cleanest sounding head unit?

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

I just love the look of that Panasonic head unit. Over the top, yes, but screw it...REAL VU meters in your dash!.

My thoughts exactly..SCREW IT!//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

Is that a 12ax7 (or similar) tube used as a pre-amp driver gain stage?

I have a hard time understanding how they keep microphonics down from the tube. It's hard enough in a vibrating guitar amp, much less a car bouncing around pot holes.

I know very litle about this deck other than what was discussed here...

http://www.elitecaraudio.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=110963

And the oustanding subjective listening review it got..

http://www.elitecaraudio.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=121657

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

Were you the one that bought it from Randy?

IIRC the tube isn't really a significant part of the signal transmission...more for looks than function.

 

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

Univ2859...either deck will serve you well...Eclipse makes some fine sounding decks...the CD5000 however had the rotaries revised for more grip, but i dont think it makes it look any better.

 

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

Were you the one that bought it from Randy?

IIRC the tube isn't really a significant part of the signal transmission...more for looks than function.

Yep..

From Jeffs tech review he suggests that the tubes indeed does affect the signal, did you read his tech clinic thread i posted above?

 

[DBfan187 5,000+ posts]

does it play 'ethnic' music?

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[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

Yep..
From Jeffs tech review he suggests that the tubes indeed does affect the signal, did you read his tech clinic thread i posted above?

Yes. I read it [not recently], and that's where I remembered the info from.

I seemed to recall him saying that basically yes, it was in the signal path, but not in a "significant" way, or to really introduce any kind of "tube" sound.

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

does it play 'ethnic' music?
//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/naughty.gif.94359f346c0f1259df8038d60b41863e.gif

Ofcourse it does....it's not a Tru //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crazy.gif.c13912c32de98515d3142759a824dae7.gif

 

[Beat_Dominator 5,000+ posts]

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[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

Yes. I read it [not recently], and that's where I remembered the info from.
I seemed to recall him saying that basically yes, it was in the signal path, but not in a "significant" way, or to really introduce any kind of "tube" sound.

Okay....signs of my old age, the memory is fading //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

After *re*reading the article, I was a bit off. Seems like Jeff mentions that the main thing the tube is there for is for the "tube" effect.

So I was half right...I remembered it not being a *major* part of the signal chain //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

 

[spudracer326 10+ year member]

I have a 9855 and really like it. you can also get it fairly cheap off ikesound and ebay. I like nakamichi as well

 

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

Okay....signs of my old age, the memory is fading //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

After *re*reading the article, I was a bit off. Seems like Jeff mentions that the main thing the tube is there for is for the "tube" effect.

So I was half right...I remembered it not being a *major* part of the signal chain //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

Well as long as it is indeed a solid , and sweet sounding deck....cause I got it to utilize its SQ feeding a processor via analog route...

 

[Dr. Dan 10+ year member]

Wow, so it turns out that the tube in the Panasonic is NOT a gimmick! Honestly I'm kinda shocked. Gotta love those Japanese audiophiles //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cool.gif.3bcaf8f141236c00f8044d07150e34f7.gif

Used as a cathode follower at 100V, it won't be a huge aspect of the sound, but it's in the mix for sure.

This is a much, much better application than that Butler tube line driver packaged for car audio. That thing was also sold to muscians as a preamp and DISTORTION pedal! And to boot, hardly anyone used it as it didn't even do that very well. Personally I don't think that piece has any business being in playback system, and was just a marketing gimmick.

For a really fun experiment, you should try some nice Old Stock tubes in place of the stock one, which is probably Chinese made and of mediocre quality. A Telefunken or Mullard tube from the 50s or 60s can sound so rich and creamy you'll just love it. The one thing to look out for though, is to make sure the triodes (each half of the tube) is "matched", which can be determined easily on a tester.

 

[cam2Xrunner 10+ year member]

595 shipped

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[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

595 shipped

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/naughty.gif.94359f346c0f1259df8038d60b41863e.gif

**** you, my life would've been so much more simple had you posted that F/S a week ago:furious:

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[cam2Xrunner 10+ year member]

lol

Trade me your H701 and one of your Arc amps and it's yours.

DO you really need two 2500's anyways //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/eyebrow.gif.fe2c18d8720fe8c7eaed347b21ea05a5.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crazy.gif.c13912c32de98515d3142759a824dae7.gif