Unusual HiFi products from the past.

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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
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    K
    SeleniumFalcon wrote: »
    ^ The Dynaquad actually uses the same channel difference information as Polk's SDA uses, however it is applied to surround channel speakers instead of crosstalk cancellation.

    Ken,

    Didn't Polk make a set of rear surround speakers at one point that had dynaquad built in??

    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • SeleniumFalcon
    SeleniumFalcon Posts: 3,508
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    Polk made an SDA adapter for car systems, I can't remember the model number. But since most car amplifiers have non-common ground outputs it was known as an "amp killer".
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  • SeleniumFalcon
    SeleniumFalcon Posts: 3,508
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    I used one of these:

    vl1f8h1m1xfj.png
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  • SeleniumFalcon
    SeleniumFalcon Posts: 3,508
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    I wish I still had this:

    ty9wzfd3s9ta.png
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  • maxward
    maxward Posts: 1,519
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    Ahh, The Brick.
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  • Jstas
    Jstas Posts: 14,712
    edited October 2021
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    SeleniumFalcon wrote: »
    Polk made an SDA adapter for car systems, I can't remember the model number. But since most car amplifiers have non-common ground outputs it was known as an "amp killer".

    It was called the SDA ACM or "SDA Mobile Speaker System"

    ACM stood for Automotive Crossover Matrix.

    The search function here has gone to complete garbage but if you just search for "SDA ACM" you'll find lots of posts about it.

    Found a defunct listing on ebay with good pictures: https://www.ebay.com/itm/254923096420?nma=true&si=lGRlariYYgZRLOJFUhFH2fFzR4Y%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
    Expert Moron Extraordinaire

    You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you!
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,049
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    I don't even like wearing normal-looking headphones. ;)
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  • invalid
    invalid Posts: 1,279
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    The green pen reduces scattered reflections caused by the light from the laser.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,585
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    invalid wrote: »
    The green pen reduces scattered reflections caused by the light from the laser.

    When you shine a flashlight in a mirror where does the light scatter to?
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  • SeleniumFalcon
    SeleniumFalcon Posts: 3,508
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    ug1dtb7no3xo.png
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  • invalid
    invalid Posts: 1,279
    edited October 2021
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    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    invalid wrote: »
    The green pen reduces scattered reflections caused by the light from the laser.

    When you shine a flashlight in a mirror where does the light scatter to?

    That's what the manufacturer states. It doesn't really make sense to me, because the pit in the CD is supposed to scatter the red laser light, so a zero shows in the binary code. Sony even released a version called green label sacd.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,585
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    invalid wrote: »
    . Sony even released a version called green label sacd.

    Are you thinking about the SHM-SACD ? Those are made out of different plastic and have a green lacquer back.

    They're even made as a SHM-CD

    Supposedly the clearer plastic substrate allows more laser to dig deeper. The SHM-SACD's I have are FANTASTIC.

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  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,072
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    The BONE PHONE?!?! LOLOL!
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
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  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,072
    edited October 2021
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    Tired of the loudness wars? Electronically expand your musics dynamic range!

    dbx-3bx-ds-91903.jpg
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
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  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,373
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    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    invalid wrote: »
    . Sony even released a version called green label sacd.

    Are you thinking about the SHM-SACD ? Those are made out of different plastic and have a green lacquer back.

    They're even made as a SHM-CD

    Supposedly the clearer plastic substrate allows more laser to dig deeper. The SHM-SACD's I have are FANTASTIC.

    I have a few of the SHM-SACDs I ordered direct from Japan. All are excellent sounding and do have the green tint to them. No idea if they sound excellent because they're SHM discs or not. I don't have any of the SHM-CDs but understand that if one rips the CD content to a digital file using the EAC program for error correction or something similar that SHM tech doesn't really do anything different when compared to a regular CD with the same data on it. It's more like an on the fly reading issue with CD or SACD players that the coating and tint is aiming to address. I also remember reading about some new disc technology having the shape of the pits more sharply defined when pressed into the disc.
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  • SeleniumFalcon
    SeleniumFalcon Posts: 3,508
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    8hi4sa3m0ajx.jpg
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  • jbreezy5
    jbreezy5 Posts: 1,141
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    Nightfall wrote: »
    Tired of the loudness wars? Electronically expand your musics dynamic range!

    dbx-3bx-ds-91903.jpg

    Problem is that can’t undo the recording itself. Otherwise, doesn’t a volume control and/or equalizer do the same?
    CD Players: Sony CDP-211; Sony DVP-S9000ES; Sony UDP-X800M2 (x2); Cambridge Audio CXC

    DACs: Jolida Glass FX Tube DAC III (x2); Denafrips Ares II (x2)

    Streamers: ROKU (x3); Bluesound Node 2i and Node N130 w/LHY LPS // Receivers: Yamaha RX-V775BT; Yamaha RX-V777

    Preamps: B&K Ref 50; B&K Ref 5 S2; Classe CP-800 MkII; Audio Research SP16L (soon)

    Amps: Niles SI-275; B&K ST125.7; B&K ST125.2; Classe CA-2300; Butler Audio TDB-5150

    Speakers: Boston Acoustics CR55; Focal Chorus 705v; Wharfedale Diamond 10.2; Monitor Audio Silver-1; Def Tech Mythos One (x4)/Mythos Three Center (x2)/Mythos Two pr.; Martin Logan Electromotion ESL; Legacy Audio Victoria/Silverscreen Center; Gallo Acoustics Reference 3.1; SVS SB-1000 Pro; REL HT-1003; B&W ASW610; HifiMan HE400i

    Turntable: Dual 721 Direct-Drive w/Audio Technica AT-VM95e cart

    Cables: Tripp-lite 14ga. PCs, Blue Jeans Cable ICs, Philips PXT1000 ICs; Kimber Kable DV30 coaxial ICs; Canare L-4E6S XLR ICs; Kimber Kable 8PR & 8TC speaker cables.
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  • JayMX
    JayMX Posts: 435
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    Nightfall wrote: »
    Tired of the loudness wars? Electronically expand your musics dynamic range!

    dbx-3bx-ds-91903.jpg

    I have an opportunity to buy one of these and a 14/10 EQ/RTA. Worth picking up?
    Current Collection: Monitor 4a (Peerless), Monitor 5B (Peerless), Modified Monitor 7b (Peerless), RTA15TL (SL3000), SDA CRS+ (194’s), SDA SRS 2.3TL, R100's, R200’s, R300 🤩
    Pairs that have passed through: Monitor 4b (Peerless), Monitor 5a (Peerless), Monitor 5b (SL1000), Monitor 5b (SL2000) (3x pair), Monitor 7b (Peerless), Modified Monitor 7c’s (194’s), Monitor 10a (Peerless), Monitor 10b (5x pair), RTA8, RTA8TL, RTA 11T, RTA12c (194's), SDA CRS, SDA 2 (2x pair), SDA 2a, SDA 2b, SDA 1b, SDA 1c, SDA SRS 2 (2x pair), SDA SRS 3.1TL (198’s) (2x pair)...and more to come, it’s a sickness.
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  • SeleniumFalcon
    SeleniumFalcon Posts: 3,508
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    czjmijq3yhrc.png
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  • invalid
    invalid Posts: 1,279
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    df0snuuwcmma.png

    Unusual look
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  • gudnoyez
    gudnoyez Posts: 8,066
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    https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/sansui/ra-900.shtml

    Had one of these back in the 80s stacked under a sansui graphic equalizer they sure were a thing at the PX while stationed in Germany everyone had one.
    Home Theater
    Parasound Halo A 31 OnkyoTX-NR838 Sony XBR55X850B 55" 4K RtiA9 Fronts CsiA6 Center RtiA3 Rears FxiA6 Side Surrounds Dual Psw 111's Oppo 105D Signal Ultra Speaker Cables & IC's Signal Magic Power Cable Technics SL Q300 Panamax MR4300 Audioquest Chocolate HDMI Cables Audioquest Forest USB Cable

    2 Channel
    Adcom 555II Vincent SA-T1 Marantz SA 15S2 Denon DR-M11 Clearaudio Bluemotion SDA 2.3tl's (Z) edition MIT Terminator II Speaker Cables & IC's Adcom 545II Adcom Gtp-450 Marantz CD5004 Technics M245X SDA 2B's, SDA CRS+

    Stuff for the Head
    JD LABS C5 Headphone Amplifier, Sennheiser HD 598, Polk Audio Buckle, Polk Audio Hinge, Velodyne vPulse, Bose IE2, Sennheiser CX 200 Street II, Sennheiser MX 365

    Shower & Off the beaten path Rigs
    Polk Audio Boom Swimmer, Polk Audio Urchin B)
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,049
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    Nightfall wrote: »
    Tired of the loudness wars? Electronically expand your musics dynamic range!

    dbx-3bx-ds-91903.jpg

    Back in the days when disks made of polyvinyl chloride ruled the earth -- "they" also made "subharmonic bass synthesizers" to recreate the very low frequency bass that was... umm... tricky to cut into rekkid grooves. :#

    19i974ufgnmf.png

    there were also... ahhhhmmm... somewhat less elegant, more brute force "solutions" B)

    4kpnv5ujfzef.png

    source: https://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/flipbook/1983_radioshack_catalog.html (pg 54)
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  • SeleniumFalcon
    SeleniumFalcon Posts: 3,508
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    In my experience the best sounding of the dynamic range enhancers was the Pioneer RG series, licensed from Robert Grodinsky (an under recognized designer). If this was adjusted correctly (meaning not cranked to "11") and used with a good FM tuner (or MP3 nowadays) it sounded good.

    airtpy4ssyxz.png
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,585
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    I had a pioneer reverb unit, I'm ashamed to admit. I really stepped off the edge when I traded it in on the Kenwood GE1100 equalizer WITH reverb .....

    I was a bad bad boy.....
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,049
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    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    I had a pioneer reverb unit, I'm ashamed to admit. I really stepped off the edge when I traded it in on the Kenwood GE1100 equalizer WITH reverb .....

    I was a bad bad boy.....

    I still have one of those Pioneer reverbs. :#
    (I am not quite sure why...)
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,585
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    And I'm not surprised one iota
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  • SeleniumFalcon
    SeleniumFalcon Posts: 3,508
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    I was "this" close to buying an RG Dynamics dynamic range expander for myself, I kept putting it off and missed the boat. His preamp was ahead of its time, cartridge loading built in.
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  • SeleniumFalcon
    SeleniumFalcon Posts: 3,508
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    The NAD company (Paul DiComo was their first National Sales manager, by the way) offered a uniquely designed turntable. The tone arm was not rigid, rather it would flex slightly to eliminate unwanted tonearm resonances.

    u4026392pokz.png
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,049
    edited October 2021
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    SeleniumFalcon wrote: »
    The NAD company (Paul DiComo was their first National Sales manager, by the way) ...

    That's interesting. NAD (in the US, that is) in the early days were, if memory serves, in Norwood, MA*, weren't they?

    ______________
    *on the Automile... ;)



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  • SeleniumFalcon
    SeleniumFalcon Posts: 3,508
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    From an article about Paul:

    "After college at Rutgers, Newark, he moved to Boston, cutting his audio and sales chops first at Waltham Camera and Stereo, then at Tweeter Etc, managing both the Chestnut Hill and Harvard Square locations.

    In 1981, Paul joined the fledgling electronics group NAD as National Sales Manager."
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