the fact that it WAS a funny joke, I was ostracized until the plane debarked its passengers at our destination. What a shame! The greatest gift we have is the ability to laugh at ourselves (and our beliefs). If you don’t use that, you’re a sourpus indeed. I met the Dalai Lama 10 years ago. There were lots of people and I had no opportunity, but if I had I would have asked if he knew any Dalai Lama jokes. I would expect he would have had one for me. Or I would have told him the two that I know and he would have laughed. And p.s. my favorite priest/nun/rabbi joke
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Post by Boomzilla on Jan 9, 2024 15:54:00 GMT -5
Having digested your comments, novisnick: Lacking the complexity of your system, I employ no switches - so I should be good there. Quality cables are relative... I have a good glass optical cable from my Apple TV to my AVR. My buddy ran me a good Ethernet cable from my server computer to my Apple TV. Power supply is nothing I'm going to change just now because we're planning to move, and for that same reason, room treatment is off the table for now. I'm at the point in life where I don't finance ANYTHING. If we decide stay up North near the kids (and that's a big "if"), I may decide to build. OTOH, at our ages, that may not be worth the bother. Should we decide to stay in the South, and especially if we're within 200 miles of any shoreline, I'll DEFINITELY build. I'll want both glued and metal-reinforced ceiling joists, hurricane-code building choices throughout the rest of the house, and small, high windows with hinged storm-covers. In fact, those might be good choices regardless of WHERE we choose to build.
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Post by leonski on Jan 9, 2024 18:51:00 GMT -5
within 200 miles of a shorline.....And I'll PRESUME Atlantic? And if SOUTH of Then Pennsylvania state line? (southern) than you ALSO get potential hurricaines.
This is additional expense for ANY proposed build or buy. Good drainage. Emergency Generator (in the thousands) along with some 'emergency' rations for
all the people in the house for at least a week....of maybe longer. I'd include some kind of good AWD auto....Not a 'macho' 4wd crusher. SOMEBODY should be
First Aid certified.....
I see you are aware of the issue, which is all to the good.
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Post by Boomzilla on Jan 9, 2024 19:11:31 GMT -5
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Post by leonski on Jan 9, 2024 21:52:19 GMT -5
To which I'd add a good handgun and proper....I mean PROPER instruction with range time and professional instruction, kind of proper.
When the lights go out, the creeps and parasites will soon follow. IF you have back up power? You'll be showing lights. Black out
windows. Lock doors and windows.
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Post by leonski on Jan 10, 2024 14:29:27 GMT -5
I wish you the absolute BEST in your new adventure. And the Search part, as well.
But I had my fill of humidity and summer temps when I lived in Florida.
In my search for the 'perfect' (for ME) place to move from California, I briefly looked at
Savannah Georgia. But the weather got me. I even searched inland a ways....
But got no better feeling....
For a few minutes I thought about New Hampshire. But they have 'mud season' which I guess is
between the last of the fall leaves (beautiful) and onset of snow. Than you get Spring Floods.
And while the Covered Bridges ARE beautiful, you gotta drive a lot....and NH has miles and miles
of graded roads. I guess that's why I saw so many 'beater' Subaru.
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Post by leonski on Jan 12, 2024 15:13:31 GMT -5
Look at Real Estate in Andalusia (South of Spain). Start learning Spanish NOW.
Wonderful climate. Excellent cuisine. Low cost of living. Easy access to the
rest of Europe and Portugal.
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Post by audiobill on Jan 13, 2024 11:41:41 GMT -5
"Treatment, Measurements, education and some type of room correction software are winners. As a group these things have all paid off in the end with better sound in my rooms."
Amen....
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