The All Purpose Advice Thread

Discussion in 'Advice Threads' started by purr1n, Sep 26, 2015.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Rob the Comic

    Rob the Comic banned from ASR

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2020
    Likes Received:
    8,263
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Sydney, Australia
    Mate, I hope you’re correct. I have actually been hanging out for it but haven’t heard any more. Fingers crossed.
     
  2. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2016
    Likes Received:
    6,226
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Austin, TX
    Wondering if someone can help me track down a hum/buzz with my EC 445. Gets louder with volume increase. This sound was not at all present with the Gungnir Multibit connected via rca (using JBL nanopatch for BAL to SE duties). Unplug the Gungnir Multibit from the amp and the hum/buzz is there. Plug it back in, it's gone.

    So my new turntable does not have the same luck. Hum/buzz with it plugged into 445. Hum/buzz even there with nothing hooked into it. I put amp on a different outlet, nothing hooked in, still hum. Moved power case away from everything, still hum. Sometimes when I touch the cartridge on my TT the hum gets louder, sometimes not. But again, even with it unplugged from outlet and unhooked, the amp hums. Literally just put in new power tubes today, no change. I swapped driver tubes, no change. The 45 tubes are the only thing I can't swap right now, no backups.

    I do hear a very quiet buzz from the power case when I put my ear right next to it (very faint though).
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2021
  3. Syzygy

    Syzygy Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2018
    Likes Received:
    2,144
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    DFW, Texas
    Is the TT grounded? Usually there's a ground wire for you to connect, IIRC. We used to connect the TT ground wire to the amp to ensure proper common grounding.

    Verify the cartridge connections are correct too.
     
  4. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2016
    Likes Received:
    6,226
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Austin, TX
    Donald North actually helped me get this sorted. TT ground to my power conditioners ground eliminated the hum.
     
  5. zonto

    zonto Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2015
    Likes Received:
    4,975
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Boston, MA
    Following up in case anyone is on a similar search in the future. Thanks again @jnak00, @ogodei, and @fraggler for your helpful responses.

    I tried an Acer Predator X34 GS (34", 3440x1440, 144Hz+, IPS panel) for a couple weeks and ended up returning it. Even with sRGB mode and 0 brightness, it was too bright for me (especially at night, even with a lamp on the desk turned on). Standard and HDR modes were like staring at the sun. My body had a weird reaction to it the first week as well, causing nausea and headaches the first couple days. As I'm using a work laptop with integrated graphics, I am hardware limited to DisplayPort 1.2 (HBR2), and thus could only run the screen at 100 Hz at native resolution, not the monitor's native 144 Hz or overclocked 180 Hz refresh rates. Was interested to try a higher refresh rate as I've read they reduce eye strain. The panel for this monitor is the same as the LG GN850-B. It was warmer on the left and cooler on the right, which was annoying when viewing multiple Word docs. It also produced a faint-but-annoying high pitch whine when receiving a video signal.

    I ended up picking up a 38" Dell U3818DW (38", 3840 x 1600, 60 Hz, IPS panel) for only $50 more and absolutely love it. The screen is easier to look at, the extra vertical resolution is very nice for productivity, and the colors seem more accurate to me despite having a larger range in delta from average per the provided calibration sheet. Running the RTings "calibrated" settings (not their ICC profile), typically 23 to 40 brightness, and find it great. The Dell is much heavier (feels better built) than the Acer, and really the only negative I've noticed so far is that the built-in speakers aren't as good as the Acer's. Highly recommended for office work!
     
  6. redrich2000

    redrich2000 Facebook Friend

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2017
    Likes Received:
    134
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    Sydney, Australia
    In relation to headphone pad thickness, is it generally true that thinner pads and ear closer to the driver will accentuate treble? Or does it depend on other factors?
     
  7. E_Schaaf

    E_Schaaf MOT: E.T.A Headphones

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2017
    Likes Received:
    9,589
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Staten Island, NY
    Home Page:
    Deeper pads will give less presence in the 1-5k area - normally more localized around 1.5-3k but I've seen some wacky shifts. This can make mid treble stick out more with a rockier transition. More vs less treble has more to do with how narrow the ear cavity is to a certain extent. Super wide earhole pads can cause dips in the lower midrange. Foam density and type of pad material (perforated, suede vs leather, etc) will affect bass response. Angled any which way will affect the image. It's a microcosm of room acoustics and speaker placement.

    Deep pads can also cause ringing or extended decays in the mids and highs - I prefer a pad with a denser foam and a narrower ear cavity for better immediacy in the upper mids and a bit more snap. That said a deep pad with firm foam and stiffer leather can make a sleepy or fuzzy driver sound more lively, one reason we see them often used on T50RP
     
    • Like Like x 3
    • Epic Epic x 3
    • List
    Last edited: Mar 4, 2021
  8. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2015
    Likes Received:
    6,838
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Nashville, TN
    Home Page:
    I think it comes down to front venting. As 600/650 pads wear, you will actually get more. It might actually be bass because the pads are more compressed.

    On my M50, bigger Brainwavz pads make them more airy.
     
  9. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2017
    Likes Received:
    10,961
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Philippines, The
    Hiya, just noticed something quite off with the Cavalli Liquid Carbon I have:

    With volume pot set to zero there's actually still a fair bit of volume (guessing something in the neighbourhood of the high-70 or low-80 dBA max) in the right channel, and when I keep increasing the volume past noon center image begins panning left. I haven't been using it lately since I've been a bit tied up with work; this is the first time this week I was listening recreationally so it might have manifested at some point before for all I know.

    I have absolutely no idea how electronics work (at least in any relevant capacity to this) and I've never taken the thing apart, but will try to make time to do so for pics if that'll help any. This is the same unit that exhibited noticeable channel imbalance up to around 10 o'clock on the dial. Hoping it might just be a crapped-out volume pot since that seems like it'd be leagues easier to fix than if it were something else.
     
  10. fastfwd

    fastfwd Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2019
    Likes Received:
    993
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Silicon Valley
    Uh, sounds like this is the same unit that's STILL exhibiting noticeable channel imbalance.
    The volume pot is almost certainly the culprit.
     
  11. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2017
    Likes Received:
    10,961
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Philippines, The
    HAH! Fair point, in my defence I just got off teaching at midnight and my brain is still a bit worn out. I'm far from being eloquent or even cogent at the moment, which is why I took time in the early AM to sit back with Bachbusters on stream— wanted to decompress a bit :p


    This is a relief. I've heard horror stories about the phase splitter in LCs frying and I do not relish the thought of a new-to-me amp dying.

    Second amp repair in as many years. Heck yes.
     
  12. fastfwd

    fastfwd Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2019
    Likes Received:
    993
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Silicon Valley
    Yeah, it's unlikely to be that. As I understand the LC phase splitter, a failure there would just mess up the sound of an unbalanced source going to a balanced output; it wouldn't produce channel imbalance as a function of volume-pot position.
     
  13. animus

    animus Almost "Made"

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2019
    Likes Received:
    561
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    N/A
    Thinking of getting a backup/secondary solid state amp so I don't have to waste my tubes' lifespan on Zoom and video games. Any suggestions? Was thinking maybe a Jot 2 since it would stack nicely with my Bifrost 2, which is probably a little silly since I already have plans to step up from BF2.
     
  14. rlow

    rlow A happy woofer

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2017
    Likes Received:
    7,738
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Canada
    Really, this is the totality of your question? Umm headphones??? Your current tube amp?? Preferred sound sig? Music preferences? Budget? And don’t say check your profile, we’re lazy (plus profiles go out of date and doesn’t necessarily represent what you’re planning to use it with).
     
  15. animus

    animus Almost "Made"

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2019
    Likes Received:
    561
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    N/A
    I figured since I stated that I’d mostly be getting this for non-music related usage and maybe as a backup amp for emergency reasons, the above wouldn’t have been too relevant. But if you insist, my headphones are Utopias and my current tube amp is a 2A3 config EC Studio B. Not 100% sure what I’d want here in terms of sound sig since the majority of the intended usage won’t really call that into question. As for music preferences, I largely listen to classical these days with some infrequent instances of rock, and I’d prefer not to go above $500 for this.

    Sorry if this comes off as somewhat irreverent, but I’m really not too sure myself what to say here regarding sonic preferences and the like given that this use case isn’t exactly the most critical.
     
  16. Merrick

    Merrick A lidless ear

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2016
    Likes Received:
    12,569
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Portland, OR
    In that case, why not just use a Fulla or Hel?
     
  17. animus

    animus Almost "Made"

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2019
    Likes Received:
    561
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    N/A
    Hel would work, actually. Fulla would be more difficult to work with since my cable is 4pin XLR terminated and I only have a 4pin to 1/4" adapter, but Hel would work with that. Ideally I would like to avoid dealing with adapters as a whole, but Hel is definitely a cost effective option to think about.
     
  18. Merrick

    Merrick A lidless ear

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2016
    Likes Received:
    12,569
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Portland, OR
    The Jot 2 would certainly be a great SS option but seems like overkill if the majority of your use case isn't for music. It would eliminate the need for an adapter though. Maybe a Geshelli Erish? Half the price of the Jot 2, $10 more than the Hel, well received by several members here, and fully balanced so you can avoid adapters and can use the balanced out on your BF2.
     
  19. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2015
    Likes Received:
    6,838
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Nashville, TN
    Home Page:
    For the record, my phase splitter bit the dust by shorting out one channel on my headphones with a bad HD650 cable. The sound of this particular issue is bad distortion, not just channel imbalance.

    If you have the Liquid Carbon X version from Drop, those are known to have bad sub-par volume pots. Even the original ones have issues though.
     
    Last edited: Mar 6, 2021
  20. animus

    animus Almost "Made"

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2019
    Likes Received:
    561
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    N/A
    Yeah, the main thing holding me back from going with Jot 2 is the concern that it may be overkill. On the other hand, it would be really nice to have a quality SS amp for if I really do need to listen to music and I can't use my Studio B for whatever reason.

    Erish looks good, but I am slightly apprehensive on that as well due to the seeming lack of SE outs, which I'd like to have for messing with IEMs. Don't do that as much these days but it's always useful to have on hand. Maybe I might be using this amp for music more than I initially thought. Need to think about how it'll really end up being used I guess. Thanks for the suggestions regardless.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page