[Vintage-Audio] Re Gold Plated Audio Cables

Fri Nov 9 18:56:01 EST 2007

Bob,

Mine have a built-in red LED. When it is "on" the surge unit has blown and 
needs to be replaced. It also does not allow power to the device plugged 
into it. So even if you fail to 'see' the LED, the inoperative device is an 
immediate alert that something is not working.

Duane Fischer, W8DBF/WPE8CXO
dfischer at usol.com
HHI: Halligan's Hallicrafters International
http://www.w9wze.net
HHRP: Historic Halligan Radio Project
hhrp.w9wze.net

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "wolfbob" <wolfbob at csnsys.com>
To: "Vintage home and professional audio equipment from 1975 back" 
<vintage-audio at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2007 10:23 PM
Subject: Re: [Vintage-Audio] Re Gold Plated Audio Cables

> Be aware that these surge suppressors only last for a few real surges and 
> then they don't any more. I don't know how to test them to see if they are 
> still effective.
>
> WBob, WB6JPI
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Duane Fischer, W8DBF" <dfischer at usol.com>
> To: "Vintage home and professional audio equipment from 1975 back" 
> <vintage-audio at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2007 2:52 PM
> Subject: Re: [Vintage-Audio] Re Gold Plated Audio Cables
>
>
>> Pete,
>>
>> I learned about the switching power supply issue four or five years ago. 
>> I had to have some blown components in my MGA Super VHS deck replaced 
>> after a failure. Since the old blind dude rarely uses a remote, (I have 
>> an entire section of my six foot wood LD/CD storage unit full of about 
>> thirty of them!), I put a six outlet power strip with a reset capable 
>> circuit breaker and surge suppressor in line. So unless I am using the 
>> twin VHS decks, Yamaha LD player, Pioneer LD/DVD player, they remain 
>> powered totally down.
>>
>> Pete is absolutely right. Doing what I did will extend the life of these 
>> expensive items for two to three times their normal always on life. Which 
>> can save you a lot of frustration, avoidable repair costs and expensive 
>> replacement units!
>>
>> Since I do not trust these power strips surge protection, I also have a 
>> surge protection unit plugged into the wall outlet and the power strip 
>> plugged into it. It may be overkill, but better safe than surge sorry!
>>
>> This is a really peculiar situation Peter, especially with the Sony CDRW 
>> deck. Too complicated to try and explain by e-mail. One of these days I 
>> will give you a landline and explain the entire scope of odd things that 
>> happen with modern technology.
>>
>>
>> Duane Fischer, W8DBF/WPE8CXO
>> dfischer at usol.com
>> HHI: Halligan's Hallicrafters International
>> http://www.w9wze.net
>> HHRP: Historic Halligan Radio Project
>> hhrp.w9wze.net
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Peter Markavage" <manualman at juno.com>
>> To: <vintage-audio at mailman.qth.net>
>> Sent: Wednesday, November 07, 2007 8:39 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Vintage-Audio] Re Gold Plated Audio Cables
>>
>>
>>> Generally there should be no voltage potential difference between the
>>> chassis of each unit even with consumer grade two wire AC lines. 
>>> However,
>>> with many of these units, as soon as you plug it into an AC outlet, the
>>> AC transformer, any components on the AC side, and any components up to
>>> the ON/OFF switch could be drawing current constantly. Almost any piece
>>> of equipment that comes with a remote, a portion of the equipment is
>>> always energized even if you have the ON/OFF switch to OFF. So, if it's
>>> on for 24/7, for X number of years, the potential for component 
>>> breakdown
>>> or leakage in those parts of the circuitry that are constantly drawing
>>> current is probably good. You first have to isolate which piece of
>>> equipment, if it is the equipment, is generating the static or causing
>>> the distortion. Once that can be determined, then a stage by stage
>>> monitoring would be required to determine which stage might be causing
>>> the issue. Since it's intermittent, this most likely would cause
>>> additional frustration, since you can check the stage at one point and,
>>> all is good, but at some later time, it might start to exhibit problems.
>>> There's no easy answer here.
>>>
>>> Pete
>>>
>>> On Wed, 7 Nov 2007 18:01:22 -0500 "Duane Fischer, W8DBF"
>>> <dfischer at usol.com> writes:
>>>> Pete, I wonder if there is some potential between the Sony ZA5 DAT
>>>> deck and
>>>> the Sony CDRW deck?
>>>>
>>>> One thing I have learned is that any cassette tape one tries to
>>>> record
>>>> direct to a CDRW deck almost always fails. I spent 100 hours working
>>>> with
>>>> some historic cassette tapes from 1981-1983 and it was a nightmare!
>>>> There is
>>>> something about those analog cassette tapes, old or current, that
>>>> the CDRW
>>>> decks do not like. Hence, I am wondering if this periodic static
>>>> might also
>>>> be caused by something in the DAT tape. Who knows.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Duane Fischer, W8DBF/WPE8CXO
>>>> dfischer at usol.com
>>>> HHI: Halligan's Hallicrafters International
>>>> http://www.w9wze.net
>>>> HHRP: Historic Halligan Radio Project
>>>> hhrp.w9wze.net
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/vintage-audio
>>> List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF
>>> ** For Assistance: dfischer at usol.com **
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>> 11/1/2007 6:47 PM
>>>
>>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/vintage-audio
>> List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF
>> ** For Assistance: dfischer at usol.com **
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
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> List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF
> ** For Assistance: dfischer at usol.com **
>
>
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