And now for something REALLY different

[Marcus Telcontar]

http://www.aopen.com/products/mb/AX4B-533Tube.htm


A motherboard that uses valves for sound amplification!

[Darth Viscera]

VACUUM TUBES?!?!

*mind spins*

What is this, 1946?

[Marcus Telcontar]

It's mind boggling aint it?

Tho, there are some good arguments that valve amplifaction produces a better, more natural sound. Seems to be a bit silly to put it on a PC tho

[Morgan Evanar]

Aopen probably figured it had the most oomph for the space available.

Either that or the engineers got really bored.

[Darth Viscera]

But...how on earth do you integrate a vacuum tube into a digital device? I can't fathom it. How utterly, utterly mind-boggling. Vacuum tubes are 34 years before my time. Aren't they supposed to generate lots of heat and use much electricity?

[Marcus Telcontar]

Yes and yes to heat and electricity.

However the dual internal valve they are using produces less heat than the processor and runs on a 120 v voltage rail I think. Now, unlike your digital device which reproduces the sound, the valve device in effect creates it - producing a warmer and more listenable sound. Not actually better quality, just more pleasing to the ear. I was reading the explaination today and it involves odd and even beats - odd beats is what is done by digital, even by valve. Apparently, odd beats sound harsh to the human ear.

I honestly cant understand the answer as I just have not explored the issue, but it's assured to peeps that valves do indeed produce a better sound for humans to listen to. I do think this is a wank, but still.... it's an curve ball thats worth thinking about.

[imported_QuiGonJ]

That's just funky enough I like the idea. :)

[Threepio]

Machines making machines! How peverse.

[Darth Viscera]

Machines don't make machines, Taiwanese make machines.

[Threepio]

Oh my.

[Darth Viscera]

This is why your joints frequently freeze up, and you get sand in your innards. Taiwanese production is nowhere near the precision of the U.S.-this is why we were able to supply reliable water-proof telephone wire to the Soviet Army until the 1960's. The Soviets didn't want anyone listening in, and telephone wire is either waterproof or it isn't. Russian production is such that there's always a leak in there somewhere. No precision.

You should take yourself to a Ford-authorized mechanic, Goldenrod, get a refit.

[Lord Gue]

Bah, what ya expect from russian production back then, you got paid the same amount of dough wether u did a crappy job or a great job, no differance in pay whatsoever, when ya got paid that is, I mean when u get paid...

[Lilaena De'Ville]

I'm finding it hard to decipher a coherent thought in these preceding posts....

:D

[Darth Viscera]

I beg to differ. The boys up at the top of the communist party definitely enjoyed a nice, bourgeois lifestyle. Also, the tank masters at Kirov, etc. I don't recall Gorbachev standing in bread lines. Quite a socialist paradise on earth they had going on, no?

[Lord Gue]

yeah, well practise and paper are two diff things, people are greedy and thats a universal constant, thats the reason utopian society is impossible

[Marcus Telcontar]

Ford are good at precision production?????

Dude, WHAT are you smoking? BMW or Mercedes Goldenrod should go to at the least!

[Darth Viscera]

No, American companies in general have been good at precision production. I just picked Ford at random, any telephone wire firm would do :)

[Lilaena De'Ville]

*smack!* Stop speaking gibberish! Chevy!

*sticks a Chevy emblem on Threepio* Ahhh bettah now. :)

[Marcus Telcontar]

No wonder Threepio falls to bits then. Only decent thing from Chev is the Gen III

[Lilaena De'Ville]

'55 Chevy Bel Air!!! :mad

[Marcus Telcontar]

They suck

[Lilaena De'Ville]

*gasp* They do NOT!

[Marcus Telcontar]

They do. Old, bad handling, bad brakes, no safety features to speak of. Foul, foul cars