[Elecraft] Re: tube amplifiers and polyproplene capacitors

[Don Wilhelm]

Rich and all,

I for one have been 'sold' on high end audio, but I was fortunate to be
initially referred to an audio shop that allowed and encouraged A/B
comprisons in store, and was willing to work with me to get the best
compromise equipment that my budget allowed.  That was over 20 years ago,
and I still deal with this shop even though I could do my comparisons there
and go shopping somewhere else at a slightly lower price - I stick with them
because of their honesty and excllent service both before and after the
sale.  It is there that I found there is a big difference in CD Players,
speakers, turntables and cartridges (I at first did not believe that a
turntable could sound different than another with the same ton arm and
cartridge installed, but I saw it with my eyes and heard it with my ears).
I also learned that it is hard to buy a bad amplifier - just compare the
power and distortion specs, include the features that you want, and all
should be well for medium priced equipment to the top of the line.  Yes, I
have compared my equipment with the best system in the store on an A/B test
in a living room environment studio, and I am pleased with my selections -
it is surpriing what can be done with even a modest budget - and yes, I can
say that tubes sound different, but the audio is not as clean, even with the
best Macintosh amps.

Yes, there is some hype about wires, gold connectors, and other similar
stuff, but my ears cannot hear it,  There is validity to the speaker wire
size, because it must carry the current produced by the amplifier and
present a low impdance coupling to the speakers - so big wire with high
power amps is necessary, and the 'Monster Wire' is flexible while providing
this current handling - but I do not buy into a lot of the 'hype' unless I
can hear the difference - find a really good audio outfit with knowledgable
(engineering level) sales folks, and you may be surprised at what you can
buy in audio for the same price as a 'packaged' system at other places.

73,
Don W3FPR

-----Original Message-----

Those who get sold by high end audio salesmen seem to believe the garbage
they tell you after a while.  I was told once at a high end stereo shop that
I should buy this special speaker wire.  It was stranded copper and each
strand was individually gold plated to avoid corrosion that caused
distortion. What was so special was each wire of the pair had the twists in
opposite directions so that earths magnetic field would not couple into the
wires and distort the audio on its way to the speakers.  The salesman was
very emphatic !!  What else do you want to believe??.  IMHO some people are
gullible and will believe most anything.  Inferred perception and a
convincing salesman can sell most anything. Just my $.02 worth.

Rich W3ACO K2 4023

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