Crafting Sonic Excellence
FAQ
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A Message Regarding AI
Over the past few months lots of customers have come to me with a question they posed to AI about compatibility with my equipment and their gear, or tube compatibility, speaker efficiency, required amp power, etc.- the list goes on. This has become a problem because in 50% of the questions it’s asked, AI is dead wrong with its answer. For example, a customer asked AI if my Motherlode XL would pair well with their Coda amp, and it told them this was a major issue because the XL has too much gain. AI did not take into account that the XL has a 5 position output level control so that you can dial the gain down to unity, and then 5 equal steps all of the way up to 18 db! This is MAJOR flaw because it made it sound like the customer made a mistake in his purchase! Another time it had mentioned that if you’re using an amplifier that has both XLR and RCA connections, that you should run shorting plugs in the unused jacks. Well, in most amps this will short BOTH sets of inputs and also present the preamplifier with a dead short which could cause failure to the preamp as well as no signal at all to the amp! That customer would think they were doing everything right, and that there was an issue with their amp or preamp and would be calling the manufacturer. Again, AI was so wrong in its answeer, but confidently and eloquently told the customer that it was right. If you have questions regarding a specific product of mine, and its compatibility with your existing or proposed gear- please ask me. I have years of real world experience in analyzing and successfully pairing components together. In the case that something does not line up quite right- I will honestly tell you, and in most cases can modify the piece you’ve ordered to optimize it.
I’m only posting this because of the sheer amount of AI generated responses that folks forward to me along with their original query regarding “My gear”, and it honestly takes more time to debunk everything AI spouted to them, than it does for me to simply answer the question directly. Don’t be fooled by AI and instead know that you are welcome to ask me these questions directly and save yourself the anxiety of a wrong answer!
Best wishes, Aric
Best wishes, Aric
I have a solid state amplifier, will a tube preamp work for me? Will I lose my bass definition and extension?
Yes. A tube preamp can add the missing harmonic richness that most SS amps lack, and add some dimensionality to the music. A well-designed tube preamplifier (such as the ones that I offer) will not roll off or bloat the bass. Solid bass definition and extension is paramount in all my designs. All of my preamplifiers can drive as low as a 30 kohm input impedance. Lower is possible as well, we would just want to use larger output coupling caps.
Are your amps and preamps noisy- will I have hum or buzz from the components, or through my speakers?
No, I’ve spent much time learning how to implement all of the circuits so that all of my products are dead quiet in terms of self-noise (buzz or hum from the transformers), as well as noise from the speakers. Sometimes hiss from the tweeters occurs, but this is an issue of too much gain. In this case, all of my preamps offer an output level control to mitigate it and lower the gain, thus the noise floor.
Are tubes unreliable? How long will they last?
Tubes can be very reliable, and in many cases a set of power tubes can last you a couple of years. Of course there are tubes that are built more robustly than others, and as well others that are built cheaply. So just like any electronic device a reputable unit will last much longer than a cheaply built product.
I have a tube preamp already, but it has way too much gain. Will I have more flexibility with the volume control if I purchase yours?
This is a common issue because there are no set rules for input sensitivity of amplifiers, and output voltage of preamps. I design all of my preamplifiers with an “Output Level” control to gain match to your amp. This allows the user 5 different steps, from unity gain all of the way up to 20 db if needed.
If I change my speakers out down the road, can I trade my current Aric Audio amplifier to you in exchange for a different model?
I do handle this on a case by case basis, but in a nutshell I would have to be able to sell the amplifier on the used market which requires some sort of markdown to make it feasible. In most cases I will offer to list and sell the amplifier for you on Audiogon or another used equipment site and you would be in control of accepting any offers and the monies would be transferred to your new build (less any Paypal, listing or shipping fees).
I bought an amplifier from another company that was much less money than yours, why are yours more expensive?
Not all components are made equally. Many are mass produced overseas and use circuit boards which are assembled cheaply and use low tier components. I build all of my products by hand, and point to point wire them using reliable components that I have tested and found to excel in a given circuit. For example, I use Vishay film capacitors in my power supplies, toroidal power transformers, chokes, fast-recovery diodes and many other reputable, medical or industrial quality brands. Even the switches for power and IEC jacks are made by NKK and Delta respectively and not low quality knockoffs (which are much cheaper in price). So while there are ways to make a product cheaper, these are not the products I offer.
I see an amplifier of yours that I like, but I don't care for the wood choice in the picture. Do I have to have the amp made in this specific wood?
The pictures are simply representative of what I can build, and they do not have to be built in the same wood as shown in the photo. If you see a wood option on one of my other products that you like, feel free to request it. In most cases using a single species of wood is the same price, however the “striped” wood options are usually a modest upcharge (additional cost of wood + labor).
If you have any other questions which are not outlined above, please feel free to contact me directly!
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