- Big E, Made in USA
- W33 L34
- #R back button
- Wear from raw deadstock
- Wash once after 6 mth wearing
- Current measured size: W33 L32
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Levi's LVC 1947 501XX Big E Jeans
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Vintage 60s Levi's 501XX Big E Jeans
- Authentic early 60's vintage Levi's 501XX Big E jeans
- V-stitch, hidden rivets
- Redline selvedge seams and selvedge pocket bags
- Single stitch back pockets, watch pocket & inseam
- #K back button
- Size: W35 L32
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Sunday, July 4, 2010
History of Levi's Jacket
While Levi Strauss & Co. was established in the mid 1800’s, (see history of Levi 501’s) it was not until 1905 that the first Levi Blouse (Jacket) was recorded. Made in 9 oz. double heavy quality XX denim, it was known as the 506 (the term Number One was used after 1917). The word Blouse was used by Levi Strauss & Co. until around 1938, when the word “jacket” was used in it’s western wear catalog.
The 506XX Blouse had a single breast pocket on the left side of the front of the jacket and featured rivets at the corners of the pocket. These disappeared in later models. As with the early Levi Jeans, a martingale or cincher was used on the lower back. Rivets were also used to reinforce the cuff vents. There were 6 versions in this particular Levi Jacket model dated 1905, 1928, 1936, 1941, 1944 and 1947. Details varied as different versions emerged such as the departure of donut style buttons in early models to logo style buttons in later models. In addition the early versions had no front pocket flap and with later models this feature was added. On the 1936 version, the Red Tab started to appear. Moreover like the 501 during World War II, special and unnecessary detailing was dispensed with in these versions.
In the late 1940’s, Levi created a light weight western wear line for both men and ladies. The womens jackets were made with stone shield snap fasteners. In addition, in the 1950’s Levi introduced the “Sawtooth” western shirt. The name comes from the jagged appearance of the stitching on the yokes and pockets.
In 1953, Levi Strauss started to produce the 507XX Jacket using 9 oz. denim. While styled similarly to the 506XX model, it featured a second breast pocket and bar tacks instead of rivets on the breast pockets. Called the Second Edition Jacket or Number Two, it was actually the third model since the 1936 506XX was never given a lot number. In addition, the back martingale was replaced by side waist straps. Leather labels were used for the jackets, but were replaced in the 50’s by press card labels.
In 1962 Levi Strauss introduced the 557XX, also known as the Truckers Jacket. It was the first jacket to feature the now famous pointed pocket flaps. Thread used in these jackets was yellow in color compared to the orange thread used in model numbers featured in the late 60’s.
With the introduction of the Trucker Jacket 557XX by Levi in the early 60’s, the familiar design of this jacket featured prominently in the design of Levi Jackets thereafter. In the late 60’s, the style of this jacket was lengthened and side pockets were added. Evolving from the 557 series to the 70505, 71205 and 70518 this design was carried forward featuring both Big “E” and small “e” on the red tab. However the popular “indigo finish look” remained throughout the 60’s.
Of all the denim manufacturers of the period, Levi Strauss made the least amount of colored vintage during this generation. The White colored Levi’s were first introduced in 1962. Pique or “Corduroy” finishing materials were introduced as the 941 series model. The Satin White finish jackets were featured as the 940 series model and the twill finish were introduced as the 840 series model. All of these series carried the same styling as the 557 being produced at that time.
From Midwest Vintage
Monday, June 14, 2010
22 Tips to Obtain Better Sound
by Ertan Öksüz
www.nonamehifi.com
Introduction
Basically excepted thing in audiophile world is that it almost impossible to achieve the best sound by just combining only the best equipments. Much cheaper but properly selected and tweaked system may sound better than it's expensive brothers. This is called system synergy in audiophile world. System synergy is not only about combining the best equipments but it is a kind of long and enjoyable way to maximize their performances.
The precautions and principles may be seen absurd and meaningless for someone who does not have solid understanding what the hi-end is.
Within last twenty years, I spent considerable time, money and efforts to achieve best sound (..or what ever the best is). I wrote a couple of important points from my own perspective. Most of these points may be known by the audiophiles anyway if not implemented. More important, below points consist of my own observations merely. There are so many known different tweaks and techniques. I avoided not to include here the points that I did not try and/or the points did not work well with me. I believe below mentioned points will step up someone's system to a higher level by using the same equipments.
I apologize for my level of English. I am appreciated if someone warns me about the main language mistakes anywhere in the web site.
The only certain truth I learned after twenty years is that "there is no one absolute truth in Hi-End" Most of the truths in High-End can not be proven by scientific measures. Very sensitive human ear hears a lot, interpret, evaluate and decide. In a listening session of three audiophiles, what is probably going to happen is one of the persons will find the bass insufficient, the other may find it so much and excessive, but the system owner will think it is fine, not less, not more. That phenomena is called "brain reference". (see for more details) Brain reference is a kind of prejudice comes out of our own system's timbre and tonality. This phenomena sometimes causes conflicts with someone who compares a better equipment versus his own equipment and may not like the sound of the other in spite the other was clearly better.
Most of the points stipulated below will depend on the capabilities of the system but more important, depend on the experience of audiophile. A poor system will not differentiate the points or a less experienced ears may not pick them up either. That's why some of the points below may not be regarded by everybody. I will be delightful if someone who reads that article picks up one or two points.
1- Listening at Night ; Critical listening or equipment testing should be done in the night hours. This rule obviously applies to one who lives in a big city. Non noticeable city noise effects our hearing and we are basically not able to hear what our system delivers to us during the day.
Due to city noise is several times lower in the night, all hidden aspects in hi-end appear in the night and the system delivers it's full potential. For more information, please check Noise (see for more details)
2- Heat and Humidity ; Humidity and heat have serious influences on sound. Systems can not generate their best sound, power and dynamics in a warm and damp weather. I am not sure why this happens but it happens. There may be two reasons : The damp air is heavier in such circumstances, thus the loudspeakers are not able to pull enough air into the room. Or the loudspeaker materials may soften and behave differently in warm weather. Cooling the listening environment before listening session eliminates that effect.
3- Darkness ; Music should be listened in dark room. Particularly, the loudspeakers and the system should be kept in dark and the original recording venue should be imagined while listening.
The main objective of a good quality hi-end system is to depart from the hardware and to go into the recording environment. Listening music while watching the hardware will physiologically demolish the virtual environment that we intent to be in. The most inconvenient part of an hi-end system is inexistence of visual imaging. The reality sense is so different when participating to a live concert or listening/watching from a DVD player via a surround system. If the listening environment is not dark, the speakers will be perceived as the sources of the original sound.
4- Finding the Correct Listening Distance ; The sound is spread in waves called frequency. The volume of every frequency will be different in connection with the distance from the speakers. In terms of the volume, frequencies will be up and down when the distance is changed. Especially higher mids and treble sections will vary between 20-5 centimetres. Such frequency peaks can be easily recognised by listening.
a - Put a test CD that contains different test frequencies. For instance start with mono 1000 Hz at the listening chair. Then stand up and walk very slowly through your system. (preferably with your closed eyes). You will immediately realize that the signal will have ups and downs in volume while you are moving as if somebody was turning on and off the volume control.
b - The main frequency of the music and the one which is closest to human sound is 1000 Hz. 1000 Hz is your starting point. 1000 Hz will be at it's peaks so many times in connection with the distance of your listening chair. Find the closest distance to your current listening chair that the 1000 Hz is at peak. The ups and downs in that band should be changed around 50-70 centimetres. This is the best location to hear the middle frequencies but it is not the best location yet to achieve the best frequency spectrum. It is just the starting point.
c - Stick a rope to back wall that may come through your shoulders. Now close your eyes and listen different frequencies such as 300-500-1000-2000-5000-10.000 Hz etc, move top of your body (while sitting) forward and backwards. Mark the peak points of every frequency you listened on the rope. Our aim is to find a particular point that most of the frequencies are at their peaks. If you are not successful and these points are not closer each other, move your speakers 10 cm's to front (or your listening chair to 10 cm front or rear) and repeat the same exercises till you find a certain point that most of the frequencies are at their peaks.
It is not an easy task, time consuming but free of charge. Once you have the point, you will be very surprised with the improvement of the sound of your existing system.
5- Room Acoustics ; Room Acoustics is the most known but the least considered part of Hi-End. A conventional speaker may throw % 40 of the sound directly to listener, rest of the sound comes through the walls by reflections. Reflection means the timing difference of the original signal, hence an additional acoustic which does not exist in the original record. Within such a complexity of reflections, a part of the original signal will come late due to the front wall or ceiling or etc, a part of the original signal produced by the left speaker will come as if coming from the right speaker and vice versa. Such a complex listening environment will demolish the stereo imaging and channel separation.
Some audiophiles are happy with this case due to speakers are seem to be better disappeared and soundstage is wider and deeper. Some producers add additional mid/treble units to the back side of the speakers (dipoles) to emphasise such effects.
One thing should be considered that such reflections are not exist at the original sound. If something is produced by the system/room in addition to the original sound should be named coloration.
If the aim of a good hi-end system is to reproduce the original sound, such reflections should be avoided as much as possible. Especially ribbon and electrostatic speakers will suffer a lot from such reflections.
Carpet on the floor is a must to lower the reflections (standing waves) between the floor and the ceiling. Thicker curtains will help to lower the reflections of the windows. Glass covered photos and such a stiff furniture should be avoided.
This article is not intended to give recommendations how to make a room tuning, lots but lots of information may be found on internet. But it is just to emphasize the importance of room acoustics.
6- Precise Focus and Loudspeaker Placement ; This is also another known but the least considered part of Hi-End. It is critically important to locate both speakers at the exactly same distance to achieve precise focus. Distances should be very carefully measured and both of the speakers should be placed exactly to the same distance through listener.
OK but why such important !
Sound signals are distributed in waves as explained in section five. The people who tried the settings in section five will realize that, the peaks of frequencies vary in conjunction with the distance from the speakers. Especially the treble frequencies will vary a lot by only one centimetres of a change. In such a cases, if one speaker is just one cm closer to the listener, some frequencies will be heard a lot from one speaker but will not be heard from the other speaker. If the upper harmonics of the human sound consist of such upper frequencies, (it is !) this is obvious that the sound will move from the middle to left or to right. Moreover, within that case, some frequencies will be collided in full phase and will be exaggerated, some others will be collided by inverted phase so are destroyed.
This is the exactly the same effect of loosing bass when connecting one speaker out of phase.
7- Mechanical Vibration of Electronic Units ; Quite a lot of vibration absorption feet and platform kinds are exist in the market. They are to be placed under the electronics/speakers. Such materials have two intentions ;
a- To eliminate the external vibration coming through the unit
b- To eliminate the vibration of the unit itself (CD driver motor, speaker cone vibrations etc)
Most popular ones are the cones (spikes). I believe the proper usage of spikes are not known very well. Rather than being a vibration absorber, spike is a kind of transmission material that transmits vibration from one point through the other point. In other means, vibration is condensed to one point and mechanically carried to other platform by the spike but not eliminated. If the connection surface is stiff (for instance marble, granite, etc) such vibrations are passed to that surface. Underneath of such a stiff platforms (marble, MDF, glass, granite) must be covered by an elastically material such as cork, mouse pad, neoprene rubber or similar.
The vibration can not pass from a stiff platform to an elastically platform and will be transposed to heat between.
Direction of the cone is also critically important. The direction should be in conjunction with the intention of vibration transmission.
May be the last thing about the cone is the cone should be in touch with the chassis of the component directly. If any kind of rubber, double sided band, blue tack or such an elastic material is put between cone and the unit, that material will try to transpose the vibration and the cone will not work.
8- Marble Under the Loudspeakers ; A marble platform under the speakers eliminate most of the unwanted resonances of the speaker. The thickness of the marble should be at least 3 cm and the size should be at least 10 centimeters bigger then the edges. Underneath of the marble has to be covered by an elastic material such as cork, mouse pad, neoprene etc.
How does it effect the sound is, you have more powerful but more clear and tight bass, relaxation at the mid and top frequencies.
The speaker has to be connected to the platform via a cone, not by a elastically feet. The sharp end of the cone has to direct the marble but not to the loudspeaker.
9- Grounding the Metals for Static Electricity ; Especially in wet weather and in fully carpeted listening environments, static electric become an issue. The carpet is charged with static electric which can be passed through the electronic equipments via the rack and/or via human touch. Static electricity on the carpet is such powerful that when checked in the morning before somebody walks on it, can be clearly seen by simple tools sold in Radio Shack
In order to eliminate the effect, the loudspeaker stands and the equipment racks should be connected to earth by a thin wire. Moreover, the loudspeaker cables and the interconnects should be lifted away from the floor due to the same effect.
What benefits you may expect from this tweak is I don't know why but less blurry and more tide lower bass.
10- Loudspeaker Distance from the Front Wall ; Loudspeaker producers generally recommend the distance of the speaker by the front wall (the wall behind the speakers). Generally speaking, the speaker should be located as far as possible from the front wall. (Side walls as well) If they are so close to the wall, bass standing waves will be reinforced (explained in article five) and mid/treble band will be compressed due to excessive bass energy.
Some audiophiles find the desired bass volume by placing them closer to front wall which is not correct. One thing should be considered that such bass increase is not due to the original sound but it is the consequence by the room response called coloration.
11- Auto former / Transformer Passive Line Stages ; The new developed technologies in hi-end industry made the pre-amplifiers questionable.
Before end, the reason of a preamplifier was stipulated in four basics ;
a- To connect more then one unit together
b- Recording to tape from some sources
c- Low volume output and inverted polarity signal of turntables (as the only source component)
d- Bass, treble adjustment requirements
Nowadays, CD, SACD units can provide 5-8 Volts of outputs which are more than enough for the power amplifiers. Audiophiles are not interested in tone adjustments but focused on simplicity anymore. Dedicated phono stages are in common usage, hence, the majority of the requirements are not valid anymore.
The main and the only basic job of a modern pre-amplifier is to lower the volume level, not step it up !!
Just try to imagine a pure signal from a CD, or DAC through the power amplifier, then cut this link, add four plugs, four female plugs, a pair of interconnects, lots of resistors, capacitors, tubes, transistors and all that stuff in the link. How can you keep the signal purity and can you make something better then it's original !
An active line stage demolish the neutrality and the purity of the original sound. Such a corruption may not be so evident in most of the lower resolution systems or disregarded by some people on purposely. Every active line stage has it's own tonality and coloration. As a matter of fact, audiophiles generally use line stages to balance their tonality problems in systems. For instance, a tube line stage is used to calm down a firm sounding solid state power amplifier or a treble rich line stage is used to compensate the treble poor power amplifier and vice versa. If this is the case in a system, fully natural line stage and lack of coloration will not be regarded by the audiophile.
Following me, the consideration should be to change the power amplifier till finding the desired sound rather then playing with pre-amplifier. In other words, to deal directly with the problem rather then trying to mask the original problem.
It is almost in consensus that using a very simple volume pot adds so much neutrality and purity to sound. But in such cases, some other problems appear. A volume pot which is either a potentiometer or a stepped alternator works with the resistance principals. Every volume step adds different resistive path to signal, thus lowers the volume. Due to the complexity of the music signal ( 20 Hz-20 kHz), such a resistive load will act like a barrier for different frequencies. For instance when turning down the volume level, the treble is lowered and the bass is condensed or when you increase the volume, mids are excessive or vice versa. Not to forget to mention is the lack of dynamic range as well. A line stage eliminates these problems.
Due to these facts, volume control pots or analogue volume controlled CDs can not be used stand alone as line stages
By the new technology, new auto former and transformer passive line stages are developed for volume control.
Such units do not work with resistance principals and do not add resistance to the signal path. The only resistance of such amps are approximately 200 Ohms due to the cable in windings.
Transformer passive line stages consist of two transformers, one for the left channel, one for the right. They have one primary winding and multiple (12-24 steps) of secondary windings. Their principal is to lover the volume by changing the volts, rather then adding resistance. Up to my knowledge, There are only three producers of such line stages. I used two of them. Both of them are providing extra ordinary natural, calm and undistorted sounds.
I heavily modified the Antique Sound Lab myself which is very good product and quite cheap too, (don't underestimate it's price) but Audio Consulting's Silver Rock made of pure silver is something else.
It should be also mentioned that such a passive line stages can not be suitable for every system. In such a case, input impedance of power amp should be driven directly by the output stage of DAC or CD Player. Input impedance of the power amp should be as small as possible. The best way to learn this case is to write the impedance values to producer and request assistance prior to purchasing.
12- Good Tubes (NOS Tubes) ; Is it logical to pay €100 to and old tube while the new one costs €10. I believe it is. A good tube can change the characteristics of a tube electronic as if you replaced the entire unit. Nos tubes are not easy to find, quite expensive but worthwhile to use. Especially the upper frequency hiss is quite lower with Nos tubes.
13- Very Easy Polarity Finding Method ; Generally speaking, European (German) standard AC plugs do not have the signal direction. US, UK, Swiss AC plugs have one way to connect to AC, so + and - phases can not . So in such cases, it is not easy to find out the correct polarity.
Electronic components can work properly regardless of the polarity. Our televisions, refrigerators, bulbs, computers everything. Why the AC polarity is quite important in Hi-Fi !
Electricity arrives from (+) passes the electronic circuit and departs from (-) Generally the mains current arrives in the power supply of the unit first then reduced to desired voltage by of the electronic circuits. At this case, mains is automatically filtered by the power supply section. The transformer of the power supply section behaves like isolation transformer, input and output currents are physically separated. If the polarity is not correct, the mains will arrive to system directly from the back door and will carry all the pollution like RFI/EMI into the unit. Due to the fact, it is important to find out the correct polarity.
Most of the electronic' polarity is similar. If the unit has detachable power cord and IEC kind of input, the right hole should be the (+) mains when do you loo at the plug front the front face (as seen below)
Another simple method is to check the mains fuses. If the unit is equipped with an exterior protection fuse, release the fuse and check it by an electricity check pen while the unit was connected to mains. It should be (+) signal. If not, reverse the AC plug from the wall
14- Listening Volume Level ; It is for sure nobody's business to tell you that what is the correct listening volume setting. Some audiophiles like very low listening level, some turn on the volume till the windows are broken.
If the outcome is to achieve the ambiance of the recorded venue, volume level should be adjusted accordingly but not more or not less. This case is applicable to acoustic instruments only but not to electronic music, jazz or disco etc.
What ever the listened record is, correct volume setting should be the one which does not enlarge or shrink the original instrument. Higher volumes may For instance a guitar should be played with the original volume of a guitar by correct volume setting. If volume level is increased, the body of the guitar will became bigger in obsolete terms, on the other hands, full body of a Mormon chorus will not be so realistic at low volumes
15- Warming Up the Speakers and Cables Before Critical Listening ; Apart from the theory that "Solid state electronics provide their best sound for a few minutes till the transistors became warm." particularly every audio equipment needs a warming up time. This time is at least 1/2 hour or even 1 hour in spite the manufacturers recommend less. Up to my knowledge, the reason behind this is the specifications of the resistors, capacitors, tubes and other stuff vary if they are cold or warm. Manufacturers make final settings when the units are warm, otherwise they would play perfect for the first half an hour and worse after warmed up.
That principal is applied by every audiophile for the electronics but not always for the speakers and the cables.
Speakers are quite important since their passive components should be warmed up such as crossover resistors. Their voice coils should be warmed up as well. The cables are also important. Warm up term may not eligible for the cables but the cables should be run for sometime till their dielectrics are charged.
As a result, the warming up time should be completed by playing (may not be listening) the entire system.
16- Proper Loudspeaker Selection for Listening Room; Loudspeaker should be selected in conjunction with the listening room dimensions. Unfortunately the general tendency in audiophiles particularly in US is "the bigger is better"
It is like some new starting skiers that choose the best ski equipments prior to learning and facing with so many problems afterwards.
Big loudspeakers are difficult to position, difficult to drive, effected more from the room boundaries. If the speaker is bigger for the room, excessive bass energy will diminish rest of the sounds. The bigger speaker means bigger problems. Driving big speakers requires challenge, experience, sources, time and money.
17- PS Audio Power Plant ; Principally I avoid giving specific brands in my non commercial web site. But PS Audio Power Plant is such a special product that similar components do not comparable with. It is a kind of power regenerator powered by electricity. P300 actually regenerates new AC for the audio gear. This regenerated AC is of much better quality than filtered AC because of the stabile voltage and near perfect AC waveform. It also removes 70 dB of EMI and RFI noise from the AC line!
Not all friends are agreed with me but according to me, it is a very special equipment that lifts up the entire system to a higher level.
What would you expect from it is much relaxed sound, more layered deep and wide soundstage, crystalline treble and more inner details. Improvements are immediately apparent. Take care to use with power hungry amplifiers. (I am not sure about this currently Note:2005)
18- CD Surface Treatments ; There are several kind of CD surface treatments in the market. They shine the surface of CD, thus laser picks up more information. What can be expected from a surface treatment is the high frequencies are cleaner and more extended. The easiest and the cheapest method of CD surface treatment is the one that used by pipe lovers .That is the human oil on the skin of face.
I apologize for that ugly tweak but our systems are personal and private anyway don't they. Human oil has the perfect thin viscosity and can be absorbed by CD surface very easily and effectively. Listen your CD first, smear the CD throughout your forehead and spread the oil with your finger and listen it again.
Don't forget to spread the oil by your finger every time prior to listening that CD.
19- Objective of the Third Dimension ; The objective of a stereo system is to achieve 3.rd dimension via two channels. All the hi-end or hi-fi equipments have their own character, timbre and tonality. For instance a titanium tweeter will have different tonality then a silk dome tweeter. Two different brand of loudspeakers will have different tonalities as if they use the same drive units. The tonality of a hi-end equipment mostly depends on the listening preferences of the designer. We will most probably not like if hear different tonalities from our own equipments even though the other system sounds much better. This case is so often faced, most of the audiophiles don't like the sounds of somebody else's system despite it is a better system. This case is also evident when buying or testing a new equipment at homes. We sometimes test a better equipment at home but feel something is still missing compared to our own equipment.
I remember very well, when Sony introduced the first 20 Bits CD player, most of the people found the sound harsh, edgy and coloured. People used to listen dark sounding CD players up to that time and hearing more inner details disturbed them.
I also remember very well that when I modified my old B&W 801 Matrix II monitor speakers and cancelled their protection units, the new sound had disturbed me a lot. I was such unhappy by the new sound and could not have listened my system for several days. At that time, the manufacturer expressed that "the protection units were needed due to the speakers were designed mainly for recording studios". They also told to me that the new sound must be clearly better due to the crossover resistance that effects especially the lower mid and upper bass was lowered fairly. After several days of listening them, the sound became better and better. Eventually the sound was surprisingly perfect after few weeks. Actually the sound was the same but perception was changing. (My brain reference was changing)
If this is the often case, how do we distinguish the better unit by listening ! There are several ways of it but for me the main method is third dimension capability. This is not the only case for sure but generally speaking, if two units are compared, the better one is the one delivers bigger soundstage, more dept and more height.
This is also the theory of Peter Quodrup from Audio Note UK and I am hundred percent agreed with him.
The distortion of an electronic device is does not effect the tonality of the equipment but mainly effects the inner details. Soundstage dept and height are such hidden factors in inner details that they will be effected first. If the unit provide lower distortion, more precise soundstage, especially more dept will be provided.
20- The Least Powerful Ring of a Chain; Hi-Fi is a kind of chain. Strength of a chain depend on the least powerful ring. Assume a water hose consists of variety of wideness. Derived water capacity will be in accordance with the thinner part.
A system should consist of similar level of equipments. If you add the best CD transport to a standard level of system, there will be some changes but not as expected. Also a poor digital cable will compress the entire sound quality of a very good system.
A long term plan should be prepared before setting up a system and the pieces should be purchased in time. Hurried purchases may come as replacement expense within one or two years.
21- Don't Immediately Judge a Unit, Give a Chance ; Every system can sounded well in time. System synergy is a kind of time dependent factor that sometimes takes months, even years. Sometimes we make quick decisions and quick prejudices for good products and immediately make unfair observations. According to me, the main element of the hi-end chain is the loudspeaker. If tonality and characteristics of the speaker is generally fine, or if the overall tonality of the entire system is generally fine, the system can be carried up for several further steps by playing with cables, tweaks, locations, tubes etc.
22- Critical Adjustments Should be Done by Listening Symphonic Music or Chorus Music ; Once we decided about the main components of our system, we play with cables, tubes, tweaks and other accessories till finding the desired tonality. Adjusting the tonal balance of a system by listening single instruments or jazz trios may mislead us.
Upper mid and the treble bands of a sound is easily disappeared if somebody is far away from the original signal. This is the case if we listen a live concert or listen a hi-end system. If this is the case, such instruments like saxophone, guitar, violin, even a human voice are darker and distant if we listen a very good live record. Whenever we increase mid/treble band of the system by tweaks, such instruments became more open, detailed and dynamic. But one thing should be in mind that we may add a subtle amount of coloration to sound unconsciously. If a system is trimmed by listening small trios or single instruments, singe voices, this risk is really big. Such a system may not play a classical music performed by a big orchestra. If such symphonic music is listened, the system may reveal harshness and brightness.
It is often said that somebody's system plays well in classics but sounds quite dark in jazz, or somebody else's system is quite revealing in jazz but very bright and glazing at classical music. I believe this is the main reason of that phenomena.
End.
-----------------------
Hi-End is such a passion that so many opportunist firms and persons are added every year in spite hi-end community is not growing enough. Prices are multiplied by 3, 5, 10s every year. Every producer pretend to be one of the best in the world or at least within particular price level. Manufacturers issue review reports prepared by some ones !
No testing equipments in today's technology can prove that their claims are correct or no testing equipments can invalidate that their claims are wrong. In no way an equipment can compare two units each other and prove that one is better sounding then the other. Pretended best in the world equipments/cables often suck in blind testing. If this is the case, it is easy to claim to be the best in the world due to nobody can prove the opposite.
The price of a valuable equipment can fall down to 1/3 of the purchasing price within few years by the additions of MK-II's, MK-III's, Special Editions, Signature Versions
While the best speaker in the world was sold by 7.000 ? twenty years ago, the best speaker nowadays is more then 200.000 ?. A poor line stage which is used to lower the volume is sold out by 40.000.?
Hi-End technology does not grow up for years. Most of the hi-end producers are very small family entrepreneurs that targeting very rich few niche people. They don't have proper research and development laboratories. Design and esthetical properties are the priorities.
I have the strong impression that Hi-End is digging it's own grave with that pricing policy. We will see what will happen to hi-end after 30 years.
It is a deep less hole. My humble recommendations for the just starters is that go with second hand market products and go by reasonable priced equipments to minimize the losses of years. Never look for the perfect sound which is not exist in any money. Keep in mind that a 300.000 ? worth amplifier may be % 2-3 better then a 5.000 ? worth of his small brother.
Best regards with lots of music..
Ozhan Atalay
www.nonamehifi.com
Content of this web site can be used only by referring to
http://www.nonamehifi.com
Copyright © NonameHifi
www.nonamehifi.com
Introduction
Basically excepted thing in audiophile world is that it almost impossible to achieve the best sound by just combining only the best equipments. Much cheaper but properly selected and tweaked system may sound better than it's expensive brothers. This is called system synergy in audiophile world. System synergy is not only about combining the best equipments but it is a kind of long and enjoyable way to maximize their performances.
The precautions and principles may be seen absurd and meaningless for someone who does not have solid understanding what the hi-end is.
Within last twenty years, I spent considerable time, money and efforts to achieve best sound (..or what ever the best is). I wrote a couple of important points from my own perspective. Most of these points may be known by the audiophiles anyway if not implemented. More important, below points consist of my own observations merely. There are so many known different tweaks and techniques. I avoided not to include here the points that I did not try and/or the points did not work well with me. I believe below mentioned points will step up someone's system to a higher level by using the same equipments.
I apologize for my level of English. I am appreciated if someone warns me about the main language mistakes anywhere in the web site.
The only certain truth I learned after twenty years is that "there is no one absolute truth in Hi-End" Most of the truths in High-End can not be proven by scientific measures. Very sensitive human ear hears a lot, interpret, evaluate and decide. In a listening session of three audiophiles, what is probably going to happen is one of the persons will find the bass insufficient, the other may find it so much and excessive, but the system owner will think it is fine, not less, not more. That phenomena is called "brain reference". (see for more details) Brain reference is a kind of prejudice comes out of our own system's timbre and tonality. This phenomena sometimes causes conflicts with someone who compares a better equipment versus his own equipment and may not like the sound of the other in spite the other was clearly better.
Most of the points stipulated below will depend on the capabilities of the system but more important, depend on the experience of audiophile. A poor system will not differentiate the points or a less experienced ears may not pick them up either. That's why some of the points below may not be regarded by everybody. I will be delightful if someone who reads that article picks up one or two points.
1- Listening at Night ; Critical listening or equipment testing should be done in the night hours. This rule obviously applies to one who lives in a big city. Non noticeable city noise effects our hearing and we are basically not able to hear what our system delivers to us during the day.
Due to city noise is several times lower in the night, all hidden aspects in hi-end appear in the night and the system delivers it's full potential. For more information, please check Noise (see for more details)
2- Heat and Humidity ; Humidity and heat have serious influences on sound. Systems can not generate their best sound, power and dynamics in a warm and damp weather. I am not sure why this happens but it happens. There may be two reasons : The damp air is heavier in such circumstances, thus the loudspeakers are not able to pull enough air into the room. Or the loudspeaker materials may soften and behave differently in warm weather. Cooling the listening environment before listening session eliminates that effect.
3- Darkness ; Music should be listened in dark room. Particularly, the loudspeakers and the system should be kept in dark and the original recording venue should be imagined while listening.
The main objective of a good quality hi-end system is to depart from the hardware and to go into the recording environment. Listening music while watching the hardware will physiologically demolish the virtual environment that we intent to be in. The most inconvenient part of an hi-end system is inexistence of visual imaging. The reality sense is so different when participating to a live concert or listening/watching from a DVD player via a surround system. If the listening environment is not dark, the speakers will be perceived as the sources of the original sound.
4- Finding the Correct Listening Distance ; The sound is spread in waves called frequency. The volume of every frequency will be different in connection with the distance from the speakers. In terms of the volume, frequencies will be up and down when the distance is changed. Especially higher mids and treble sections will vary between 20-5 centimetres. Such frequency peaks can be easily recognised by listening.
a - Put a test CD that contains different test frequencies. For instance start with mono 1000 Hz at the listening chair. Then stand up and walk very slowly through your system. (preferably with your closed eyes). You will immediately realize that the signal will have ups and downs in volume while you are moving as if somebody was turning on and off the volume control.
b - The main frequency of the music and the one which is closest to human sound is 1000 Hz. 1000 Hz is your starting point. 1000 Hz will be at it's peaks so many times in connection with the distance of your listening chair. Find the closest distance to your current listening chair that the 1000 Hz is at peak. The ups and downs in that band should be changed around 50-70 centimetres. This is the best location to hear the middle frequencies but it is not the best location yet to achieve the best frequency spectrum. It is just the starting point.
c - Stick a rope to back wall that may come through your shoulders. Now close your eyes and listen different frequencies such as 300-500-1000-2000-5000-10.000 Hz etc, move top of your body (while sitting) forward and backwards. Mark the peak points of every frequency you listened on the rope. Our aim is to find a particular point that most of the frequencies are at their peaks. If you are not successful and these points are not closer each other, move your speakers 10 cm's to front (or your listening chair to 10 cm front or rear) and repeat the same exercises till you find a certain point that most of the frequencies are at their peaks.
It is not an easy task, time consuming but free of charge. Once you have the point, you will be very surprised with the improvement of the sound of your existing system.
5- Room Acoustics ; Room Acoustics is the most known but the least considered part of Hi-End. A conventional speaker may throw % 40 of the sound directly to listener, rest of the sound comes through the walls by reflections. Reflection means the timing difference of the original signal, hence an additional acoustic which does not exist in the original record. Within such a complexity of reflections, a part of the original signal will come late due to the front wall or ceiling or etc, a part of the original signal produced by the left speaker will come as if coming from the right speaker and vice versa. Such a complex listening environment will demolish the stereo imaging and channel separation.
Some audiophiles are happy with this case due to speakers are seem to be better disappeared and soundstage is wider and deeper. Some producers add additional mid/treble units to the back side of the speakers (dipoles) to emphasise such effects.
One thing should be considered that such reflections are not exist at the original sound. If something is produced by the system/room in addition to the original sound should be named coloration.
If the aim of a good hi-end system is to reproduce the original sound, such reflections should be avoided as much as possible. Especially ribbon and electrostatic speakers will suffer a lot from such reflections.
Carpet on the floor is a must to lower the reflections (standing waves) between the floor and the ceiling. Thicker curtains will help to lower the reflections of the windows. Glass covered photos and such a stiff furniture should be avoided.
This article is not intended to give recommendations how to make a room tuning, lots but lots of information may be found on internet. But it is just to emphasize the importance of room acoustics.
6- Precise Focus and Loudspeaker Placement ; This is also another known but the least considered part of Hi-End. It is critically important to locate both speakers at the exactly same distance to achieve precise focus. Distances should be very carefully measured and both of the speakers should be placed exactly to the same distance through listener.
OK but why such important !
Sound signals are distributed in waves as explained in section five. The people who tried the settings in section five will realize that, the peaks of frequencies vary in conjunction with the distance from the speakers. Especially the treble frequencies will vary a lot by only one centimetres of a change. In such a cases, if one speaker is just one cm closer to the listener, some frequencies will be heard a lot from one speaker but will not be heard from the other speaker. If the upper harmonics of the human sound consist of such upper frequencies, (it is !) this is obvious that the sound will move from the middle to left or to right. Moreover, within that case, some frequencies will be collided in full phase and will be exaggerated, some others will be collided by inverted phase so are destroyed.
This is the exactly the same effect of loosing bass when connecting one speaker out of phase.
7- Mechanical Vibration of Electronic Units ; Quite a lot of vibration absorption feet and platform kinds are exist in the market. They are to be placed under the electronics/speakers. Such materials have two intentions ;
a- To eliminate the external vibration coming through the unit
b- To eliminate the vibration of the unit itself (CD driver motor, speaker cone vibrations etc)
Most popular ones are the cones (spikes). I believe the proper usage of spikes are not known very well. Rather than being a vibration absorber, spike is a kind of transmission material that transmits vibration from one point through the other point. In other means, vibration is condensed to one point and mechanically carried to other platform by the spike but not eliminated. If the connection surface is stiff (for instance marble, granite, etc) such vibrations are passed to that surface. Underneath of such a stiff platforms (marble, MDF, glass, granite) must be covered by an elastically material such as cork, mouse pad, neoprene rubber or similar.
The vibration can not pass from a stiff platform to an elastically platform and will be transposed to heat between.
Direction of the cone is also critically important. The direction should be in conjunction with the intention of vibration transmission.
May be the last thing about the cone is the cone should be in touch with the chassis of the component directly. If any kind of rubber, double sided band, blue tack or such an elastic material is put between cone and the unit, that material will try to transpose the vibration and the cone will not work.
8- Marble Under the Loudspeakers ; A marble platform under the speakers eliminate most of the unwanted resonances of the speaker. The thickness of the marble should be at least 3 cm and the size should be at least 10 centimeters bigger then the edges. Underneath of the marble has to be covered by an elastic material such as cork, mouse pad, neoprene etc.
How does it effect the sound is, you have more powerful but more clear and tight bass, relaxation at the mid and top frequencies.
The speaker has to be connected to the platform via a cone, not by a elastically feet. The sharp end of the cone has to direct the marble but not to the loudspeaker.
9- Grounding the Metals for Static Electricity ; Especially in wet weather and in fully carpeted listening environments, static electric become an issue. The carpet is charged with static electric which can be passed through the electronic equipments via the rack and/or via human touch. Static electricity on the carpet is such powerful that when checked in the morning before somebody walks on it, can be clearly seen by simple tools sold in Radio Shack
In order to eliminate the effect, the loudspeaker stands and the equipment racks should be connected to earth by a thin wire. Moreover, the loudspeaker cables and the interconnects should be lifted away from the floor due to the same effect.
What benefits you may expect from this tweak is I don't know why but less blurry and more tide lower bass.
10- Loudspeaker Distance from the Front Wall ; Loudspeaker producers generally recommend the distance of the speaker by the front wall (the wall behind the speakers). Generally speaking, the speaker should be located as far as possible from the front wall. (Side walls as well) If they are so close to the wall, bass standing waves will be reinforced (explained in article five) and mid/treble band will be compressed due to excessive bass energy.
Some audiophiles find the desired bass volume by placing them closer to front wall which is not correct. One thing should be considered that such bass increase is not due to the original sound but it is the consequence by the room response called coloration.
11- Auto former / Transformer Passive Line Stages ; The new developed technologies in hi-end industry made the pre-amplifiers questionable.
Before end, the reason of a preamplifier was stipulated in four basics ;
a- To connect more then one unit together
b- Recording to tape from some sources
c- Low volume output and inverted polarity signal of turntables (as the only source component)
d- Bass, treble adjustment requirements
Nowadays, CD, SACD units can provide 5-8 Volts of outputs which are more than enough for the power amplifiers. Audiophiles are not interested in tone adjustments but focused on simplicity anymore. Dedicated phono stages are in common usage, hence, the majority of the requirements are not valid anymore.
The main and the only basic job of a modern pre-amplifier is to lower the volume level, not step it up !!
Just try to imagine a pure signal from a CD, or DAC through the power amplifier, then cut this link, add four plugs, four female plugs, a pair of interconnects, lots of resistors, capacitors, tubes, transistors and all that stuff in the link. How can you keep the signal purity and can you make something better then it's original !
An active line stage demolish the neutrality and the purity of the original sound. Such a corruption may not be so evident in most of the lower resolution systems or disregarded by some people on purposely. Every active line stage has it's own tonality and coloration. As a matter of fact, audiophiles generally use line stages to balance their tonality problems in systems. For instance, a tube line stage is used to calm down a firm sounding solid state power amplifier or a treble rich line stage is used to compensate the treble poor power amplifier and vice versa. If this is the case in a system, fully natural line stage and lack of coloration will not be regarded by the audiophile.
Following me, the consideration should be to change the power amplifier till finding the desired sound rather then playing with pre-amplifier. In other words, to deal directly with the problem rather then trying to mask the original problem.
It is almost in consensus that using a very simple volume pot adds so much neutrality and purity to sound. But in such cases, some other problems appear. A volume pot which is either a potentiometer or a stepped alternator works with the resistance principals. Every volume step adds different resistive path to signal, thus lowers the volume. Due to the complexity of the music signal ( 20 Hz-20 kHz), such a resistive load will act like a barrier for different frequencies. For instance when turning down the volume level, the treble is lowered and the bass is condensed or when you increase the volume, mids are excessive or vice versa. Not to forget to mention is the lack of dynamic range as well. A line stage eliminates these problems.
Due to these facts, volume control pots or analogue volume controlled CDs can not be used stand alone as line stages
By the new technology, new auto former and transformer passive line stages are developed for volume control.
Such units do not work with resistance principals and do not add resistance to the signal path. The only resistance of such amps are approximately 200 Ohms due to the cable in windings.
Transformer passive line stages consist of two transformers, one for the left channel, one for the right. They have one primary winding and multiple (12-24 steps) of secondary windings. Their principal is to lover the volume by changing the volts, rather then adding resistance. Up to my knowledge, There are only three producers of such line stages. I used two of them. Both of them are providing extra ordinary natural, calm and undistorted sounds.
I heavily modified the Antique Sound Lab myself which is very good product and quite cheap too, (don't underestimate it's price) but Audio Consulting's Silver Rock made of pure silver is something else.
It should be also mentioned that such a passive line stages can not be suitable for every system. In such a case, input impedance of power amp should be driven directly by the output stage of DAC or CD Player. Input impedance of the power amp should be as small as possible. The best way to learn this case is to write the impedance values to producer and request assistance prior to purchasing.
12- Good Tubes (NOS Tubes) ; Is it logical to pay €100 to and old tube while the new one costs €10. I believe it is. A good tube can change the characteristics of a tube electronic as if you replaced the entire unit. Nos tubes are not easy to find, quite expensive but worthwhile to use. Especially the upper frequency hiss is quite lower with Nos tubes.
13- Very Easy Polarity Finding Method ; Generally speaking, European (German) standard AC plugs do not have the signal direction. US, UK, Swiss AC plugs have one way to connect to AC, so + and - phases can not . So in such cases, it is not easy to find out the correct polarity.
Electronic components can work properly regardless of the polarity. Our televisions, refrigerators, bulbs, computers everything. Why the AC polarity is quite important in Hi-Fi !
Electricity arrives from (+) passes the electronic circuit and departs from (-) Generally the mains current arrives in the power supply of the unit first then reduced to desired voltage by of the electronic circuits. At this case, mains is automatically filtered by the power supply section. The transformer of the power supply section behaves like isolation transformer, input and output currents are physically separated. If the polarity is not correct, the mains will arrive to system directly from the back door and will carry all the pollution like RFI/EMI into the unit. Due to the fact, it is important to find out the correct polarity.
Most of the electronic' polarity is similar. If the unit has detachable power cord and IEC kind of input, the right hole should be the (+) mains when do you loo at the plug front the front face (as seen below)
Another simple method is to check the mains fuses. If the unit is equipped with an exterior protection fuse, release the fuse and check it by an electricity check pen while the unit was connected to mains. It should be (+) signal. If not, reverse the AC plug from the wall
14- Listening Volume Level ; It is for sure nobody's business to tell you that what is the correct listening volume setting. Some audiophiles like very low listening level, some turn on the volume till the windows are broken.
If the outcome is to achieve the ambiance of the recorded venue, volume level should be adjusted accordingly but not more or not less. This case is applicable to acoustic instruments only but not to electronic music, jazz or disco etc.
What ever the listened record is, correct volume setting should be the one which does not enlarge or shrink the original instrument. Higher volumes may For instance a guitar should be played with the original volume of a guitar by correct volume setting. If volume level is increased, the body of the guitar will became bigger in obsolete terms, on the other hands, full body of a Mormon chorus will not be so realistic at low volumes
15- Warming Up the Speakers and Cables Before Critical Listening ; Apart from the theory that "Solid state electronics provide their best sound for a few minutes till the transistors became warm." particularly every audio equipment needs a warming up time. This time is at least 1/2 hour or even 1 hour in spite the manufacturers recommend less. Up to my knowledge, the reason behind this is the specifications of the resistors, capacitors, tubes and other stuff vary if they are cold or warm. Manufacturers make final settings when the units are warm, otherwise they would play perfect for the first half an hour and worse after warmed up.
That principal is applied by every audiophile for the electronics but not always for the speakers and the cables.
Speakers are quite important since their passive components should be warmed up such as crossover resistors. Their voice coils should be warmed up as well. The cables are also important. Warm up term may not eligible for the cables but the cables should be run for sometime till their dielectrics are charged.
As a result, the warming up time should be completed by playing (may not be listening) the entire system.
16- Proper Loudspeaker Selection for Listening Room; Loudspeaker should be selected in conjunction with the listening room dimensions. Unfortunately the general tendency in audiophiles particularly in US is "the bigger is better"
It is like some new starting skiers that choose the best ski equipments prior to learning and facing with so many problems afterwards.
Big loudspeakers are difficult to position, difficult to drive, effected more from the room boundaries. If the speaker is bigger for the room, excessive bass energy will diminish rest of the sounds. The bigger speaker means bigger problems. Driving big speakers requires challenge, experience, sources, time and money.
17- PS Audio Power Plant ; Principally I avoid giving specific brands in my non commercial web site. But PS Audio Power Plant is such a special product that similar components do not comparable with. It is a kind of power regenerator powered by electricity. P300 actually regenerates new AC for the audio gear. This regenerated AC is of much better quality than filtered AC because of the stabile voltage and near perfect AC waveform. It also removes 70 dB of EMI and RFI noise from the AC line!
Not all friends are agreed with me but according to me, it is a very special equipment that lifts up the entire system to a higher level.
What would you expect from it is much relaxed sound, more layered deep and wide soundstage, crystalline treble and more inner details. Improvements are immediately apparent. Take care to use with power hungry amplifiers. (I am not sure about this currently Note:2005)
18- CD Surface Treatments ; There are several kind of CD surface treatments in the market. They shine the surface of CD, thus laser picks up more information. What can be expected from a surface treatment is the high frequencies are cleaner and more extended. The easiest and the cheapest method of CD surface treatment is the one that used by pipe lovers .That is the human oil on the skin of face.
I apologize for that ugly tweak but our systems are personal and private anyway don't they. Human oil has the perfect thin viscosity and can be absorbed by CD surface very easily and effectively. Listen your CD first, smear the CD throughout your forehead and spread the oil with your finger and listen it again.
Don't forget to spread the oil by your finger every time prior to listening that CD.
19- Objective of the Third Dimension ; The objective of a stereo system is to achieve 3.rd dimension via two channels. All the hi-end or hi-fi equipments have their own character, timbre and tonality. For instance a titanium tweeter will have different tonality then a silk dome tweeter. Two different brand of loudspeakers will have different tonalities as if they use the same drive units. The tonality of a hi-end equipment mostly depends on the listening preferences of the designer. We will most probably not like if hear different tonalities from our own equipments even though the other system sounds much better. This case is so often faced, most of the audiophiles don't like the sounds of somebody else's system despite it is a better system. This case is also evident when buying or testing a new equipment at homes. We sometimes test a better equipment at home but feel something is still missing compared to our own equipment.
I remember very well, when Sony introduced the first 20 Bits CD player, most of the people found the sound harsh, edgy and coloured. People used to listen dark sounding CD players up to that time and hearing more inner details disturbed them.
I also remember very well that when I modified my old B&W 801 Matrix II monitor speakers and cancelled their protection units, the new sound had disturbed me a lot. I was such unhappy by the new sound and could not have listened my system for several days. At that time, the manufacturer expressed that "the protection units were needed due to the speakers were designed mainly for recording studios". They also told to me that the new sound must be clearly better due to the crossover resistance that effects especially the lower mid and upper bass was lowered fairly. After several days of listening them, the sound became better and better. Eventually the sound was surprisingly perfect after few weeks. Actually the sound was the same but perception was changing. (My brain reference was changing)
If this is the often case, how do we distinguish the better unit by listening ! There are several ways of it but for me the main method is third dimension capability. This is not the only case for sure but generally speaking, if two units are compared, the better one is the one delivers bigger soundstage, more dept and more height.
This is also the theory of Peter Quodrup from Audio Note UK and I am hundred percent agreed with him.
The distortion of an electronic device is does not effect the tonality of the equipment but mainly effects the inner details. Soundstage dept and height are such hidden factors in inner details that they will be effected first. If the unit provide lower distortion, more precise soundstage, especially more dept will be provided.
20- The Least Powerful Ring of a Chain; Hi-Fi is a kind of chain. Strength of a chain depend on the least powerful ring. Assume a water hose consists of variety of wideness. Derived water capacity will be in accordance with the thinner part.
A system should consist of similar level of equipments. If you add the best CD transport to a standard level of system, there will be some changes but not as expected. Also a poor digital cable will compress the entire sound quality of a very good system.
A long term plan should be prepared before setting up a system and the pieces should be purchased in time. Hurried purchases may come as replacement expense within one or two years.
21- Don't Immediately Judge a Unit, Give a Chance ; Every system can sounded well in time. System synergy is a kind of time dependent factor that sometimes takes months, even years. Sometimes we make quick decisions and quick prejudices for good products and immediately make unfair observations. According to me, the main element of the hi-end chain is the loudspeaker. If tonality and characteristics of the speaker is generally fine, or if the overall tonality of the entire system is generally fine, the system can be carried up for several further steps by playing with cables, tweaks, locations, tubes etc.
22- Critical Adjustments Should be Done by Listening Symphonic Music or Chorus Music ; Once we decided about the main components of our system, we play with cables, tubes, tweaks and other accessories till finding the desired tonality. Adjusting the tonal balance of a system by listening single instruments or jazz trios may mislead us.
Upper mid and the treble bands of a sound is easily disappeared if somebody is far away from the original signal. This is the case if we listen a live concert or listen a hi-end system. If this is the case, such instruments like saxophone, guitar, violin, even a human voice are darker and distant if we listen a very good live record. Whenever we increase mid/treble band of the system by tweaks, such instruments became more open, detailed and dynamic. But one thing should be in mind that we may add a subtle amount of coloration to sound unconsciously. If a system is trimmed by listening small trios or single instruments, singe voices, this risk is really big. Such a system may not play a classical music performed by a big orchestra. If such symphonic music is listened, the system may reveal harshness and brightness.
It is often said that somebody's system plays well in classics but sounds quite dark in jazz, or somebody else's system is quite revealing in jazz but very bright and glazing at classical music. I believe this is the main reason of that phenomena.
End.
-----------------------
Hi-End is such a passion that so many opportunist firms and persons are added every year in spite hi-end community is not growing enough. Prices are multiplied by 3, 5, 10s every year. Every producer pretend to be one of the best in the world or at least within particular price level. Manufacturers issue review reports prepared by some ones !
No testing equipments in today's technology can prove that their claims are correct or no testing equipments can invalidate that their claims are wrong. In no way an equipment can compare two units each other and prove that one is better sounding then the other. Pretended best in the world equipments/cables often suck in blind testing. If this is the case, it is easy to claim to be the best in the world due to nobody can prove the opposite.
The price of a valuable equipment can fall down to 1/3 of the purchasing price within few years by the additions of MK-II's, MK-III's, Special Editions, Signature Versions
While the best speaker in the world was sold by 7.000 ? twenty years ago, the best speaker nowadays is more then 200.000 ?. A poor line stage which is used to lower the volume is sold out by 40.000.?
Hi-End technology does not grow up for years. Most of the hi-end producers are very small family entrepreneurs that targeting very rich few niche people. They don't have proper research and development laboratories. Design and esthetical properties are the priorities.
I have the strong impression that Hi-End is digging it's own grave with that pricing policy. We will see what will happen to hi-end after 30 years.
It is a deep less hole. My humble recommendations for the just starters is that go with second hand market products and go by reasonable priced equipments to minimize the losses of years. Never look for the perfect sound which is not exist in any money. Keep in mind that a 300.000 ? worth amplifier may be % 2-3 better then a 5.000 ? worth of his small brother.
Best regards with lots of music..
Ozhan Atalay
www.nonamehifi.com
Content of this web site can be used only by referring to
http://www.nonamehifi.com
Copyright © NonameHifi
Monday, May 17, 2010
Levi's 501 Graphical History & FAQ
Why do I need an FAQ?
There are roughly 20 major variants of the 501 throughout its history. Along with this FAQ, I’ve added a a brief guide to how to tell them apart, aimed mostly at people who intend to wear vintage replicas.
How did the 501 change throughout its history?
The 501 constantly evolved from when it appeared around 1873. Early examples were worn with suspenders (or, if you're British, braces), and hence had suspender buttons and a cinch to tighten the waist. Earlier jeans were made of lighter weight denim. The 501 didn't assume what we think of as its modern form until 1947.
Did the shape of the 501 change, too?
Constantly. Early jeans were anti-fit, with a big top block – ie big in the bum. They had a high rise – ie the waistband was above the bellybutton – and the legs were usually slightly tapered. In the '30s, they followed fashion by becoming much fuller and baggier. By the late '40s, they had become what we'd describe today as a classic, vintage cut; in the '60s, the 501 was more of a drainpipe shape. For more info, see the model guide.
Did Levi Strauss invent the 501?
No. The inventor of the 501, and the concept of blue jeans or 'riveted work pants' was a tailor named Jacob Davis. He had the idea of reinforcing work pants with rivets, and made several dozen in white cotton duck, and blue denim. He bought all his fabric from Levi Strauss, whom he trusted. Jacob wrote to Levi to suggest he fund a patent application in both their names, which was granted in 1873. The XX model was launched around that time, or shortly afterwards, and was later renamed 501XX.
What denim is the 501 made from?
From 1873 to circa 1922, the 501 was made from natural indigo selvage denim made in Amoskeag, New Hampshire. Around 1922, LS&Co switched suppliers to Cone; the new fabric was synthetic indigo denim, and had a red line on the selvage, to identify the denim. In 1983 the 501 changed to a non-selvage denim made on wider looms, still produced by Cone. Cone still produce the red-line denim for today's Levi's Vintage replicas; most of the denim for the pre-1927 versions is made in Japan.
Weren't the early jeans made from 'Serge de Nimes' made in France, or using canvas?
No. That's an urban myth. All the denim came from mills in the US; the brown cotton duck used on some early jeans vaguely resembled canvas, hence the confusion.
Which is the slimmest model of LVC 501?
That's a close call between the 1947 – which has a straight leg, and slim thighs – and the 1966, which has slightly wider thighs and is slightly tapered. For more info, see the model guide.
When did Levi's start producing replicas of classic models of 501?
Levi's Japan started producing vintage reissues around 1987, and Levi's US produced their own Capital E, a generic vintage-style model in 1989. LVC started producing a vintage range from 1996.
Where is/was the 501 made?
The very first 501s (or XX, as they were first called) were probably made by out-workers, who'd sew the jeans in their homes. But Levi Strauss & Co (aka LS&Co) soon opened a factory on Battery Street, San Francisco. Much later, as production expanded, LS&Co opened many more factories; their first overseas production of the 501 was in Scotland, in the early '80s. Sadly, Levi's closed its last US factory, in San Antonio, Texas, in 2003, moving practically all its production off-shore. Current LVC jeans in raw finish (unwashed) are made by non-LS&Co factories in the USA.
How do I get the right size of 501?
Levi's 501 was traditionally a Shrink to Fit jean. This was because all early denim shrank, hence the customer would simply buy jeans one size (two inches) up from their actual measurements: eg, if you need jeans with a 32 inch waist and 32 inch leg, buy 34W 34L jeans, which will shrink to the approximately correct size. However, LVC models from Spring/Summer 2009 onwards are sized larger, so in most cases it’s best to buy your actual waist size. To elliminate doubt, measure the waist of the actual jeans, and size up by one inch.
Does anyone else apart from LVC make 501 replicas?
Many Japanese companies make jeans influenced by the 501; Sugarcane jeans are especially good, although personally I prefer other models, like the SC40400 Hawaii, to their Levi's copies. I also like Samurai, which fade in a very attractive way – which is different to how Levi's fade. I've not had a chance to try out a pair yet, but it's obvious that Warehouse are also among the most creative Japanese vintage-influenced jeans. For more information on other Japanese brands check out the denim forum at www.superfuture.com
What's the best way of shrinking the 501?
Most people will soak them before wear. Cold water is fine; for more shrinkage, use hot water. For maximum shrinking machine-wash inside-out at 30 or 40 degrees (without detergent) before wearing. Many people wear them as they dry, so they'll assume the wearer's shape. If you put them on wet, then squat and run around before hang-drying, it will 'set' the creases, and perhaps help achieve better wear patterns.
How do I get a good-looking or vintage-style fade?
General consensus for a high-contrast is to keep washing to a minimum for the first six months. When you do wash, use a mild washing powder or liquid, without bleach; Dr Bronners, or Eco products are highly regarded by denim aficionados. But miners in the '20s, cowboys in the '30s, and bikers in the '40s seemed to get great fades without obsessing about it too much.
What does 'antifit' mean?
The first jeans were based on very simple patterns; on the very first Levi's, the pattern is less curved around the ass, which in cross section is less fitted, so extra fabric can bulge around the bottom of your ass. Sometimes, as on the 1955 Levi's, this bulge looks triangular, as opposed to round. It's a classic look, which is why it's popular, but is has a different effect depending on the style of the jean. A classic antifit cut would be a Levi's 1955, or an 1880s cut. On the 501, the most fitted are the ’66 and 70s cuts, plus the ’80s and ’90s ones.
What are Sanforized jeans?
Some Levi's, mostly models with zippers including the 551ZXX, are Sanforized, which is a process which shrinks fabric before it's made into a garment. Most Lee jeans are Sanforized. With these models, you can buy actual size, and there's no need to presoak them. However, remember that there is some residual shrinkage, at least 3%, and that some current Lee reissues are badged as Sanforized, when they're apparently not (they're usually made over-size to compensate for this).
What are the ‘button codes’?
All early LVC have factory codes on the fly button which indicate the factory the produced them. They don’t have huge significance, but they will tell you whether the jeans were made in a Levi’s factory, and will also help identify 2009 jeans, which are sized differently. I believe the correct coding is: 555 (Valencia St), 554 (San Antonio), 822 an unknown Levi's factory used for LVC around 2001. 643M, denotes a non-Levi's factory, probably Taylor Togs in N Carolina, (sometimes the buttons are blank but you'll see 643 on the inner tag), R overlaps with the same time frame of 2004-2007 and around 2008 we get 233M. Spring/summer 2009 jeans are sized differently from their predecessors and carry a 4170 code; I believe this signifies Caitac in California. These jeans look to be sized larger than their predecessors; we will need more reports from wearers before it’s possible to say if the shapes vary, too.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
My looong time hobby: HiFi & Music Listening
HiFi 2007
- NAIM CD3 CD player with MF X-10D tube buffer stage
- LINN SONDEK LP12 Valhalla turntable with 'Black' ZETA tonearms & DENON DL-103R MC cartridges
- AUDIO ANALOGUE Puccini SE 50W Integrated Amplifier
- EPOS ES-22 3-way Floorstander Speakers
- KIMBER 8TC and AUDIOQUEST Midnight 3 spk/c; AUDIOQUEST Quartz x3 i/c, CHORD Cobra 2 i/c, XLO/VDO ER-1c digital cable
- XLO Ref. 10A Purple and PL1500 Green AC Power Cords; BDR Cones, Customized Wood Rack
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
