What did you do to your stereo rig today?

stangman67

Just jamming out and drinking many beers! Also decided I need to pick up the modwright PH 9.0 phono, this rega fono mc is too noisy!

Gerres26

Just added this monster to the 2 channel rig...a Rythmik E15HP. This is my first step into the subwoofer world so we shall see how it goes.

Milito

Nice!

Mike Reeter

stangman67 wrote: »

Just jamming out and drinking many beers! Also decided I need to pick up the modwright PH 9.0 phono, this rega fono mc is too noisy!

I've had the PH 9.0 for quite some time, I think you'll be happy.

joecoulson

Gerres26 wrote: »

Just added this monster to the 2 channel rig...a Rythmik E15HP. This is my first step into the subwoofer world so we shall see how it goes.

My bet is you’ll love it.

invalid

I turned my gear off and unplugged it for the first time in a month. I usually leave it on 24/7 even the tube preamp with separate power supply, I'm going away for a few days. Hopefully it doesn't take too long for my solid state amp to sound great again.

Gerres26

joecoulson wrote: »

Gerres26 wrote: »

Just added this monster to the 2 channel rig...a Rythmik E15HP. This is my first step into the subwoofer world so we shall see how it goes.

My bet is you’ll love it.

I’m reading up on proper implementation to try to learn as much as I can since this is new territory for me...and tips are welcome.

indyhawg

Gerres26 wrote: »

Just added this monster to the 2 channel rig...a Rythmik E15HP. This is my first step into the subwoofer world so we shall see how it goes.

Nice. I added an F12 a few months ago. It was a great upgrade. Enjoy.

gp4jesus

Gerres26 wrote: »

I’m reading up on proper implementation to try to learn as much as I can since this is new territory for me...and tips are welcome.

please chime in Brother Polkies if missed something - sorry for the long post

You will need:
a.time, - at least an uninterrupted afternoon.
b. patience,
c. music* or movie* soundtrack w/heavy bass
d. ears.
Look for a Polk thread of “bass bustin*’” program material as not a lot of effective “sub 30hz/40hz” material available. A free iPhone app called “Sonic” produces single tones down to 20hz can be helpful to tweak (EQ) your sub - best used for another session; see below. While helpful, you won’t need any equipment.

a. Turn off or disconnect all other channels from the amp/AVR end,

b. Place sub in your preferred seating.

c. Play “c” (above) at preferred XO - 100hz?

d. Crawl around the room w/your head less than 12” from the floor, listening for the smoothest response - you may find several😊
Note: moving your head 1-3 inches in any direction can produce radically different results

e. Where it sounds the smoothest, is the best place - may have low a SAF😢

f. go to “c” drop the frequency to the next lower setting* 80hz? 60hz? ...repeat d & e...

...until you are satisfied you found “e” w/an acceptable SAF (compromise)
* 40 and below may be a challenge though your sub’s specs suggests above average robustness in the lower registers.

After you have settled on the location for your sub, you can tweak. If your AVR/prepro has EQ for the sub, think as a wood or stone carver - If you were carving a face, how do you “fill in a nose?” REMOVE the peaks or the louder portions of of your sub’s frequency range - NEVER fill in a dip.

You will likely hafta turn up your sub a click or two, as the final adjustment

Hope this helps - so sorry, so long... Tony

Gerres26

No need for a sorry, thank you for that post!

So far, lucky for me the response is very smooth when the sub is placed on the front wall close to the corner of the room(so max WAF there lol...not that she cares much).

I’m surprised how low I have the volume knob on the sub to have it fill in the bottom registers nicely without being overbearing.

I’m not using an AVR, this is straight from my amp via High Level inputs so I guess next step is to tweak the phase/delay and make sure I’m not canceling waves from the main speakers...is this correct?

Moose68Bash

Last night and this morning, I fabricated a new power cord for my PS Audio PerfectWave Transport from"leftovers from previous power cord DIY projects.

Just a bit of diversion during my Covid-19 "hibernation."

This upgrade from the stock cable appeared to improve SQ. The clarity and presence of the various instruments improved, as did the quality of the bass.

However, I had not had a lot of experience with this transport in this system.

I know that when I replaced the stock power cord on my Cambridge Audio CD player in the system I have in my NJ condo with a similarly constructed power cord, the improved SQ surprised both my wife and me. [I use the CA Azur 840C only as a transport, because I have a PS Audio DirectStream DAC in this system.]

verb

So one of my PASS ACA monoblocks shite the bed the other day. Left channel getting a loud hum. In the meantime, I swapped in a pair of Antique Sound Labs tube mono's.

Great to have back-ups!

Had to do a little re-arranging too. Moved the EAR CD player to the top of the riser.

jdjohn

Working on an Akai GX-77 R2R from my dad's collection.

It isn't working correctly, so had to dig in. Rear guts:

Ultimately got the main cam out, and then cleaned and re-lubed it. If you've ever worked on a R2R, maybe you can appreciate the effort to get this bad boy out.

Now I've got the front exposed for closer inspection.

mhardy6647

^^^ Re: the AKAI deconstruction: I wouldn't even try Most impressive, young Tapedeckwalker.

Re: @verb and his ACA monoblock's untimely boudoir defecation -- on the bright side, there ain't too much to go wrong with one

jdjohn

mhardy6647 wrote: »

^^^ Re: the AKAI deconstruction: I wouldn't even try Most impressive, young Tapedeckwalker.

Ha, perhaps young enough to foolishly make an attempt, and old/stubborn enough to not give up...but, I am done with it now.

The GX-77 was one of Akai's last desperate home-run swings. It has auto-reverse (six heads in total ), and a compact design thanks to the 'loading roller', which is controlled by a large plastic cam - much akin to auto turntables. Old waxy lube is a typical culprit in servicing these. Did I mention the similarity to old auto tt's? One of the major deficiencies in this deck is/are the weak DC reel motors.

I successfully serviced the main cam, all major levers, and DeOxit'd all pots and switches. I replaced the capstan flywheel belt, and both reel motor drive belts. Also cleaned and polished front faceplate surfaces and knobs.

In the end, I have this one 'mostly' working. 'Parts only' units sell for $300-400 on eBay, with fully-functional tested units selling for over $1,000, so I figured it was worth the effort. My dad probably paid $20 or less for this unit as-is. I seem to be doing all the work he had planned on doing

jdjohn

Another clean-out trip at my parents' house last weekend, so another installment to share.

Yamaha C-60 preamp and Kenwood KM-992 power amp:

I'd been eye-balling that Kenwood power amp for awhile on a storage rack, and was finally able to dig it out. It's a great piece IMO, and the light meters even work! I initially thought the Yamaha preamp had a channel out, but after a couple of days, I finally discovered the balance wheel that protrudes from the underside of the faceplate, and hey [cough], both channels actually work! Great little combo here!
The Yammie still needs a good cleaning, which is evident from the pic. The Kenwood cleaned-up pretty well

Pioneer RT-707 tape deck:

Nice direct-drive R2R here with auto-reverse. The left channel is out, as you can tell by looking at the meter readout in the pic. Hopefully I can get that remedied since this is otherwise a very nice, compact R2R. This unit was sitting over on a workbench, away from most other gear, stuffed into a couple of plastic bags. Oh, Pop

pitdogg2

Sweet

joecoulson

Good stuff Jody.

jdjohn

Thanks guys. BTW, it looks like I will be coming into a treasure trove of big band, swing, and oldies mix tapes in reel format. PM me if interested

Willow

We actually used ours last night. Ever since it moved to the new basement it has not seen much action as we are waiting for the new furniture to arrive. We all sat down and watched the original Grinch.

mhardy6647

jdjohn wrote: »

Another clean-out trip at my parents' house last weekend, so another installment to share.

Yamaha C-60 preamp and Kenwood KM-992 power amp:

I'd been eye-balling that Kenwood power amp for awhile on a storage rack, and was finally able to dig it out. It's a great piece IMO, and the light meters even work! I initially thought the Yamaha preamp had a channel out, but after a couple of days, I finally discovered the balance wheel that protrudes from the underside of the faceplate, and hey [cough], both channels actually work! Great little combo here!
The Yammie still needs a good cleaning, which is evident from the pic. The Kenwood cleaned-up pretty well

Pioneer RT-707 tape deck:

Nice direct-drive R2R here with auto-reverse. The left channel is out, as you can tell by looking at the meter readout in the pic. Hopefully I can get that remedied since this is otherwise a very nice, compact R2R. This unit was sitting over on a workbench, away from most other gear, stuffed into a couple of plastic bags. Oh, Pop

Two comments:
1) I like those Yamaha preamps (FWIW) -- aesthetically & sonically.
2) That RT-707... and this is gonna sound random... but, did you try the headphone output? I have a CT-F1000 that happily outputs stereo from the headphone jack but not the line-level outputs. If memory serves, there is a transistor that fails (perhaps in the output buffer?). Of course, the RT-707 ain't a CT-F1000, and vice versa. but they're both roughly contemporaneous products of the same engineering teams -- and corporate bean-counters.
Otherwise, you know the usual suspects for that sort of issue.

mhardy6647

One can test tubes (in this case 6922s 6DJ8s).



or

One can test tubes.





In fairness, if one has a good, calibrated transconductance tester, one can do a pretty good job of determining the true operating condition of a given tube, and of course match tubes (or sections of tubes, like the pair of twin triode tubes in the Paramour phono preamp above). I, sadly, haven't managed to convince myself to spend the $$$ for a good transconductance tester in good, calibrated working order.

I am fortunate enough to have my father's workhorse Sencore Mighty Mite III, and it still serves well for basic testing (emission, grid leakage, and shorts).

spongebobsquarepants

Sonic craft order came today after a long usps journey! Put this new outlet at the end of my dedicated 20a. Seems well built.

invalid

spongebobsquarepants wrote: »

Sonic craft order came today after a long usps journey! Put this new outlet at the end of my dedicated 20a. Seems well built.

Furutech makes good stuff

Tony M

I rocked out for a bit today ( my entrance system [ BIG Onkyo Rec. and Def. Tech. BP30s] ) while replacing my cottage's front door hinges and adding one that was never there when I bought it.

I had to modify the door's side receiving slots some . There are no new original hinges so I ordered new ones. Long story BUT Andersen Windows and door Co. is First class! . A woman at Cust. Serv. gave me a free one. 60.00.

Polished up the entrance handle a week or two ago also.

I sometimes really enjoy listening to FM while doing stuff out there. Today and the past week or two has been pretty good. Good music. Some Christmas music songs too.











Recessed the striker plate on this door today too. Took less than 3 min. to do.

All while listening at Reference Levels sometimes. 15+ years and things are finally getting done, one by one.


I know this isn't stereo related but...after doing the cottage door hinges today, I took my back door off to look at the torn seal on the bottom ( been like this for YEARS ) and found a replacement online. I Ordered it. This should've been done 15 years ago too.

Little by little.

Clipdat

Very nice, Tony.

spongebobsquarepants

Andersen is definitely first class.
When you call the parts dept. it says something along the lines of "for products made before 1981 press 1, for products after 1981 press 2."

Support for 30+ year old products always a good sign.

gp4jesus

Tony M wrote: »

I know this isn't stereo related but...after doing the cottage door hinges today, I took my back door off to look at the torn seal on the bottom ( been like this for YEARS ) and found a replacement online. I Ordered it. This should've been done 15 years ago too.

Little by little.

Where or from whom did you order the seal? I need for three doors

Thanks Merry Christmas 🎄 Tony

Milito

I did the same last week, did three doors myself.

I got mine on Amazon.

Tony M

gp4jesus wrote: »

Tony M wrote: »

I know this isn't stereo related but...after doing the cottage door hinges today, I took my back door off to look at the torn seal on the bottom ( been like this for YEARS ) and found a replacement online. I Ordered it. This should've been done 15 years ago too.

Little by little.

Where or from whom did you order the seal? I need for three doors

Thanks Merry Christmas 🎄 Tony

I used to work in a steel door manufacturing plant 40 years ago and know most if not all Door Manufacturers label their doors in some way or another.

I looked all over my steel back door but didn't see anything. Strange thing I thought.
I then took the door hinge pins out and looked at the bottom. No Manu. tag but the attaching design was easy to see. To the Web I went. All of 6' away.

Lowe's Home Improvement first. "Steel Door bottom weather strips". A lot came up but none looked like it.

I then went to Amazon. Same thing. A lot... but no luck.

Then went to eBay. "BING"...
I found one that looked just like it. Some tap in, some slide in. This one slides in. The description said it was for PEASE DOORS. I then thought, ok, there might be a tag on TOP of the door. NOPE. BUT...looking at the top I noticed letter indentations stamped on the SIDE "near" the top. I could barely read it. I got my little flash light and edge shined the spot and the letters popped. PEASE.

I then thought OK, maybe Home Depot carries these things in stock here at their store. Not in store but their site said I could order it, free shipping and it was the same price as the eBay seller. I ordered it from Home Depot's site right then. This is the attachment design I needed;


I had bought a generic 36"- 1 3/4" friction fit door sweep weather-strip at a yard sale or somewhere for cheap and planned on using it on a door between the cottages rooms. Years later...just yesterday before dinner, I looked at that door for it's Manu. Tag. OK, It's plain as day...Therma-Tru. I came in and looked and didn't see much.

I went back out and unscrewed 5 screws holding the thing on and off it came. It was L shaped. I did try to take the hinge-pins out but they are the theft-proof type. I remembered after failing to tap them up I had installed them many years ago. But the thing came right off. I thought...maybe I replaced the weather-strip on the bottom at sometime too.

That new friction fit seal was right there next to this door so I opened it, and with some effort and tapping it down the door, it fit snug as h*%l. The seal fins were the same pattern too, which makes me happy. I haven't looked for exact Therma-Tru door bottom seals since. Maybe later.

All Doors should have their names on them. Andersen even has their name and date made on their glass in the upper right hand corners.

I think MD Manufacturing has a GREAT assortment to choose from too. I think my friction fit one was an MD generic door bottom weather-strip.