Exclusive to our Substack subscribers, we host a weekly Q&A every Monday. Our team of veteran writers, reviewers, and editors hand select a few to answer every Friday. Perhaps you’re having trouble with a specific amplifier, or desire a deeper understanding of transmission line speakers, from the general to the specific, post your questions here and come back on Friday to see them answered!
I would like to see some reviews of AC regeneration devices. I personally own a PS Audio Power Plant 12, which made a major improvement in the quality of the sound my system makes, and I'd like to see more discussion on it and other devices. Granted that PS Audio is the major player in that field, but not the only one.
This is a question regarding how TAS chooses to continue listing some products year after year in its annual Recommended Components (or Editors’ Choice Awards) listings, but some get dropped after only one or a couple appearances. For example, Andrew Quint reviewed the Audio Physic Cardeas 30 LJE speakers a few years ago, describing these speakers as the best he had ever heard in his listening space, providing “world class performance,” and commenting that with this speaker “one stand[s] to get sound as good as most audiophiles can hope to achieve in a typical domestic environment.”. But the Audio Physic quickly dropped out of sight in TAS’ recommendations. Just curious about the listing factors because other speakers, like various Magico speakers, reappear year after year. Thank you.
I can't find a true review --not the copy of the manufacturer's leaflet-- of the Klipsch Jubilee loudspeaker. With its two-way, active filter design, it's really attractive, but maybe it's not as good as it should --maybe not good at all? Please let me know.
Is it safe to connect a voltage regulator/surge suppressor to an isolation transformer. Similarly a step up transformer to the isolation transformer? Thanks.
I'm hoping for some wise words on age-related hearing loss and the effect of hearing aids on the listening experience . Almost over-night I developed a hearing problem in my left ear which caused a " raspiness" mostly in female vocals . After several visits to my ENT and audiologist and unsuccessful treatment attempts , I tried room treatment and DSP , also unsuccessful . A hearing aid corrects the problem but changes the audio experience and not for the better . I've tried using the hearing aid in only one ear and this did not work well . I'm now working on playlists that will satisfy more than annoy . What do you think is the effect of hearing aids on the listening experience ? Are some hearing aids more suitable for audiophiles ? Do any of your TAS reviewers have experience with hearing aids ? After almost 60 years as an audiophile I'm truly bummed that it is my hearing that has failed me and can't be upgraded.
How important is room treatments vs new equipment? For example buying a new amp because it sounds better vs spending money killing resonances in the room.
Room treatment ishould be first and foremost in your audio approach. No gear or speakers will be at their optimum unless the room is properly treated sonic-wise.
Having the music undisturbed by room resonances and reflections is paramount for enjoyable listening.
Bass and mid bass frequency resonance is typically the most noticeable interaction issue with a room.
Most often people (who care) improve their systems incrementally. As ideal as a properly acoustically treated room would be, it is an expensive and challenging task to acquire one.
After years of producing decent live sound with portable pa equipment for bands in crappy acoustical situations I came to appreciate digital sound processing especially for taming bass frequency resonance nightmares.
Currently my listening room, exhibits nasty side reflections in the upper mids and worse upper bass resonance.
The reflections are treated with acoustic panels on the walls but the resonances would require changes to the room structure, for starters, if I were to go that route.
Not wanting to ever be involved with a drywall project ever again (!!) I've switched from powering my horn and Lansing Iconic replica with an 8 watt/side tube amp to a biamped set up.
I'm a tube and lp kinda guy so it took some soul searching before making the switch.
The tube amp is now for the mid and treble horns and a Crown xti 1000 power amp goes, in stereo, to the bass cabinets. This amp has excellent dsp accessed through a laptop and offers lots of crossover options as well many fully controlled parametric eq points. An included pink noise generator is helpful for tuning especially with a real time analyzer app used with a tablet or phone.
With this setup I was able to blend the horn and cabinet outputs as well as eliminate resonances successfully.
I would like to see some reviews of AC regeneration devices. I personally own a PS Audio Power Plant 12, which made a major improvement in the quality of the sound my system makes, and I'd like to see more discussion on it and other devices. Granted that PS Audio is the major player in that field, but not the only one.
Let's hear some more input, please.
I have a subscription of the absolute sound,I haven’t received a magazine of the last two or three months. Robert Fuqua
This is a question regarding how TAS chooses to continue listing some products year after year in its annual Recommended Components (or Editors’ Choice Awards) listings, but some get dropped after only one or a couple appearances. For example, Andrew Quint reviewed the Audio Physic Cardeas 30 LJE speakers a few years ago, describing these speakers as the best he had ever heard in his listening space, providing “world class performance,” and commenting that with this speaker “one stand[s] to get sound as good as most audiophiles can hope to achieve in a typical domestic environment.”. But the Audio Physic quickly dropped out of sight in TAS’ recommendations. Just curious about the listing factors because other speakers, like various Magico speakers, reappear year after year. Thank you.
I can't find a true review --not the copy of the manufacturer's leaflet-- of the Klipsch Jubilee loudspeaker. With its two-way, active filter design, it's really attractive, but maybe it's not as good as it should --maybe not good at all? Please let me know.
Is it safe to connect a voltage regulator/surge suppressor to an isolation transformer. Similarly a step up transformer to the isolation transformer? Thanks.
I am looking for guidelines for optimising the setup voor Schnerzinger Grid Protector device i inherit from my brother. Can you help me?
Thank you! Greetings, Gerard from The Netherlands
I'm hoping for some wise words on age-related hearing loss and the effect of hearing aids on the listening experience . Almost over-night I developed a hearing problem in my left ear which caused a " raspiness" mostly in female vocals . After several visits to my ENT and audiologist and unsuccessful treatment attempts , I tried room treatment and DSP , also unsuccessful . A hearing aid corrects the problem but changes the audio experience and not for the better . I've tried using the hearing aid in only one ear and this did not work well . I'm now working on playlists that will satisfy more than annoy . What do you think is the effect of hearing aids on the listening experience ? Are some hearing aids more suitable for audiophiles ? Do any of your TAS reviewers have experience with hearing aids ? After almost 60 years as an audiophile I'm truly bummed that it is my hearing that has failed me and can't be upgraded.
How important is room treatments vs new equipment? For example buying a new amp because it sounds better vs spending money killing resonances in the room.
Room treatment ishould be first and foremost in your audio approach. No gear or speakers will be at their optimum unless the room is properly treated sonic-wise.
Having the music undisturbed by room resonances and reflections is paramount for enjoyable listening.
Bass and mid bass frequency resonance is typically the most noticeable interaction issue with a room.
Most often people (who care) improve their systems incrementally. As ideal as a properly acoustically treated room would be, it is an expensive and challenging task to acquire one.
After years of producing decent live sound with portable pa equipment for bands in crappy acoustical situations I came to appreciate digital sound processing especially for taming bass frequency resonance nightmares.
Currently my listening room, exhibits nasty side reflections in the upper mids and worse upper bass resonance.
The reflections are treated with acoustic panels on the walls but the resonances would require changes to the room structure, for starters, if I were to go that route.
Not wanting to ever be involved with a drywall project ever again (!!) I've switched from powering my horn and Lansing Iconic replica with an 8 watt/side tube amp to a biamped set up.
I'm a tube and lp kinda guy so it took some soul searching before making the switch.
The tube amp is now for the mid and treble horns and a Crown xti 1000 power amp goes, in stereo, to the bass cabinets. This amp has excellent dsp accessed through a laptop and offers lots of crossover options as well many fully controlled parametric eq points. An included pink noise generator is helpful for tuning especially with a real time analyzer app used with a tablet or phone.
With this setup I was able to blend the horn and cabinet outputs as well as eliminate resonances successfully.