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#16 Re: Money for nothing!

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 11:09 am
by Nick
Michael L wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 10:57 am Nick - I misinterpreted your sentence ' Again, just to be cynical, they may be the closest, but still a long way away'.
I read this as 'still inferior'
All I was saying was that I find it ironic that the same group of people who tend to find measurements unhelpful will make a decision based on a set of measured curves for a device.

I have no experience of what a vfet amp will sound like, my point was that neither do you or most of the people who rushed to spend $500. Their interest was based on what they read on the internet.
I don't know about the Mofo. Will read up
Thats the problem, reading will just let you chose from the available opinions until you find enough you agree with. Its such a simple circuit, should be buildable in a afternoon and £100 or so. There is a reason 10 years ago why we were all putting things together on breadboards with alligator clips.

#17 Re: Money for nothing!

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 11:29 am
by Michael L
Nick wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 11:09 am
Michael L wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 10:57 am Nick - I misinterpreted your sentence ' Again, just to be cynical, they may be the closest, but still a long way away'.
I read this as 'still inferior'
All I was saying was that I find it ironic that the same group of people who tend to find measurements unhelpful will make a decision based on a set of measured curves for a device.

I have no experience of what a vfet amp will sound like, my point was that neither do you or most of the people who rushed to spend $500. Their interest was based on what they read on the internet.
I don't know about the Mofo. Will read up
Thats the problem, reading will just let you chose from the available opinions until you find enough you agree with. Its such a simple circuit, should be buildable in a afternoon and £100 or so. There is a reason 10 years ago why we were all putting things together on breadboards with alligator clips.
I am confident that the VFET amplifier will have been well designed. It is an opportunity to go beyond reading and listen for myself. The footprint is smaller than my existing amps and if I really like it - assuming I beat the odds (fairly) and get one, I can spend my money going forward on cartridges and not valves for my everyday listening. I'm sure that if it failed to impress I would sell it easily at cost + postage.

#18 Re: Money for nothing!

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 11:38 am
by iansr
I suspect it was this article that kick started the interest in them:
https://www.firstwatt.com/sitintro.html

#19 Re: Money for nothing!

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 11:56 am
by Michael L
It's smaller than I thought

Rough dimensions coming in at a very tidy and svelt—
in inches:
11.5 Wide x 12.5 Deep x 7.5" high from the floor

metric:
292mm W x 318mm D x 190mm H

#20 Re: Money for nothing!

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 1:31 pm
by Toppsy
I have no experience of what a vfet amp will sound like, my point was that neither do you or most of the people who rushed to spend $500. Their interest was based on what they read on the internet.
I'm not trying to suggest these vfet amps might not be all they are as reported but Nick's comment above does bring to mind those awful sounding Chinese fullrange speakers that were being raved about (again on DiyAudio forum if memory serves?) we tried in the Quasar OB experiments.

Best of luck to those members here that have entered the lottery. Hope it all works out well for you.

#21 Re: Money for nothing!

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 1:37 pm
by Nick
I suspect they will sound great, Nelson clearly loves to play with ideas, and I think its great that he wants to share them. My only point was its all a bit like something out of "Life Of Brian"

#22 Re: Money for nothing!

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 2:10 pm
by Ray P
Toppsy wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 1:31 pm ...Nick's comment above does bring to mind those awful sounding Chinese fullrange speakers that were being raved about (again on DiyAudio forum if memory serves?) we tried in the Quasar OB experiments.
Seems like a rather tenuous link to just dis the Lii Audio units but as it's been done I'll bite.

I think you're memory is letting you down Colin, the DIY Audio commentary was about a completely different unit from Lii Audio. There wasn't, and still isn't, that much on the 10inch ones over there. From my perspective, I bought them after I was made aware of them here on AT and thought they looked promising - the only influence on me at the time was some positive comments about the pear-shaped Lii Audio speakers that use the same units that I saw in relation to their distribution by Decware and some positive words about a project on Lenco heaven, IIRC. I don't know why Nick was influenced to buy them?

Now here's a thing, the 10inch Lii Audio units I bought are being used by an audio friend locally, housed in some bass reflex cabinets that he has built - he raves about them as being one of the best speakers he has ever heard and I'm looking forward to being able to go over for a listen as the restrictions ease. Just goes to show, one man's meat...

We must listen in different ways, or for different things - you build you're line of speakers but can't listen to, for example, most Lowthers whereas I'm very happy with my Lowthers but I couldn't get on with the speakers you bought to the last Owston.

#23 Re: Money for nothing!

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 2:14 pm
by ed
I've been trying to find the posts where I first brought up the SIT thing and posted the curves, I think it was somewhere between 2012 and 2014. There was no response here as I recall.

Things have moved on a pace since then and Nelson has since revived an old Sony circuit from the 70s and highlighted his Semisouth parts. It generaly points to the critical mass thing, amounting to this current interest.

Having been interested since first mention I can't help reflecting on the number of valve enthusiasts that have jumped ship on diyaudio and embraced the dark side. I find it quite telling....I am quite sure the lottery winners will be well pleased.

#24 Re: Money for nothing!

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 5:04 pm
by simon
Nick wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 1:37 pm My only point was its all a bit like something out of "Life Of Brian"
He's not the Messiah...?

Withdrawn your honour. :-D

#25 Re: Money for nothing!

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 5:56 pm
by Nick
Having been interested since first mention I can't help reflecting on the number of valve enthusiasts that have jumped ship on diyaudio and embraced the dark side. I find it quite telling.
I would think its a number of things that has caused that:

1. The original group of mainly American commentators who created the valve and SET bubble has aged and in many cases died
2. Parts are a lot harder to find now and when they can be found they are very expensive
3. The same cache that valves occupied to give that going against the trend feeling has been replaced with rare and unusual solid state circuits.

None of which are in any way connected to sound quality.

I agree that good sounds can be obtained with both valves and solid state, but I am not sure that is the important factor in this case.