tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post8440436069553409243..comments2024-03-18T03:10:30.572-07:00Comments on NwAvGuy: All About GainNwAvGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309644608738074125noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-56993576268203918102012-08-13T18:57:33.663-07:002012-08-13T18:57:33.663-07:00See the section above on Excess Gain (link at star...See the section above on Excess Gain (link at start of article). That's essentially what you're asking--how much excess gain should you have. It's a matter of personal preference. Some like to use the entire volume range at the expensive of having some extra gain to boost "soft" recordings. Some want more gain in reserve.NwAvGuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309644608738074125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-25185583222540784532012-08-11T05:29:33.748-07:002012-08-11T05:29:33.748-07:00Quick question: For a high impedance headphone for...Quick question: For a high impedance headphone for the O2, would it be better to use the lowest gain and turn up the volume knob near 3/4 to max or use some gain and it at 40 to 50%?<br /><br />Awaits reply and eagerly awaits a new blog post! :DKarlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-17167525250687172672012-05-08T09:48:52.767-07:002012-05-08T09:48:52.767-07:00Thanks for the reply.
I'd not considered the ...Thanks for the reply.<br /><br />I'd not considered the impedance specifically at 60Hz, so that's a great observation. According to Stereophile (http://www.stereophile.com/content/dunlavy-audio-laboratories-sc-iv-loudspeaker-measurements), it is just over 4ohms.<br /><br />I've been VERY careful with the level of sines. BTW, Dunlavy's power ratings certainly seem more realistic/HammerSandwichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15550169096663728245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-63683328478205674052012-05-06T09:08:48.774-07:002012-05-06T09:08:48.774-07:00The impedance of your speakers is a total unknown ...The impedance of your speakers is a total unknown at 60 hz. That's close to system resonance of many speakers and the impedance may be far higher than the nominal value.<br /><br />Never run a sine wave at more than about 0.5 watts into a speaker for more than a second or two. While big beefy woofer voice coils can handle a few watts continuous, smaller drivers can't. Don't believe NwAvGuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309644608738074125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-77412888342998503872012-04-28T20:18:15.451-07:002012-04-28T20:18:15.451-07:00Good info. Let's see if I understand the prac...Good info. Let's see if I understand the practical implications with an example that might help others as well.<br /><br />Setup: Foobar -> Benchmark DAC1 -> Adcom GFA-555 -> Dunlavy SC-IV. Cheap, non-true-RMS multimeter from Radioshack.<br /><br />Goal: set my DAC1's calibrated outputs so that I *cannot* clip the power amp.<br /><br />The SC-IVs are effectively a true 4-ohm HammerSandwichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15550169096663728245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-86010622748887776122012-01-26T09:53:11.775-08:002012-01-26T09:53:11.775-08:00@Anon, see my More Power article. It explains ever...@Anon, see my <a href="http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2011/09/more-power.html" rel="nofollow">More Power</a> article. It explains everything. The short answer is 110 dB PEAK SPL. That may seem loud to some, but that's typical of live performances--even with classical music in a concert hall. That can be adjusted down to 105 dB for some and up to 115 dB for others. The article explains it all.NwAvGuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309644608738074125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-50534797714071172192012-01-26T07:59:07.996-08:002012-01-26T07:59:07.996-08:00Hi NwAvGuy,
what kind of dBSPL do you aim for when...Hi NwAvGuy,<br />what kind of dBSPL do you aim for when doing calculations? I have K701s and their sensitivity is 105dBSPL/V, so feeding 1V into it already seems excessive. By some quick calculations, 2.3V into 300ohm HD600s (98dB/mw) would be about 111 dB...and this is before the excess gain you put in. Am I underestimating how loud you need the highest volume to be?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-26343800188876393802011-12-11T16:34:46.299-08:002011-12-11T16:34:46.299-08:00Just some closure on this -10dBV issue - NwAvGuy v...Just some closure on this -10dBV issue - NwAvGuy very kindly helped me offline. I now agree with him that it's not very important or relevant in this context. (and there's actually more to it than I had realised). I am very grateful for his help! \Greg.SullivanGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-3347748021351420012011-12-06T12:14:36.612-08:002011-12-06T12:14:36.612-08:00@SullivanG, perhaps you should message me privatel...@SullivanG, perhaps you should message me privately with some of your questions. I think this is getting a bit off topic (or at least confusing for some) for the article comments. The Wikipedia article is correct, and manufactures are free to reference their measurements to any level they like just so they tell you what it is. More often than not they don't provide any meaningful reference NwAvGuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309644608738074125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-76531307349000142582011-12-06T11:05:43.896-08:002011-12-06T11:05:43.896-08:00My M-Audio Delta 66 audio interface (now quite old...My M-Audio Delta 66 audio interface (now quite old) has three level settings: +4dBu, "Professional", and "-10dBV". Also, the Line Level wiki page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_level suggests to me that "-10dBV" is in fact an absolute level that it used in consumer equipment. (am I misinterpreting it?). I.e - the reference is 0dBV (1V RMS), but the actual SullivanGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-85483375952583161092011-12-06T08:42:40.100-08:002011-12-06T08:42:40.100-08:00-10 dBv is not a measurement unit, it's just a...-10 dBv is not a measurement unit, it's just a level sometimes used as a reference. The units most used with built in references are dBv and dBu. The Redbook standard for 0 dBFS consumer gear outputs is 2 Vrms which is about +8 dBu or +6 dBv.NwAvGuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309644608738074125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-5678569226853894222011-12-06T01:18:24.557-08:002011-12-06T01:18:24.557-08:00I don't see any mention of the "consumer&...I don't see any mention of the "consumer" level of -10dBV (0.316V RMS) Is this obsolete now? \Greg.SullivanGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-25123076297223478522011-09-30T09:15:38.899-07:002011-09-30T09:15:38.899-07:00I vote for NwAvGuy-Fi.I vote for NwAvGuy-Fi.Willakannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-12811028108214624692011-09-24T20:28:38.517-07:002011-09-24T20:28:38.517-07:00NwAvGuy, the material you post on your blog is ama...NwAvGuy, the material you post on your blog is amazing, it would be great if you would have a full-featured forum, there is a real need of science-based audiophile forum. Too many audio forums are filled with mumbo-jumbo.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-65662623840660953742011-09-23T12:04:23.648-07:002011-09-23T12:04:23.648-07:00@DetlevCM
You are right. But this way, I am unable...@DetlevCM<br />You are right. But this way, I am unable to listen to my headphone from a portable player, so I need an AMP for it, that is why gain setting is important.<br />Also I'm not using my HD600 on the street that would be very bad :D I have a AKG K416P 126dB/mW (loud as hell)<br /><br />Gonzalo : it wouldn't change the sound, it is just a number. The playback software can just tszaboohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03040329369681566636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-13390985221996032352011-09-23T11:49:58.130-07:002011-09-23T11:49:58.130-07:00Google is presenting comments for approval with su...Google is presenting comments for approval with substantial delay for some reason. So going back and addressing the ones I originally missed...<br /><br />Thanks Karl for the Ethan Winer link. That's exactly what I had in mind but had forgotten about his files. I haven't ABX'd them with Foobar myself but that should be enlightening. Although I'd probably pick 15, 14, and 13 ratherNwAvGuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309644608738074125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-20508061557270679822011-09-23T10:01:08.289-07:002011-09-23T10:01:08.289-07:00DW, thanks to your article I figured it out myself...DW, thanks to your article I figured it out myself factoring in excess gain, application of ReplayGain etc.. I need 5.5x which is inbetween the two software settings >.< I have the Asus ST, which should be extremely similar to the STX, which has a line output of 2.16v measured by Stereophile. 6v / 2.16v = ~2.78. 20x LOG(2.78) = ~8.88 dB. Since I use ReplayGain, add ~6dB of excess gain = Karlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-45056573410163815302011-09-23T09:53:43.209-07:002011-09-23T09:53:43.209-07:00Karl, your source matters as well. But working bac...Karl, your source matters as well. But working backwards, your headphones need 3.9 Vrms to hit 110 dB. With 12 dB of gain that's 1 Vrms input with 18 dB it's 0.5 Vrms (an iPod LOD is 0.5Vrms).NwAvGuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309644608738074125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-72394840861413020472011-09-23T09:17:38.602-07:002011-09-23T09:17:38.602-07:00Also Stephan, I would argue that most humans won&#...Also Stephan, I would argue that most humans won't be able to discern -75dB dynamic range. Ethan Winer has got a very good Audio myths workshop on Youtube that goes into dynamic range and here's a link to bit depth testing: http://www.ethanwiner.com/BitsTest.html<br /><br />His Audio Myths workshop is essential viewing as well. Get a drink beforehand as it's an hour long, but a very Karlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-39944064401634369112011-09-23T09:13:44.309-07:002011-09-23T09:13:44.309-07:00Thanks hoshiyomi. It makes me cringe too. See:
O...Thanks hoshiyomi. It makes me cringe too. See: <br /><br /><a href="http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2011/08/op-amps-myths-facts.html" rel="nofollow">Op Amp Myths & Facts</a>NwAvGuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309644608738074125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-40788350390475604852011-09-23T09:11:13.748-07:002011-09-23T09:11:13.748-07:00Some of us crazy audiophiles love high GBW uber sl...Some of us crazy audiophiles love high GBW uber slew rate devices for gain, and end up having to use relative high gain to throw away some of that bandwidth just to get marginal stability without introducing external compensation.<br /><br />I've come to think it's usually not worth the trouble. Sometime playing with OPA637 followed by emitter follower leaves me feeling like I might be hoshiyominoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-3514933982006794952011-09-23T09:07:52.103-07:002011-09-23T09:07:52.103-07:00Sorry, 600 ohm headphone, 96 dB/ mW SPL, 10 ohm ou...Sorry, 600 ohm headphone, 96 dB/ mW SPL, 10 ohm output impedance.Karlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-80144291392513350702011-09-23T08:20:23.178-07:002011-09-23T08:20:23.178-07:00Thanks Stephan. I mostly agree but I would add abo...Thanks Stephan. I mostly agree but I would add about 20 dB to your numbers as 110 dB SPL seems to be closer to a real world peak listening level (see my More Power article).<br /><br />I thought there was an existing test on Hydrogenaudio that ABX compared different bit depths with Foobar but I can't seem to find it. It should be easy enough to do for anyone who has a bit accurate playback NwAvGuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309644608738074125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-28807968479992738222011-09-23T05:58:20.021-07:002011-09-23T05:58:20.021-07:00Re: gains for a TPA6120A2 amp, I'd say there i...Re: gains for a TPA6120A2 amp, I'd say there is little use for more than about 12 dB when using a line-level source. The chip can run at +/-15 V max, where it'll do about 26 Vpp or ~9 Vrms of output. A 2 Vrms max source at 12 dB (4x) gain will do 8 Vrms max, close enough. A portable player would require 18 dB or more.<br />I'd say try both - if 12 dB gets the job done just fine, stickStephanhttp://stephan.win31.de/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-89382726359028344112011-09-22T19:19:28.197-07:002011-09-22T19:19:28.197-07:00Karl, you need to figure out what your headphones ...Karl, you need to figure out what your headphones need. Just knowing they're 600 ohm doesn't answer that question. Please see the More Power? article.NwAvGuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309644608738074125noreply@blogger.com