@ Scotty:
For me, I understand that these will be far better than the rest of my gear, barring the Octocoupler. Bearing that in mind, I have no problem building my system around them. I think this is the kind of hardware that forces you to look at the rest of your system as has been shown by some user reports.
I like Bruno's philosophy about systems and the whole system merry go round. Says people often buy gear according to a pleasant "sound" they impart to the music. Then they get bored and begin seeking to improve that pleasantness with new gear. With a truly transparent system you can't get bored. At that point you are listening to the music and not your hodgepodge of tweaks.
Paraphrasing. But I dig it.
BINGO!!! We have a winner
Read below....
Ray,
Check the huge DIY audio thread. Some there think LDRs aren't a great match with the ncore.
This is true, as those who might not want their system as a 'straight wire with gain' know better than to post their views.
Consider the LDR based attenuators discussed in various threads, both here an AC as well as DIYaudio The subjective comments in both continually describe them as 'transparent'. But to the engineers at DIYaudio, the LDR is anything but a transparent device. Even with a perfect level controlling adjustable power supply, the LDR is an inherently high distortion device. Its immediately eliminated as appropriate for a system representing that 'straight wire with gain' ideal. Sadly, both objectivists and subjectivists use the same terminology, such as 'transparent' referring to system metrics.
Regardsless, the Ncore potentially provides an attractive solution for moderate cost amplification for both the subjectivists and the objectivists. The former can simply provide their subjective preferences via flanking components.
FWIW
Rclark,
You've just made my point. When I talked about the distortion of LDR based attenuators, I should'nt expect you to understand I was referring to your Optocoupler; which is an LDR based attenuator. This is not to say that your subjective evaluation of the Optocoupler as transparent, resolving, etc.... isn't perfectly valid, but if you think it part of a 'straight wire with gain' system, you are sadly mistaken. But without a solid technical foundation, your conclusions as to how assemble your 'Bruno Putzey's Tribute System' is perfectly understandable.
Any switched series, shunt, or ladder resistor attenuator, competently implemented, will show far less measurable distortion than your Optocoupler, as will most potentiometers.
Your plan is to feed the 'straight wire with gain' nCore, with your subjectively pleasing, high distortion, Optocoupler.
Indeed, you may 'dig it', but you've yet to 'get it'.
FWIW,
Paul
