Arny Krueger wrote:


Most modern PCs are also fairly empty.


Although the 640H (which we're talking about) doesn't have the luxury of a
large case.

2) Typical power consumption of - for example - a VIA C3
setup is about 70W. Typical power consumption of an
audio-only CD player is about 20W.

AFAIK there's no rule that says that the internal noise of a
piece of equipment bears some proportion to its power level,
but if there was, the difference between 20 watts and 70
watts is a paltry 5 dB.


By internal noise you're talking about EM interference, right? That appears
to be the point of this little sub-thread.

So, if you assume a similar design of power supply (for
the sake of argument), then it's not unreasonable to
assume that the 70W power supply will pop out 3.5 times
as much EMI as the 20W jobbie.

Like I said, you're presuming a scientific law that doesn't
exist.


So there's no correlation between power and amount of EM radiation
produced..?

Then factor in that the
cramped PC-based unit will have it's analogue output
somewhat closer to the power supply than the audio-only
CD player (and work in inverse square),

You're wrong about that. The traditional desktop PC is no
longer very cramped inside. There's about 7 inches between
the edge of the power supply of the PC I just built and the
sound chip on the motherboard.


Good. No, excellent. Though I'd recommend looking at the back of the 640H
and comparing it with what you've just built.

Furthermore, the power supply in a PC is almost always
entirely shielded by a steel box while the power supplies in
the optical players I've checked are open.

OTOH consider that the real issue is the mixing of analog
and digital signals. This mixing of analog and digital
signal is inherent in the very existence of critical parts
like DAC chips which both PCs and CD players must have to
make audio signals.


Naturally. But I suspect that a PC has more digital circuitry in it than a
CD player.

and it's got a pretty hairy CPU on the other side of it
too, then it's
potentially something to worry about.

The operative word is potentially.


Yes, of course. 'Potential issues' was the point of the original post.

"Fleetie" wrote in message
...
Well, it has to be said, that several of us here did point you at a kit
amp, but you had to go off and buy something all shiny from china. So
don't exoect too much in the way of sympathy...

The offer to try and fix it is still open BTW :-)

I have 4 6AX7 (IIRC) valves winging their way to me at the moment, cos
some of the output valves are toast to be honest, from sparking over.

I just hope these don't go the same way.

I'll keep you posted, and thanks.



If that amp's turned into a valve-eater you'd be a bit daft to keep
shovelling glass into it! Take up Nick's offer and drag it round to him for
a blow through - summat's obviously gone seriously out of whack and it needs
measuring. (And possibly changing to cathode bias if it can be done....??)

My new Chiny Shinaman is apparently sitting waiting at Cambridge atm (in the
hands of the Reveneers) - I'm taking the view that, being a bit 'glittery',
if it needs sorting or gets a bit excitable, it'll be a good basis for a
serious fettling job! My memory of your amp is that it is pretty well
constructed and should be a similarly suitable candidate....??

Thanks Keith. I got my 4 6AS7 valves this morning and I've put them into
the amp, and at least it works, so the valves must be a good equivalent
to the original valves in there.

So thanks for the web link you posted to that valve company, tubedepot.com;
they got my order to me VERY promptly.

Cost me 100 dollars including shipping mind you, but at least I know the
valves I'm using are new.


Martin
--
M.A.Poyser Tel.: 07967 110890
Manchester, U.K. http://www.livejournal.com/userinfo.bml?user=fleetie

On Sat, 29 Oct 2005 12:50:05 +0000 (UTC), Rob
wrote:

I gather from this NG and around that the Meridian stuff is good. If I
get the opportunity I'll give one a try, without doubt.

To clarify the matter, Meridian gear is always at the cutting edge of
available technology, and their CD players are immaculately engineered
and built. Having said that, they are *sonically* indistinguishable
from any other decently-designed player, such as my Pioneer DV-575,
which is about a twentieth of the cost of the cheapest Meridian.

If you want the security of owning the very best, and can afford it,
then by all means buy a Meridian, just don't fool yourself into
thinking that it will *sound* better than a good mass-market player.

--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

Stewart Pinkerton wrote:
On Sat, 29 Oct 2005 12:50:05 +0000 (UTC), Rob
wrote:


I gather from this NG and around that the Meridian stuff is good. If I
get the opportunity I'll give one a try, without doubt.


To clarify the matter, Meridian gear is always at the cutting edge of
available technology, and their CD players are immaculately engineered
and built. Having said that, they are *sonically* indistinguishable
from any other decently-designed player, such as my Pioneer DV-575,
which is about a twentieth of the cost of the cheapest Meridian.

If you want the security of owning the very best, and can afford it,
then by all means buy a Meridian, just don't fool yourself into
thinking that it will *sound* better than a good mass-market player.


It's interesting you should say that. I think we've mentioned this
before, but I've just read a Which? report of CDPs, and the 'sound
quality' varies from 3/5 (Cambridge Azur 540C) to 5/5 (Sony XE370), with
plenty in between. Is there *nothing* in this?

Having said that, I only said 'give it a try'. *I* haven't yet been able
to consistently qualitatively distinguish. Hope springs eternal.

Rob

On Tue, 1 Nov 2005 08:55:10 +0000 (UTC), Rob
wrote:

Stewart Pinkerton wrote:

To clarify the matter, Meridian gear is always at the cutting edge of
available technology, and their CD players are immaculately engineered
and built. Having said that, they are *sonically* indistinguishable
from any other decently-designed player, such as my Pioneer DV-575,
which is about a twentieth of the cost of the cheapest Meridian.
If you want the security of owning the very best, and can afford it,
then by all means buy a Meridian, just don't fool yourself into
thinking that it will *sound* better than a good mass-market player.


It's interesting you should say that. I think we've mentioned this
before, but I've just read a Which? report of CDPs, and the 'sound
quality' varies from 3/5 (Cambridge Azur 540C) to 5/5 (Sony XE370), with
plenty in between. Is there *nothing* in this?


At the low end of the market there are differences in sound quality
because manufacturers have to make compromises in order to bring the price
down to an acceptable level. The Pioneer that Stewart mentions is actually
a DVD-A/SACD/DVD/CD player so the convertors will have been designed to
work at a greater bit depth and sampling rate than a typical CD player -
hence they should easily produce a decent reproduction with the less
demanding CD format.

I bought a Pioneer a few months ago after reading about it here and, while
I haven't yet tried it up against my studio system, it does sound good in
the living room.

Cheers

James.

"Fleetie" wrote in message
...
Thanks Keith. I got my 4 6AS7 valves this morning and I've put them into
the amp, and at least it works, so the valves must be a good equivalent
to the original valves in there.

So thanks for the web link you posted to that valve company,
tubedepot.com;
they got my order to me VERY promptly.

Cost me 100 dollars including shipping mind you, but at least I know the
valves I'm using are new.



OK Martin, I'm glad to hear the Tubedepot.com came up with the goods - I got
my Shiny Chiny* today:

http://www.apah69.dsl.pipex.com/bez/bezt3b-3.htm

(loads of unsorted pix - not selected and 'de-duped' yet)

and I have some strange numbers to get myself now. (6G2P/6P9P/5Z3P or
equivalents - the Tubedepot site says they have them all in stock!!)



*Superb from the off - there will be more on that webpage as I get into
it.....

"James Perrett" wrote


At the low end of the market there are differences in sound quality
because manufacturers have to make compromises in order to bring the price
down to an acceptable level. The Pioneer that Stewart mentions is actually
a DVD-A/SACD/DVD/CD player so the convertors will have been designed to
work at a greater bit depth and sampling rate than a typical CD player -
hence they should easily produce a decent reproduction with the less
demanding CD format.

I bought a Pioneer a few months ago after reading about it here and, while
I haven't yet tried it up against my studio system, it does sound good in
the living room.


Same here - I have the same Pioneer DVD-575a and have never got round to
putting it on to my system yet (too much wire-pulling and no ideal
opportunity yet) but what CDs I have played have always sounded as good as
anything else I've heard where it is now (AV setup)!!

On Tue, 1 Nov 2005 08:55:10 +0000 (UTC), Rob
wrote:

Stewart Pinkerton wrote:
On Sat, 29 Oct 2005 12:50:05 +0000 (UTC), Rob
wrote:


I gather from this NG and around that the Meridian stuff is good. If I
get the opportunity I'll give one a try, without doubt.


To clarify the matter, Meridian gear is always at the cutting edge of
available technology, and their CD players are immaculately engineered
and built. Having said that, they are *sonically* indistinguishable
from any other decently-designed player, such as my Pioneer DV-575,
which is about a twentieth of the cost of the cheapest Meridian.

If you want the security of owning the very best, and can afford it,
then by all means buy a Meridian, just don't fool yourself into
thinking that it will *sound* better than a good mass-market player.

It's interesting you should say that. I think we've mentioned this
before, but I've just read a Which? report of CDPs, and the 'sound
quality' varies from 3/5 (Cambridge Azur 540C) to 5/5 (Sony XE370), with
plenty in between. Is there *nothing* in this?

Prtetty much, unless you buy something *really* expensive like an
Audio Note or YBA, which may well be sufficiently *badly* designed as
to sound different! By and large, all mainstream players sound the
same. After all, why wouldn't they?

Having said that, I only said 'give it a try'. *I* haven't yet been able
to consistently qualitatively distinguish. Hope springs eternal.

I remember her, wasn't she in Champion the Wonder Horse?
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

"Keith G" wrote in message
...


OK Martin, I'm glad to hear the Tubedepot.com came up with the goods - I
got my Shiny Chiny* today:

http://www.apah69.dsl.pipex.com/bez/bezt3b-3.htm

(loads of unsorted pix - not selected and 'de-duped' yet)

and I have some strange numbers to get myself now. (6G2P/6P9P/5Z3P or
equivalents - the Tubedepot site says they have them all in stock!!)



*Superb from the off - there will be more on that webpage as I get into
it.....

Good. A peek at the inside would be of interest, and then of course
a musical evaluation.


Enjoy!

Iain