rhythmdevils

Thus the paucity of tubes in my audio life.

I kind of don't want to deal with tubes anymore myself.

First world problems right?

ALAC for me. I don’t see myself ever not using a Mac so it works. @joch makes a good point too: dbPowerAmp, for example, has a format converter.

@Gazny do AIFF files downloaded from Bandcamp come with metadata in the files?

ALAC and FLAC, generally at Redbook or higher bitdepth; I figure I can always find a player that supports and Room handles both.

98.6%

Those dummies. I just hold the iPhone speaker to my ear for full lossless bliss

@DigMe - Yea, why do people do that, do they not know there is a earpiece built into the top of the phone, like those old things people used to use in their homes?

I hear huge differences between headphone/iem cables and interconnects. I've got 2 different OCC copper interconnects here that sound very very different. And I prefer the cheaper one just based on sound.

I'm struggling to hear a difference with the BJC AES and the OCC coipper AES though. But my Pi2AES is in a tough place to get to and by the time I do the 5 jumping jacks required to change the cables it's' hard to tell anymore. So I'm not sure. If there is a difference it's more subtle than other cables.

When it comes to balanced cables, analog or digital, I have a VERY hard time hearing differences. My experience with unbalanced RCA is that it can be all over the place with analog, but digital is still pretty subtle.

then this random song plays and you immediately go "fuck you, no, stop" but then you realize you like it? Kind of awesome. It's like the internet version of random record store finds. Like I bought Sigur Ros's "Takk" because I simply thought the album cover was so awesome it must be good.

I just found this cool super weird folk album because Tidal didn't have what I was actually searching for in their catalog and I accidentally clicked on the one song that came up from my search.

No but I found good porn that way

What about late Amperex USA production? That always makes me scratch my head too

Amperex e88cc US production are very good on par with holland made philips e88cc.

Forgot about Amperex. I have 2 of those and they work perfectly well.

Can you pull shrink tubing over the connectors? You could make it stiffer if you split a piece of rubber/plastic tubing and put that on first.

sugru? very careful application of hot glue? swipe the spring from a cheap ballpoint pen?

Sugru and low temp hot glue have worked for me for other applications. Sugru is a bit easier to work with but messier to clean up. Hot glue is messier but very easily removed with rubbing alcohol.

thank you! <3

no doubt about it, the S12 with just micropore is already _really_ good.

I would like to hear a modded pair to justify the effort and costs (especially when living in another country, with shipping and customs on top). Until then, i'm happy enough as is

There were other brands that had their balanced out as well even prior to that. But it was AK’s 2.5mm Bal that really started the Balanced movement in the portable audio.

Reduce electrical noise for thermal noise

At least we got passed the RSA balanced connector :-0

Don't forget that vinyl goes click .... .... click ... ... click .... .... click ... ... click .... .... every time any album ends.

;)

Also sad! I’m not bothered by the noise itself, I’m just often wanting another song and that click is a definitive end to the album.

Just use a regular non-bit perfect OS mixer and force the signal lock into whatever sample rate/bit depth setting you choose and voila! No clicking. ;) (just kidding, of course…)

Does the valve (errm, tube) actually do anything?

Is this a joke?

Yeah it's probably just a broken tube he bought in bulk on ebay to look cute. it's kind of cool actually, but after seeing @atomicbob 's USB measurements I wouldn't even hook that thing up to a laser printer.

Now you're talking!

Printers can be very sensitive. Definitely use only the /best/ cables!

/hahaha /semi-serious ;)

I don't mind the clicks. What I mind *a lot!* is that so many headphone amps have such little volume range, particularly in high gain. It's as if manufacturers decided to build them for HE-6 (which they're almost always inadequate for anyway) instead of for normal headphones, such as HD-6, T50RP mods, &c.

I personally have never had an issue with the amount of steps on the Saga or the Freya but if I were getting a Goldpoint I’d opt for the upgrade with more steps. IIRC their base is 24 steps.

And then you've got the oddball Bottlehead preamp which has TWO rotary switches for volume, course steps at 9dB each and then a fine knob with 1.5dB steps.

Time to go down the rabbit hole of bandcamp lists? https://daily.bandcamp.com/lists

Yeah BANDCAMP is great. I go through my feed everyday.

My DREAM job is to curate music for HBO productions. every time I see an HBO show, I know almost all the songs and sometimes the vibe is off, and I think of a track that would have fit better, but on the whole most of them do a p good job. I don't even know what job title that actually is lol.

If it is based on amb then look here:
https://www.amb.org/audio/sigma11/
and then click on Tech highlights

I’ve bought and sold plenty on USAM. It works well enough and hifishark trawls it.

I've used USAM's sister website for Canada (CAM) and its great. Feedback system etc...

With that being said do be careful and follow advice for scams and stuff.

Have you considered Reddit's AVExchange sub? I've bought and sold plenty on there with no issues. Seems to get more traffic than USAM as well.

I literally just got a new tube adapter today for my Vali 2+ to sample my 5670/396A/2C51 as a mock Vali 2++. I have the ECC84 adapter for the tube @Azimuth recommended (RFT) I just sprayed the JAN 5670 and stuck it in the adapter. I gave the pins a quick cotton rub off before going in. Yummy

I’ve always used anhydrous isopropyl alcohol with a brass brush, Scotch Brite, or one of the toothbrushes my dentist gives me that I never use.

Welp, I thought I put a 5670 in there, but it was a 5687 - It let out some magic smoke until I shut'er down. It seems to be working fine with the stock 6N1P in there. I sorta like the stock 6N1P over the ECC84 RFT. I have no idea the brand on the 6N1P, but it is very balance. Almost chucked the Vali 2+, I was sad and upset with myself. I do have an actual 2C51, just requires a little more work.

How much would decent tubes set someone back on the elekit ?

@HotRatSalad it takes KT88’s or 6L6G power tubes. KT88’s are expensive but my favorite was RCA 6L6GB tubes which are not expensive and a pair of 12au7’s don’t need to be expensive. $50? But you could spend $150-200 with nice 12au7’s like Mullards or $500 with KT88’s and nice 12au7’s.

@HotRatSalad here’s a nice compliment of tubes for the 8200
https://tinyurl.com/3kwnpksu
https://tinyurl.com/yah8yu7j

I currently have 3 amps that take only one 12au7. My 12au7 stash is ruined :(…

Many audio tubes are dual triode, so in some amps, one side gets hit harder than others. I know in some guitar amps, the other side might not even used.

@Azimuth are you trying to make me have a nervous breakdown? :D

@bixby I’ve had at least a dozen people try to convince me in systems I know well. Maybe I’m deaf but zero fucking difference.

This feels like the type of think I'd want to see blind tested

I'm going with regular fuses. Thanks everyone! :D