Angsty
Well-Known Member
Another firm that was recommended to me that's a lot closer to NY than Quirk: Audio Proz. I have not used them myself, however.
Technical Difficulties Thread
- Thread starter MikeH
- Start date
kvetcha
Chet Hanks' Filmography Buff
Audio Prahz
Russ I
Well-Known Member
EDIT: Might not be worth reading what's below. I received an email from Gold Note informing me that one of the steps I followed was supposed to (and did) cause the unit to "play dead." (Might have been smart to include that little tidbit in the directions.) I've subsequently run through all of the steps to upgrade the firmware and, viola! It's done. Still have to hook it up and see what happens, but I am OPTIMISTIC! Possible victory, snatched from the jaws of defeat? We'll see.
EDIT 2: Possibly most important for me to emphasize here is how helpful and responsive Gold Note has been through this, from Italy!, virtually in real time with regard to some of the email responses I received. I also just reread one of the last emails and realized I'd been offered an appointment to allow their techs to access my computer and complete the firmware update for me. I probably would have opted for that if it had become necessary, but man, that's good customer service. My unit is well past the warranty period, so I'm especially grateful for a no-cost, no-shipping, no-extended downtime solution. I'm really happy with Gold Note's reaction to my request for assistance, and pleasantly surprised by it.
My Gold Note PH-10 phono preamp is dead! Kaput. Breathless. Pulseless. Nada. Zilch. Fuck!
Over the past week or so I'd been noticing that there seemed to be more sound coming from the left channel than the right when playing records, the kind of thing it's easy to think (and hope!) I'm imaging. But using headphones I was able to verify the problem. Fiddling solved it a few times, but then yesterday, the right channel dropped out completely. I problem-solved as best I could to determine it wasn't the Quad pre-amp or amp, because there wasn't any problem with input sources other than vinyl. Also, the problems with vinyl playback remained when plugging the phono pre into different inputs on the Quad.
Last night I emailed Gold Note directly and received an email suggesting it could be a matter of updating the firmware, which I was excited about because I hadn't thought of it and it seemed like a viable option. Only problem is that the first step of that process is getting the unit to display the current firmware version, and the steps for that process didn't work. Back-and-forth with Gold Note service and it was suggested (based on serial number), eventually, that my unit is "so old" that it probably is missing a "boot loader," which is why it wasn't displaying the firmware version, and also why it wasn't recognized by three computers when connected via USB. ALSO, and this one burns, it was suggested that without a boot loader, the power unit I also had purchased with the PH-10 (the PSU-10) probably wasn't doing anything more than providing power (which I took to mean it wasn't providing the conditioning it was built to provide). Yeah, that hurt$$.
Anyway, after receiving instructions for installing a boot loader, I started the process and noticed the unit was dead. No standby light, no power, nothing. Figured maybe I'd blown the fuse, so went through way more trouble than should have been necessary to find a replacement, and that isn't the problem. What a bummer. Now I have a lovely paper weight, as I wait to hear from Gold Note about next steps.
In the meantime, no vinyl! Which is almost comical given that I have over 10 turntables and almost as many integrated amps, but no other phono pre-amps, and the Quad doesn't have a phono input. I could conceivably set up an integrated that does have a phono pre, but man, that would be a pain in the ass.
Anyway, no place else I can vent about this, so I've tucked it deep in the Technical Difficulties thread.
Woe is me.
EDIT 2: Possibly most important for me to emphasize here is how helpful and responsive Gold Note has been through this, from Italy!, virtually in real time with regard to some of the email responses I received. I also just reread one of the last emails and realized I'd been offered an appointment to allow their techs to access my computer and complete the firmware update for me. I probably would have opted for that if it had become necessary, but man, that's good customer service. My unit is well past the warranty period, so I'm especially grateful for a no-cost, no-shipping, no-extended downtime solution. I'm really happy with Gold Note's reaction to my request for assistance, and pleasantly surprised by it.
My Gold Note PH-10 phono preamp is dead! Kaput. Breathless. Pulseless. Nada. Zilch. Fuck!
Over the past week or so I'd been noticing that there seemed to be more sound coming from the left channel than the right when playing records, the kind of thing it's easy to think (and hope!) I'm imaging. But using headphones I was able to verify the problem. Fiddling solved it a few times, but then yesterday, the right channel dropped out completely. I problem-solved as best I could to determine it wasn't the Quad pre-amp or amp, because there wasn't any problem with input sources other than vinyl. Also, the problems with vinyl playback remained when plugging the phono pre into different inputs on the Quad.
Last night I emailed Gold Note directly and received an email suggesting it could be a matter of updating the firmware, which I was excited about because I hadn't thought of it and it seemed like a viable option. Only problem is that the first step of that process is getting the unit to display the current firmware version, and the steps for that process didn't work. Back-and-forth with Gold Note service and it was suggested (based on serial number), eventually, that my unit is "so old" that it probably is missing a "boot loader," which is why it wasn't displaying the firmware version, and also why it wasn't recognized by three computers when connected via USB. ALSO, and this one burns, it was suggested that without a boot loader, the power unit I also had purchased with the PH-10 (the PSU-10) probably wasn't doing anything more than providing power (which I took to mean it wasn't providing the conditioning it was built to provide). Yeah, that hurt$$.
Anyway, after receiving instructions for installing a boot loader, I started the process and noticed the unit was dead. No standby light, no power, nothing. Figured maybe I'd blown the fuse, so went through way more trouble than should have been necessary to find a replacement, and that isn't the problem. What a bummer. Now I have a lovely paper weight, as I wait to hear from Gold Note about next steps.
In the meantime, no vinyl! Which is almost comical given that I have over 10 turntables and almost as many integrated amps, but no other phono pre-amps, and the Quad doesn't have a phono input. I could conceivably set up an integrated that does have a phono pre, but man, that would be a pain in the ass.
Anyway, no place else I can vent about this, so I've tucked it deep in the Technical Difficulties thread.
Woe is me.
Last edited:
Angsty
Well-Known Member
We feel your pain, man.EDIT: Might not be worth reading what's below. I received an email from Gold Note informing me that one of the steps I followed was supposed to (and did) cause the unit to "play dead." (Might have been smart to include that little tidbit in the directions.) I've subsequently run through all of the steps to upgrade the firmware and, viola! It's done. Still have to hook it up and see what happens, but I am OPTIMISTIC! Possible victory, snatched from the jaws of defeat? We'll see.
My Gold Note PH-10 phono preamp is dead! Kaput. Breathless. Pulseless. Nada. Zilch. Fuck!
Over the past week or so I'd been noticing that there seemed to be more sound coming from the left channel than the right when playing records, the kind of thing it's easy to think (and hope!) I'm imaging. But using headphones I was able to verify the problem. Fiddling solved it a few times, but then yesterday, the right channel dropped out completely. I problem-solved as best I could to determine it wasn't the Quad pre-amp or amp, because there wasn't any problem with input sources other than vinyl. Also, the problems with vinyl playback remained when plugging the phono pre into different inputs on the Quad.
Last night I emailed Gold Note directly and received an email suggesting it could be a matter of updating the firmware, which I was excited about because I hadn't thought of it and it seemed like a viable option. Only problem is that the first step of that process is getting the unit to display the current firmware version, and the steps for that process didn't work. Back-and-forth with Gold Note service and it was suggested (based on serial number), eventually, that my unit is "so old" that it probably is missing a "boot loader," which is why it wasn't displaying the firmware version, and also why it wasn't recognized by three computers when connected via USB. ALSO, and this one burns, it was suggested that without a boot loader, the power unit I also had purchased with the PH-10 (the PSU-10) probably wasn't doing anything more than providing power (which I took to mean it wasn't providing the conditioning it was built to provide). Yeah, that hurt$$.
Anyway, after receiving instructions for installing a boot loader, I started the process and noticed the unit was dead. No standby light, no power, nothing. Figured maybe I'd blown the fuse, so went through way more trouble than should have been necessary to find a replacement, and that isn't the problem. What a bummer. Now I have a lovely paper weight, as I wait to hear from Gold Note about next steps.
In the meantime, no vinyl! Which is almost comical given that I have over 10 turntables and almost as many integrated amps, but no other phono pre-amps, and the Quad doesn't have a phono input. I could conceivably set up an integrated that does have a phono pre, but man, that would be a pain in the ass.
Anyway, no place else I can vent about this, so I've tucked it deep in the Technical Difficulties thread.
Russ I
Well-Known Member
Haha. Thank you, I needed to hear that.
dansomeone
Well-Known Member
Russ I
Well-Known Member
Thanks.List please
And sorry for your woes
And as for lists, it's admittedly absurd, but here goes...
Turntables
Clearaudio Concept
Dual 1219
Dual 1019 (x 2)
Pro-Ject Debut III
Thorens TD-160
Thorens TD-125 II with SME tonearm
Thorens TD-125 II with original tonearm
Bogen B62 (Lenco L70)
Akai AP 206
Realistic Lab-440
Integrated Amps
Outlaw RR2150
Kenwood KA-9100
Kenwood KR-2120
NAD C320BEE
Sanyo JCX 2300K
Sony STR-6065
Pioneer SX-434
Pioneer SX-750
Pioneer SX-626
Pioneer SA-6500 II
Marantz 4100
And let me be the first to say.....what the fuck?!
Ghost
Original Resident Ghost
whats your fave looking table of the bunch? need pics
Russ I
Well-Known Member
Ironically, given all the vintage tables, I can't overlook the elegant lines of the Clearaudio Concept wood.
Next up would be the Bogen/Lenco. I can almost hear the deep, rich tone of this thing just looking at it.
The Thorens TD-160 has a real classic look about it that I like.
And the Dual 2019 probably is the table I think most highly of, mostly because it's been keeping me happy for a lot of years, and has never taken offense for being removed from the main system--maybe because by now it knows it will always find its way back.
