Natural Sound

I want to get my TT a little further. I was thinking about Ralphs comments on coupling the platter to the vinyl. I have no weights. Just a heavy delrin platter. I tried a couple cheap mats like felt and Herbies. Neither were anything to write about. Unless I was complaining. Then there are mats that cost as much as my TT.

This is being discussed on a dedicated thread. Perhaps you can have that conversation with Ralph over there. If you have questions about the interface between the record and my turntable platter, I am happy to discuss that, although I went into it in considerable detail earlier.
 
Here’s my perspective, Mike. I don’t represent anyone or any products. I am not an influencer. I don’t use influencing status to negotiate pricing. I am a hobbyist and I paid full asking price for everything in my system. I do not negotiate price. This is my system, and there is no purpose for this system thread other than for me to share my thoughts on this system.
Can you indicate whether your full asking price is equal to retailed price? A lot of dealers will give different discount to different customers. If the dealer deems you as VIP, the discount is bigger. So paying full asking price means nothing.
 
I have morricab on ignore since he brings up the same arguments but can't support them with actual engineering. I've debunked his arguments yet he persists with them; hence 'ignore'.

I do not know why members have the need to publicly state which other members they are putting on “ignore“. The practice does not promote a convivial community of like-minded hobbyists.

From my perspective this is about engineering facts and nothing else- so yes, I'm biased about that. SETs don't work plain and simple- but many people like the coloration they produce.

From my perspective, it is about the listening experience in the room. I am not an engineer, and I will leave the designing to others. I am an end user and the performance is what matters to me.

I have two friends who owned your MA-1 amplifier. They each replaced them for a Lamm hybrid amp. It was not for technical reasons or measurements but for sonic reasons. I understand that you are biased and that is to be expected. You design and sell your products. Again, I wish you well with all of your various designs.
 
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Can you indicate whether your full asking price is equal to retailed price? A lot of dealers will give different discount to different customers. If the dealer deems you as VIP, the discount is bigger. So paying full asking price means nothing.

What is the retail price for a pair of 65-year-old vintage speakers which are the only pair of this early version known anywhere. And they are in remarkable condition? I bought my turntable (1 of only 12 sold directly to customers) new from the designer. What does retail mean in these cases?

I was quoted a price for each and I paid it. it was the same with all the used electronics. Paying full asking price does indeed mean something. It means the dealer and I did not negotiate. I paid the price presented to me. It is not up to me, nor do I know how the asking price was determined. You would have to ask the seller that.
 
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What is the retail price for a pair of 65-year-old vintage speakers which are the only pair of the original version known in America? I bought my turntable (1 of 12 sold directly to customers) new from the designer. What does retail mean in these cases?

I was quoted a price for each and I paid it. it was the same with all the used electronics. Paying full asking price does indeed mean something. It means the dealer and I did not negotiate. I paid the price presented to me. It is not up to me, nor do I know how the asking price was determined. You would have to ask the seller that.
Really? How about the new VDH cartridges? Are they used? How about the full Lamm electronics?
 
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Here’s my perspective, Mike. I don’t represent anyone or any products. I am not an influencer. I don’t use influencing status to negotiate pricing. I am a hobbyist and I paid full asking price for everything in my system. I do not negotiate price. This is my system, and there is no purpose for this system thread other than for me to share my thoughts on this system.

I’m not diminishing Ralph’s knowledge and expertise. I just do not think it has any place here in my system thread. Ralph is using my system thread as a platform to promote his products over a competitor’s products. Vladimir is not here to join the discussion and possibly disagree with some of Ralph’s claims.



You are right that this is about a higher road. Manufacturers and members of the industry should be held to a higher standard. They should not diminish competitor’s products on hobbyist system threads.

Imagine David Karmeli coming onto your turntable threads and starting to tell you that his turntable is much better than all three of yours and then to explain the technical reasons. And then tell you you couldn’t possibly think your turntables represent the information on the record because the technology and implementation won’t allow it. Then telling you that you can’t use words to express your thoughts about your system in the naming of your thread.

David Karmeli would never do such a thing and you well understand this. Here we have Ralph doing just that. It does not reflect well on him and it is revealing of character. So yes, there is a higher road, this time not taken.

While I very much can understand your perspective, Peter, I don't read Ralph's contributions that way.

It does not seem to me that he wants to sell products on your thread, but that he simply has strong technical opinions about fidelity to the signal that he wants to communicate. As he indicates, the strong claim of your thread title does invite musings about Natural Sound and if it is technically achievable with your gear.

I may not agree with all of Ralph’s technical points either (and I have a feeling he might have objections to the design of my Octave tube preamp/power amp as well), but I find his posts a highly interesting read.
 
Can you indicate whether your full asking price is equal to retailed price? A lot of dealers will give different discount to different customers. If the dealer deems you as VIP, the discount is bigger. So paying full asking price means nothing.
Where are you going with this. Figure 30% to 40% markup is industry standard. So if someone bought a $27k amp with a 10% delta in markup, were talking $2700. Thats not a number to start a bickering war over.
 
Really? How about the new VDH cartridges? Are they used? How about the full Lamm electronics?

Yes really. Do you have anything constructive to add to this system thread?

I have four Colibri’s. One was a gift and I bought the other three new at full asking price directly from the manufacturer. No negotiation. What, no questions about my cables or my rack?

I already answered the question about my Lamm electronics. I answer most questions, and I am honest. I have not negotiated the price on any of the equipment in my current system. Do you not understand what no negotiation means? Such nonsense.
 
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i'm just judging......the......judging.

Call it what you will -- it is your typical slipperiness plus the self-defensive 'just' as you so ever gently slide in the knife, perhaps being the most consistent critic of Peter throughout his system thread. From charging him with presumption and arrogance in naming his thread "Natural Sound" (how dare he) to your most recent claim that he does not hold the "high ground" , whatever that means.
 
While I very much can understand your perspective, Peter, I don't read Ralph's contributions that way.

It does not seem to me that he wants to sell products on your thread, but that he simply has strong technical opinions about fidelity to the signal that he wants to communicate. As he indicates, the strong claim of your thread title does invite musings about Natural Sound and if it is technically achievable with your gear.

I may not agree with all of Ralph’s technical points either (and I have a feeling he might have objections to the design of my Octave tube preamp/power amp as well), but I find his posts a highly interesting read.
Oh please, Ralph's arguments technically or otherwise always end with a description of how his own designs are just the right way to do things and other amps/preamps/phono sections just don't get it right. I am sure he has gotten a lot of interest for his product this way, i certainly had never heard of Athmas-Spere before seeing his many posts here and on Audiogon. I would certainly call it marketing, he is not here to educate Peter about amp topology, but to do a little marketing. A lot cheaper than buying full page adds. ;)
 
think both of you misunderstand. I'm merely explaining how the technology works, which explains also why SETs don't. Just the facts.

Oh Dear God Ralph , do please refrain from lumping me in with the Cult of Karmeli , I don’t recall being quite so insulted for some time ;0}

As to any misunderstanding of the technology of amplification from your perspective , I agree with some of which you write , please refer to posts 5010 and 5011 , but not all .
 
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Oh please, Ralph's arguments technically or otherwise always end with a description of how his own designs are just the right way to do things and other amps/preamps/phono sections just don't get it right. I am sure he has gotten a lot of interest for his product this way, i certainly had never heard of Athmas-Spere before seeing his many posts here and on Audiogon. I would certainly call it marketing, he is not here to educate Peter about amp topology, but to do a little marketing. A lot cheaper than buying full page adds. ;)

Fine, you read Ralph's posts your way, I read them my way. It's a free world.
 
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Yes really. Do you have anything constructive to add to this system thread?

I have four Colibri’s. One was a gift and I bought the other three at full asking price directly from the manufacturer. No negotiation. What, no questions about my cables or my rack?

I already answered the question about my Lamm electronics. I answer most questions, and I am honest. I have not negotiated the price on any of the equipment in my current system. Do you not understand what no negotiation means? Such nonsense.
I simply point out your nonsense. Full asking price means X% of retail price. X can be different for different people. Since you are friend of David and he is dealer of vDH and Lamm, your full asking price can still be significantly lower than others. So your statement full asking price means nothing.
 
Do you have a point to make?

It is amusing how many ankle biters won't post their systems.
You need to post a system to say anything. I thought this is a free speech which your country values so much. Or not?
 
While I very much can understand your perspective, Peter, I don't read Ralph's contributions that way.

It does not seem to me that he wants to sell products on your thread, but that he simply has strong technical opinions about fidelity to the signal that he wants to communicate. As he indicates, the strong claim of your thread title does invite musings about Natural Sound and if it is technically achievable with your gear.

I may not agree with all of Ralph’s technical points either (and I have a feeling he might have objections to the design of my Octave tube preamp/power amp as well), but I find his posts a highly interesting read.

Ralph could give his lecture on any other thread about electronics or the SET thread. He does it here because of Lamm. Can he discuss typology and his products without denigrating other approaches?

His argument is that SET amplification in general and my amplifiers specifically, are not accurate, but his designs are accurate. It seems strange that he would take issue with my thread title which is not Accurate Sound.

He dismisses my preference and others who share it by simply saying we like the colorations and that he likes the colorations too and designing similar amplifiers are fun. He also threw in a snide remark about belt drive turntables. This from a member of the industry on a hobbyist’s Channel system thread.

Members who don’t have their own systems or troll others by simply giggling at all of their posts are free to share their opinions and criticize the choices other members make. However, to use Mike’s words, “it is not a good look” when a manufacturer comes onto a system thread to criticize the hobbyist’s choice of gear to promote his own. Designers should promote their gear on their own threads and discuss technical issues in threads about those topics, and they should do it without denigrating the competition.

I don’t think my thread title invites people to question whether or not my gear is technically qualified to make such a claim. It is a subjective opinion and my choice for a title. it is also the way Vladimir Lamm described the sound of his ML2 amplifier which is the cornerstone of my system.
 
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Oh please, Ralph's arguments technically or otherwise always end with a description of how his own designs are just the right way to do things and other amps/preamps/phono sections just don't get it right. I am sure he has gotten a lot of interest for his product this way, i certainly had never heard of Athmas-Spere before seeing his many posts here and on Audiogon. I would certainly call it marketing, he is not here to educate Peter about amp topology, but to do a little marketing. A lot cheaper than buying full page adds. ;)

Exactly right. It is all about self-promotion. He knows it and most of us know it. There is a lot of industry promotion on this website.
 
Can you indicate whether your full asking price is equal to retailed price? A lot of dealers will give different discount to different customers. If the dealer deems you as VIP, the discount is bigger. So paying full asking price means nothing.

I simply point out your nonsense. Full asking price means X% of retail price. X can be different for different people. Since you are friend of David and he is dealer of vDH and Lamm, your full asking price can still be significantly lower than others. So your statement full asking price means nothing.

I suspect you are not a native English speaker, if so I can understand your confusion.

You introduced "your full asking price" as something belonging to Peter and then you contrast that with retail price. That is your (false) dichotomy. "Asking price" refers to what belongs to a seller, most typically of used equipment. "Retail Price" (MSRP) refers to new equipment and typically belongs to the manufacturer. Typically distributors give dealers a margin to work with so the retailer has some room to incentivize the borrower by offering a discount to MSRP. Sometimes there is a negotiation on price, but Peter said he did not negotiate. Suggest you re-read your posts with that in mind.

You need to post a system to say anything. I thought this is a free speech which your country values so much. Or not?

Of course there is no requirement. It is an observation that quite often the snipers with little to no positive contributions will not post their systems. Others are left to speculate why. In my case I give less weight and credence to poster's who refuse to participate by telling us what or if they have an audio system. Couple that with the content of your posts and you may calculate how genuine you appear.
 
I simply point out your nonsense. Full asking price means X% of retail price. X can be different for different people. Since you are friend of David and he is dealer of vDH and Lamm, your full asking price can still be significantly lower than others. So your statement full asking price means nothing.

David had nothing to do with my VDH cartridges. The cartridges were new except for the one that was a gift from a friend in Europe.

What is the retail price of used equipment? There is no MSRP. The price is what the seller presents. I was presented a price and I paid it. No negotiation. This is different from the people who are presented prices and they then negotiate.

I bought the Lamm L1 preamp online. The seller had no idea who I am and doesn’t care. I responded to the ad and paid the price he was asking. No negotiation.
 

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