[Slackaveli]

A lot depends on how much risk you're comfortable with. You'll pay more buying from someone like Viva Tubes, but if there's a problem you'll likely get things taken care of without issue. Several vendors on Ebay sell for less, but you'll wait on shipping and may have a more difficult path to resolution if a problem occurs. There is also a question of what you get for your money. As @Edward Ng noted, there are two grades sold under the PSVane name, and then the Apos. I don't know for sure (myself) whether Apos is just relabeling high-testing PSVanes and then selling them for a dramatic markup or not, but there are a lot of indications that's the case. So what happens to all those tubes that don't meet the Apos or PSVane 'Collector' standards (and maybe not even the lower 'Classic' standard)? Unless the tube is just outright defective, I don't imagine they are thrown away. Probably just sold off to someone at a lower price who subsequently offers them for a lower price on the market.

So they bin tubes like silicon. Damn.

 

[Paladin79]

I got a shallow Dayton designed to fit under a couch - I find it works equally well flipped on its side and placed against the wall behind my desk. "Sidefiring" if you will, instead of downfiring. You still get the surface reinforcement it was designed for.

Edit - my desk faces the outside concrete wall so I'm not disturbing other condo dwellers by firing bass into sheetrock.
.

I best not get into all the subs I am running or power capabilities so I will just say all my neighbors and I have one acre lots minimum so I have never had issues.

 

[Daniel Johnston]

It isn't the turntable, but the
It isn't the turntable, but the cartridge that determines whether it can track the groove. I suppose you're too young to know the controversy that this album stirred up when it was released . Some critics thought the album was overcut, but it became a selling point for a cartridge about whether it could track the cannons on this album. Cartridge manufacturers scrambled to make sure that they had something to offer that was capable.

Alas I know the controversy. And my Grado wood body with VPI JMW 10 3D arm didn't miss a beat.

 

[bcowen]

So they bin tubes like silicon. Damn.

I don't know that for sure. I'm assuming, just to be clear.

 

[sam6550a]

Mine arrived today. It's just so...so...<sniff> beautiful. I thought a pristine copy of this LP was a part of my youth that could never be revisited.

Suppose I have enough 1812's for now. The Decca, while not the sonic spectacular of the Telarc, is very nicely recorded and with a great performance to boot. The Philips is a decent recording, but Haitink is one of my favorite conductors (especially with Brahms works) and did not disappoint with this. The MoFi is a decent recording too, but not as good as many other MoFi Original Masters. It's my least favorite of the group, but not because it isn't good just that I like the others better.




And interesting that this piece of paper was added to the new LP. Didn't come with the original. Sign of the times I suppose: "If you're scraping your speaker cones off the wall opposite your speakers, don't say we didn't warn you."

Listen to the 1950s era Mercury Living Presence all analog recording of the 1812 with Dorati, the [then] Minneapolis Orchestra, and a LIVE cannon made in Douay, France in the 1700s, fired by cadets at it's home at the USMA, West Point, NY. That was a real cartridge tracking tester back then, and still stresses phono rigs today. Wilma Cozart and Robert Fine, producer and engineer, did a superb job. The original record [and the CD] came with a narrative by Deems Taylor on how the recording was made. Enjoy!

 

[sam6550a]

Not a problem, the last couple pairs I am letting go at lower prices, just trying to cover parts mostly. I have far too many speakers to keep a pair for myself, I am using Martin Logans as computer speakers lol, subwoofer and all.

Braggart.

 

[Paladin79]

Braggart.

It is just what I have, sorry.

 

[bcowen]

Listen to the 1950s era Mercury Living Presence all analog recording of the 1812 with Dorati, the [then] Minneapolis Orchestra, and a LIVE cannon made in Douay, France in the 1700s, fired by cadets at it's home at the USMA, West Point, NY. That was a real cartridge tracking tester back then, and still stresses phono rigs today. Wilma Cozart and Robert Fine, producer and engineer, did a superb job. The original record [and the CD] came with a narrative by Deems Taylor on how the recording was made. Enjoy!

Those two were responsible for some of the best recordings ever made. I'll seek out the Mercury. No such thing as too many 1812's, I always say.

 

[sam6550a]

A lot depends on how much risk you're comfortable with. You'll pay more buying from someone like Viva Tubes, but if there's a problem you'll likely get things taken care of without issue. Several vendors on Ebay sell for less, but you'll wait on shipping and may have a more difficult path to resolution if a problem occurs. There is also a question of what you get for your money. As @Edward Ng noted, there are two grades sold under the PSVane name, and then the Apos. I don't know for sure (myself) whether Apos is just relabeling high-testing PSVanes and then selling them for a dramatic markup or not, but there are a lot of indications that's the case. So what happens to all those tubes that don't meet the Apos or PSVane 'Collector' standards (and maybe not even the lower 'Classic' standard)? Unless the tube is just outright defective, I don't imagine they are thrown away. Probably just sold off to someone at a lower price who subsequently offers them for a lower price on the market.

Caveat emptor---watch your a$$.

 

[sam6550a]

It is just what I have, sorry.

Got it.

 

[Daniel Johnston]

Those two were responsible for some of the best recordings ever made. I'll seek out the Mercury. No such thing as too many 1812's, I always say.

So you going for 18 12" 1812s?

That's an accomplishment.

 

[bcowen]

So you going for 18 12" 1812s?

That's an accomplishment.

LOL!!!

18 versions? Sounds reasonable. But then I'll need backups. And backups for the backups.

 

[belgiangenius]

ref: https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/sbaf-dac-talk-ii.6964/page-64#post-427472
ref: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/what-a-long-strange-trip-its-been-robert-hunter.784471/post-16991626

Some more PCM63 fun, it's been awhile...

Decided to update the Adcom GDA-600 to 24/96 => Very close, need the final filter chip.

@belgiangenius Which sparkos are you using?

Funny - I also changed the received chip and filter chip to the newer versions to achieve 24/96. I remember running into a snag with the filter chip replacement. I think I had to add some logic to either invert the clock signal on the filter input or delay it a cycle. It's been a few years...

Sparkos are SS3602 since this version uses dual op amps.

 

[sam6550a]

Note that there are supposedly two available grades, Classic and Collector. The Collector ones are supposedly even higher tested than the regular, Classic ones. I've only seen one seller specifically selling the Collector grade ones. Everybody else seems to have Classic, especially North American dealers. The only place I've seen the Collector grade ones are Asian dealers.

Then there's Apos selling their Ray Reserve tubes which, the few people who have listened to both, will tell you are just marked-up/high-test Psvane CV181-T MkIIs. They actually might be Collector grade ones for all we know, but Apos charges more per tube than even Asian dealers selling Collector grade Psvane branded ones.

-Ed

Test results really have nothing to do as to how a tube sounds. I have a number of 6SN7 NOS that test marginal or worse, and sound glorious in my equipment. It is a crap shoot, but let your brain be your guide.

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

I already have one. Are we allowed to have two?

Of course. Sometimes I get a little nifty when I'm busy saving lives.