North East Ohio

raysracing · « **Reply #160 on:** 21 Jul 2014, 01:17 am »

Ive been playing my stereo for the first time in months. Motivated by learning a couple instruments again. Had to get my Ray Brown on!

What is everyone up to?

Ray

Speedskater · « **Reply #161 on:** 21 Jul 2014, 02:59 pm »

Sailboat racing.
The grandsons Spring soccer tournaments and baseball games. Both of which have ended, so we have a quite month before Fall soccer and football.

Jonathan · « **Reply #162 on:** 21 Jul 2014, 04:59 pm »

Funny how we go from totally obsessed to completely uninterested depending on what's going on elsewhere in life. I, too, have been mostly away from my system almost all summer, though I did take a photo from my listening chair a couple of months ago. The perspective is weird, but I thinks it's a cool picture nonetheless.

Hope you're all having a good summer. By the way--Bob, is that your PS Audio DAC for sale on Audiogon? I sure wish I had the funds.

kernelbob · « **Reply #163 on:** 21 Jul 2014, 11:41 pm »

Nope, not my PSA PWD-II. A friend is trading in his PWD-II for the DirectStream. I'm going to get to hear his before having to decide whether to upgrade mine. There are so many choices, each with its champions.

Jonathan · « **Reply #164 on:** 2 Aug 2014, 07:03 pm »

Hi guys,

Well the beautiful room you see above is COMPLETELY TRASHED after last week's disastrous flooding here in Shaker Heights. After the drains backed up, we had four or five inches of standing water in the entire basement, which destroyed the carpeting and subfloor. Fortunately, the electronics were on a rack and did not get wet. The bases of the speakers were somewhat damp, but not too bad; I got them out of the basement as soon as I could and then took the low end drivers out and felt around inside the fiberglass insulation at the bottom of the cabinet. It was mostly dry, as were the terminals underneath, which I unscrewed and let air out. I have yet to hook them up, but I'm assuming (hoping) they work.

The primary damage was to my record collection, which was stored in three levels of plastic square shelving. Unfortunately, the entire bottom row, which included all of my rock and jazz records (I had maybe a couple of hundred), got hit hard. I took all of the albums out and dried them off, but the jackets and sleeves sucked up water like a sponge. I'm going to buy new sleeves. Most of the jackets are still functional, but the majority are cosmetically wrecked. What a bummer. Fortunately, all of my classical LPs (about 300 or so) did not get wet at all.

On a completely different note, I did score this morning at a neighborhood estate sale. I picked up a Magnum Dynalab FM tuner for $5 and a Thorens TD 320 turntable for $100. It has a Grado cartridge with no stylus on it, so I'm not even sure if it works (although it turns on and the platter spins, so that's a good sign). My plan was to put my Ortofon OM Super 20 cartridge on it; I'm assuming this would be an upgrade from my NAD 533, but I guess we will see). I have no tools, gauges, protractors, etc. to set this thing up (for that matter, I have no knowledge of how to do it either), so I could use some help. Are any of you NE Ohio guys out there turntable gurus? I'll buy the beer (AFTER cartridge is adjusted)

raysracing · « **Reply #165 on:** 2 Aug 2014, 07:26 pm »

John I am not promising a perfect alignment but I've done my cartridges many times. I think I'm getting pretty good at it. I'm so sorry about your basement and records.

Jonathan · « **Reply #166 on:** 2 Aug 2014, 07:50 pm »

Ray, I sent a PM your way.

-Jon

bbaxter · « **Reply #167 on:** 5 Aug 2014, 03:15 am »

So sorry to hear about your flooding, Jonathan! Such a shame! Hope you'll be able to salvage most of it.

raysracing · « **Reply #168 on:** 8 Dec 2014, 02:21 am »

Hey all,

I need someone to come and help me troubleshoot. I have some serious hiss and noise in my system. Prefer if it is someone who can bring known good power cable, RCA and potentially a USB for the DAC to PC.

Thanks all,
Ray

kernelbob · « **Reply #169 on:** 8 Dec 2014, 12:51 pm »

Hi Ray, I'd be glad to stop over with powercords, ICs, and the USB cable we used when you brought your music server to my place. The single ended IC is not my current stuff, but works fine. I can bring the Tortuga passive controller which has both balanced and single ended inputs & outputs (transformer coupled on the SE inputs an outputs-- dead quiet). I could also bring the Spectrons so we could try them in place of your power amp. In the meantime, since you mention hiss, have you been able to try swapping tubes? PM me and we can set up a time.
Best, Robert

Speedskater · « **Reply #170 on:** 10 Dec 2014, 03:17 pm »

Let me know what happening. We had our speedskating race in Cleveland Heights on Saturday. So now I'm catching up with forums. I've been troubleshooting for 50 years now.

When all else fails read the instructions. Troubleshooting starts at about page 100.

http://centralindianaaes.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/indy-aes-2012-seminar-w-notes-v1-0.pdf

raysracing · « **Reply #171 on:** 14 Dec 2014, 04:26 pm »

Quote from: kernelbob on 8 Dec 2014, 12:51 pm

Hi Ray, I'd be glad to stop over with powercords, ICs, and the USB cable we used when you brought your music server to my place.
Best, Robert

Thanks all. Bringing that much stuff over is overkill. I do need cords as I think that is part of a global problem of noise, but I think I have it narrowed down to either dirty power or in the amp. I will sub in my digital, battery operated amp (the one I hid at the get together because it costs less than $20) next. if it goes away then it is tim e to buy tubes. Which I am fine with. I wanted to do some tube rolling anyways.

I don't know a time right now, except I start winter break next Saturday so my time will open up.

Hope all are well.

Ray

geowak · « **Reply #172 on:** 15 Dec 2014, 12:08 am »

Quote from: Jonathan on 2 Aug 2014, 07:03 pm

Hi guys,

Well the beautiful room you see above is COMPLETELY TRASHED after last week's disastrous flooding here in Shaker Heights. After the drains backed up, we had four or five inches of standing water in the entire basement, which destroyed the carpeting and subfloor. Fortunately, the electronics were on a rack and did not get wet. The bases of the speakers were somewhat damp, but not too bad; I got them out of the basement as soon as I could and then took the low end drivers out and felt around inside the fiberglass insulation at the bottom of the cabinet. It was mostly dry, as were the terminals underneath, which I unscrewed and let air out. I have yet to hook them up, but I'm assuming (hoping) they work.

The primary damage was to my record collection, which was stored in three levels of plastic square shelving. Unfortunately, the entire bottom row, which included all of my rock and jazz records (I had maybe a couple of hundred), got hit hard. I took all of the albums out and dried them off, but the jackets and sleeves sucked up water like a sponge. I'm going to buy new sleeves. Most of the jackets are still functional, but the majority are cosmetically wrecked. What a bummer. Fortunately, all of my classical LPs (about 300 or so) did not get wet at all.

On a completely different note, I did score this morning at a neighborhood estate sale. I picked up a Magnum Dynalab FM tuner for $5 and a Thorens TD 320 turntable for $100. It has a Grado cartridge with no stylus on it, so I'm not even sure if it works (although it turns on and the platter spins, so that's a good sign). My plan was to put my Ortofon OM Super 20 cartridge on it; I'm assuming this would be an upgrade from my NAD 533, but I guess we will see). I have no tools, gauges, protractors, etc. to set this thing up (for that matter, I have no knowledge of how to do it either), so I could use some help. Are any of you NE Ohio guys out there turntable gurus? I'll buy the beer (AFTER cartridge is adjusted)

I am sorry to hear this.... I hope you have recovered. I live in Cuyahoga Falls and we had some serious flooding from over taxed sewers. A real mess! I wish I could help you with your turntable woes, but I do not own one. BTW Don Better audio is in Shaker Heights and he sells top notch audio.

Speedskater · « **Reply #173 on:** 15 Dec 2014, 04:44 pm »

But cords and cables shouldn't be part of the problem or the solution. While there are defective cords & cables and there are some very poor designs from the boutique shops, the major bulk cable manufactures (like Belden) have been making good cables for decades.

raysracing · « **Reply #174 on:** 5 Jan 2015, 12:14 am »

Well over break I did a lot of things, but one was not trouble shoot my hiss and noise problems. I did finally download some free DSF files and they are quite good. They were live recordings of mostly single instruments at trade shows, etc. Odd.

I don't want to drop the $40 on a full download till I do more research on a stellar recording and stellar performance too! If anyone has a recommendation let me know then we can play it on a get together.

tcnicholas · « **Reply #175 on:** 30 Jan 2015, 01:41 am »

Greetings All:
I jumped in about a year and a half ago to see if any get to gethers were going on in NE OH but, I didn't stay logged in the actually get together. So here it goes again...West side person looking to hang out with other stereo minded people and discuss projects and listen to music. Bi amping and active crossovers are on my wish list. Digital lossless interest.
Tom

Speedskater · « **Reply #176 on:** 1 Feb 2015, 02:16 pm »

Tom, I guess that you and me are the only West siders. (Lakewood)

raysracing · « **Reply #177 on:** 11 Mar 2015, 11:17 pm »

Well until I can replace the tubes on my Musical Paradise MP301 I am back to my $8 amp with batteries. And guess what? It sounds freaking good. Love my sleeper set-up.

I had no idea what a horrid sounds a tube amp can make when a tube goes. Well I assume it is a tube. A loud cracking and popping sound like record static, but louder and independent of volume.

Ray

bbaxter · « **Reply #178 on:** 1 Apr 2015, 02:12 am »

Hey Ray, you can borrow my Virtue One if you want to, I'm not using it.

raysracing · « **Reply #179 on:** 28 Jun 2015, 02:42 pm »

Quote from: bbaxter on 1 Apr 2015, 02:12 am

Hey Ray, you can borrow my Virtue One if you want to, I'm not using it.

Wow, it has been awhile since I was here. Hello everyone. My basement keeps trying to be a swimming pool as we Clevelanders know it is constantly raining. I get it cleaned and it rains again. Ugh!

Anyways a friend is moving and has some goodies. AR1 TT, Hafler amp and pre-amp, Thiel speakers. PM or email or call me if your interested in any of it.

He also has a rock vinyl collection and Telarc and other classical selection on CD's.
Ray