Recent content by Fsonicsmith

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    Whither Audio Research

    This subject is wearing on me and this comment may be a sign of that but at the end of the day there is no evolution, no advancement of the state of the art to be had with tube amps. There is little left after gimmicks, convenience, and reliability. "Whither Audio Research" is a very clever...
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    Whither Audio Research

    JasonBourne is active on the audio-gear-seller site and he espouses nonsense over there dominated by negative snark towards anything that does not measure well or meet his affordability requirements. It's like the spread of an invasive species.
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    Audio Research REF 75SE and REF 80S

    Yes Charles1dad, I didn't think the Ref 80S can be fired up without a load BUT I just pulled out my manual and not a word is said in warning about making sure the loudspeakers are hooked up before firing up the amp so it appears Jblesser did not make this up :) Just the same, I am not going to...
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    Audio Research REF 75SE and REF 80S

    Any impressions yet? A trick question on my part. It will go in and out of phases for a good 200 hours. At about 150 hours I even started to have doubts and considered putting my Ref150SE back in my system. Have tons of patience. This is a great amp. Now at 250 hours I am hearing the best sound...
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    Uh, Joe (Cohen),

    Are we to believe she is making sure the tubes are properly seated?
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    Audio Research REF 75SE and REF 80S

    I am using a.VH Audio PC, whatever was the top cable about five years ago. I see he has "flavors" now but don't recall that being the case when I ordered mine. Maybe I have just forgotten. I have not experimented with different PC's with this amp. I did with the 150SE and preferred the VH...
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    RIP Chris Sommovigo of Black Cat Cable

    I am shocked and saddened. Never met him but I felt I knew him from the many years of being a repeat customer and his newsletters. I hate saying "I just donated, you should too" but I will anyway.
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    Do Mobile Fidelity Vinyl Re-issues Have a Digital Step in the Process?

    Reading up and down the entire thread there is a lot of mixed language being bandied about. The mastering process is separate from the cutting process. MoFi has advertised all-analogue cutting and does. It is in the mastering process that a digital version of the original master tape is (and...
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    Do Mobile Fidelity Vinyl Re-issues Have a Digital Step in the Process?

    As the article mentioned through a quote, anyone who believed 40,000 copies of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" were all done through the "one-step" process needs help. They obviously don't understand the limitations of analogue tape. The truth was there for anyone to see if they put two and two...
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    Audio Research REF 75SE and REF 80S

    The Ref 80S continues to settle in and improve. This amp does not have the same authority over low end bass, the same macro dynamics (slam) of low bass that the Ref 150SE has. I suspect-but don't know-that its big brother Ref 160S does. It has its own set of attributes that rise above the 150SE...
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    A Bright Shining Lie…Why ignoring an inconvenient truth is stifling system performance a blog from Roy Gregory

    I hate it when the phrase "and that my friend" is used with utter sarcasm. Did I miss the point? No, perhaps you missed my reference to "insular" participants which refers, "my friend" to industry insiders and so-called reviewers. "So-called" because with the internet, anyone can call themselves...
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    A Bright Shining Lie…Why ignoring an inconvenient truth is stifling system performance a blog from Roy Gregory

    This thread is a surprise. I rarely participate/post on this Board because I tend to have strong opinions and state them bluntly. It always seemed to me that this Board is populated by an insular group of very genteel and well-heeled men who enjoy an echo chamber. I have no desire to be booted...
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    The Rise of the Uber-High End Integrated Amp

    I humbly think-with my opinion only being just that-my opinion-that simply posting porn shots of bling equipment with little analysis of what the product brings to the table makes this forum a bit vapid. So once in a while I might appear to be stirring the pot but that is not my incentive...
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    The Rise of the Uber-High End Integrated Amp

    It's a fad. Time was, integrated amps represented the evolution of the receiver due to consumers no longer wanting FM, and they were the "stuff" of mid-fi to introductory high-end. Japanese and British producers made integrateds to suit their customer's smaller listening rooms. From time to time...
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    Audio Research REF 75SE and REF 80S

    Having just sat down to put some more hours and listening in, it sounds petty to remark upon (as I listen to Tom Petty's "Wildflowers & All the Rest") but the user experience is entirely different between the two amps. With the 150 SE there is the rocker switch. It gets rocked and there is the...
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