jim williams/audio upgrades

[JohnRoberts]

Before you guys re-muddle the discussion, Jim by all accounts is a guy who verifies performance improvements with test gear, and has his own ear preferences.  He does as well sell a few original product designs.

This thread has been muddled long before this veer... I just looked at his website and see one original product, a $1500 mic preamp with 4,000V/uSec slew rate, and several tens of other people's designs that he modifies.

As I've said before I have no problem with Jim, his customers apparently value his services...and he lists a number of well known clients. His one original design IMO is impressive only for overkill, but I am not his target customer base. I wish him success at that too.

JR

 

[ruairioflaherty]

I have direct experience using Jim Williams as a client and in the interest of not trash talking in public I would just say that I could not recommend him to a friend. 

As a general point let me say this about test gear and measurements for verification of anything - it's only as good as the guy driving it.  I have an AP System One and a Prism dScope on my bench right now, that does not make me a designer or even a mod guy. 

I would argue that many people who argue against the validity of measurements don't understand much about what and how you can measure.  I attended a presentation by Bruce Hofer at AES, watching him drill down into measured data for real information was fascinating.

 

[pucho812]

If it measures right but sounds like poo, you are measuring the wrong thing

 

[abbey road d enfer]

I just looked at his website and see one original product, a $1500 mic preamp with 4,000V/uSec slew rate,

Just to put things in perspective, ASSuming one wants 200kHz BW (that's what he quotes), and no headroom-related limit, a +26dBu signal at 200kHz would only need a slew-rate of about 38V/us.
What's the point of 100 times the necessary SR? For me, it doesn't really add up. I would guess the quoted SR is that of the preamp's kernel, but the output stage may put another limit to speed. Or an input filter, which would really make sense, since nobody in his right mind wants to have Radio Hicksville interfering - unless he offers the option of a variable-condenser to tune between stations  )

If it came at no cost, why not? But all designers know that this type of performance HAS a cost; indeed, he mentions that the  bypass capacitors are of a costly type.

I think most of the other performance specs are practically excellent (EIN is impressive), so that makes it probably a very good unit, but I could get away with a more sensible SR (and BW) at a lesser cost. I believe today, other points of performance such as reliability, EMI/RFI protection, ease of interfacing... are more important than some almost irrelevant measurement.

 

[Gold]

Just to put things in perspective, ASSuming one wants 200kHz BW (that's what he quotes), and no headroom-related limit, a +26dBu signal at 200kHz would only need a slew-rate of about 38V/us.
What's the point of 100 times the necessary SR? For me, it doesn't really add up.

The answer goes something like this: "Everyone in the room heard the difference plain as day. If your ears aren't good enough to hear the difference I don't know what t tell you". 

 

[rob_gould]

Anyone have an opinion on this guy and his work?  I am curious what the brain trust thinks.

I suspect after the last page you have your answer

 

[pucho812]

in other words YMMV

 

[emrr]

Sometimes the client says "I want more bass", but means less bass, and more low mids.  No one can ever agree. 

 

[abbey road d enfer]

Just to put things in perspective, ASSuming one wants 200kHz BW (that's what he quotes), and no headroom-related limit, a +26dBu signal at 200kHz would only need a slew-rate of about 38V/us.
What's the point of 100 times the necessary SR? For me, it doesn't really add up.

The answer goes something like this: "Everyone in the room heard the difference plain as day. If your ears aren't good enough to hear the difference I don't know what t tell you".

What makes you so certain it's the stratospheric slew-rate that makes the difference? As I said, the other performance factors seem also excellent and some I agree are capable of making a difference.

 

[CJ]

well,

 

[Gold]

hat makes you so certain it's the stratospheric slew-rate that makes the difference? As I said, the other performance factors seem also excellent and some I agree are capable of making a difference.

I was being sarcastic. That's what everyone says when they substitute the million dollar part for the pedestrian part. Or the overkill spec for a reasonable one.

 

[abbey road d enfer]

hat makes you so certain it's the stratospheric slew-rate that makes the difference? As I said, the other performance factors seem also excellent and some I agree are capable of making a difference.

I was being sarcastic. That's what everyone says when they substitute the million dollar part for the pedestrian part. Or the overkill spec for a reasonable one.

Sorry, didn't catch it. :-[

 

[lassoharp]

Jim did the master module and single channel of a Soundcraft 800 of mine and it was huge difference.  Really a frog into a prince kind of difference.  You get what he claims - wider bandwidth with less distortion, less noise and faster more accurate transient response.  He even offered to send me the parts and the mods if I wanted to do it myself. Can't beat that. I think it really depends on what gear your're considering having modded.  For things like vintage Neve, API, 1176 etc . . .. my answer to that would be that if someone doesn't like the way those pieces sound they should probably just sell them. 

Probably best to have some specifics in mind for what shortcomings you're looking to improve on beforehand.  He's very good at describing what he can and can't do on that end so you know what to expect.  I was considering having my MCI 1/4 drawers done and he warned me his mods would take a lot of the "funk" out of them.  Not necessarily a bad thing and that's why I say one should already have an idea of what they're looking to change sonically.

 

[Darrell]

Does anyone know where I can find power supply or supply's for a SoundCraft 48 channel vienna. Thanks Darrell

 

[pucho812]

Does anyone know where I can find power supply or supply's for a SoundCraft 48 channel vienna. Thanks Darrell

Try reverb or eBay, you may get lucky. If not abs you know the specs, you may get another psu and change connectors so you can use it with your desk. Or you may have to build one.

 

[jensenmann]

Here you can get custom made PSUs for your desk at a decent price: Blue Dog Power Supplies | The home for analogue power supplies

They are switchmode supplies but obviously very well made. I know several people who changed their old and noisy console PSU to a bluedog and are very happy with it.