The Monoprice hybrid amplifier is unboxed, hooked up and will go online presently.
Anyone care to guess the first song that I shall play through it?
(there are of course many apt choices given the backstory -- but one rose to the top for me very quickly).
Burning down the house? Ken beat me to it, first one that came to mind. Speaking of talking heads @mhardy6647
"Electronic music is human sound adapting to indulge technology, and for some, it feels like the signature sound of energy. New and abstract sounds over hypnotic rhythms can conjure vast soundscapes for escape, pleasure, and transcendence."
The Monoprice hybrid amplifier is unboxed, hooked up and will go online presently.
Anyone care to guess the first song that I shall play through it?
(there are of course many apt choices given the backstory -- but one rose to the top for me very quickly).
Burning down the house? Ken beat me to it, first one that came to mind. Speaking of talking heads @mhardy6647
Ding, Ding, Ding!
I guess I need to send you something now -- what do you "need" that I might have extras of?
"Electronic music is human sound adapting to indulge technology, and for some, it feels like the signature sound of energy. New and abstract sounds over hypnotic rhythms can conjure vast soundscapes for escape, pleasure, and transcendence."
This one seems to be working flawlessly out of the box. What's this, number four?
The general heft, fit and finish isn't bad at all for a ninety-nine dollar product.
The amber illumination (pilot light and meter light) is both apt and kind of scary at the same time.
Whatever is being done with them -- the tubes are run hard enough that the EL84s umm, 6P15s get pretty hot. Not EICO HF81 EL84 hot, but too hot to touch. The small signal tubes (6N1, whatever that is) run cool.
The amp does have an interesting bouquet. Slightly stale, musty, resinous and chemical, all rolled into one. It smells exactly like my grandparents' house in Glen Burnie, MD did -- ca. 1965. My grandfather was a dedicated smoker of very cheap cigars (El Productos -- my father called 'em "El Ropos") and the house bore mute testimony to it for many, many years.
The cassoulette of the amp isn't objectionable at all. I cannot smell it except right up by the tubes -- and my nose is pretty sensitive.
No flammulation, no funny noises, microphonics, etc.
I cannot tell with certainty from teh interwebs, but it seems like a 6922 might be close enough to whatever a 6N1 is to drop in. It would be nice to see some consensus on the point but I might just have to chuck a coupla cannon fodder 6922s in there and see what happens...
not tonight though.
Having played (no kidding) a bunch of Talking Heads 'greatest hits', I've moved on to the Wailin Jennys. They're Wailin' nicely enough.
I might work up the nerve to try the amp on some real loudspeakers... again, not tonight.
Careful with your nicer speakers, look out for those turn on/off transients.
"Electronic music is human sound adapting to indulge technology, and for some, it feels like the signature sound of energy. New and abstract sounds over hypnotic rhythms can conjure vast soundscapes for escape, pleasure, and transcendence."
I cannot tell with certainty from teh interwebs, but it seems like a 6922 might be close enough to whatever a 6N1 is to drop in. It would be nice to see some consensus on the point but I might just have to chuck a coupla cannon fodder 6922s in there and see what happens...
I cannot tell with certainty from teh interwebs, but it seems like a 6922 might be close enough to whatever a 6N1 is to drop in. It would be nice to see some consensus on the point but I might just have to chuck a coupla cannon fodder 6922s in there and see what happens...
Judging by the extreme glow of that thing, I'd say....the wick is lit. Delayed fuse maybe ? Kinda like when we were kids and made that wick on the M-80's/quarter sticks long enough to buy us some time to get the heck out of the way.
What's the warranty on this thing....36 hours ?
HT SYSTEM-2 channel
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Dynaudio Audience 72
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cary xciter dac
Cullen modded Sonos
Joule la-100 pre
B&k Ref 4420 amp
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Analysis plus crystal oval ic's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
"Electronic music is human sound adapting to indulge technology, and for some, it feels like the signature sound of energy. New and abstract sounds over hypnotic rhythms can conjure vast soundscapes for escape, pleasure, and transcendence."
I've always thought the goal of high-end audio was not to have your neighbors bang on the wall and say, 'Turn that darn music down' but to have your neighbors bang on the wall and say, 'Tell your friends to go home and you can practice later this week'.
Either that, or the company should be renamed Oligoprice. Or maybe Oligoprices, to kind of maintain some consistency of pluralism.
"Electronic music is human sound adapting to indulge technology, and for some, it feels like the signature sound of energy. New and abstract sounds over hypnotic rhythms can conjure vast soundscapes for escape, pleasure, and transcendence."
Comments
Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC
Burning down the house? Ken beat me to it, first one that came to mind. Speaking of talking heads @mhardy6647
Ding, Ding, Ding!
I guess I need to send you something now -- what do you "need" that I might have extras of?
Carousel CD player?
The Ohio Players "FIRE".
Yup!
So... What's the initial verdict?
not tonight though.
Having played (no kidding) a bunch of Talking Heads 'greatest hits', I've moved on to the Wailin Jennys. They're Wailin' nicely enough.
I might work up the nerve to try the amp on some real loudspeakers... again, not tonight.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/6N1P
My amp is not in your house?
No it is holding up the lawn tractors axle off the ground.... outside
Yeah, the 6N1P I am very familiar with -- it's not completely clear to me that the Chinese 6N1 is "identical" to the Soviet/Russian 6N1P, though.
That is correct
It is in an undisclosed location -- Dick Cheney may be groovin' to some tunes on it, I suppose.
Naaah -- that's what the MC-2100 is for.
Actually, that's a joke. The MC-2100 makes a much better doorstop.
What's the warranty on this thing....36 hours ?
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Dynaudio Audience 72
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cary xciter dac
Cullen modded Sonos
Joule la-100 pre
B&k Ref 4420 amp
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Analysis plus crystal oval ic's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
B&k 1430
Tad 803 speakers
Office: PC, Marantz CD-1 transport, Marantz AMP-1, Acoustic Technologies Classic Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus Subwoofer, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable
Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Project BoxE Bluetooth Streamer, Polk TSi200's
Living Room: Pioneer SX-N30 Network Receiver, Pioneer PD10AE CD Player, Furman M8-LX Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi Subwoofer
That's what I am thinking.
In fact, early results suggest that this gizmo, as is, represents a great 99-dolla desktop/nearfield amplifier, except:
I wonder if I can figure out how to do something with the Bluetooth on it? I am pretty... shall we say... low tech. ...or is it old school?
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=13194
If the OP paid more than $99 for it, I do apologize!
If we really do get rain later today (it's in the forecast), maybe even tonight!
HAHA!
So you like it for $99? What if it was $99.99? Would it still be good for the money?
Main system: Technics SL3200, Shure M97xE, Lafayette LR1100 for tuner, Hagerman Audio Labs Bugle 2 phono stage, NAD C352 integrated, Boston Acoustics VR 2, Boston PV500, generic ICs, and BJC Belden speaker cables.
Desktop: Dell Precision 690 running iTunes, Yamaha RX-v665, Monitor Audio R90s, Velodyne VA-907, generic ICs and speaker cables.
That's a good question.
One of those Imponderables, I guess.
Either that, or the company should be renamed Oligoprice. Or maybe Oligoprices, to kind of maintain some consistency of pluralism.