Took the HD plunge [Archive] - Page 2

nrc

12-21-05, 04:28 PM

Of course with anything short of clean-room conditions, top quality, well maintained equipment, and surgical precision in handling LPs rapidly start to sound like crap. And of course, most of the vinyl pressed over the last decade of the format was poorly pressed to begin with.

I don't mind a high sample-rate mp3 or ogg vorbis file for casual listening. Ultimately I'd like to get enough storage together to rip our whole collection in lossless FLAC format and just transcode from there as needed.

cart7

12-21-05, 05:14 PM

While dust, dirt and fingerprints were a killer for many who just plain failed to care for their vinyl, it was avoidable. Anti-static guns, handling the LP by the edges and good disc cleaners could handle many problems.

The biggest killer to the average LP were 3 things.
Poorly tracking tonearms and/or cartridges.
Poor quality cartridges with tonearm weight set too high.
Repeated playing of an album over and over without letting it "rest" between playings.

Most people weren't aware that as the stylus moved through the groove it actually super heated the groove causing it to become soft. Given time to rest, it would restore itself to it's previous condition. Unfortunately most people would replay an album side or a song several times over after first purchasing. This act was literally eating up the groove and destroying some of the sonic quality. One thing about the mobile fidelity albums, they were made from a different vinyl compound which didn't need that resting period. You could play the same section of the album over and over without the fear of destroying it.

oddlycalm

12-22-05, 05:52 PM

The biggest killer to the average LP were 3 things.
Poorly tracking tonearms and/or cartridges.
Poor quality cartridges with tonearm weight set too high.
Repeated playing of an album over and over without letting it "rest" between playings. Great post, and all true, but it still adds up to the fact that proper handling was beyond the scope of the average person. Even those of us that can hear the difference, own working turntables with quality cartridges, and know how to care for media are not immune to the convenience of digital media and portable digital audio.

Until recently I basked in the warm thermionic glow of a brace of Tung Sol 6550's and Mullard 12AX7's, but I caved and have a compact Linn integrated in my office these days. The only tube gear I have left are vintage instrument amplifiers. It got to where my stash of new old stock GE, RCA, Tung Sol and Mullard tubes were worth more than the equipment they are used in, so I've been selling most off.

The knockoffs that Mike Mathews and others are contracting through Svetlana, Tesla Works, SED, and other eastern european tube mfg's are plenty good enough for what little I need. The audio jewelry fetishists are welcome to mine. Five new Mullard 12AX7's in the original purple 5 pack box bring close to $1000 these days, but the day will soon come when there is nobody left who cares.

oc

indyfan31

12-22-05, 06:03 PM

oddlycalm

12-22-05, 06:14 PM

Society has settled for compessed audio. Any decent home stereo (or computer based sound system) will get the maximum out of the MP3s. This particular society also settles for NASCAR, beer with no flaver and food made from sugar, salt and grease along with enough preservatives to rival the half life of uranium 231, so what should we expect? It's not been all that many years since one particularly cynical marketer had millions paying money for pet rocks.

oc

eiregosod

12-23-05, 01:15 AM

This particular society also settles for NASCAR, beer with no flaver and food made from sugar, salt and grease along with enough preservatives to rival the half life of uranium 231, so what should we expect? It's not been all that many years since one particularly cynical marketer had millions paying money for pet rocks.

oc

Advertising does work ;)

I'm too you young to have been given a Christmas present of a pet rock, but yeah, people to go tempoarily insane at Christmas time. Hence the entertainment hucksters whose DVDs will only sell in the month of December.

B3RACER1a

12-23-05, 01:54 AM

If anyone is in need of any tubes, I have a whole lot of them here...I'm talking probably 500 tubes total. Name what type of tube you need, and I'll go digging and name a price.

oddlycalm

12-23-05, 07:35 AM

Hey oc, does anything happen to those old tubes over years of storage? Vacuum leaks, anything link that?

And, speaking of turntables, my cartridge is getting on in years. Any suggestions on where to get quality replacements? Unused, tubes that are stored properly and not damaged stay good virtually forever. Some of the early metal case tubes from the 1930's and earlier degrade, but they weren't much good to begin with.

As far as cartridges go, it depends on a lot of variables. There are moving magnent and moving coil and they each work better with certain different phono stages and tonearms. Then there's your budget. Also, unless you know how to set one up, have it done by someone that knows. Needle Doctor (http://www.needledoctor.com/s.nl;jsessionid=ac112b1c1f43d509dd2a5335416fac95a3 d1b2ac6a57.e3eTaxePaNqNe38QaheSc3qSe6fznA5Pp7ftolb GmkTy?sc=2&category=2) is a good place to shop. Another thing to consider is that simple exposure to atmospher degrades cartridges, so even if it hasn't been used in years, it probably toast. :(

I'd recommend talking to Needle Doctor to get some advice on what type of cartridge will work best with your system, then decide how you want to proceed. Over the years watching my friend set up dozens of cartridges and arms I have picked up enough to know that I don't want to do my own. It's not that it's impossible with the proper tools and angle gages, it's just that if you goof up, it's an expensive learning experience.

Good analog, even entry level, is a lot more spendy than digital. All those fussy little parts are a PITA to make and assemble.

oc

indyfan31

12-23-05, 01:16 PM

Thanks for the info oc, I'll check them out.

eiregosod

01-09-06, 12:19 PM

anyone reckon that there'd be a market for 6 channel Mp3s?

lets face it, download speeds are increasing, it wouldn't take long to download a 10MB song that has 5 audio channels + super bitchen bass.

Stu

01-09-06, 02:07 PM

anyone reckon that there'd be a market for 6 channel Mp3s?

lets face it, download speeds are increasing, it wouldn't take long to download a 10MB song that has 5 audio channels + super bitchen bass.

I hope not but I am sure someday there will be.

oddlycalm

01-09-06, 03:05 PM

Aside from that, it's good to see Sony not re-inventing the wheel for a change. Maybe it's a good sign. Caught part of the 60 Minutes segment on Sony's new CEO while finishing some chili cooking last evening (Tejas style, no beans). The impression I got was that he is changing their strategy and direction. They also mentioned the critical acclaim their new gen HDTV's are getting. Having Sony back as a constructive force in the market is good for all.

oc

Sean O'Gorman

01-10-06, 05:56 PM

Stu

01-10-06, 08:35 PM

So I have a question.

My home theater is fairly basic (though at about $400 it is still better than my dad's Bose setup), and I don't place much emphasis on the TV, but I hope to upgrade everything later in the year.

I want a new TV, since my current one is only 20", but I'm not sure what I want. The thing is, I don't watch movies, I just basically watch SPEED Channel, Comedy Central, some sitcoms, NASCAR, NFL, and sometimes the Indians. Very little of what I watch is actually offered in HD, and I hate watching stretched pictures on a widescreen. Should I go ahead and consider a widescreen HD TV anyway, or am I better of staying basic?

you have 2 options really.

1. go widescreen and set yourself up for the future.
2. go cheap, buy a 32-36" tube tv, and save the money for when more of what you watch is in HD.

its all about what you want to spend and and when you want to spend it.

i would recommend holding off until you at least have a place of your own, so you can get the right tv for the right room size.

racer2c

01-10-06, 08:45 PM

you have 2 options really.

1. go widescreen and set yourself up for the future.
2. go cheap, buy a 32-36" tube tv, and save the money for when more of what you watch is in HD.

its all about what you want to spend and and when you want to spend it.

i would recommend holding off until you at least have a place of your own, so you can get the right tv for the right room size.

You took the words right out of my mouth Stu.

Don't buy a tv too large for your room. Been there done that. If you absolutly do not need digital display (keep in mind that your Xbox will output to 720p for most games and look nice doing it), then stick with a decent analog set. Don't buy above your means just to impress your friends, get the TV that suits your needs, but I think you know that.

Stu

01-10-06, 08:46 PM

Don't buy a tv too large for your room.

I think you mean, don't buy a house with a room too small for your TV.

racer2c

01-10-06, 08:48 PM

I think you mean, don't buy a house with a room too small for your TV.

Much better. :thumbup:

Ankf00

01-10-06, 08:51 PM

I think you mean, don't buy a house with a room too small for your TV.

buying homes to match TV's :rofl:

KLang

01-11-06, 10:29 AM

The thing is, I don't watch movies, I just basically watch SPEED Channel, Comedy Central, some sitcoms, NASCAR, NFL, and sometimes the Indians. Very little of what I watch is actually offered in HD, and I hate watching stretched pictures on a widescreen.

Some, if not most, Nascar, NFL, and baseball are available in HD. If the sitcoms are on the broadcast networks, chances are they are in HD as well. I don't know the status of the Cleveland broadcast stations so that stuff may or may not actually be available to you. Slowly but surely the HD menu is expanding. Dishnetwork just announced that they would be carrying HD versions of Food Network and HGTV in the second quarter. (Alton in HD :thumbup: )

As far as stretching, most TV's also let you zoom the picture to fill up the widescreen display. That is how we watch most non-HD.

I think if you expect to keep the TV for a few years you should go ahead and get the widescreen HD ready set.

cart7

01-11-06, 11:25 AM

So I have a question.

My home theater is fairly basic (though at about $400 it is still better than my dad's Bose setup), and I don't place much emphasis on the TV, but I hope to upgrade everything later in the year.

I want a new TV, since my current one is only 20", but I'm not sure what I want. The thing is, I don't watch movies, I just basically watch SPEED Channel, Comedy Central, some sitcoms, NASCAR, NFL, and sometimes the Indians. Very little of what I watch is actually offered in HD, and I hate watching stretched pictures on a widescreen. Should I go ahead and consider a widescreen HD TV anyway, or am I better of staying basic?

Go to BestBuy and check out the latest Samsung Direct view that's available in either a 27 or 30". They have a very shallow picture tube neck. The depth of the set is about half as deep as a standard TV. The first one I tried to pick up I mistakenly thought it was a small plasma or mini DLP and nearly threw my back out. (no, they're not heavy, I was just expecting to be lifting a lighter set and it wasn't) They've got a HD tuner built in and the price is very nice for a HD ready, digital widescreen TV. Great picture too.

http://images.bestbuy.com/BestBuy_US/images/products/7345/7345688_ra.jpg
TX-R2779

The TX-R3079 is a really nice widescreen on sale for $849. With built in HD tuner

Dirty Sanchez

01-11-06, 01:45 PM

I think you mean, don't buy a house with a room too small for your TV.that's precisely why I'm waiting to buy a HD display. I'm looking at other properties right now and most everything I'm looking at seems more set-up for wall mounted flat screens :mad:

I'd hit the Samsung HL-R5678W right now if I knew I was staying put for awhile.

Spicoli

01-11-06, 02:14 PM

that's precisely why I'm waiting to buy a HD display. I'm looking at other properties right now and most everything I'm looking at seems more set-up for wall mounted flat screens :mad:

I'd hit the Samsung HL-R5678W right now if I knew I was staying put for awhile.

Dang, sorry about your eviction. :cry:

RusH

01-11-06, 02:29 PM

e·vict Pronunciation (-vkt)
tr.v. e·vict·ed, e·vict·ing, e·victs
1. To put out (a tenant, for example) by legal process; expel.
2. To force out; eject. See Synonyms at eject.

:gomer:

oddlycalm

01-11-06, 06:56 PM

I'd hit the Samsung HL-R5678W right now if I knew I was staying put for awhile. Yeah, one thing about a flat panel is that you always know it's gonna fit any house.

BTW, Samsung just introduced an updated HLR5679W and added LED illumation, so lamp replacement is over. This also means it runs much cooler, so no fan. No color wheel anymore either, so the audible noise is gone and along with it the moving parts that could potentially wear out. That's around 2/3's of the DLP negatives gone, but viewing angle is still limited.

oc

Dirty Sanchez

02-12-06, 11:15 PM

If I were in the market today, I would be looking at the Sony KDS-R50XBR1 Grand WEGA™ SXRD™ Rear Projection HDTV. 1080P resolution!

link (http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?CategoryName=tv_ProjectionTVs_RearProjection _42to51TVs&ProductSKU=KDSR50XBR1&INT=sstyle-tv_ProjectionTVs-catpfeature-KDSR50XBR1) got one today :thumbup:

the one-day sale price at Abt was too good to pass up.

going to wait til June to pick up the next gen DirecTV receiver w/mpeg-4

cameraman

02-13-06, 12:16 AM

This is an excellent small room HDTV.

http://www.sonystyle.com/intershoproot/eCS/Store/en/imagesProducts/650x650/KD30XS955.jpg

Made all the better by the $850.00 price tag....

30" Widescreen FD Trinitron® WEGA® HDTV KD-30XS955

Only real drawback is it weighs 150 lbs.

racer2c

02-13-06, 12:46 AM

I just picked up the LG LDA-511 upconverting 1080i DVD player. Of course the upconverting is simulated but I'm very impressed with this unit. I have this running into my SXRD 50" which suppossedly upconverts to 1080p. The Incredibles movie looks true HD. I'm running both the HD cable box and the LG DVD player with HDMI and optical audio.

For those of you with HDTV's try an upconverting DVD player while you wait for the true HD players later. At $125 it was worth it to me. Hell, the HDMI cable was more than the DVD player!

FYI: the LG unit only upconverts via HDMI out of the box due to upconverting encryption. You can bypass the encryption if using componant cables by punching in a code on the remote. It's like *pause pause 24357*. Google it for the real code.

nrc

02-13-06, 01:24 AM

Some, if not most, Nascar, NFL, and baseball are available in HD.
This season the NFL only did "select" games each weekend in HD. Usually four or five, not counting Sunday and Monday night. Your in-market game is only in HD if it happens to be one of those "select" games. Usually the two national games you get are HD unless your market has an interest in one of the non-showcase games. The rumor is that all games will be available in HD next season.

nrc

02-13-06, 02:21 AM

Stu

02-13-06, 08:22 AM

This season the NFL only did "select" games each weekend in HD. Usually four or five, not counting Sunday and Monday night. Your in-market game is only in HD if it happens to be one of those "select" games. Usually the two national games you get are HD unless your market has an interest in one of the non-showcase games. The rumor is that all games will be available in HD next season.

6 games by Fox.
3 games by CBS

1 by ESPN
1 by MNF (unless there were two a week like opening week, then both were HD)

thats at least 11 of the 14-16 games each week.

For next year, Fox and ESPN will continue to be HD, NBC will be, and CBS should be doing all their games in HD.

As of today, non HD football is a thing of the past.

Insomniac

02-13-06, 09:44 AM

I have this running into my SXRD 50" which suppossedly upconverts to 1080p.

No supposed, it converts everything to 1080p, the native resolution and scanning mode. ;)

KLang

02-13-06, 11:04 AM

got one today :thumbup:

the one-day sale price at Abt was too good to pass up.

going to wait til June to pick up the next gen DirecTV receiver w/mpeg-4

Sweet! Wish I had room for one :(

I'm hoping to upgrade to Dish Networks mpeg4 receiver later this month.

racer2c

02-13-06, 12:01 PM

Isn't Sony's "Digital Reality" feature upconversion done within the TV?

I'm not exactly sure on this but the guy who sold me the TV said that my model upconverts a 720p/1080i source to 1080p. But it won't upconvert a 480i source to 1080p as there isn't enough to work with (for lack of better tech terms or any for matter ;) ).

So it's my understanding that when using an upconverting DVD player it's taking the DVD source, basically 480p and upconverting to 720p. Then the TV takes over from there and upconverts that to 1080p.

It is night and day better than my standard DVD player in picture quality and color (although I must say, much of that is due to the HDMI. Those cables are awesome.) Like I said before, the animated movie the Incredibles looks as much as true HD as anything on my cable HD channels. Live action films don't look 'HD' except if there isn't any movement on the screen. Like a close up shot of a persons face does look HD but when the camera pans you can see it's not HD.

I probably have this all wrong as I'm only going by what the sales guy said and my own eyes.

nrc

02-13-06, 01:14 PM

I'm not exactly sure on this but the guy who sold me the TV said that my model upconverts a 720p/1080i source to 1080p. But it won't upconvert a 480i source to 1080p as there isn't enough to work with (for lack of better tech terms or any for matter ;) ).

Everything that does upconversion has to deal with the same problem - there's only so much information on the media to work with.

Reading up, Sony's DRC upconverts 480i to either 480p or 960i depending on your settings. It has to be delivered through the analog inputs so there may be some benefit to doing the upconversion within the DVD and keeping it digital all the way to the TV.

Stu

02-13-06, 01:23 PM

The technology in the DVD player for converting formats is probably better than that in the TV. Same reason why I let me STB and HTPC convert everything to 1080i and then send it to my TV, instead of sending it in its native format.

The best bet is to keep things simple, have the DVD player do all the work, and have the signal stay digital throughout the entire process (instead of going digital -> analog -> digital).