An Audio Diary (continued)
Out Our Way, 2020
June 29, 2020
Please accept my apology for the infrequency of posts to "Out Our Way." It is a busy life and a busy world. The most recent post was in 2016.
It is a crime to be taking time out to write this, with so many orders to fill. It seems that Covid19 has resulted in many audiophiles taking time to upgrade their systems. This has resulted in a backlog of orders I am working through. Sometimes, however, we just need to talk.
Thought for the day:
Be your own Buddah. If you meet the Buddah on the road, kill him.
More thoughts:
It is a wonderful thing to have a wonderful wife, wonderful friends, and a wonderful life. This is the only life in the Cosmos that we are rationally sure of. Life on earth has elements of heaven and hell. It is our job to live in heaven on earth, and help others to do so. I know, everyone has their own take, which is as it should be.
Current audio system:
My shop listening room, The Garden of Earthly Delights, has three loudspeaker systems in residence, only one of which is up and running. The up and running speakers are the Altec A7-500-8 units using the Altec 416-8B woofers, the 802-8D compression drivers, and the 511 tweeter horns.
The Garden of Earthly Delights also has a large subwoofer horn that is 29 feet long on axis and has a mouth width and height of 9.5 feet by 6 feet, respectively. I call this sub-horn the Alpenhorn, or The Monster in the Attic. This big exponential horn has many charms. I designed it with a flare frequency of 15 Hz. The flare frequency is the frequency at which theory predicts zero output. It plays down to 20 Hz. I never play it above 70 Hz and sometimes cut it off at 40 Hz. It provides a nice sense of the acoustical space if present on the record being played.
For my tastes you the super modern ultra definition loudspeakers that may cost from $10,000 to $150,000 per pair are too expensive and too anlaytical. I recommend a stock well preserved pair of Altec Voice Of The Theatre speakers (I prefer the A7 models) for under $2000 USD (an incredibly good buy, be patient), or buy a pair refurbished by Gary Fisher for under $4000. Add Pete Riggle Audio Engineering crossovers. You can build these yourself with suggestions by me, or have me build them for you. These crossovers use my sweet and nuanced sounding Pete Riggle Personally Selected Loudspeaker Crossover Capacitors, and are based on Messr. Jean Hiraga's circuit from the prior century. My price for completed Hiraga circuit crossovers (8 or 16 Ohms) is $1400 USD. I also sell the capacitors for DIY. Build your system around these speakers.
My preferred power amplifiers for the Altec loudspeakers are the McIntosh MC30 monoblocks using 6L6GC tubes.
Then comes the line stage, which is incredibly important. Currently I use two line stages. My vinyl system is plugged into the wonderful Kara Chaffee deHavilland Mercury line stage which uses the 85 tube identified by Kara as having mystical properties. She was right. She always is when it comes to many things, especially amplifiers. The Mercury is refined and nuanced, laying out notes that just hang in the air (as Salieri says of Mozart in Amadeus).
My digital system is plugged into a Mystery Line Stage (MLS, so named by me) which I purchased from all things audio friend Harry Zweben, who purchased it from me, who purchased it from Harry's good friend Tom Pogue, who had it reworked by Bob Walters, and subsequently had the power supply tweaked by Scott Kauffman. The story I've been told is that the MLS was originally built by a person associated with Audio Research Corporation. I don't know how it came to be owned by Tom. Curious minds want to know. I'll have to ask Tom. The MLS came with regulator tubes in the power supply. The regulator tubes spill current if the voltage goes above a certain value. The MLS sounds so much better with the regulator tubes removed. The tubes of the MLS are all 6SN7 or 5692, which seem to be interchangeable. Right now it is playing with a CBS 5692 for the first gain stage feeding left and right channels, and with Sylvnia 6SN7 tubes for the second gain stage and cathode follower. It is so much better with a 5962 in the first gain stage. The MLS sound is big and fat and juicy. With the 5962 n the first gain stage it is more articulate than with a 6SN7 in that spot. The MLS loves to be fed a big fat ultra deep bass line.
I swap the power amplifier interconnects between line stages when I want to switch between analog and digital. I have a switch box, but it seems to take away some of the wonder. I will try it again, but right now the switch box seems to be a loser.
Digital is by an elderly IMAC feeding bits to a lowly Musical Fidelity VDAC II. I use Itunes and Pure Music. Pure Music helps the sound quality a great deal. I know, I am a Neanderthal, a troglodyte. The benefit to me of Itunes is that it serves as my memory. I've always been weak in the area of rote recall, but very good in dealing with concepts. I have a friend, Howie, who, unlike me, knows every record he ever bought, exactly where it is on the shelf, what tracks are on it, the history and wonder of the music, who the musicians are, everything about the various available pressings, etc., etc., etc. Howie has a very good mind.
Vinyl is played through a Kara Chaffee deHavilland Model 222 tape head stage modified by Kara to provide a phono stage. Like everything Kara, this is a wonderful device, with enough gain and sufficiently quiet to play low output MC cartridges.
Turntables currently on the rack include a Garrard 301 oil bearing and a Thorens TD124 with a cast iron platter.
Tonearms include a 12.2 inch Woody Universal Tonearm on the Thorens and a 12.7 inch Woody SPU Tonearm on the Garrard. The Woody SPU Tonearm accepts interchangeable headshells with the SME pin configuration, and cartridges with integral headshells such as the Ortofon SPU cartridges.
I am now playing and offering the Woody Interchangeable Headshell, priced at $60 USD, which I hand craft from Spanish cedar, also known as Mexican cedar and cigar box cedar. It has a nice spicy smell when cut into. It is light enough to be made into a 6 gram headshell.
Cartridges currently in play include a Dynavector XX2 Mk.II, which is a marvel of both clarity and musicality, and an Ortofon SPU Classic GM Mk.II spherical, which the SPU virtues. These get played on the Garrard 103 table with the Woody SPU Tonearm. I also have a Shelter 901 cartridge, which gets played on the Thorens TD124 table with the Woody Universal Tonearm.
It is worth saying that to build a great audio system one needs to start somewhere and build around the starting point. I think the obvious starting point is the loudspeakers. One needs to listen their way through the entire process. Rome was not built in a day.
OK. Now we are up to date on the Garden of Earthly Delights.
Life in our town:
Like many in the world, those of us who care about themselves and others are observing social distance, wearing masks in public, and washing our hands. It is difficult to be limited to those with whom we deem it safe to associate. But we do it.
We have had the most delightful spring and early summer, with so many wonderful days that have been warm and nice, but not excessively hot. It is truly heaven on earth here. We will undoubtedly have some hellishly hot days some time in the next two months.
Our back yard is full of trees, flowers, and green lawn. This is in large part due to beloved wife Gloria, who knows when to let a volunteer plant have its way, and when to plant something. Once again I have to say it, Heaven on Earth.
The 78 RPM experience:
Friend David spent the weekend as a house guest, helping me to listen through a bunch of subtle system changes that left everything better than it started. During the weekend we were able to experience hours of wonderful 78 RPM jazz records disk jockeyed by friend Howie who has an amazing record collection. We heard the 78s at Howies and in the Garden of Earthly Delights. David and I were smitten with the musical audio quality of these old records from the thirties, forties, and fifties of the previous century. Many of the record surfaces were remarkably clean. David and I had never had a chance to hear 78s on good equipment. Howie played these records on a Dual player with the original arm using a Grado cartridge with a stylus for 78s. One might not expect much from this very affordable equipment; however David and I were impressed. I think an inexpensive Grado cartridge will be my introduction to a 78 RPM playback setup of my own.
That is it for now. Have a wonderful summer.
Pete
Out Our Way, 2020
June 29, 2020
Please accept my apology for the infrequency of posts to "Out Our Way." It is a busy life and a busy world. The most recent post was in 2016.
It is a crime to be taking time out to write this, with so many orders to fill. It seems that Covid19 has resulted in many audiophiles taking time to upgrade their systems. This has resulted in a backlog of orders I am working through. Sometimes, however, we just need to talk.
Thought for the day:
Be your own Buddah. If you meet the Buddah on the road, kill him.
More thoughts:
It is a wonderful thing to have a wonderful wife, wonderful friends, and a wonderful life. This is the only life in the Cosmos that we are rationally sure of. Life on earth has elements of heaven and hell. It is our job to live in heaven on earth, and help others to do so. I know, everyone has their own take, which is as it should be.
Current audio system:
My shop listening room, The Garden of Earthly Delights, has three loudspeaker systems in residence, only one of which is up and running. The up and running speakers are the Altec A7-500-8 units using the Altec 416-8B woofers, the 802-8D compression drivers, and the 511 tweeter horns.
The Garden of Earthly Delights also has a large subwoofer horn that is 29 feet long on axis and has a mouth width and height of 9.5 feet by 6 feet, respectively. I call this sub-horn the Alpenhorn, or The Monster in the Attic. This big exponential horn has many charms. I designed it with a flare frequency of 15 Hz. The flare frequency is the frequency at which theory predicts zero output. It plays down to 20 Hz. I never play it above 70 Hz and sometimes cut it off at 40 Hz. It provides a nice sense of the acoustical space if present on the record being played.
For my tastes you the super modern ultra definition loudspeakers that may cost from $10,000 to $150,000 per pair are too expensive and too anlaytical. I recommend a stock well preserved pair of Altec Voice Of The Theatre speakers (I prefer the A7 models) for under $2000 USD (an incredibly good buy, be patient), or buy a pair refurbished by Gary Fisher for under $4000. Add Pete Riggle Audio Engineering crossovers. You can build these yourself with suggestions by me, or have me build them for you. These crossovers use my sweet and nuanced sounding Pete Riggle Personally Selected Loudspeaker Crossover Capacitors, and are based on Messr. Jean Hiraga's circuit from the prior century. My price for completed Hiraga circuit crossovers (8 or 16 Ohms) is $1400 USD. I also sell the capacitors for DIY. Build your system around these speakers.
My preferred power amplifiers for the Altec loudspeakers are the McIntosh MC30 monoblocks using 6L6GC tubes.
Then comes the line stage, which is incredibly important. Currently I use two line stages. My vinyl system is plugged into the wonderful Kara Chaffee deHavilland Mercury line stage which uses the 85 tube identified by Kara as having mystical properties. She was right. She always is when it comes to many things, especially amplifiers. The Mercury is refined and nuanced, laying out notes that just hang in the air (as Salieri says of Mozart in Amadeus).
My digital system is plugged into a Mystery Line Stage (MLS, so named by me) which I purchased from all things audio friend Harry Zweben, who purchased it from me, who purchased it from Harry's good friend Tom Pogue, who had it reworked by Bob Walters, and subsequently had the power supply tweaked by Scott Kauffman. The story I've been told is that the MLS was originally built by a person associated with Audio Research Corporation. I don't know how it came to be owned by Tom. Curious minds want to know. I'll have to ask Tom. The MLS came with regulator tubes in the power supply. The regulator tubes spill current if the voltage goes above a certain value. The MLS sounds so much better with the regulator tubes removed. The tubes of the MLS are all 6SN7 or 5692, which seem to be interchangeable. Right now it is playing with a CBS 5692 for the first gain stage feeding left and right channels, and with Sylvnia 6SN7 tubes for the second gain stage and cathode follower. It is so much better with a 5962 in the first gain stage. The MLS sound is big and fat and juicy. With the 5962 n the first gain stage it is more articulate than with a 6SN7 in that spot. The MLS loves to be fed a big fat ultra deep bass line.
I swap the power amplifier interconnects between line stages when I want to switch between analog and digital. I have a switch box, but it seems to take away some of the wonder. I will try it again, but right now the switch box seems to be a loser.
Digital is by an elderly IMAC feeding bits to a lowly Musical Fidelity VDAC II. I use Itunes and Pure Music. Pure Music helps the sound quality a great deal. I know, I am a Neanderthal, a troglodyte. The benefit to me of Itunes is that it serves as my memory. I've always been weak in the area of rote recall, but very good in dealing with concepts. I have a friend, Howie, who, unlike me, knows every record he ever bought, exactly where it is on the shelf, what tracks are on it, the history and wonder of the music, who the musicians are, everything about the various available pressings, etc., etc., etc. Howie has a very good mind.
Vinyl is played through a Kara Chaffee deHavilland Model 222 tape head stage modified by Kara to provide a phono stage. Like everything Kara, this is a wonderful device, with enough gain and sufficiently quiet to play low output MC cartridges.
Turntables currently on the rack include a Garrard 301 oil bearing and a Thorens TD124 with a cast iron platter.
Tonearms include a 12.2 inch Woody Universal Tonearm on the Thorens and a 12.7 inch Woody SPU Tonearm on the Garrard. The Woody SPU Tonearm accepts interchangeable headshells with the SME pin configuration, and cartridges with integral headshells such as the Ortofon SPU cartridges.
I am now playing and offering the Woody Interchangeable Headshell, priced at $60 USD, which I hand craft from Spanish cedar, also known as Mexican cedar and cigar box cedar. It has a nice spicy smell when cut into. It is light enough to be made into a 6 gram headshell.
Cartridges currently in play include a Dynavector XX2 Mk.II, which is a marvel of both clarity and musicality, and an Ortofon SPU Classic GM Mk.II spherical, which the SPU virtues. These get played on the Garrard 103 table with the Woody SPU Tonearm. I also have a Shelter 901 cartridge, which gets played on the Thorens TD124 table with the Woody Universal Tonearm.
It is worth saying that to build a great audio system one needs to start somewhere and build around the starting point. I think the obvious starting point is the loudspeakers. One needs to listen their way through the entire process. Rome was not built in a day.
OK. Now we are up to date on the Garden of Earthly Delights.
Life in our town:
Like many in the world, those of us who care about themselves and others are observing social distance, wearing masks in public, and washing our hands. It is difficult to be limited to those with whom we deem it safe to associate. But we do it.
We have had the most delightful spring and early summer, with so many wonderful days that have been warm and nice, but not excessively hot. It is truly heaven on earth here. We will undoubtedly have some hellishly hot days some time in the next two months.
Our back yard is full of trees, flowers, and green lawn. This is in large part due to beloved wife Gloria, who knows when to let a volunteer plant have its way, and when to plant something. Once again I have to say it, Heaven on Earth.
The 78 RPM experience:
Friend David spent the weekend as a house guest, helping me to listen through a bunch of subtle system changes that left everything better than it started. During the weekend we were able to experience hours of wonderful 78 RPM jazz records disk jockeyed by friend Howie who has an amazing record collection. We heard the 78s at Howies and in the Garden of Earthly Delights. David and I were smitten with the musical audio quality of these old records from the thirties, forties, and fifties of the previous century. Many of the record surfaces were remarkably clean. David and I had never had a chance to hear 78s on good equipment. Howie played these records on a Dual player with the original arm using a Grado cartridge with a stylus for 78s. One might not expect much from this very affordable equipment; however David and I were impressed. I think an inexpensive Grado cartridge will be my introduction to a 78 RPM playback setup of my own.
That is it for now. Have a wonderful summer.
Pete
December 1, 2020
One of my customers asked about audio system tweeks, in particular the idea of using wood blocks for isolation devices. Here is my all too extended answer.
I am so busy working with the fundamentals of my system, including my preferred speakers, my big horn subwoofer, power amps, line stages, phono stages, turntables, record mats, tonearms, cartridges, DACs, etc., that I do not pay as much attention to speaker cables, power cables, interconnects, and isolation devices as I might. If I ever run out of things to do, I will start messing around with tweaks. Without extensive tweaks, I am getting overall system results with which I am completely satisfied.
I am fussy about record mats. Rubber mats played with the smooth side up seem to work well in my system. I use a no longer available record weight, called the BasicClamp, by Locus Design. This weight produces noticeably beneficial results. It covers most of the record label. It also stops the tonearm from reaching the end of the leadout groove, causing some noise if one is not quick enough to pick up the arm. This is less problematic than I would have guessed. Read about the Locus Design BasiClamp and their DampClamp (also no longer available) at the following link:
https://www.analogplanet.com/content/analog-corner-123.
Analog Corner #123 | Analog Planet
I have heard dramatic differences in systems depending on speaker wire, interconnect wire, and power cord wire. What works best may well depend on system synergy. About power cords: Jeff Day, Stephaen Harrell and I were playing a Nelson Pass power amp in a good system at the home of Jeff Day. None of us were greatly impressed with the combination of the amp and the balance of the system. Then Jeff said "let's try a different power cord." He went to a closet and pulled out a power cord priced at a king's ransom. The result was stunningly beautiful. It was like turning a sow's ear into a silk purse. The power cord may have been more expensive than the amp.
For speaker wires I found years ago that what was known as the Home Depot speaker cable can be wonderful. This was a fad that happened in the last few years of the last century. This is an extension cord with two 16 gage stranded and vinyl insulated AC conductors and one 16 gage stranded and vinyl insulated ground wire. The plug and socket are cut off and discarded. People enthused on line about Home Depot speaker cable. You don't hear discussion of Home Depot speaker cable these days. I did not go for the Home Depot wire because of the distress orange jacket; but shopping for Christmas lights at Walmart I found a white jacketed extension cord that Walmart sells as "Patio Cable" typically in 40 foot lengths. Forty feet cost $7 in those days. These days it is probably $11. So one can get four 10 foot cables or two 20 foot cables for $11. I tried this. It was much better than the 12 gage Monster Brand cable I had been using. My friend Stephaen named this Wallmart wire XTC cable (as in ecstasy). Friend Jeff Day of audio blog frame heard about it from me, checked it out, and wrote it up as "White Lightning." There are three ways one could use it: First, use only two wires. Second, use two of the wires parallel-connected (by soldering at each end) as one conductor. This conductor is then paired with the remaining single wire for the other conductor (this is what I have used and recommend). Third use two wires, but solder the third wire to one of the conductors at one end only. Stephaen , Jeff and I tried all three combinations one day in Jeff's listening room. It was clear to me that the second approach listed above gave the best sound. I am still using this XTC wire.
I should mention that I use a very special wire in my tonearms. This wire is the best I have tried.
For interconnects I use Monster Prolink Studiolink 500 twisted pair with shield (now only available used). I bought 20 foot long pairs of these interconnects (often used by sound professionals and musicians), cut them to length, and terminated them with Switchcraft RCA plugs with gold plated contacts. Many audiophiles look down their noses at Monster products. I find these interconnects to be very neutral.
Now, back to your basic question:
I am sure various isolation devices are effective in different ways. Again, this may be system synergy dependent. But I have not made a study of isolation devices in my system. Too many possibilities, too little time. My general feeling about wood in audio systems is that you will not go wrong with it. Anyone with a saw can make blocks of any available wood in any practical size. It would be fun to try wood support blocks of various woods under various components. So many tweaks, so little time. I have a friend who has tried various woods for isolation in various ways and has found the exercise sonically beneficial.
That is the news today.
Kind Regards,
Pete
One of my customers asked about audio system tweeks, in particular the idea of using wood blocks for isolation devices. Here is my all too extended answer.
I am so busy working with the fundamentals of my system, including my preferred speakers, my big horn subwoofer, power amps, line stages, phono stages, turntables, record mats, tonearms, cartridges, DACs, etc., that I do not pay as much attention to speaker cables, power cables, interconnects, and isolation devices as I might. If I ever run out of things to do, I will start messing around with tweaks. Without extensive tweaks, I am getting overall system results with which I am completely satisfied.
I am fussy about record mats. Rubber mats played with the smooth side up seem to work well in my system. I use a no longer available record weight, called the BasicClamp, by Locus Design. This weight produces noticeably beneficial results. It covers most of the record label. It also stops the tonearm from reaching the end of the leadout groove, causing some noise if one is not quick enough to pick up the arm. This is less problematic than I would have guessed. Read about the Locus Design BasiClamp and their DampClamp (also no longer available) at the following link:
https://www.analogplanet.com/content/analog-corner-123.
Analog Corner #123 | Analog Planet
I have heard dramatic differences in systems depending on speaker wire, interconnect wire, and power cord wire. What works best may well depend on system synergy. About power cords: Jeff Day, Stephaen Harrell and I were playing a Nelson Pass power amp in a good system at the home of Jeff Day. None of us were greatly impressed with the combination of the amp and the balance of the system. Then Jeff said "let's try a different power cord." He went to a closet and pulled out a power cord priced at a king's ransom. The result was stunningly beautiful. It was like turning a sow's ear into a silk purse. The power cord may have been more expensive than the amp.
For speaker wires I found years ago that what was known as the Home Depot speaker cable can be wonderful. This was a fad that happened in the last few years of the last century. This is an extension cord with two 16 gage stranded and vinyl insulated AC conductors and one 16 gage stranded and vinyl insulated ground wire. The plug and socket are cut off and discarded. People enthused on line about Home Depot speaker cable. You don't hear discussion of Home Depot speaker cable these days. I did not go for the Home Depot wire because of the distress orange jacket; but shopping for Christmas lights at Walmart I found a white jacketed extension cord that Walmart sells as "Patio Cable" typically in 40 foot lengths. Forty feet cost $7 in those days. These days it is probably $11. So one can get four 10 foot cables or two 20 foot cables for $11. I tried this. It was much better than the 12 gage Monster Brand cable I had been using. My friend Stephaen named this Wallmart wire XTC cable (as in ecstasy). Friend Jeff Day of audio blog frame heard about it from me, checked it out, and wrote it up as "White Lightning." There are three ways one could use it: First, use only two wires. Second, use two of the wires parallel-connected (by soldering at each end) as one conductor. This conductor is then paired with the remaining single wire for the other conductor (this is what I have used and recommend). Third use two wires, but solder the third wire to one of the conductors at one end only. Stephaen , Jeff and I tried all three combinations one day in Jeff's listening room. It was clear to me that the second approach listed above gave the best sound. I am still using this XTC wire.
I should mention that I use a very special wire in my tonearms. This wire is the best I have tried.
For interconnects I use Monster Prolink Studiolink 500 twisted pair with shield (now only available used). I bought 20 foot long pairs of these interconnects (often used by sound professionals and musicians), cut them to length, and terminated them with Switchcraft RCA plugs with gold plated contacts. Many audiophiles look down their noses at Monster products. I find these interconnects to be very neutral.
Now, back to your basic question:
I am sure various isolation devices are effective in different ways. Again, this may be system synergy dependent. But I have not made a study of isolation devices in my system. Too many possibilities, too little time. My general feeling about wood in audio systems is that you will not go wrong with it. Anyone with a saw can make blocks of any available wood in any practical size. It would be fun to try wood support blocks of various woods under various components. So many tweaks, so little time. I have a friend who has tried various woods for isolation in various ways and has found the exercise sonically beneficial.
That is the news today.
Kind Regards,
Pete
Pete Riggle Audio
2112 S. Olympia Street, Kennewick WA 99337, USA
shop phone: 509 582 4548 email: peteriggle@msn.com
VTAF™ Trademarked. U.S.Patent No. 7630288.
Website content Copyright © 2021 Pete Riggle Audio, All Rights Reserved.
2112 S. Olympia Street, Kennewick WA 99337, USA
shop phone: 509 582 4548 email: peteriggle@msn.com
VTAF™ Trademarked. U.S.Patent No. 7630288.
Website content Copyright © 2021 Pete Riggle Audio, All Rights Reserved.