Ron’s New System

[Ron Resnick]

Revised:

In my personal preference ordering I am not willing to accept what I perceive as any harshness, any metallic-ness, any edginess, any dryness for more apparent detail or for seemingly more resolution. What my ears hear as harshness, metallic-ness or edginess derail my connection to the music, my suspension of disbelief.

I truly believe that for whatever reason I am more idiosyncratically sensitive to what I perceive as harshness, metallic-ness or edginess than other people. Kedar, of course, is correct. Nobody seeks what they perceive as harshness, metallic-ness or edginess.

Different people are sensitive to different things, and different people are sensitive to the same things in different degrees. As an example I found the Wilson metal dome tweeter to be a total dealbreaker sonically. I don't understand how people enjoyed Watts or Maxxes. But many audiophiles enjoyed those loudspeakers.

I am reminded of the "rainbow effect" from one chip DLP projectors. Some videofiles perceive the rainbow effect and it can make them slightly nauseous, and other videofiles literally don't see it at all. The latter group literally doesn't know what the former group is talking (complaining) about.

I believe that what I perceive as a slight harshness or edginess (often from metal drivers such as beryllium drivers) is perceived by other audiophiles as desirable and realistic leading-edge transient response or detail or resolution or fidelity to the digital file or master tape.

 

[Al M.]

Revised:

In my personal preference ordering I am not willing to accept what I perceive as any harshness, any metallic-ness, any edginess, any dryness for more apparent detail or for seemingly more resolution. What my ears hear as harshness, metallic-ness or edginess derail my connection to the music, my suspension of disbelief.

I truly believe that for whatever reason I am more idiosyncratically sensitive to what I perceive as harshness, metallic-ness or edginess than other people. Kedar, of course is correct. Nobody seeks what they perceive as harshness, metallic-ness or edginess.

Different people are sensitive to different things, and different people are sensitive to the same things in different degrees. I am reminded of the "rainbow effect" from one chip DLP projectors. Some videofiles perceive the rainbow effect and it can make them slightly nauseous, and other videofiles literally don't see it at all.

I believe that what I perceive as a slight harshness or edginess (often from metal drivers such as beryllium drivers) is perceived by other audiophiles as desirable and realistic leading-edge transient or detail or resolution or fidelity to the digital file or master tape.

My own perception and sensitivities have changed over the years as well, in your direction.

 

[Ron Resnick]

My own perception and sensitivities have changed over the years as well, in your direction.

Why do you think this has happened over time?

 

[Al M.]

Why do you think this has happened over time?

Good question. A few factors:

1. The influence of some people who had been more sensitive to these issues has made me more aware of this.

2. Improvements to my system and room have consistently gone in that direction, starting with ceiling diffusers a few years ago. A better preamp, better power cords, a better DAC, better speakers, all same direction.

3. Continued exposure to unamplified live music. I had heard harsh sounds from live orchestral music in the past, and I still do so at times. Also Boston Symphony Hall can at times be acoustically overloaded with very large forces and depending on where you sit, resulting in harshness of sound, and it surprises me when others just don't hear that the way I do. These experiences had made me less sensitive to harshness in reproduction at home in the past. Yet most of the time the sound is free of harshness, as it is in other venues (e.g., Jordan Hall of the New England Conservatory), as well as with smaller scale music. That has further guided my preferences and sensitiviies.

 

[Folsom]

Do you think a lot of people have a preference for harshness, metallicness, edginess?

Probably not but their solutions tend to be bland. Painfully bland sounding.

 

[Ron Resnick]

"I may order a small Torus isolation transformer just to isolate for peace of mind the power supplies on a legacy electric line separate from the electrical system for the listening room."

Wait a second. Since this Torus would be for the power supplies underneath the turntable and next to the all-tube phono stage I wonder if any EMI from the isolation transformer actually might inject more noise into the phono stage or turntable than it is removing for peace of mind by isolating the power supplies from the main stereo electrical system?

 

[bonzo75]

Probably not but their solutions tend to be bland. Painfully bland sounding.

I think what Ron is missing is that it is a fine line between getting boring rolled off sound and getting harsh sound. What audiophiles see is that borderline where you get information and nuances that are realistic yet not harsh. And when people mish mash systems together buying used, buying a speaker from one place they heard it and a different amp - they end up either rolling off or getting it bright. Very few then have the resources, either in time or money or both, plus the know how to fix those mistakes They then live with what they have. And play audiophile recordings which might suit that system anyway

 

[Ron Resnick]

it is a fine line between getting boring rolled off sound and getting harsh sound. What audiophiles see is that borderline where you get information and nuances that are realistic yet not harsh.

I don't think I'm missing this point. I totally agree with this.

I would add only that where that line is is subjective.

 

[Al M.]

I would add only that where that line is is subjective.

Agreed.

 

[Al M.]

"I may order a small Torus isolation transformer just to isolate for peace of mind the power supplies on a legacy electric line separate from the electrical system for the listening room."

Wait a second. Since this Torus would be for the power supplies underneath the turntable and next to the all-tube phono stage I wonder if any EMI from the isolation transformer actually might inject more noise into the phono stage or turntable than it is removing for peace of mind by isolating the power supplies from the main stereo electrical system?

I just measured the magnetic field from my isolation transformers with a Trifield EMF meter. It drops precipitously over a distance of one and a half feet. Just don't put the Torus too close to your gear.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

I just measured the magnetic field from my isolation transformers with a Trifield EMF meter. It drops precipitously over a distance of one and a half feet. Just don't put the Torus too close to your gear.

if you can hear the transformer hum it's too close. on the 10WQ Equi=tech it's very feint. I'd say about 2-3 feet. if you can reach out and touch it, that's too close.

 

[Argonaut]

I think what Ron is missing is that it is a fine line between getting boring rolled off sound and getting harsh sound. What audiophiles see is that borderline where you get information and nuances that are realistic yet not harsh. And when people mish mash systems together buying used, buying a speaker from one place they heard it and a different amp - they end up either rolling off or getting it bright. Very few then have the resources, either in time or money or both, plus the know how to fix those mistakes They then live with what they have. And play audiophile recordings which might suit that system anyway

And then declare this somewhat *Neutered* presentation as definitively … *Natural*

 

[Ron Resnick]

I just measured the magnetic field from my isolation transformers with a Trifield EMF meter. It drops precipitously over a distance of one and a half feet. Just don't put the Torus too close to your gear.

Thank you!

 

[AudioHR]

And then declare this somewhat *Neutered* presentation as definitively … *Natural*

I don't think you had anything to add to the conversation here. Just sayin.

 

[Mcsnare]

Why do you think this has happened over time?

Research has indicated that as we get older, there is a slight hardening of blood vessels in our ears which sets up resonant peaks in the frequency range that is annoying- 2-4K and higher.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Acoustic Sciences Corporation custom Isothermal Helmholtz resonator TubeTraps have arrived!

Acoustic Sciences Corp. Helmholtz Resonator TubeTraps #highendaudio #music #acoustictreatment

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[Mike Lavigne]

Acoustic Sciences Corporation custom Isothermal Helmholtz resonator TubeTraps have arrived!

Acoustic Sciences Corp. Helmholtz Resonator TubeTraps #highendaudio #music #acoustictreatment

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can't wait to read how this goes Ron. might be quite significant. hard to imagine its that simple, but Art is a sharp guy so why not?

 

[Ron Resnick]

can't wait to read how this goes Ron. might be quite significant. hard to imagine its that simple, but Art is a sharp guy so why not?

This actually was a very interesting and unexpected process. I ordered these in March. I figured it would take three or four weeks to make them and have them delivered to me.

Around the time I was expecting delivery, Art contacted me and indicated that the device didn't have the notch attenuation they were looking for, and if it was okay with me to delay production of the TubeTraps I ordered to afford the ASC team the opportunity to conduct significant additional research and testing to achieve a higher Q product.

I was in no rush for the TubeTraps, so I was grateful that Art wanted to improve his design and maximize the effectiveness of my TubeTraps at the target room mode frequency.

We had quite a bit of correspondence over the course of the months. My view was "take as long as you need to make these TubeTraps as effective as you can make them."

 

[Lagonda]

Acoustic Sciences Corporation custom Isothermal Helmholtz resonator TubeTraps have arrived!

Acoustic Sciences Corp. Helmholtz Resonator TubeTraps #highendaudio #music #acoustictreatment

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You will just buy everything with "tube" in its name Ron !

 

[Lagonda]

Is this instead of your active devices Ron ?