Speaker Asylum: Ah yes, Alchemy by E-Stat

Speaker Asylum: Ah yes, Alchemy by E-Stat

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Ah yes, Alchemy

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In Reply to: Re: The difference lies not with the references for our audio systems... posted by Soundmind on August 1, 2005 at 14:24:11:

the turning of lead into gold! Of course your AR-9s are better than the Wilson Alexandria or the Nola III or the... ;)
Naturally, you will dismiss the following comments because you so enjoy villifying the audiophile press, but here goes.
In the very first issue of The Absolute Sound from 1973 is found a review of the Citation 11 and a discussion with Lee Kuby, the guiding genius behind the unit. According to Kuby, two specific design criteria for the unit were good phase linearity and elimination of high odd order distortion, neither of which show up in conventional measurements. The end result was the reviewer considered it the best sounding SS preamp of its day. (it never was as good as the Audio Research SP-3) I particularly liked Kuby's later comments:
"A musician/engineer commenting on the complexity of test instruments required for audio analysis once wrote, 'There's still the problem of the electronic component which measures well, but sounds bad .' ...It is a point of view that I have held for over 15 years. I am convinced that a well-trained ear, educated in the concert hall, can detect nuances in sound and balances so subtle in nature that not even the most sophisticated test instruments can measure them."
He went on with a similar commentary about rejecting designs from young engineers that sounded bad and forcing them to attend live concerts to provide a point of reference. I found this comment interesting as well:
"It took H/K a year to design the Citation 11 preamplifier and seven months to improve it sonically"
Obviously, theory is but a good starting point.
Now back to your usual rants...
rw

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Topic - If Linkwitz is the top-rated D.I.Y. speaker around, what's #2? - Guy 10:18:23 07/27/05 ( 63)

No. 1? - B. King 07:09:56 07/28/05 ( 3)
- Re: No. 1? No.1 in speaker accoustic knowledge, then? - Guy 08:20:37 07/28/05 ( 2)
  - No I wouldn't. - B. King 12:16:04 07/28/05 ( 1)
    - D'Appolito - Robert C. Lang 19:59:08 07/29/05 ( 0)
Re: Clarification.... - Guy 06:00:51 07/28/05 ( 10)
- Floyd Toole's Reputation Is Good Too..... - ka7niq 06:40:18 07/28/05 ( 9)
  - Re: Floyd Toole's Reputation Is Good Too.....granted, granted. - Guy 06:59:37 07/28/05 ( 8)
    - Linkwitz Has Excellent Reputation, As Does Orion's - ka7niq 08:08:46 07/28/05 ( 7)
      - Re:Do you have a link for me to learn about what 'line source' is? Thanks. - Guy 08:19:01 07/28/05 ( 6)
        
        Here's One Link To The Alpha LS Kit ....... - ka7niq 09:27:35 07/28/05 ( 5)
        
        Re: Thanks. Two questions... - Guy 10:06:53 07/28/05 ( 4)
        
        Re: Thanks. Two questions... - Pjay 10:25:29 07/28/05 ( 3)
        
        Re: "Little" speaker person? :-) - Jim Holtz 13:31:29 07/28/05 ( 0)
        
        Great Site PJ ! - ka7niq 11:02:47 07/28/05 ( 1)
        
        Re: Great Site PJ ! - Pjay 05:02:39 07/29/05 ( 0)
Re: If Linkwitz is the top-rated D.I.Y. speaker around, what's #2? - three_sox 00:49:05 07/28/05 ( 1)
- Re: Man, you're a Man of Contradictions.... - Guy 05:51:14 07/28/05 ( 0)
# 1 ?? Says Who ??? - ka7niq 12:13:01 07/27/05 ( 40)
- Re: # 1 ?? Says Who ??? - mac� � � 22:33:14 07/27/05 ( 39)
  - Re: # 1 ?? Says Who ??? - Rick Craig 18:22:47 07/28/05 ( 0)
  - Re: Thanks for the other sites. Well worth looking into. - Guy 07:02:33 07/28/05 ( 0)
  - Really Now ? - ka7niq 06:03:53 07/28/05 ( 7)
    - Re: Really Now ? - RGA 15:10:48 07/28/05 ( 6)
      - Here Is What I Mean By Blow It Away, Etc .. - ka7niq 17:12:18 07/28/05 ( 5)
        
        Re: Here Is What I Mean By Blow It Away, Etc .. - RGA 22:02:44 07/28/05 ( 0)
        
        I'm in 100% agreement with you. - mac� � � 17:49:12 07/28/05 ( 3)
        
        Yes Siegfreed , I Am NOT A Potential Orion Customer, LOL ! - ka7niq 12:36:33 07/30/05 ( 2)
        
        I know your type. - mac� � � 22:38:44 07/30/05 ( 1)
        
        Have a Nice Day ! nt - ka7niq 23:11:04 07/30/05 ( 0)
  - Re: # 1 ?? Says Who ??? - RGA 22:57:54 07/27/05 ( 28)
    - Uh Oh, hold on to your hats, I think we may be in for another commercial from A/N's ad agency, RGA Promos LTD nt - Soundmind 04:55:38 07/28/05 ( 24)
      - This from the Bose man. Still bitter about those dreadful speakers eh? NT - RGA 12:31:21 07/28/05 ( 23)
        
        Actually the modified biamped version play beautifully. You woudn't know they were Bose anymore - Soundmind 13:55:08 07/28/05 ( 22)
        
        As are 95% of all the speakers on the market :) - E-Stat 17:47:04 07/28/05 ( 21)
        
        Since you never heard them, how could you possibly know? nt - Soundmind 14:20:24 07/29/05 ( 20)
        
        Never heard the 901s? - E-Stat 17:50:19 07/29/05 ( 19)
        
        Not my 901s - Soundmind 03:57:04 07/30/05 ( 18)
        
        Never liked the 901s? The biggest pieces of CRAP speakers ever marketed!!! - Mike Mount 08:42:33 07/31/05 ( 8)
        
        Don't be so hard on him - E-Stat 13:09:53 07/31/05 ( 7)
        
        I live in a world of Steinways and Baldwins and .... - Soundmind 21:14:04 07/31/05 ( 6)
        
        (un?)Soundmind - Why is it that no ones' (but your) experience IS valid?? - Mike Mount 06:35:58 08/1/05 ( 2)
        
        Re: (un?)Soundmind - Why is it that no ones' (but your) experience IS valid?? - Soundmind 14:22:04 08/1/05 ( 1)
        
        Re: (un?)Soundmind - Why is it that no ones' (but your) experience IS valid?? - Mike Mount 17:19:07 08/1/05 ( 0)
        
        The difference lies not with the references for our audio systems... - E-Stat 05:21:27 08/1/05 ( 2)
        
        Re: The difference lies not with the references for our audio systems... - Soundmind 14:24:11 08/1/05 ( 1)
        
        Ah yes, Alchemy - E-Stat 08/1/05 16:11:56 08/1/05 ( 0)
        
        Why don't you see if Amar likes them? - E-Stat 05:42:36 07/30/05 ( 8)
        
        Re: Why don't you see if Amar likes them? - Soundmind 06:52:29 07/30/05 ( 7)
        
        Who is wealthier? - E-Stat 07:21:13 07/30/05 ( 6)
        
        Re: Who is wealthier? - Soundmind 08:14:38 07/30/05 ( 5)
        
        The funny thing about him - as well as some others - E-Stat 08:35:15 07/30/05 ( 4)
        
        Re: The funny thing about him - as well as some others - RGA 12:11:39 07/30/05 ( 3)
        
        What a bunch of hokum, just what you'd expect from someone who's poor - Soundmind 12:29:21 07/30/05 ( 2)
        
        Re: What a bunch of hokum, just what you'd expect from someone who's poor - RGA 16:10:53 07/30/05 ( 1)
        
        Re: Very valid. Thanks for posting (even if it's against Soundmind's ideas) - Guy 00:18:10 07/31/05 ( 0)
    - Re: # 1 ?? Says Who ??? - mac� � � 23:23:15 07/27/05 ( 2)
      - "It [the Orion] has a reputation as a good speaker, true, but there are several fine designs that will smoke it... - ka7niq 05:51:22 07/28/05 ( 0)
      - Re: # 1 ?? Says Who ??? - RGA 00:20:52 07/28/05 ( 0)
Re: If Linkwitz is the top-rated D.I.Y. speaker around, what's #2? - Pjay 11:33:13 07/27/05 ( 4)
- Re: If Linkwitz is the top-rated D.I.Y. speaker around, what's #2? - Jeffbook 15:16:31 07/28/05 ( 2)
  - Nope, Not Enough For Me . - ka7niq 08:13:07 07/31/05 ( 0)
  - I stand corrected! Thanks, nt - Pjay 05:04:10 07/29/05 ( 0)
- Re: Appreciate the thoughtful addition to the post. All noted. - Guy 07:01:39 07/28/05 ( 0)