- Watch this: video Amazon energy saving - 4 Updates
- More about that Chinese amp - 16 Updates
- Terrible tube amp noise - 2 Updates
| bruce2bowser@gmail.com: Jan 02 06:53AM -0800 > > The payback only appears to be eight years. There is interest involved in the initial costs. Also the solar panels will raise your property taxes. > There is that. There is the false assumption of $2,500 in avoided utility bills - possible in some parts of the US with good sun, no snow, and dry-but-dust-free weather. Oh, and the service life of 35 years. Sure. All good. > And, of course, EnergySage wants to sell you solar panels on commission from local installers. Naturally, their figures will be highly optimistic. The whole point here is that you're assuming that you're on your property for longer than eight years. All costs are figured up to the industry recognized eight-year break-even point. So, your assumption of other costs that you are claiming (or that you could recoup from government subsidies to you - something that you strangely don't mention) is included in that 8- year time period. So if you don't plan on staying past 8 years, don't install - even though even your resale value will increase. |
| bruce2bowser@gmail.com: Jan 02 06:55AM -0800 On Tuesday, December 31, 2019 at 12:05:03 PM UTC-5, Michael Terrell wrote: > On Tuesday, December 31, 2019 at 10:56:43 AM UTC-5, bruce2...@gmail.com wrote: > > Thus your property is appreciating in value, afterwards. > The payback only appears to be eight years. There is interest involved in the initial costs. Also the solar panels will raise your property taxes. "Property tax exemptions allow businesses and homeowners to exclude the added value of a solar system from the valuation of their property for taxation purposes. An exemption makes it more economically feasible for a taxpayer to install a solar system on a residential or commercial property." Solar Tax Exemptions Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) https://www.seia.org/initiatives/solar-tax-exemptions |
| "pfjw@aol.com" <peterwieck33@gmail.com>: Jan 02 07:24AM -0800 Yikes! Against stupidity the very gods themselves contend in vain. Schiller When will you understand that there is no effective payback on Solar unless: a) You have a 'free' source of original funding. b) There are no peripheral costs to the installation. Why: a) TVM at 3.5% makes the linear payback over 26 years at $0.14/KWH in 2020 dollars. That is beyond the expected service life (80% of nameplate) of a solar panel. 3.5% is an optimistic interest rate for a project of this type. b) The lifetime cost of a solar panel exceeds the amount of energy it produces. Again, from production of raw materials to disposition of the exhausted panel. c) Government subsidies are an outright theft of taxpayer money. Perhaps not as egregious as the F35 fighter, but close enough. I choose not to steal from you via a subsidy for an already marginal system. Or are you OK with me picking your pocket? Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA |
| Fox's Mercantile <jdangus@att.net>: Jan 02 09:32AM -0600 > a) You have a 'free' source of original funding. So, just for laughs, I followed one of those links for "free Solar" Went though the calculations and such. Then found out I needed to pay $3500 up front. Perhaps I missed the part about free. -- "I am a river to my people." Jeff-1.0 WA6FWi http:foxsmercantile.com |
| Trevor Wilson <trevor@rageaudio.com.au>: Jan 02 07:18AM +1100 >> I'd rather listen to, well, ANYTHING, but Trump. > Yeah. I have a decent SS amp. Good speakers on it too. I still like my > tube amp. No accounting for taste, eh? **Indeed. Your tube amp is acting as an expensive, unreliable tone control. When you finally realise that, you may decide that another approach is appropriate. Or not. Think about it logically: EVERYTHING in front of your tube amp is solid state. There are literally hundreds of semiconductor junctions in the recording chain and any digital reproduction devices in your part of the chain. The only thing your tube amp is doing, is to alter the original sound, via linear and non-linear introduced distortion. For me and my system, ALL forms of distortion interfere with the original musical event and are not tolerated. I get the attraction of tube amps to some people. They look different and they have this retro appeal to hipsters and others. Sonically, they are a waste of time, money and effort. -- Trevor Wilson www.rageaudio.com.au |
| "pfjw@aol.com" <peterwieck33@gmail.com>: Jan 01 12:41PM -0800 Do you sell boutique cables and interconnects? Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA |
| Trevor Wilson <trevor@rageaudio.com.au>: Jan 02 08:01AM +1100 > Do you sell boutique cables and interconnects? > Peter Wieck > Melrose Park, PA **No. The most expensive cable I sell costs AUS$50.00/Metre pair. I justify it, based on the fact that it uses good quality, PE insulated copper, hand soldered, quality connectors. What's your point? Are you seriously trying to defend the use of a cheap, shitty, Chinese tube amp in any good quality system? You're fighting a losing battle. I've worked on more of these shit-box amps than I care to think about. They, in many cases, look quite nice (if you like that kind of style), but they introduce unacceptable levels of (linear and non-linear) distortion. FWIW: I have listened to a number of well built, very high performance tube amps over the years (blind and sighted tests). In some cases, when the speaker load was suitably benign, the tube amps performed as well as a significantly less expensive SS amp. In most cases, the tube amps performed worse. Why defend their use? -- Trevor Wilson www.rageaudio.com.au |
| Trevor Wilson <trevor@rageaudio.com.au>: Jan 02 08:23AM +1100 > Do you sell boutique cables and interconnects? > Peter Wieck > Melrose Park, PA **Oops. Make that AUS$20.00/Metre pair: https://www.wagneronline.com.au/stereo-rca-audio-lead-white-pearl/white-pearl-audio-leads/prepared-leads/cables-connectors/9435/fl/ Excellent quality cables. I choose them because they are robust, well made and rarely cause problems. Foil and braid shielding. I have no time for bullshit, like cheap, shitty, Chinese tube amps. As for speaker cables, this is what I sell and recommend: https://au.rs-online.com/web/p/coaxial-cable/2228654/ Low resistance and low inductance. And, low cost. PITA to terminate though. FAR superior to most commercial speaker cables. Costs range down as low as AUS$3.00/Metre. Is that what you mean by "boutique"? Or are you thinking of something else? -- Trevor Wilson www.rageaudio.com.au |
| "pfjw@aol.com" <peterwieck33@gmail.com>: Jan 01 01:24PM -0800 On Wednesday, January 1, 2020 at 4:01:53 PM UTC-5, Trevor Wilson wrote: > the speaker load was suitably benign, the tube amps performed as well as > a significantly less expensive SS amp. In most cases, the tube amps > performed worse. http://www.rageaudio.com.au/index.php?p=1_4 From your website, so, presumably something that you are selling. Making you both a hypocrite and a liar. My *point* is that this is a hobby. That there are multiple ways to enjoy it using multiple means and methods. If Eric chooses to use and enjoy a (truly) wretched bit of Chinese equipment - not my first choice, either - then it is his privilege to do so. And not have some lying asshole get up on his high horse about it. Seldom do I resort to such language, but in this case, you well-and-truly deserve it. At this point, I have no less than nine (9) amps in active service, being two brute-force amps, solid-state. Four moderate amps, solid-state, and three tube amps, ranging from 75 to 15 wpc/rms. I happen to enjoy all of them, largely for different reasons and under different conditions, and into different speakers. Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA |
| Trevor Wilson <trevor@rageaudio.com.au>: Jan 02 08:33AM +1100 >> a significantly less expensive SS amp. In most cases, the tube amps >> performed worse. > http://www.rageaudio.com.au/index.php?p=1_4 From your website, so, presumably something that you are selling. Making you both a hypocrite and a liar. **I figured you would refer me to that. Those cables were provided to me by a client who wanted me to sell them on consignment (no profit margin). I duly advertised them as requested. I explained to him, at the time, that I was unlikely to place them. After a few months, he collected them. I have not had the opportunity to remove the ad from my site. I'll get around to it. I am not overly concerned, as the ONLY response I've had are from people like you, pointing out that ad. Not one person has ever expressed any interest in purchasing the cables. > My *point* is that this is a hobby. That there are multiple ways to enjoy it using multiple means and methods. If Eric chooses to use and enjoy a (truly) wretched bit of Chinese equipment - not my first choice, either - then it is his privilege to do so. And not have some lying asshole get up on his high horse about it. **A "lying asshole"? I cited the facts. Nothing more. > Seldom do I resort to such language, but in this case, you well-and-truly deserve it. **Do I? How so? > At this point, I have no less than nine (9) amps in active service, being two brute-force amps, solid-state. Four moderate amps, solid-state, and three tube amps, ranging from 75 to 15 wpc/rms. I happen to enjoy all of them, largely for different reasons and under different conditions, and into different speakers. **Good for you. Call a spade a spade and stop encouraging people to persevere with cheap, shitty, Chinese tube amps. In fact, there is no sane reason to use ANY tube amp in a quality hi fi system. -- Trevor Wilson www.rageaudio.com.au |
| Fox's Mercantile <jdangus@att.net>: Jan 01 03:45PM -0600 On 1/1/20 3:33 PM, Trevor Wilson wrote: > **Good for you. Call a spade a spade and stop encouraging people to > persevere with cheap, shitty, Chinese tube amps. In fact, there is no > sane reason to use ANY tube amp in a quality hi fi system. Ya know, not everyone gives a rat's ass about having a "quality hi fi system." There are those of us that might be able to tell the difference, but choose our "cheap piece of shit" system to listen to instead. Solid State or tube. Because to us, at the end of the day, it's just something to listen to, not have some religious experience. -- "I am a river to my people." Jeff-1.0 WA6FWi http:foxsmercantile.com |
| Trevor Wilson <trevor@rageaudio.com.au>: Jan 02 08:58AM +1100 On 2/01/2020 8:45 am, Fox's Mercantile wrote: >> sane reason to use ANY tube amp in a quality hi fi system. > Ya know, not everyone gives a rat's ass about having a "quality hi fi > system." **Have you been reading the thread? The original poster is trying to repair a cheap, shitty, Chinese tube amp. There is no case that can be presented to suggest that such an amplifier makes any kind of sense in a system. ANY system. A cheap SS amp will cost less and provide superior performance and reliability. Such an amp may not provide the same pride of ownership though. > There are those of us that might be able to tell the difference, but > choose our "cheap piece of shit" system to listen to instead. Solid > State or tube. **Sure. I use such a system for my TV listening. However, just a single, decent quality, output transformer for a tube amp can easily cost more than an entire, decent quality SS amp. > Because to us, at the end of the day, it's just something to listen > to, not have some religious experience. **Again: Read the thread. -- Trevor Wilson www.rageaudio.com.au |
| Bob Engelhardt <BobEngelhardt@comcast.net>: Jan 01 06:21PM -0500 On 1/1/2020 4:23 PM, Trevor Wilson wrote: ... > I have no time for bullshit, like cheap, shitty, Chinese tube amps. > ... You seem to be spending time here ranting about them. What's it to you if Eric chooses the amp he has. He's not asking for amp selection advice. Quite the contrary. Let it go. |
| Trevor Wilson <trevor@rageaudio.com.au>: Jan 02 11:34AM +1100 On 2/01/2020 10:21 am, Bob Engelhardt wrote: > You seem to be spending time here ranting about them. What's it to you > if Eric chooses the amp he has. He's not asking for amp selection > advice. Quite the contrary. Let it go. **I care for several reasons: * When people support dodgy manufacturers, it encourages those manufacturers to foist yet more shitty products to market. * When people refuse to accept that they made a mistake by buying a cheap, shitty amplifier, they may encourage others to purchase similar products. This sets a poor precedent, as there are many quite decent SS amplifiers available, for quite decent prices. * I have considerable experience with cheap, shitty amplifiers (not just tube ones). I fix 'em for a living. Owners can waste stupid amounts of money trying to deal with poor manufacturing techniques and/or outright stupid design. I am attempting to save the original poster considerable angst. [Anecdote] One of my mates learned to drive on a 1934 Ford V8. He has many fond memories of the car. He is a wealthy guy and recently spent a small fortune (>AUS$100k) buying and fully restoring a nice example of that car. After one, 100km trip in the car, he sold it. At a substantial loss. It caused him a great deal of trouble and driving it was not what he remembered. We can all remember our first (few) amps. Mine were all tube ones (all built by me). I loved them a lot. I can also remember the considerable cost involved in replacing the tubes in a couple of them. KT88 tubes were expensive back then. Now, original GE MOV KT88 tubes insanely expensive. Chinese substitutes are shit. Time to move on. Tubes are so 1950s. Great back then. Not so much now. -- Trevor Wilson www.rageaudio.com.au |
| tabbypurr@gmail.com: Jan 01 05:07PM -0800 On Wednesday, 1 January 2020 20:18:43 UTC, Trevor Wilson wrote: > I get the attraction of tube amps to some people. They look different > and they have this retro appeal to hipsters and others. Sonically, they > are a waste of time, money and effort. Someone's never had a good tube amp. |
| "pfjw@aol.com" <peterwieck33@gmail.com>: Jan 01 05:22PM -0800 They are on your website. You and no one but you is 100% responsible for the contents of your website. Repeat: Hypocrite. Liar. Pompous jackass. Complete asshole. Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA |
| Trevor Wilson <trevor@rageaudio.com.au>: Jan 02 12:33PM +1100 >> and they have this retro appeal to hipsters and others. Sonically, they >> are a waste of time, money and effort. > Someone's never had a good tube amp. **Now you're just being silly. I've had the opportunity to listen to a VERY wide range of amplifiers in my systems (numbering in the hundreds). More than most, as my job is fixing them. I listen to all of them as part of my test procedure. I've been servicing tube amps for more than 50 (gulp) years. I've built few too. In fact, I can tell you that a REALLY good tube amp, when driving suitably benign impedance speakers, will sound almost indistinguishable from a good SS amp. In fact, I was fooled once. I thought I was listening to a Krell, when I was listening to a rather good Audio Research. Here's the thing: Really good tube amps sound just like really good (or even not so good) SS amps. I can state that from personal experience. Cheap, shitty tube amps sound very different from really good tube amps (and most SS amps). They sound different because they introduce various forms of distortion. Look at the frequency response curve, when operating into a typical speaker load (black curve), of a shitty tube amp: https://www.stereophile.com/content/audio-note-jinro-integrated-amplifier-measurements I chose that amp, because it was easy to find on the Stereophile site. There are many more examples. Here is the response of another shitty tube amp, with audible flaws): https://www.stereophile.com/content/audio-research-vsi60-integrated-amplifier-measurements Here is the response of an amp that I felt was acceptable in my system (still far from perfect): https://www.stereophile.com/content/audio-research-reference-110-power-amplifier-measurements Here is the response of a cheap SS amp, which I felt sounded as good as ANY tube amp (power output limitations excepted): https://www.stereophile.com/content/marantz-pm5003-integrated-amplifier-measurements Far from perfect, but not too horrible. You'll note the audibly significant frequency response variations inherent to most tube amps. This form of linear distortion is VERY audible. And not acceptable to me. This and other distortions do not exist in most competently designed SS amps. -- Trevor Wilson www.rageaudio.com.au |
| Trevor Wilson <trevor@rageaudio.com.au>: Jan 02 12:35PM +1100 > Complete asshole. > Peter Wieck > Melrose Park, PA **Fuck off dickhead. You can defend cheap, shitty tube amps all you like. You know that you're wrong, so you grasp at straws. -- Trevor Wilson www.rageaudio.com.au |
| Chuck <ch@dejanews.net>: Jan 01 08:25PM -0600 >> and they have this retro appeal to hipsters and others. Sonically, they >> are a waste of time, money and effort. >Someone's never had a good tube amp. One tube amp that I'm fond of is the McIntosh 275s. Rebuilt a pair of them in the mid 80s and listened to them extensively before selling them. They were the best sounding tube amps I've ever heard. |
| "pfjw@aol.com" <peterwieck33@gmail.com>: Jan 02 06:21AM -0800 Oh, good LORD, you are even more stupid than I thought. I am not "defending" Chinese Junque at any level or in any way, shape or form. I am defending Eric's right to choose such equipment without criticism from you or anyone else. You share the same character flaw as your fellow wanker Phil Allison: When caught in a lie (or error of any sort), all you can do is lash out. Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA |
| Mike Coon <gravity@mjcoon.plus.com>: Jan 01 10:18PM In article <uagp0ft82o6fp7690fmv7sake3fmd3lomp@4ax.com>, none@no.no says... > I always thought an autotransformer was a transformer with only one > winding, and input and output partially share that one winding. > But if that is true, an autotransformer cannot possibly be isolated. Agreed. I once wrote to a magazine who had mentioned "autotransformer" in the context of safety isolation on the basis that anyone who just bought verbatim would be putting themselves in danger! They published the correction... Mike. |
| tabbypurr@gmail.com: Jan 01 05:05PM -0800 On Tuesday, 31 December 2019 04:14:24 UTC, Fox's Mercantile wrote: > If you had read the entire thread, you would have seen that > it was a defective EL34. > Please try to keep up. that info came later. |
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