Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[factory]

Strangely inaccurate fleabay title "J J Sullivan Resistance Box Type R603". HW Sullivan would be turning in his grave if his decade resistance boxes could be confused with "JJ Instruments" a.k.a "Jay Jay" a.k.a. "JJ Lloyd Instruments" decade resistance boxes.

Ummm... I take it they're like the Hyundai of lab electronics...? 

mnem

at least it's not JJ Walker Instruments... 

Nope definitely not Korean. 
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/J._J._Lloyd_Instruments


As for the ePay listing, the time it was listed probably explains the crap picture & using the previous listing as a template.

David

[Saskia]

megahaul of nicest vintage gear. is it permissible to post pinball and audio stuff ? @gnif ?

[Specmaster]

megahaul of nicest vintage gear. is it permissible to post pinball and audio stuff ? @gnif ?

Its fine by me, it is after all, an electronics forum and these all use electronics, so go ahead and fill your boots 

[tggzzz]

As for the ePay listing, the time it was listed probably explains the crap picture & using the previous listing as a template.

Nothing explains the picture, except complete lack of observation!

I wondered about the previous listing, but there are two separated words in common: "Sullivan" and "box". The words either side and between those two words have been changed.

[med6753]

megahaul of nicest vintage gear. is it permissible to post pinball and audio stuff ? @gnif ?

IMHO it is perfectly acceptable. 

[Specmaster]

Strangely inaccurate fleabay title "J J Sullivan Resistance Box Type R603". HW Sullivan would be turning in his grave if his decade resistance boxes could be confused with "JJ Instruments" a.k.a "Jay Jay" a.k.a. "JJ Lloyd Instruments" decade resistance boxes.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334519973359

And here's one of the pictures:

Yep, having said that though, the other photos are OK, but you would have thought that the seller would have checked the photos they were using, surely, wouldn't you  I always check mine before posting them.

[factory]

Going back onto test equipment, if I may.....some time ago, I bought a Conway Precision Masteranger 639. I got it from an auction, can't remember if I bid for it alone or if it was with a bundle. It's happy from DC to 1Ghz, so as I'm trying to justify the space for such items, I'm wondering whether to keep it or not, as I can substitute it for a spectrum analyser and a zero loss probe.

Can't help thinking a spectrum analyser might take a little more space up.


Also seems to be some badge engineering going on, not sure who the OEM is, Meratronik, Macaroni, Metrix & Conway. 
https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?p=1447827
http://menuet-ukf.blogspot.com/2016/09/v640-czyli-drobne-niewywazenie-ustroju.html

David

[Squarewave]

Going back onto test equipment, if I may.....some time ago, I bought a Conway Precision Masteranger 639. I got it from an auction, can't remember if I bid for it alone or if it was with a bundle. It's happy from DC to 1Ghz, so as I'm trying to justify the space for such items, I'm wondering whether to keep it or not, as I can substitute it for a spectrum analyser and a zero loss probe.

Can't help thinking a spectrum analyser might take more space up.


Also seems to be some badge engineering going on, not sure who the OEM is, Meratronik, Macaroni, Metrix & Conway. 
https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?p=1447827
http://menuet-ukf.blogspot.com/2016/09/v640-czyli-drobne-niewywazenie-ustroju.html

David

Well, I've already got two SA's, both Marconi actually. I had seen that meter turn up on a google search under the Marconi name too, which is why I was hesitant at not keeping it.

[Saskia]

Sony TA E  88B, Sony ST J 88B, Sony TC K 88B for 1800€. plus 500 km drive. The TA E 88 b is as good as it gets

[factory]

As for the ePay listing, the time it was listed probably explains the crap picture & using the previous listing as a template.

Nothing explains the picture, except complete lack of observation!

I wondered about the previous listing, but there are two separated words in common: "Sullivan" and "box". The words either side and between those two words have been changed.

Listed at 23.48pm aka half asleep seller, I know if I attempted ePay listings at that time, it would be much worse.

David

[AVGresponding]

Strangely inaccurate fleabay title "J J Sullivan Resistance Box Type R603". HW Sullivan would be turning in his grave if his decade resistance boxes could be confused with "JJ Instruments" a.k.a "Jay Jay" a.k.a. "JJ Lloyd Instruments" decade resistance boxes.

Ummm... I take it they're like the Hyundai of lab electronics...? 

mnem

at least it's not JJ Walker Instruments... 

Nope definitely not Korean. 
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/J._J._Lloyd_Instruments


As for the ePay listing, the time it was listed probably explains the crap picture & using the previous listing as a template.

David

There's been a few Time Electronics decade boxes on fleabay recently, all at horribly high prices unfortunately. Ah well, patience is a virtue, apparently.

[factory]

Those Time decade boxes are still made and not cheap either, but this doesn't stop that AVO murderer in Staffordshire from doing this shit to them. 



David

[bd139]

Those Time decade boxes are still made and not cheap either, but this doesn't stop that AVO murderer in Staffordshire from doing this shit to them. 



David

Yes. He’s the sort of individual who would use comic sans on his mother’s funeral invitations. Distinctly lacking in class, taste, aesthetic appreciation, quality, form and ethics. Rancid scum. Grr.

[BU508A]

Another incoming parts today:

Amphenol 97-3106A-16-11P plug  (2x)
Amphenol 97-3057-1008-1 strain relief (1x)



This plug is being used for the Keithley 181 nanovoltmeter, which I don't own already. But I'm looking for one. And with some luck, I'll find one before forum fellow HighVoltage will do. 

Example:


HighVoltage has built a nice short for the input of the 181.

[dl6lr]

So arrived at home. The equipment was not too bad packed.

Contents: A Tek portable waveform monitor and vectorscope for analog and digital PAL TV and audio. AC adaptor is missing. In the battery compartment there is a NiMH pack, of course with zero volts dead. I jump started it with 500mA to 7.4V, then put it back into the WFM and it is now charging at approx 450mA. Reached until now 8.5V. I do not expect a great capacity, but I could change the cells.

WFM works on DC adapter, but haven't watched any signal yet.
Display seems to be somehow strange, menus are working, but have to watch with real signals.

Second device is a small portable DVD, USB and SD card player with LCD monitor, unfortunately it does not support AV in (there is a similar model w/o DVD player that has AV in).

[tautech]

Ok, so it seems the 74AC14 has an output current of 50mA per buffer. So at 4.5V supply, we get a minimum voltage of 4.4V out, which comes to 2ohms source impedance.

To impedance match this to 50ohms, If I parallel 3 buffers (max Vcc/ground current for this chip is 150mA) followed each by a 150ohm resistor, I should get 51ohms impedance, right?

See https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/show-us-your-square-wave/msg1902941/#msg1902941

You will need to pay careful attention to PSU decoupling, including lead length inside the package (hint: pins 14+7 is just about the worst choice that could have been made)

One way around that nasty is to parallel several of the tiny surface mount single gate packages. They have much, much better inductive performance thanks to having almost no lead worth mentioning at all. In fact they're so good that you start fussing over the inductance of the resistors rather than the inductance of the IC packaging.

Ah so TERRA O was in the early stages of building a pluser....that explains much and mimics where I was going a year back with a PCB all laid out, traces length matched and all the bits and bobs lined up to populate the PCB but darned if I could get a decent toner transfer with my laser printer when it had been no problem with the old one ! 

In the end I succumbed and splashed out on one from Leo that was properly characterized with a 30ps RT ! 
I'd recommend TERRA O goes this way too:
http://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=124

[Saskia]

just got back and unloaded my precccccious ....

http://www.thevintageknob.org/sony-TC-K88B.html
http://www.thevintageknob.org/sony-ST-J88B.html
http://www.thevintageknob.org/sony-TA-E88B.html


Below the top stack is another tuner and a TA-E86B
http://www.thevintageknob.org/sony-TA-E86B.html

The build quality is *superb*

[tautech]

The black ones not matching spoils the stack ! 

[Saskia]

the stack will be rearranged in proper time. I wanted to get it out of the car because I do not leave my prrrrrecccious in the car overnite.

Would want 2 TA-N 86B as power amps to go with the stack, and maybe a TA-D 88B
But the stack was expensive enuff.

[Vince]

I like the 2 Euros worth DVD player, because it's black, I prefer black.

Can you spray paint your Sony stuff in black for me ?

Question : since your ears need such expensive gear to be happy... and given that mother nature will make your hearing degrade inexorably over time, like it or not... this means that what you hear will actually change over time. The amplifiers and speakers will spit out the same sound that you love, but your brain will not hear the same thing....
So that means every year you need to try out new expensive gear to try and find gear that makes your brain think it's listening to the same sound as you do now. I am not sure I am being clear here, sorry...
All this research is very time and money consuming.

Or, will you just buy an equalizer and tweak its controls a bit more year after year, as your hearing degrades ?

Yes like Dragon I can stir ship up as well.... though it's a question that to me seems genuinely relevant, technically.

Have you, or audiophiles in general, thought of this problem ?

[Saskia]

I like the 2 Euros worth DVD player, because it's black, I prefer black.

Can you spray paint your Sony stuff in black for me ?

Question : since your ears needs such expensive gear to be happy... and given that mother nature will make your hearing degrade inexorably over time... this means that what you hear will actually change over time. The amplifiers and speakers will spit out the same sound that you love, but your brain will not hear the same thing....
So that means every year you need to try ouf new expensive gear to try and find gear that makes your brain think it's listening to the same sound as you do now. I
All this research is very time and money consuming.

Or, will you just buy an equalizer and tweak the its controls a bit more year after year, as your hearing degrades ?

Yes like Dragon I can stir ship up as well.... though it's a question that seems relevant, technically.

Have you, or audiophiles in general, thought of this problem ?

Heretic ! I will not spray the Sony stuff black.

Actually you are correct about the degradation of sensory inputs. An equilizer will not cut it, but adapting an active cross over will. This can be accomplished with the use of a spectrum analyzer and a programmable cross over which also adapts to your listening room.

so no, I will not be buying new equipment every year. This stuff is at a level where it is not worth to upgrade any more. I absolutely wanted this preamp because I owned it in the past but was forced to sell it due to financial woes.
And because it is about the best you can get for reasonable money. The negotiated price was 1300, and then the seller mentioned the 2 other devices from the same pre-esprit series.
This stuff is from an era where Sony actually made very nice stuff that was cutting edge in its field.
They just don't build this stuff any more. At least not in this quality and not for the mass market.
Over the top ? maybe. But I like this specific stuff. There are memories associated with it.

Ah yes, for the brain. It will adapt and interpolate the sensory input with memories. You will most likely only notice the difference by very concentrated listening to some music that you have analyzed and actively listened to before.
I am in the position that I did not go to concerts to ruin my hearing, so it is still very good even at my age.
This certainly helps.

[Robert763]

Another thing I hate is when the TPTB decide to set a 20mph limit, maybe because there is a school etc, but they never bother to erect the large 20mph sign, often relying on it being painted on the road (FFS), this cannot be seen if covered by another vehicle and when it is uncovered, you could be scanning a side road junction etc and so miss it.

If it's painted on the road and not backed up by honest-to-goodness mandatory speed limit sign at the side of the road it's not a mandatory speed limit, merely advisory. (The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016, DfT Traffic Signs Manual Chapter 3). But it's a poor example, why wouldn't you be doing below 20 mph anyway, irrespective of the official limit, knowing that you're near a school?

One of the things I failed my first driving test for was going too slow past a school. I was doing just over 30 indicated (car had cowled speedo so examiner could not see it) but two cars passed me 
Other items were down to poor instructor. Changed school and got same examiner for test. Firsrt thing he said was "you changed school, good" This was Brizzle in 1983.

[AVGresponding]

I like the 2 Euros worth DVD player, because it's black, I prefer black.

Can you spray paint your Sony stuff in black for me ?

Question : since your ears need such expensive gear to be happy... and given that mother nature will make your hearing degrade inexorably over time, like it or not... this means that what you hear will actually change over time. The amplifiers and speakers will spit out the same sound that you love, but your brain will not hear the same thing....
So that means every year you need to try out new expensive gear to try and find gear that makes your brain think it's listening to the same sound as you do now. I am not sure I am being clear here, sorry...
All this research is very time and money consuming.

Or, will you just buy an equalizer and tweak its controls a bit more year after year, as your hearing degrades ?

Yes like Dragon I can stir ship up as well.... though it's a question that to me seems genuinely relevant, technically.

Have you, or audiophiles in general, thought of this problem ?

Just like with vision, the brain makes a lot of it up, filling in the blanks as it were. So you may well "hear" the same record to be the same over the years, even as your hearing degrades, because your brain will compensate.

Usually only gross and/or acute changes will be noticeable (this of course will be eschewed by the audiophiles, as it involves science and engineering).

[factory]

Well the slightly younger HP 34401A that arrived last week seems to function OK (quick check on Sunday evening), quite a noticeable difference in display brightness too.





The older one I was having trouble with when testing the 745A AC calibrator, seems to have died completely on all AC functions & frequency measurement, it was OK when I acquired it, another DMM for the lengthy repair queue. 

 

David

[med6753]

Those Time decade boxes are still made and not cheap either, but this doesn't stop that AVO murderer in Staffordshire from doing this shit to them. 



David

Yes. He’s the sort of individual who would use comic sans on his mother’s funeral invitations. Distinctly lacking in class, taste, aesthetic appreciation, quality, form and ethics. Rancid scum. Grr.

All I say is WTF.