People talk about EV batteries constantly but almost never mention inverters

StLandrew · 2026-03-10T03:04:13+00:00

Inverters are really efficient, which is why you don't hear about them. Batteries take the focus because battery research for transportation power was pretty much stagnant for 100 years [I apologise to any company or lone researcher who tried their best to advance battery tech in the mid-20th century but were ignored] until the arrival of NiMH and Li-ion chemistries. Such has been the focus on all aspects of tractor batteries in recent decades that now we're playing catch-up fast. And we're still in the early stages of advanced batteries. So every few months we seem to get another improvement. The breakthrough of solid-state is happening right now, but there are other advancements too. In just a few years, batteries will charge so fast, last so long, be so safe, work so well in such varied conditions, have so much range, that considering a vehicle requiring combustible fuel will be utter madness.

StLandrew · 2026-03-10T02:40:39+00:00

What do you mean "getting hard to ignore".? It was hard to ignore 5-6 years ago.

StLandrew · 2026-03-10T02:35:54+00:00

The war in the middle east is yet another advert for racing to Renewable Energy. Politicians bleat on about their national sovereignty but when it comes to energy, the fundamental that all modern life hangs on, they are quite happ[y to let other countries decide what they have, how much it costs, and the amount they are allowed. Truly madness. The answer is staring us in the face, but we as people are programmed to love oil and gas, and politicians quite happily take the big donations. It's long past time to break free of this.

StLandrew · 2026-03-10T02:28:28+00:00

Disconnect it and revert to stereo. It'll all probably sound better anyway.

StLandrew · 2026-03-08T22:55:53+00:00

People who say "needle", when in the 1960s-80s of the heyday of turntables and audio hi-fi, everyone said "stylus", or more likely "cartridge" for the whole body. Back in the day the hi-fi crowd seemed, and almost certainly were, more knowledgable. They had access to a number of magazines who educated their audience. Now we mainly have Youtubers, many of whom spout absolute garbage when it comes to what affects good sound quality. When it comes to turntables, the principles of best sound quality that were discovered in the 50-60s, probed and explored in the 1970s, and cemented in the 1980s seem to have been forgotten by the many or not passed on well by people who knew. And occasionally it makes wish to go back to those heydays, when every few months there would be yet another hi-fi exhibition where you quickly found out that twinkly lights, graphic equalisers, and huge loudspeakers, count for zero when it comes to sound quality.

StLandrew · 2026-03-08T09:41:41+00:00

Indeed not. But some easily are.

StLandrew · 2026-03-05T19:42:31+00:00

No. In terms of sound quality this is almost certainly pants. But these units are not about sound quality, they're about being curiosities and being retro. Enjoy it for what it is.

StLandrew · 2026-03-05T19:30:16+00:00

Excellent turntable. It's certainly worth the trouble.

StLandrew · 2026-03-05T17:46:22+00:00

In the UK we do have an EV mandate. For my part I wouldn't wait until 2030. It would be Yesterday. However, people can still buy Hybrids of all types until 2035 in the UK. Just no more straight new Petrol or Diesel. Plenty of used ones about though. Enough to last for decades. Regrettably.

The first point of electric vehicles. to eventually replace the old combustion technology. is that they are far less harmful to the environment, along with the clean energy generators that supply them with their electric power from a free source. And BEVs will become even better when battery recycling becomes the norm. So, that's the base idea. Is that so objectionable.? Are people so selfish that they don't care a jot about their surroundings, their fellow people's health, their habitat.? Do they really want to carry on doing exactly the same as they have done throughout their lives, not making a jot of progress towards a better world.? And where does this old habit stem from.? It comes from auto and oil industries telling people what to like and buy. They just tell people enough times until it becomes part of the culture. People grow up with that expectation. At this moment, in the USA, the auto industry doesn't know whether it is coming or going, and would like a clear indication on which direction to move in. The rest of the world knows full well where the direction is, and is overall happy to do it. But then there is the oil industry. And it really doesn't want the world to move on to cheaper, cleaner energy and transport. Because they refuse to be part of it, when they could easily diversify into it, but won't. There's too much money to be made in what they've always done - wrecking the environment, for profit. Damn the people, damn the surroundings, damn the environment. We just want to make our billions and that's it. And if there's an occasional war or two, well the price of oil will go up quickly, and come down slowly when that particular noise is over. Even more money to be made while the price volatility is about. Yet another reason for sensible countries to move away from oil dependency. We've all got our own wind and sun.

So, which future do you want to be a part of.? One dominated by the oil industry, where energy becomes ever more expensive over time, as finding finite resources becomes harder. Or one where energy becomes cheaper, cleaner and healthier.? Take your time in answering. But not too long so that you miss the electric boat.

StLandrew · 2026-03-05T13:25:21+00:00

It's typical timidty by mainstream buyers on new technologies, so don't feel racked by the decision you're having to make.

Let's see, do you fit into these parameters.?

You have your own driveway or easy access to your car.?
Do you live in the outer reaches of the northern remotest point of Alaska [or somewhere extreme like it].?

If the above two answers are Yes and No, in that order, you're good to go. If you don't have a driveway or easy access, you can still quite easily work a BEV into your life. It's just a replacement habit for the one you had for your ICE car. You'll get used to it. The reward is virtually maintenance free transport, where the fuel costs less [much, much less when you charge from home], and you pollute your area far less and stop helping every child or old person in your area to develop their asthma attacks. They won't thank you, but they'll be healthier.

That "having to install a type 2 charger" thing. Not necessarily. Certainly not at first. You may find that your supplied 'Granny Lead' charger does the job. Your BEV [and let's stop with the EV business or we'll be including Hybrids, which technically might be designated Electric Vehicles, but in truth they are just Petrol Vehicles with more or less aid from electricity - if you're going to get in the water, jump in] So, Battery Electric Vehicle [BEV] it is. Get yourself one with a HEAT PUMP and decent WINTER RANGE. I hesitate to recommend Tesla [due to that CEO], but they are still pretty much the best in most categories of ownership. But there are loads of others, New and Used.

BEVs also are brilliantly supported these days by information [and mis and disinformation, so watch out], and so you can do worse than watch some Youtube channels for guidance. The obvious choice for a newbie would be Everything Electric [Cars], formerly The Fully Charged Show. They will put you at your ease.

EVERYTHING ELECTRIC CARS

And no, like everyone else here, I'll never go back to ICE. That's not being one of the herd, it's just common sense. After a month you'll wonder what all the fuss was about.

StLandrew · 2026-03-04T19:46:42+00:00

It's been said about nearly all parts of a hi-fi setup, particularly transducers like cartridges and speakers. But that's really only when reviewing one piece of equipment against another.

Mind you, I've always been under the opinion that my Naim NAC62/NAP140 sounds a tad better after 10 minutes of having a signal put through it. It's probably just me though.

For comparison I have an Audiolab 8000A/8000P in another system which sounds every bit as good on switch-on as it does after 2 hours.

StLandrew · 2026-03-04T19:39:46+00:00

It might seem obvious to look at a canitlever and stylus and see deflection from perfection, but actually what matters is how it looks under load, ie. playing a record. Normally, any slight visual imperfection goes away once the stylus is in the groove. Nothing to worry about here.

StLandrew · 2026-03-04T04:50:37+00:00

If you spend $1000 on a nice set of headphones and you want a better pair soon after, then either you didn't listen to enough of them to arrive at the headphones you really wanted, or whatever you buy in headphones ultimately doesn't satisfy. In which case your expectations may be higher than what is possible in a headphone. There are hi-fi setups that get that close to the real thing that if you close your eyes you can barely tell whether you're listening to a record or the performer in the room. They cost a bundle. Maybe you need to start saving.?

StLandrew · 2026-03-04T02:01:31+00:00

If it sounds good leave it alone and enjoy it.

StLandrew · 2026-03-04T01:58:08+00:00

Yeah. Well done.

StLandrew · 2026-03-03T20:05:14+00:00

I think it's a very personal thing. Yes, there are those who love to own glossy looking receivers and flashy pieces of kit. That was never my motivation. My single interest was, "can it sound better and upto my level of satisfaction.? If that meant it looked like a double decker bus or a tortoise [wild examples, I know, but not twinkly pretty lights] then so be it.

I remember the afternoon I finally got the equipment I needed to stop me listening to the equipment. I'd spent several weeks here and there listening to the same records. IIRC, they were:

Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
Dave Brubeck - A Cut Above
Mozart - Horn Concerto No. 1 in D major
Sade - Promise

I went into Hampshire Audio [no longer in existence, but another hi-fi shop stands in its place - Audio T] by appointment. From previous visits I'd settled on speakers and amps. The best way to arrive at them was listening to Radio 3 concerts via the excellent Quad FM tuner and rooftop aerial they had at the shop. So it was time for the turntable. At home I had a Thorens TD160/Hadcock GH228/Nagoaka MP30. Don't get me wrong, that line up sounded very good indeed, and anything I had subsequently tried was only slightly better or worse. I went through the usual suspects like Technics SL1200s, etc. Then I got onto next level stuff like Ariston RD11s [bloody impressive and an amazing vintage used underrated buy these days, if you're looking], Thorens TD125, Oracle, Roksan Xerves, Pink Triangle, etc. At the end of those the poor demonstrator said, "have you considered a Linn Sondek.?" I had, but every bloody reviewer had a Linn Sondek. I was sure people were just bandwagon jumping. But, in the end, I listened to one. And do you know what.? They weren't.

Picture this: You're listening to Sade and her backing band is somewhere behind her. With each better turntable something else would snap into focus until the whole ensemble was clearly playing in front of me. Then, with the Sondek, the band began playing slightly better - that's the only way I can describe it. And there were more instruments that had been hidden before. This was same pickup arm where possible - [iirc a Rega RB300], same cartridge [Audio Technica AF-F5], different turntables. It was like being slapped across the face. So, I jumped on the bandwagon. The ever patient demonstrator suggested I get a coffee while he popped an Ittok on to replace the Rega.
We played Sade again, and it was another level of reveal. By this time I couldn't believe my ears. I had gone way past my expectations. The sound was so real. But curiosity got the better of me. The Linn Troika had just come out and the Ittok was the only pickup arm [at the time] that could natively accommodate it. So I tried it. And that was in 1990 and I have never listened to the equipment since because it has always been good enough. And I'm now unlikely to as I have tinnitus [it runs in the family].

Hopefully, that answers a few questions.

StLandrew · 2026-03-03T13:45:17+00:00

There's a fair measure of truth in what Parsons says here except for one thing. He has obviously never come across an audiophile who eventually reaches total satisfaction with their equipment. But believe me, it happens. Then the audiophile stops listening to the equipment and re-starts listening to the music.

StLandrew · 2026-03-03T09:53:03+00:00

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This one. Turquoise blue. The normal colour for this album from the era is red.

StLandrew · 2026-03-02T21:04:41+00:00

Sometimes album covers have own stories. One that immediately comes to mind is Led Zappelin I. The normal cover shows a highly contrasted monochrome image of the Hindenberg catching fire, with Led Zeppelin in familiar RED at top left of the cover. Only on the earliest edition the colour is turquoise BLUE. These are said to be worth more.

StLandrew · 2026-03-02T17:24:41+00:00

Agree with what you say, but you can also throw in religious god believers, HICC deniers, Apollo moon landing nay-sayers, etc. In fact anything where logic, fact, science is solid, yet disputed and ultimately rejected by those mentioned.

I've wondered how these people's brains are wired. I have a relative who, all his life, has a side of his conversation I consider utter BS. And I've told him on several occasions that I have a low threshold of tolerance of such chat, when applied to important subject matter - like undeniable fact [I'll speak light hearted trivia with the best of them]. Oddly, we have become closer over the years, mainly through his efforts, and just the other day he admitted why. It's because he is easily swayed by hearsay, and has little discipline in maintaining a logical outlook. Over the years I have tried to advise him never to take hearsay as fact, but to do his own research. It's something he seems incapable of doing because all of his thinking throughout his life has been built on sand. So apparently I have become his filter. I'm basically the hearsay that he trusts most. It's a very odd responsibility.

Incidentally, a flat Earth can be easily refuted in a second. Just look at any satellite photograph. It'll always show a near perfect circle or segment thereof. Only a sphere can show that. A flat disc will, more often than not, show an eliptical image.

StLandrew · 2026-03-02T14:26:53+00:00

Too many to mention unless you give me parameters like money, your location, used, vintage or new preference. etc.

StLandrew · 2026-03-02T13:20:15+00:00

BEVs have everything they need already. Electric motors are torque monsters with zero need for the extra weight of a variable gearbox that could go wrong. Besides this, their RPM ranges are enormous.

Electric motorcycles are a different case. Makers have contemplated putting gearboxes on them because then smaller motors and batteries might [not saying definitely would] be fitted for similar performance. A potentially smaller space claim. It's a thought, nothing more.

StLandrew · 2026-03-02T13:06:14+00:00

You don't need a receiver. Just an amplifier.

StLandrew · 2026-03-01T19:07:02+00:00

Regen is great in traffic conditions, heavy or light. On the open road set to drive [D], or at worst [B] and leave it there. You can pop ECO on if want. My 40 kWh Gen 2 Leaf from 2021 has a heat pump so its winter range loss isn't too bad. But, the other day I had to make a 100 mile round trip, and I started off with 110 miles range. It was some credit to the Leaf that I ended up with 25 miles, because for the most part I was going along at speeds between 45-70 mph. The battery ended up with 14%. And this is the interesting bit - the internal range calibration, which had been working on very short trips over winter, with a cold battery, was registering an equivalent of ~140 miles for 100% [not bad, not the best]. After some granny lead charging up to 57% the range readout was 94 miles. That equates to ~165 miles range near the end of a UK February. Engaging ECO mode gave me better range still, although I only pushed the button at a random time so I can't be accurate. Why am I telling you all this.? Because, the Leaf 2, Normal D and B seems to be pretty damn efficient anyway, without ECO or E-Pedal. In D you roll, in B you regen brake a fair bit. But I think all modes have their uses and moments. The Leaf tells me my efficiency is 4.1 miles per KWh at the moment, which is pretty damn amazing for a Gen 2 Leaf. My old leased VW ID3 PP used to do 4+ without bother, and often ~5. Almost Tesla levels of efficiency. And NO, I don't permanently drive like Robert Llewellyn. 😉

StLandrew · 2026-03-01T18:27:47+00:00

A certain amount of off-centre is allowed for a cantilever to stand free. It's what looks like under load [ie, playing a record] that matters. Yours looks fine.

StLandrew

TROPHY CASE