How is it ? that a tuner smokes the table ???

Hi Jimpcn,
I enjoyed reading about your system! Thank you for sharing your speaker design; it sounds like a good future project.

Something that came to mind about your friend's tt is about the cartridge and its set-up. Perhaps it is an intrinsically laid back cartridge in its sound characteristic. An analogous situation happened to me with rolling some 12ax7's. I found Telefunkens to be laid back and thus lacking the sparkle of Bugle Boys. During a-b listening, I concluded that I would not buy more Telefunkens because of their sonic character. Other people have reported that they really like this characteristic.

Another thing that came to mind was that perhaps the vta needed tweaking.

Just thoughts...

Your pre-amp sounds really interesting! What issue of Glass Audio was it from? I am actually interested in trying it out. Alternatively, do you have a schematic that you would not mind sharing with me? I, too, am more of a DIY'er. I have old tube equipment that I modify and repair.

Thank you, in advance for any further information you can provide me!

Best regards.

like I said previously, I am not a tuner guy !!!

but because of the sound quality at my friends I'm saving to buy a used Dynalab 109 tuner!

Do not have a tuner at the moment, had a top of the line sansui 9900, and various macintosh tube tuners, even once had the dynalab 102 but the remote drove me crazy, ended up sell them all and listen very little to them because I prefered CD's and my vinyl collection to the commercial crap
they mostly play radio.

Never really missed the tuner.
Now just recently there are stations with new management playing better material, and the quality of the 109 is staggering, IMO.

So I am saving up for a used unit.

That's why I did not list a tuner, because I don't have it as yet, maybe in summer time if one comes up?

Bicycle_man I will be glad to share the article and schematic
but it's late tonight, promise to get back to you tomorrow.
I'll have to dig it out and will take time.

Regarding your point about his turntable setup, thats a grey area that I cannot vouch for.
he has a 12 " arm and there is no mistracking what so ever,
dont tell anyone I said so but he using Dynavector XV-1s
I do know that VTA is critical; that most cartridges will lock in at a certain sweet spot, but the
tuner just destroys that vinyl front end so bad its embarrasing!!!

My friend is not an idiot, so I'm assuming VTA is adjusted correctly. ???

later,

Hi Jim-
I applaud your level of DIY, but I have to disagree about your generalization about the various ICE modules. Since the manufacturers of class-D amps readily admit that voicing is crucial, and that the class-D amps using ICE modules all sound different, it is far more than the manufacturers simply putting them in fancy boxes. It has been argued by the designers themselves that voicing the Class-D module based amps is at least as important, if not more important, than voicing A or AB amplifiers. The choices of connectors, wire, chassis damping, power supply components, binding posts, even boards make even greater differences than with linear supply A and AB amps.

I have no doubt that your amplifiers sound fine, and applaud your thrift in making equipment. Money spent is hardly the point in audio- good sound is everyone's goal. However, make no mistake, the upper echelon ICE module amps have more design and thought into them than simply putting them in fancy boxes.

BTW, congratulations on not letting this thread get to you, and maintaining civility. Kudos!

Hi Jimpcn,
The Dynavector XV-1s does not sound like a laid-back cartridge, based on the reviews. The reviews portray it as dynamic and incredible in its imaging capabilities.

I recall the Dynalabs as great tuners when I worked in audio. I never took radio as such a serious source. I will reconsider and do some serious listening after reading this thread.

Thank you for your efforts about the pre-amp information. I am very curious about using a 6080 in a pre-amp! Have you ever checked out this guy's page: http://www.normankoren.com/Audio/index.html ? I think what he does to a Pas3 pre-amp is interesting. I also think his amp is interesting. Heavy projects, but I am considering them.

Best regards.