Craig Sawyers

Depends on what your measurement requirements are. Do you need the square/triangle/sine capability of a function generator? Or is a low distortion sine more important (a function generator produces an approximate sine)? Manual set frequency and output level, or auto sweep (and hence linear or logarithmic sweep?). Then there are arbitrary waveform generators (AWG's) where you program them to produce any waveform you like. Whether a stand-alone box, or a PC-based generator again depends on what you need it for. Personally, I have a bit of a mix. For ppm level low distortion a Tek SG505. A Tek FG502 function generator. For high output an ancient HP 209A (see http://kenrockwell.com/audio/hp/209a.htm#perf ) and the workhorse is a Gould J3B.

^That was a fine and truly scary cold war movie. Limited nuclear exchange, president believed dead in helicopter crash in the blast, warmonger vice president takes over and scrambles a B52, which passes the point of no return. Must watch again. "By Dawn's Early Light", 1990. Stellar cast (including James Earl Jones, Martin Landau, Rip Torn) and of course Powers Boothe, RIP.

Have a truly great day!

Result!

Can't remember which one. I probably reported it somewhere in the bowels of this thread. But I definitely only replaced the blown one. Hasn't missed a beat since (around six years).

I had an early problem of this sort that turned out to be a J79 had blown. That was possibly the last gasp of collateral damage from fake C3675's. But that particular J79 took about a year to go pop.

Could be worse - she could be smitten by a Nissan Cube - that car the designers at Nissan decided to get the ugly out of their systems in a single shot. It looks dreadful from any angle.

Happy birthday!

RIP Geoffrey Bayldon http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-39885577 a British Actor, age 93 Catweazle was one of those must watch series from my pre-teen years. But he was also Q in Casino Royale and a number of other movies.

No idea. But since the police have found him I suspect that even if it is, it won't be there for long.

Way back in December I set the UK police system on the trail of this scam merchant, who was targetting US and other nationality buyers for high ticket audio items, getting the money, and sending no goods. He seemed to have been operating for years. Anyhow, I have just had a call from West Mercia Police asking me to confirm what my recollection was of his modus operandum. We chatted for a while, and I wished her good luck in finding the guy. "Oh - we know precisely who he is" So the system works - they have the bastard!

"altered cognition" - wow. Whatever caused that I badly don't want. Hope it improves Reks.

From http://www.magiclx521.com/epages/17940394.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/17940394/Products/"afi USB"/SubProducts/"afi USB" which equates to about $1600 for the single input version or about $2100 for the four input version http://www.magiclx521.com/epages/17940394.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/17940394/Products/"afis %26 USB"/SubProducts/"afis %26 USB" That takes either the three fibres, two RJ45 and a Toslink. If I was going this way I'd probably go for the one input version. The magic521 guy is interesting. As well as the Linkwitz kits, and supporting electonics, he's a commercial airline pilot! And yes - his business is in Germany.

That is true casework porn!

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday!

Siegfried Linkwitz http://www.linkwitzlab.com/What_is_new_at_linkwitzlab.htm ended up with this pair of products http://www.artistic-fidelity.de/index.php/de/afi Basically one of the pair connects to the PC/laptop's USB connection and produces three optical fiber outputs - clock plus differential data. The second unit takes these fibers and outputs RJ45. There are then a number of connection options to take RJ45 and interface it to typical DAC inputs http://www.artistic-fidelity.de/index.php/de/optionen . The idea is complete galvanic isolation to take the noisy stuff that comes out a computer's USB port and produce clean data to put into the DAC. Haven't tried the product, but anything that Linkwitz says is worth serious consideration (My speakers are his design - the LX521).

DCS is top drawer gear. The relatively small design team there are massively experienced and innovative. They started off designing electronics systems for defence applications back in the 80's, and then morphed into professional audio and then high end audio. Instead of using an off the shelf DAC, they use an FPGA and their own "ring DAC" (whatever that is...) I have heard one of their pieces of kit in a high end system owned by an ex-colleague and it was truly superb. The only "but" is that their gear is expensive - the Vivaldi above is the blunt end of $35k

There is only one word for it - UGH. What a mess.

Jotunheim in Norse mythology is also known as Utgard, meaning "beyond the fence", a place which is "chaotic, anarchic, and wild" So my friend Google tells me. But it seems about right for the POS above.

Have a great day Shelly!

That is a real labour of love, and super gorgeous

Even his link doesn't work - haha

Try a man-bag, then the size of the wallet is irrelevant. Started using these thirty-odd years ago when I got fed up ruining business suits stuffing all sorts of shit in the pockets, and seeing how relaxed the Europeans were with man-bags. Bought the current one in a market in Calais. Mine houses wallet, phone, calculator (still a tech-nerd), business cards, Oyster card, loose change, and odd shit like scissors earplugs ibuprofen etc. The other, larger alternative is generically called a Messenger bag, and you can also stuff an ipad or laptop in those too.

Latest episode has a comedian called Ross Noble. He comes from Cramlington - 10 miles from where I come from (Ryton on Tyne). The accent you hear is a rather softened local dialect called Geordie. Which is basically my accent too. If he had spoken in broad Geordie (in other words not softened) you would not have been able to understand much. Except perhaps Birgir - Icelandic has the same Scandanavian roots as Geordie.