Author Topic: Spiral Frog ?? (Read 258 times)

David Houck · « **on:** December 07, 2007, 06:37:37 PM »

Is anyone here using Spiral Frog? I tried signing up today, but never received the confirmation email to complete the registration.

jacko · « **Reply #1 on:** December 08, 2007, 12:41:58 PM »

I'm almost too scared to ask Dave. What on earth is spiral frog?

Graeme

David Houck · « **Reply #2 on:** December 09, 2007, 05:04:32 AM »

Recently, a new music download service was introduced, after a long beta trial period. The downloads are free; the service is paid by advertising. The songs and videos work in Media Player. You have to renew your subscription each month, or the songs you've downloaded will no longer play; the renewal requirement is to bring people back to the site to watch more advertising. The service competes with I-Tunes, which is pay per song, and Rhapsody, which is a pay subscription. It looks like it's worth checking out. I never did get the email, so I may just start over again. It could be that they are having growing pains. So far, it's only available in the US and Canada; but they are trying to expand globally.

David Houck · « **Reply #3 on:** December 09, 2007, 06:29:22 AM »

Well I logged in, and got a message to click a link and have the email resent. This time it came right away. Installed the downloader, and downloaded a tune. Works great!

jacko · « **Reply #4 on:** December 10, 2007, 12:45:10 AM »

i have to admit dave, I don't even have an ipod. Almost all the music I buy these days comes on a 12 inch black plastic disc covered in squiggles;-) I do have to buy CDs sometimes, for example, the new stanley clarke album (which still hasn't arrived) but alot of new artists are releasing their music on LPs if you know where to look. My kids all have MP3 players and I have to say, the quality of music reproduction sounds pretty poor to me although I do see the value for learning a song I wouldn't go out and buy.

Graeme

adriaan · « **Reply #5 on:** December 10, 2007, 02:06:02 AM »

Graeme - don't judge digital audio by the MP3 quality. MP3 is a compression method that reduces the file size, sacrificing hi-fi quality so you can take it on the road with you. The same as for the file format goes for the gear quality.

But sure - if you like the drone of most analogue record players, and the distortion of non-tangential arms for the second half of an LP side, then by all means stay with the programme. ;-)

jacko · « **Reply #6 on:** December 10, 2007, 02:15:36 AM »

Adriaan, my record player doesn't drone, it sings, but I have spent alot to get it to do so;-) You make an interesting point regarding tonearms. When Townshend announced the Rock Reference Master, it was to have a cam actuated drive system that moved the arm-base in an arc to compensate for the tracking errors you mention. Sadly the project was stillborn with only one ever having been made. My Rock Mk2 has the standard (for those days) excalibur arm and I'm more than happy with it.

Graeme

adriaan · « **Reply #7 on:** December 10, 2007, 02:53:48 AM »

My dad has the Revox record player with the short arm that moves sideways, in a straight line across the record. Not accidentally, this is the same setup as on the lathes on which they cut the masters for vinyl ...

The Revox won't be as refined as your turntable extravaganza - for instance the arm mechanism is built into the lid of the player, so I'm not sure what tolerances they were aiming for.

Other solutions were of course available - do you have one of those Van den Hul oval-shaped needles?

jacko · « **Reply #8 on:** December 10, 2007, 03:05:11 AM »

My cartridge is a dynavector 10x5 moving coil which i believe has an elliptical stylus.

My parents have a panasonic turntable which has a linear tracking arm in the lid, the same as your dad's.
If i had ?4000 gb to spare (and another 6 or 7 grand for the matching turntable) I'd give alot of thought to Clearaudio's master tq1 linear tonearm.

Graeme

adriaan · « **Reply #9 on:** December 10, 2007, 03:17:24 AM »

Insane prices. To suppress the same error, you can buy a ?20 CD player and be done with it. ;-)

I love how they're selling their lower priced model: The Tangent tonearm gives you all the technical and design benefits of all the linear tracking tonearms from Clearaudio, but at a very reasonable price. It uses the same Titanium armwand that the TQ-I uses, and even has a set of female RCA jacks on the back, which allow you to use any cable you prefer. Don't they know each extra connector deteriorates the signal?

Anyway, did you check out their Specials?

jacko · « **Reply #10 on:** December 10, 2007, 03:21:14 AM »

As you say, insane prices. Mind you, we're just as guilty of paying insane prices for bass guitars ;-)

Graeme

adriaan · « **Reply #11 on:** December 10, 2007, 03:36:45 AM »

Good thing you're not bashing the nitwits that are buying digital basses in droves. Ah-um.

jacko · « **Reply #12 on:** December 10, 2007, 03:39:24 AM »

I'm not bashing anyone Adriaan. Just saying that digital music doesn't captivate me as much as my vinyl does:-)

graeme

adriaan · « **Reply #13 on:** December 10, 2007, 03:46:14 AM »

I thought one joke without a smiley wouldn't hurt - digital basses?

jacko · « **Reply #14 on:** December 10, 2007, 03:49:09 AM »

A 'progression' from the synthax perhaps. All this thread needs now is beer and bikes to be a classic hijack! sorry dave ;-)

graeme