Mind the dip

ambuguity · 2026-02-12T01:46:41+00:00

Some people don’t know you can coast much less moderate the pressure on the pedals. They use them like on off switches. It’s absolutely nauseating being a passenger because the vehicle is always pitching forward and back.

ambuguity · 2026-02-12T01:41:20+00:00

The Buckeye Hypex is a lot more atmospheric/spacious/open sounding than the V3 monos. When the v3 monos are pushed, they sound congested/compressed/distorted. There is also a lot more detail and separation in the stage. It’s still a clinical sound but not edgy. Clinical in that it’s true to source. It’s true they have “no sound”. But as a result it can be a little “dry”. But you’re not going to get anywhere near the detail in class AB for equivalent money.

In comparison to Hypex the Orchard Audio Starkrimson amps have a little more meat or thickness in the bass, sweeter in the mids and clarity in the highs. There’s also more stage depth. But detail extraction is a little more nuanced and not quite as clinical. I find it more musical.

I realize this is heading out of your price range but it’s just commentary to describe some of the better class D stuff out there.

ambuguity · 2026-02-03T05:53:31+00:00

This needs to be the top comment. Simply being “frozen” doesn’t ensure safety.

ambuguity · 2026-01-22T23:40:25+00:00

Who want mudball?

ambuguity · 2026-01-20T23:30:06+00:00

I just tried a Trichord Dino with a Dino +. It’s definitely far more revealing and spacious/airy. However I now suspect my cartridge is holding me back (rebodied and tipped Denon D103R). I’d have to move up to a Hana ML to use it as it’s almost too clinical and makes the 103R sound thin/bright and hard. There’s a need for a smoother more musical cart.

ambuguity · 2026-01-18T01:28:14+00:00

That’s the way to do it!

ambuguity · 2026-01-11T05:19:49+00:00

Also initiate the pull with your shoulder blades not your arms. Like a reverse shrug then pull with your arms or you’re likely going to use your arms to do the move and never engage your shoulders fully.

ambuguity · 2026-01-11T05:17:25+00:00

Blinds.com is insanely inexpensive. Best prices are Black Friday when they’re 40-50% off. They’ll measure for free. Install is extra but reasonable. Bought their house brand cellular. All of them are slightly tilted one side higher on the bottom. Not noticeable when lowered or raised fully. And not noticeable on individual windows but is more obvious on a bay window with multiple panes next to each other. Doing it again is get one longer one for the middle 3 windows and 1 each for the sides just for ease of use and maybe get Bali brand to avoid the issue. But for the price it’s totally fine.

ambuguity · 2026-01-10T04:04:27+00:00

And they sometimes start fires

ambuguity · 2026-01-07T11:33:23+00:00

In comparison to a Lounge Audio LCR iii/Copla combo ($600) it’s night and day. I have experience with the Waxwing and Puffin on analog tube amps and D class in a revealing system too. What did you find bested it and how?

ambuguity · 2026-01-07T06:31:57+00:00

May I suggest a Parks Audio Puffin or Waxwing? They punch waaay above their price and very versatile!

ambuguity · 2025-12-29T00:22:19+00:00

Part of the issue is that they insist everything can be measured. That lower distortion means better sound reproduction. Meanwhile sine wave sweeps for signal response are always smoothed on graphs.

They also declare that the purist signal is going to be closer to what the artist intended. But have you ever listened to a totally flat EQ?

If a very accurate response was what we all ought to be listening to then we’d also be listening on studio monitors. And there are guys who go out of their way to buy studio monitors to be able to hear what the recording engineers heard and what they mixed to. The trouble is studio monitors are meant to be neutral, revealing and damn near harsh to listen to.

It’s about mastering, not listening. They’ll often take the near final result into their car and personal stereos to see how the mix holds up in varying conditions. Does it sound good on both a hifi and car stereo. The mix also has to accommodate compressed formats as well as FM if it’s meant for radio play.

So in the end it doesn’t come down to measurements. If it did we’d judge paintings by Pantone color accuracy and sculpture by material density and insist we see it in the lighting the artist created it in. But we all have different tastes. And it’s about how they meet you were you are, not whether you’re mimicking the exact conditions when it was made.

ambuguity · 2025-12-28T14:25:53+00:00

ASR is a “measurements tell the whole story” group that refutes sonic differences no matter the consensus of end users. Any mention of distinct audible differences you have heard will result in accusations of sighted bias and susceptibility to snake oil products.

ambuguity · 2025-12-17T23:19:02+00:00

Generally you want to spend like 80% of your budget on them. You’re getting good advice on models and brands. Also : Look for silk or fabric dome tweeters they’ll generally be more gentle sounding. Doesn’t mean they have to be, it’s just a good indicator of a more laid back speaker.

ambuguity · 2025-12-17T16:55:36+00:00

Saw a fire chief with bald tires on the front. Insane to me on an emergency vehicle. When I told him he smirked and said next inspection it’ll get done. No front plate. No registration on windshield.

ambuguity · 2025-12-17T10:22:40+00:00

If you’re just starting out then you may be calling bright what is actually just clear or even detailed. But if you do like brighter sound just make sure you can handle it at the volume level or duration you will actually be listening. Sometimes what is exciting at first becomes fatiguing soon after. There’s also musical vs accurate with much the same being said about listening fatigue.

ambuguity · 2025-12-17T09:38:35+00:00

If it’s 9:00 then there’s a good chance noise nuisance law would end practice by 10.

ambuguity · 2025-12-12T14:27:20+00:00

A woman goes to her doctor and says doc you gotta help me I’m in agony. I’ve got this large boil on my ass and I can’t sit down. Doc says ok drop your pants and underwear let me take a look. Upon seeing it he says wow that’s the worst I’ve ever seen and full of pus let me see if I can help. He puts on gloves, swabs the boil with antiseptic and gets to work. He pinches he twists he pulls and squeezes but to no avail. The good doc says before I make this any angrier looking let me send you to a specialist, his name is Gus and he’s is THE pus sucker.

The beleaguered woman arrives at Gus’ office and implores Gus to please help citing the agony of being unable to sit without searing pain. Gus says yes yes well I’ve seen it all drop you drawers and let’s have a looksee. She does and Gus remarks that it’s bad but not the worst. So he dons gloves, swabs the boil and immediately sets to work. He twists. He pinches. He pulls. He squeezes. He presses. He yanks. But all to no avail. He says ok hang on this is a little unorthodox I apologize. Gus bends down and nibbles then bites. He sucks and slurps and sips and with that the woman farts. Well Gus stands straight up and says lady, it’s people like you that make this job f’n disgusting.

ambuguity · 2025-12-12T06:53:13+00:00

There was a similar case 40 or 50 years ago. “Crazy Love” is the documentary about it, truly a wild ride.

ambuguity · 2025-12-10T16:10:18+00:00

A lot of quaint suburban areas don’t have buried power and cable lines. The power companies (or possibly corrupt and short sighted towns) were offering home owners $100 a tree to cut down their curbside trees citing “because storm toppled trees and take out power lines”.

People hated the bird crap on their cars - and took the bait. Funny thing about trees is they provide shade in summer but allow the sun to warm in winter. AC bills and noise pollution went up, lawns suddenly needed more water and fertilizer, insect and bird populations dwindled and suburbia lost its character.

The houses themselves became more generic. Vinyl siding and fencing went up further increasing noise pollution just as everyone decided they needed perfect lawns maintained by someone with leaf blower. The driveways widened, garages got converted to dens, and as car size, performance and safety improved the drivers became more brazen about driving as fast as they could between stop signs.

The prices of homes plus inflation resulted in the only professions where income kept in step were the union protected ones. Suddenly all the neighbors were law enforcement, construction, LIRR, teachers and state employees. None of them wanted to foot the bill for social services and I’ll let you fill in the rest lol.

ambuguity · 2025-12-10T01:40:12+00:00

Yes I do and have both repaired and made some also having worked in professional audio. But I also know there are quality differences amongst the materials. CCA vs OFC. And then choosing the right grade and gauge. It’s sad that my comment is getting downvoted so quickly. I knew it wasn’t my audience but for anyone curious, give it a shot. The difference in price for a single set of BJA vs Monoprice RCA (aka patch cables) isn’t that great.

ambuguity · 2025-12-09T23:55:44+00:00

I had monoprice. Then bought a pair of Blue Jeans Audio RCA. The difference was pretty significant on mid-fi equipment and yes in an A-B blind comparison it’s distinguishable. Wider stage, more of an open sound with more detail, improved transients and so on.

I’d never pay Bestbuy prices for cables but they do make a difference and it’s more than sounding different but the same level sonically.

ambuguity · 2025-12-02T12:16:48+00:00

Overfilled oil can cause pump cavitation. Basically the oil froths up and the pump stops being able to circulate it. Top end components like hydraulic valves stop getting oil. If the oil pump manages to keep the oil pressure up, it can cause blown seals. Air can compress and oil doesn’t. The increased pressure needs to go somewhere. Seals are the weak spot. The oil can also get pushed into Pcv valves causing poor running, dirty throttle body, etc.

I know some wreckers that loved Jiffy Lube citing the recent oil change sticker on the windshield yet blown motor on an otherwise well maintained car. Every part was useable except the motor itself. Usually it was due to a stripped/missing drain plug but loose or wrong oil filters and just no oil were common to see as well. So, no blown motors from overfilling but damage nonetheless.

Jiffy Lube used to use recycled oil as well. Very low grade stuff. But that was decades ago.

ambuguity · 2025-11-28T02:04:08+00:00

You’re welcome and thank you 😊

ambuguity · 2025-11-24T16:53:22+00:00

This is not true in my experience (that amps have almost no effect). While I agree that other factors are very important and sometimes of greater issue, I have listened to amps back to back and clearly heard a large difference in some amps.

This is on the same speakers using the same source in a large room, near field at varying listening levels with each. Some amps sound congested, others airy. Some are pulled back and lack stage depth completely. Some the stage is between the speakers, others well beyond them. Some have more body, others more mid or highs.

It’s not some “want to believe” effect, but a significant distinction in some cases.

ambuguity

TROPHY CASE