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Post by bowie on May 30, 2019 22:48:43 GMT -6
I don't understand this. What about repair people? I've met my fair share of unscrupulous car repair people or inflated pricing with camera repair or whatever, but they all had the ability to answer the phone and deliver when promised. However, the actual ability to pick up the phone or respond timely or follow an email thread to a conclusion or the out and out bald faced liar, seems to be an specific to audio repair. From the local numbskull who fixes amps to people with national reputations. And quite frankly, the people who act as apologists for unprofessional behavior should do better. I get label people and musicians being dicks, but people who make their bread and butter off service? That's mystifying. I didn't call them dicks. I can only speculate that dealing with creatives as clients, from a service perspective, makes them vulnerable. A car repair guy deals with regular people, about definable things. Musicians don't live in that universe. I've never seen a local music store repair guy last more than a few years before they lose their minds or burn out. Musicians like their half-broken things, then they break all the way, then they get fixed and work correctly, and the musician complains about the half-broken thing that was lost. There's a pretty high percentage of that. No car/toilet repair guy has to contend with a big list of subjective requests, theirs is purely objective. As a repair guy who specializes in obscure antique tube audio, I frequently have large amounts of mission creep to contend with, people who say they are sending one thing to restore and then send three, etc. There's a lot of communication fatigue that goes with it, and a large percentage of inquiries that are not pursued which take you away from actual labor time. There's a percentage of people who say they are sending something who never do, and it's left hanging as a possible schedule item. No one asks the moon with a refrigerator repair, audio almost always has a large fantasy factor to contend with. I sometimes work on things that take years to complete, given that they happen around my audio engineering schedule, in spare time. Sometimes you send updates, sometimes there's nothin to report because nothing has happened. I frequently tell people I'm 6 months to a year out on availability, and this isn't even a pursuit I attempt to advertise. Good post, strong insight. I'm taking a 10 minute break from what has been an overwhelming day, in a busy week, at the end of a hectic month, within the craziest year I've had in a while. I've considered taking a month off to heal up from a lingering injury but I just can't do it. When I leave this page I will be staring at parts orders that need to be packed before tomorrow, several builds awaiting completion, mics I've been asked to repair because the original builder ghosted, not to mention a dozen personal projects that are distant dreams at this point. I'm sure most guys successfully working in parts and/or repairs face similar things every day. But, I believe one thing we gotta do is keep up communication. It's so easy to get buried in work and we can't always prioritize on a first come/first serve basis. Some things eat up hours you didn't anticipate and create a log jam, others leave you mentally fatigued to the point that you have to step away until you can hit it with a refreshed mind. I am frequently hit with delays that affect everyone who is waiting on me, but I've found that people will be very understanding if we just let them know what's going on. Musicians are 'unique', but they're generally warm folks and my customers are the reason I love my job. The biggest mistake I can make is to not keep up communication with them because that breaks that personal bond and trust. That's no judgement on anyone or how they do business. I just know I wouldn't make it without communication and when I hear customers complain about others in the biz, 90% of it is communication related.
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Post by bowie on May 17, 2019 16:45:34 GMT -6
Not sure how world savvy this actor is but I generally don't hire anyone who is willing to work for free because the quality of the work is going to be reflected in what I paid for it.
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Post by bowie on May 2, 2019 22:00:04 GMT -6
Circling back around to say that I finally finished my LA2A build, and it turned out great. Nice and quiet. No hum even dimed. Sounds great... Nice weight to the low-end and nice smooth compression. I will post a pic when I am on a PC. Martin really did a great job on this. Also a big hand to bowie for a great tube complement. . Curious what the total cost of the La-2a project was? I won't speak for anyone else, but I've built several P2P LA2As and the price varied a lot based on the components I chose. There's a wide price range, especially in transformers, tubes, caps, even cases. I got up to around $1,500 in materials on a few builds. Build them because you love the build process and want to craft a certain sound that you can't get from production builds, not because they're cheaper because, when you factor in time, you're not doing yourself any real favors.
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Post by bowie on Mar 22, 2019 20:14:31 GMT -6
^That is correct, thank you. The .com has been squatted on for 10+ years by someone who does not respond to inquiries. The good ol AOL email address is still alive and well and I'm doing tubes full time through that email. Regarding the Telefunken EF86 topic, I didn't follow the whole discussion so I'm not sure what's being debated but I'll make some comments and people can feel free to ask questions. -The market for EF86s is one of the most polluted right now and even I get scammed all the time. As recently as last week. It's very common for sellers (particularly in EU where EF86s were common) to pull EF86s from old equipment and sell them as "NOS" or "like new". Sometimes even re-printing boxes to make them look 'NIB'. New labels can be put on the glass too. -"Red tip" tubes are usually pulls. I personally avoid them because I only seek NOS/unused EF86s. -EF86s test far too generously on most tube testers so, even if the seller is not out to dupe anyone, they might be selling weak tubes as "tests like new". The digital Amplitrex AT1000 is the only tester I've personally used that seems to give accurate readings on EF86s. This tester is NOT adequate for noise testing though (other than line-grade maybe) and will not give you any idea if a tube is mic-grade. -Even if an EF86 is accurately tested at 100%, it might be a used tube because tubes don't just start at 100%. If an EF86 starts at 150% of spec it might be worn and noisy by the time it gets down to 100%. A tube that starts at 80% though might have the exact same lifespan as one that starts at 150%. This is why getting an unused tube is important. The specs don't really tell you how much life is left or if it's unused. Determining that is more a matter of adding up probabilities and using an experienced eye. -Some sellers 'rejuvenate' used tubes by cooking them at high heater voltages to restore strength. These tubes will test strong but In my experience this is temporary and when I put the tube through my burn-in process, it will usually go back to being a weak tube after a few dozen hours. -I did once find a bulk packed group of NOS Telefunken EF86s, but it's rare to find unused bulk stock. -Scammers on ebay often have 100% positive feedback because people who can spot a fake or a dishonest listing will not buy from them, and thus can't leave feedback. I don't "out" anyone publicly so if you have a question/suspicion that can remain confidential, feel free to message or email me. I don't want to turn this into a sales pitch for my biz either. I just want to share as much info as possible and be transparent about tubes and the tube market. It's only the scammers who benefit from misinformation. Do you have a protege you are training? Seriously? It will be a serious loss if/when you ever bow out of this game. I've never thought about myself that way but people tell me ^that a lot so I realize I should probably start to document what I've leaned. There's a lot of "tube guys" out there that have a wealth of technical knowledge but I think my strength is that few of the tube guys have spent a lot of time from an artist's standpoint, spending thousands of hours making detailed sonic comparisons like I have. I've had a few people ask to apprentice but I advise them there's no money in it, especially for honest folks. I think I might be in the last generation of "tube guys" as I'm relatively young for this kind of work (in my 40's) and by the time I get done with tubes in another 20 or 30 years, the good stuff might finally be unobtanium.
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Post by bowie on Mar 22, 2019 18:46:54 GMT -6
I just spent a while typing a huge reply to this but when I went to post the site dumped it and gave me an error message (I think it logged me out because I took too long). Very frustrating as I went into great detail and I really don't have it in me to type it all up again tonight. But, I don't want to ignore your Q so I'll say this; When buying unselected tubes, it used to make sense to buy an EF806s because you were more likely to get a mic grade tube. But, the market is so polluted now (more than half the 806s I come across are used being sold as "NOS") that the old rules don't apply. I personally find well selected Tele EF86s can be as good as a nice EF806s so I usually recommend people save their money and go with a good EF86. But, some feel differently and insist on 806s only so I carry them for people who prefer them. One thing to keep in mind is that there are variations on these tubes so they don't always sound the same and can't always be laterally compared. Some even like the standard EF86s better, depending on the tone they are after and the type they are comparing. I've seen it said that some batches of EF806s were factory selected EF86s. I can't verify the validity of that statement but it wouldn't surprise me in the least as some look and sound exactly the same. So, you'll get a variety of opinions but that's a summary of my sentiments. 15 years ago, the market was different and you could get good 806s without mortgaging your home or winding up with fakes/used pieces. Now, you have to be careful. The last several EF806s I've got were noisy and tested poorly, despite all being "NOS" and supposedly tested as such by the electronics salvagers I got them from. Curious to know what happens when you end up buying crap tubes? Do you try and dispute it to get your money back? Or eat it and take a loss? I try to develop business relationships with the individuals and businesses that go through inventories of old electronics. Most tubes in general are not up to pro-audio standards and I don't fuss about that. Sometimes, even an entire batch is low quality and I often eat several hundred dollars at a time. But, if something is not as it was described to me (fake, used, branded one name but made by another), I'll make an effort to get my money back. If they refuse, they aren't people I want to be doing business with in the future anyway. I spend a lot of money on these things so most these folks would rather keep my business. It's easier for them to sell everything at once to me than to try to sell them individually and deal with all the hassles that go along with that.
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Post by bowie on Mar 21, 2019 20:52:59 GMT -6
bowie , how does the EF806 compare to the EF86? Stam and other builders seem to like them. I just spent a while typing a huge reply to this but when I went to post the site dumped it and gave me an error message (I think it logged me out because I took too long). Very frustrating as I went into great detail and I really don't have it in me to type it all up again tonight. But, I don't want to ignore your Q so I'll say this; When buying unselected tubes, it used to make sense to buy an EF806s because you were more likely to get a mic grade tube. But, the market is so polluted now (more than half the 806s I come across are used being sold as "NOS") that the old rules don't apply. I personally find well selected Tele EF86s can be as good as a nice EF806s so I usually recommend people save their money and go with a good EF86. But, some feel differently and insist on 806s only so I carry them for people who prefer them. One thing to keep in mind is that there are variations on these tubes so they don't always sound the same and can't always be laterally compared. Some even like the standard EF86s better, depending on the tone they are after and the type they are comparing. I've seen it said that some batches of EF806s were factory selected EF86s. I can't verify the validity of that statement but it wouldn't surprise me in the least as some look and sound exactly the same. So, you'll get a variety of opinions but that's a summary of my sentiments. 15 years ago, the market was different and you could get good 806s without mortgaging your home or winding up with fakes/used pieces. Now, you have to be careful. The last several EF806s I've got were noisy and tested poorly, despite all being "NOS" and supposedly tested as such by the electronics salvagers I got them from.
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Post by bowie on Mar 20, 2019 19:00:08 GMT -6
The ProAudioTubes@aol.com address for Christian was working as of last October and was his Paypal addy. He's also been reliable to contact through GS PM. He's a great guy and superb supplier. I was originally going to go through him to upgrade the SA-67 I ordered via Stam and Christian remarked that due to the U67 reissue, 86's of all kinds were in high demand and they were a lot more costly since the last time I purchased several (for something...). The great thing about Christian is his depth of knowledge and sense of what each tube maker sonically brings to the table. The SA67 and I parted ways very quickly, so I didn't need to go through with the purchase. I did by a buttload of 6Ak5's to roll in my Horch that is currently in MicRehab Purgatory. Maybe someday... ^That is correct, thank you. The .com has been squatted on for 10+ years by someone who does not respond to inquiries. The good ol AOL email address is still alive and well and I'm doing tubes full time through that email. Regarding the Telefunken EF86 topic, I didn't follow the whole discussion so I'm not sure what's being debated but I'll make some comments and people can feel free to ask questions. -The market for EF86s is one of the most polluted right now and even I get scammed all the time. As recently as last week. It's very common for sellers (particularly in EU where EF86s were common) to pull EF86s from old equipment and sell them as "NOS" or "like new". Sometimes even re-printing boxes to make them look 'NIB'. New labels can be put on the glass too. -"Red tip" tubes are usually pulls. I personally avoid them because I only seek NOS/unused EF86s. -EF86s test far too generously on most tube testers so, even if the seller is not out to dupe anyone, they might be selling weak tubes as "tests like new". The digital Amplitrex AT1000 is the only tester I've personally used that seems to give accurate readings on EF86s. This tester is NOT adequate for noise testing though (other than line-grade maybe) and will not give you any idea if a tube is mic-grade. -Even if an EF86 is accurately tested at 100%, it might be a used tube because tubes don't just start at 100%. If an EF86 starts at 150% of spec it might be worn and noisy by the time it gets down to 100%. A tube that starts at 80% though might have the exact same lifespan as one that starts at 150%. This is why getting an unused tube is important. The specs don't really tell you how much life is left or if it's unused. Determining that is more a matter of adding up probabilities and using an experienced eye. -Some sellers 'rejuvenate' used tubes by cooking them at high heater voltages to restore strength. These tubes will test strong but In my experience this is temporary and when I put the tube through my burn-in process, it will usually go back to being a weak tube after a few dozen hours. -I did once find a bulk packed group of NOS Telefunken EF86s, but it's rare to find unused bulk stock. -Scammers on ebay often have 100% positive feedback because people who can spot a fake or a dishonest listing will not buy from them, and thus can't leave feedback. I don't "out" anyone publicly so if you have a question/suspicion that can remain confidential, feel free to message or email me. I don't want to turn this into a sales pitch for my biz either. I just want to share as much info as possible and be transparent about tubes and the tube market. It's only the scammers who benefit from misinformation.
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Post by bowie on Feb 23, 2019 18:07:31 GMT -6
In the traditional LA2A circuit, one 12AX7 is in the amplifier section and the other in the compression circuit. For sonic improvement in a new unit, the amplifier 12AX7 and the 12BH7 are the ones to upgrade. The other two can wait until they start to wear. As far as placement goes, I've not helped anyone with the KT-2A (didn't even know it was a thing until now) but I've figured out other gear by looking at the internals.
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Post by bowie on Feb 13, 2019 6:46:16 GMT -6
Lots of trolling battles on GS..and Steven Slate marketing threads. There’s still a few OG cool people but it’s tough. A guy just messaged me asking how to get the “Post Malone” vocal sound. I just can’t.. From Krush411? I got the same PM... He was asking me about gear I haven't even used. He didn't post a link to the track, which I have still never heard/of. Should I have? Same guy. But, in fairness he did inquire about gear I had actually used and posted about. And, thanked me for the advice, even though I told him his best bet was to stop trying to sound like other people.
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Post by bowie on Feb 13, 2019 6:43:38 GMT -6
I feel like I can't post on GS anymore because it's just full of people wanting to argue about everything, just because they love to argue. I don't want to have to spend 10min on each post trying to make sure it's troll-proof, and then still have to go back and argue with people who have no real purpose other than to be disagreeable. I don't have time for that and I don't get a thrill out of arguing.
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Post by bowie on Jan 31, 2019 7:04:31 GMT -6
I'm not sure I've seen an M49 clone? That's my favorite mic of all time. EDIT: LOL I just saw someone had one for sale from Advanced Audio in the classifieds. I agree with you in that there's a lack of M49s in the mid-teir market that actually sound like M49s. The mic has a very distinctive sound to it that comes from the circuit itself and it isn't hard to capture that vibe. Wunder and Flea do a good job but that's in the higher price bracket. Good, cheap bodies are now being produced for these.
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Post by bowie on Jan 30, 2019 19:47:28 GMT -6
And I could just buy one and swap my SSDs in, right? I don't know about MAC OS, but windows won't work if you swap hardware like that. it stores a snapshot of your hardware and if it changes too drastically it'll assume you're trying to use that install of windows on a new computer. It's part of how they tried to curtail piracy.. I assume that Apple did the same thing.. Not to side-topic this, what Windows looks for now is the motherboard to be the same. Depending on the type of license and how long you've been running it, Windows will sometimes flag it. If your license allows, you can do a limited number of mobo swaps (I don't believe they ever disclosed how many). I've had times when it went fine, others when it was either too soon or the license did not allow it. Storage drives won't matter, nor will the CPU. I did some heavy swapping in Win 10 recently on two machines and it was ok when the mobo remained the same. Regarding the main topic, if I were going with a new Mac/PC, I'd go for a fresh install for the smoothest possible performance.
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Post by bowie on Jan 30, 2019 7:26:50 GMT -6
Good news! The tube swap did it. I also tested the tubes with my Orange VT1000, which I know is not “pro” equipment but it has served me well. One of the tubes tested a gain of 7 on both sides (position V1 initially). The other tested 8 and 10, which is not unusual (position V4 initially). So, which tube was the culprit? V1 I guess? Glad I could help! That tester won't necessarily give you any indication of the tube's potential for AC hum. There are many, many ways in which a tube can go wrong and testers only give a glimpse, some more than others. A tube that tests extremely healthy can still hum. Unless it proves to have some other issue, you should be able to use that tube in the comp section's 12AX7 spot as that position is not noise sensitive. BTW, don't worry too much about one testing 7 while the other is 8 and 10. Tubes are built in an attempt to hit a target spec, but they really end up all over the place. A tube that starts at 7 won't necessarily have a shorter lifespan that one that starts at 10.
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Post by bowie on Jan 29, 2019 18:46:14 GMT -6
You could try swapping the positions of the two 12AX7 tubes. Noise (like filament hum) from the gain stage 12AX7 in an LA2A style circuit is "always on", regardless of settings. However, 5 seconds is a fairly short time for it to warm up enough to start making noise. Still, it's possible to start hearing it within 10 seconds and might be worth the effort to move the two 12AX7s around to see if that's the issue.
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Post by bowie on Jan 26, 2019 18:46:40 GMT -6
Great thread. I can't tell you how many professional studios, loaded with high end gear, keep a VLAII in their racks. A couple of studio owners told me they were embarrassed by it and tried to hide the logo. When I first used one the only thing I was embarrassed by was that I spent so much on my classic comps and here's this thing they practically give away that does such a competent job on so many things. Never ended up buying one for myself but when I was doing work out of a studio that had one, I recall choosing it over a Distressor on several tracks. It's just a very "agreeable" comp, if that makes any sense.
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Post by bowie on Dec 31, 2018 16:31:57 GMT -6
I use Deoxit Gold every day on tubes and I'll echo what has been said about using small quantities. You don't want a lot of residue left behind as it can cause problems, especially if it collects debris. I use pipe cleaners and just lightly brush across the metal, allowing it to dry before letting it touch anything. I'd never just spray it in equipment. Pipe cleaners can get in most nooks and crannies. Also, there is a version for long-lasting protection (forget what it's called), AVOID it. It leaves a tacky coating that you don't want in audio equipment. It should be pointed out that tubes are HIGH VOLTAGE devices, where the typical operating voltage can "punch through" residue problems. It can be a lot more critical for circuits using opamp chips running at 12-15 V. Correct, though the reason I use it on tubes is that I, as a matter of practice, remove the oxidation and factory coating off the pins and expose clean metal underneath for better conductivity and lower instances of noise. It's a lot of work but I've done experiments and it's proven to be well worth the effort for me, especially when it comes to avoiding issues on the customer end. If I leave the pins bare they just oxidize within a few months so I lightly brush them with the Deoxit Gold, which helps to keep them from oxidizing for a number of years. I've tried applying it to tube pins with oxidation and factory coatings on them and it didn't help at all. On tubes, that stuff needs to be mechanically removed. I should note that I'm speaking about miniature tubes with solid metal pins, larger octal socket tubes and such rarely need to be cleaned to such a degree, just wiped off.
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Post by bowie on Dec 29, 2018 16:57:31 GMT -6
I use Deoxit Gold every day on tubes and I'll echo what has been said about using small quantities. You don't want a lot of residue left behind as it can cause problems, especially if it collects debris. I use pipe cleaners and just lightly brush across the metal, allowing it to dry before letting it touch anything. I'd never just spray it in equipment. Pipe cleaners can get in most nooks and crannies.
Also, there is a version for long-lasting protection (forget what it's called), AVOID it. It leaves a tacky coating that you don't want in audio equipment.
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Post by bowie on Dec 17, 2018 15:45:52 GMT -6
It’s amazing how many of my clients try to communicate with me through Facebook instead of simply using email. Downright frustrating. Same. I was using it several times a day but stopped a few months ago because of the political games they're playing and the sheer manipulation of it's users. I won't take part in that. I've lost business though because, even though mine is set up as a personal page and has little mention of my work, people still find me on there and want to conduct business via facebook messages. I guess I'm finally "old" because I'm starting to feel as if I don't understand how this world works anymore...
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Post by bowie on Nov 26, 2018 19:02:54 GMT -6
This is why I take detailed pics of everything and, for high-dollar items, even take pics of the packaging process. All it took was one ebay scammer 10 years ago to strike paranoia into me.
When you have problems like this, always get an ebay rep on the phone. The ones who review claims online (when it's not going through the automated system) don't give a damn. The phone reps at least take the time to understand what's happening.
But, be aware that ebay takes a "buyer is always right" approach. I've got their reps to flat out admit this. If a buyer is unhappy and claims it's not as described, you must take it back. The best you can do is report a suspicious buyer and they will make note of it. This is why I avoid selling on ebay. Take over 10% and offer me no protection? No thank you.
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Post by bowie on Oct 24, 2018 14:35:48 GMT -6
Damn... from the title, I thought this was going to be a guitar thread. Same... I could literally talk about acoustic guitar woods for hours. I actually had a conversation with the guy who harvested the old-growth Adirondack spruce log that my Collings was built with.
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Post by bowie on Sept 24, 2018 12:29:00 GMT -6
If they do it in the form of a credit card chargeback, they absolutely can. PayPal will promptly yank that money back as fast as possible and if it isn't there, it's considered debt. Since F&F isn't for merch, you can't prove to the CC company that it was a legit transaction. The sender just needs to convince their CC company that they were scammed. This seems to be easier in certain countries more than others. PayPal says they will try to work with credit card companies in situations of chargebacks but that it's entirely up to the CC company. I've never had it happen to me but the reps gave me the impression that success is mixed, especially if the bank is outside of the US. Interesting. Shitty for that youtuber guy. I do have to say the Paypal dispute thing is pretty aggressive, once filed its almost impossible to win if you're on the other end of it. It's ugly, that's for sure. I've only had a few against me (never against my business, all just ebay scammers trying to get free stuff) but managed to win all disputes by having good documentation and talking to PayPal. It's amazing how far you can get by talking to the people at PayPal and explaining to them what's going on.
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Post by bowie on Sept 23, 2018 19:55:15 GMT -6
Here's a cautionary tale for sellers. This year, a Youtuber I occasionally watch was receiving significant donations from a fan. I was very suspect but never said anything. One day the broadcaster uploaded a video, appearing distraught and suicidal, explaining that all the donations (PayPal F&F) were disputed and that he now owed PayPal over $10,000. PayPal was unhelpful and the streamer (a guy in his 20's living in his parent's house in the UK) had given much of the money to help his family. Be careful who you accept friends and family payments from. I thought if it was F&F you can't dispute it?? That was the point. No Fees, no PayPal services.. If they do it in the form of a credit card chargeback, they absolutely can. PayPal will promptly yank that money back as fast as possible and if it isn't there, it's considered debt. Since F&F isn't for merch, you can't prove to the CC company that it was a legit transaction. The sender just needs to convince their CC company that they were scammed. This seems to be easier in certain countries more than others. PayPal says they will try to work with credit card companies in situations of chargebacks but that it's entirely up to the CC company. I've never had it happen to me but the reps gave me the impression that success is mixed, especially if the bank is outside of the US.
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Post by bowie on Sept 21, 2018 21:09:38 GMT -6
Yeah buying a bunch of NOS tubes for a production microphone strikes me as being moderately insane. I would just offer it as an additional purchase beyond the "stock" tube which to me would be something currently produced. If you run out of NOS stock oh well people can buy it from bowie or wherever else NOS tubes are being sold. Yea, it's actually to the point that it's not even possible for a company to source enough high quality NOS EF86s for a production run. Too rare and expensive. Some mic makers buy a few NOS pieces from me for custom mics, but these days the only way for a maker to use high end NOS tubes in a production run is to do like Manley and others do, and use tubes that are not in high demand. Some smaller companies have used "NOS" EF86s recently but they are mostly the lower quality types from the 1980s (with country of origin often faked), which are not much different than what's being made today.
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Post by bowie on Sept 5, 2018 18:01:06 GMT -6
There's this "expensive vs cheap" war that people seem to take a side on but it's not that simple. You really have to take it on a case by case basis. I've had more cheap gear fail but it's much easier to forget about those than it is the unit you paid $3,000 for. I've been shocked at some of the things I've found in some high end gear and it's sometimes being made by guys with highly regarded names in this biz. People you'd never think to question. Not just cheap parts here or there or sloppy work, but I've actually found mistakes in wiring where they got one channel correct and miswired something in the other. A $10,000 pair of custom mics where they didn't bother to even use the same brand of capacitors in the audio path of both mics. But, those are exceptions and I generally see not only smarter designs, but much better components used in high end gear. Most of the Chinese stuff I see is built quickly with the cheapest materials. Some rise above that though. And, others rise above it for a time, then slip in some area. Just like some of the high end builders do. I haven't noticed enough of a difference in reliability for it to influence my purchase the way that the sound quality will. I'll always buy for the sound, regardless of price, unless there's a serious issue going on with the company. Side note; a lot of people buy used high end gear (me included) and notice a higher instance of issues. Keep in mind that many people sell their gear rather than get it fixed or even looked at to see if there's a reason it's sounding bad. I unfortunately see this happen a lot. A LOT. I agree with all of that except for the eighth word from the end. Speaking as a person who is always looking for great deals on used gear and is somewhat technical, I think that you included a spurious "Un" on the word "Fortunately"... True, true. Half my collection of misfit gear is something that I got for a song and was able to repair. My favorite guitar is a Brazilian rosewood Bourgeois that I acquired outrageously cheap because it needed a few repairs. What I sadly see too often though is someone buying gear that someone else sold because it was acting up, with the issues themselves never being disclosed. It's the idea of facing several hundred dollars in repairs (or sometimes just maintenance) that the seller refuses to deal with so they see if they can pass the problem along to someone else.
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Post by bowie on Sept 5, 2018 8:02:33 GMT -6
I've not opened one of these myself, nor have I dealt with anything similar, but that mounting design looks like a nightmare if it is in fact glued. I thought perhaps you could work from the other end but I see that's not possible because of how some of the other components are mounted. If you find that it is glued, heat may be the only option to remove the box. If it's glue gun/craft glue it shouldn't be too terribly hard to remove. If you don't feel comfortable though, don't do it. Thanks for the reply Bowie. It's a really nice circuit in the mic, but the implementation is really a pain. I had to disassemble the entire mic just to get it open. I'm hoping I'm missing something obvious and the tube is easier to get to than I think. I found a tech near me that I'm going to ask to look at it. What are your thoughts on that tube? The mic has always sounded really nice, but I'm always into trying out different tubes. I think the EF86 design, and many similar designs, often result in gorgeous sounding circuits. Even with cheap tubes. There's a natural quality that can be associated with that type of tube and I'm a fan. Regarding that specific tube, they can do a competent job. But, high quality EF86s are just something else entirely. They can reproduce such a sense of dimension, articulation, etc. They're getting painfully expensive though as supplies diminish.
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