[Baumli]

I am remiss in not getting this posting out earlier. I want to let the GAS folks know that again this year there will be the McGurk's event--which includes paying a fee at the door to get in, which thereupon allows you food (ample, but not cornucopian), and an open bar (infinite, if your imbibing capacity can enter that terrain), and a silent auction. I am very excited about the silent auction this year because of the high-quality offerings, and I'll get pictures posted soon. But just to give you a preview of a part (only a part) of what is going to be available: two new Acoustic Zen "Wow" 1M interconnects, a used 6' Acoustic Zen "Tsunami" PC in perfect shape, some new Cardas RCA caps along with a pair of Cardas caps for XLR inputs (all these are the ones with the logo), and some choice vinyl. I haven't had a chance to even examine the vinyl yet but I see there is a virgin copy of a 180-gram, unopened "Aftermath" by The Rolling Stones. For what it's worth, the "Tsunami" PC is donated by me. That PC is my cable of choice for front-end equipment, but this is one I don't need.

Date and Time: Sunday, May 4, from four in the afternoon to seven. I think the price of admission is $25 but I need to ask my wife on this, and at the moment it's 1 A.M., she is in Kansas City, and I don't think she would appreciate my calling to find out. This event is to again support her medical mission trip to The Honduras.

On a related note: I've often joked that audiophilia is a perversion. Just a few days ago I was on the phone with a fellow in East Lansing I've been doing business with for some years, and I brought this topic up with him, just wondering if he knows what an audiophile is. Yes; he knew, and in a stern voice let me know that he had problems with people spending sixty-grand on speakers and buying cables that cost more than a house payment. I let him go on because I was just plain curious to hear this. But when he ran down I firmly informed him that I am an audiophile, and if my speakers don't cost that much, I don't condemn people whose speakers do. I declared that my speakers don't cost as much as a BMW. (He drives a BMW, and although I don't know how much his model set him back, I do know it's one of the better ones.) The upshot was that he shifted his tone and got really polite. But that was the upshot of the conversation's ending. As for future conversations with people, I am going to be a tad more ginger about entering upon this terrain. I didn't realize there are non-audiophiles out there who have negative opinions about us. I thought they didn't even know we existed.

But this is mainly to inform all of you about the McGurk's event. I'll give more details, with photos, soon. I'll also start preparing myself for an Irish whiskey evening, which is a bit of culture shock since I am a single-malt Scotch man.

I look forward to catching up with the GAS people. I can't do the "vinyl crawl" this year since I'm still working about 60 hours a day. But I'll be taking that Sunday off, all in the interests of charitable inclinations. And, I admit, hoping to snag some good high-end gear (unless someone outbids me--which won't be hard, given how much money I recently spent having my preamp upgraded).

More soon!

Francis Baumli

[daves]

Francis, Colleen and I will be there. For those who have not made it to one, this is quite the nice event!

[Bob in St. Louis]

Shall I notify the Gassers, Francis?

[Baumli]

Dear Bob,

Thank you for the offer. Yes; please do notify the gassers. And I'll be posting pictures as soon as I can corral my son who, at the moment, has our digital camera.

As for "gassers." We who played professional music for many years would sometimes say to one another, "I think I'm getting a little ill. I have a bad case of gas."

G A S stood for "Gear Acquisition Syndrome." I had a really bad case of that when I bought my first Fender "Dual Showman" amp with the JBL D-130's in the cabinet. Unfortunately, I've never gotten over the Syndrome. It goes along with being an audiophile too!

Thank you again. I certainly hope to see you at the event!

Very best,

Francis Baumli

[Bob in St. Louis]

  "Roger that".
I'll alert the troops.

Bob
(and as always, if you don't get the email in about two minutes, then you're not on the list)

[jedi35]

This sounds great. I have two shows at the Fox Theater that day so I'm sorry to say that I won't be able to attend. Hope everything goes well!!

Adrian

[Baumli]

Dear gentlemen (Are there ladies in this too?),

I promised to post photos of the items which would be up for auction at the McGurk’s event. This is only a partial list. I am hoping there will be more, which haven’t yet arrived, but I don’t want to post pictures until I know these items are in my hands.

A brief description of the photos is in order. On the left you see LPs, the choicest among them being Aftermath by The Rolling Stones, Soldier of Love by Sade, and Cowgirl’s Prayer by Emmylou Harris. (I’ve been told there are only 1000 copies of it in print; in one other source, I read 2000 copies. Regardless, it is very rare.) Then you see the lightweight blanket with the music motif. And the two 1M Acoustic Zen “Wow II” ICs. Note that these appear to have locking interconnects, but they don’t actually lock—at least not well. They screw forward or back to allow for the shielding one needs. Robert Lee, head of Acoustic Zen, believes strong pressure on an RCA diminishes its sound quality and so has gotten away from locking RCAs. As for other ICs here, you see a .5M Audio Research LitzLine II that has been reterminated (professionally) with Cardas “Gold Ultimate’s” (their best) RCAs. I am the one donating this IC; I reconfigured my system and had to go to a 1M run of the same cable.

There is the 6’ Acoustic Zen “Tsunami” power cord, which is the front-end cord of my choice. I now am using a shorter one, so I donated this one. It is in perfect shape. And headphones? Grado SR225’s which are a nice mid-priced headphone. These I donated too. I got them for travel, put about 100 hours on them breaking them in, but since I got them probably haven’t used them 10 hours when traveling. (At home I use Grado PS-500’s.)

As for those small items on the right: There is a brand-new “Realistic” digital dB meter. It was given to me as a gift, but I already had one. You see an “Acoustic Sounds” record brush. Also a “Regent” de-stat gun, which has a much stronger pulse than the Zero-Stat gun most people are familiar with. Also, there are a dozen Cardas (with the logo) RCA covers, and two Cardas (with the logo) XLR covers. The AudioQuest extension cable is for an iPod or similar device, with a 1/8” stereo jack to a 1/8” stereo jack, and it’s 3M long. In the back you see a most unusual stack of items. These are 8 recordings of steam locomotives. They were recorded (in very good sound quality) for model train enthusiasts. Several audiophiles I know have bought them as “reference” or “demonstration” discs. I opened one, and used it with pleasure, but found that there’s no better way to wake your wife and cause her to come running into the listening room at 3 A.M. than by playing a disc of a loud steam locomotive. So I’m letting it go. These will all be sold as a lot, but if the seller wants to resell a few right there to others, then do so.

As I stated, I’m hoping mightily for some more choice items. I did not procrastinate about getting them; it’s just that they haven’t been sent my way very speedily.

I did find out from my wife (still in Kansas City, probably consorting with gigolos), that the admission price will be $25 which includes an open bar, tasty food, and a chance to participate in this silent auction. (If you need to know what a silent auction is, then phone me at: (314) 966-2167.) The event will be May 4, at McGurk’s, from 4-7 P.M.

From a conversation I had with a fellow, I think it would behoove me to promise that I won’t be bidding on any of the audio items. Since I may be the one “calling” the time for the close of the auction, I don’t want anyone thinking I manipulated matters so I could win an item. (There will be things there for the other crowd; I don’t remember what, but I may bid on some of those things.)

Keep in mind that the starting bid on many of these things is quite low. I believe I’ll start the headphones at $30. If no one bids against you, you get them for that. If one of your enemies is there, and bids, then you may end up paying more. (Or inflicting pay-back, by letting that enemy be the one to pay more.)

If you’ve any questions, feel free to post them. And if more audio items come in, I’ll let all of you know about them.

Remember, all proceeds from admission, and these sales, go to support my wife’s (nonreligious) medical “missionary” trip to The Honduras.

So thank you very much!

Francis Baumli

[daves]

Francis, am I correct that this aftermath is the British release, with "take it or leave it" on side 2?

[Baumli]

Dear Daves,

I'm not sure if it is actually a British release, but it does have "Take It or Leave It" on side II.

It is an ABKCO audiophile-grade pressing. The fellow who donated it bought it from Music Direct in July of 2008 for $31.49 and it's still sealed.

So I suspect this answers your question. I'm not sure as to which release was which. I do know that when I saw their movie SHINE A LIGHT a few years back on an I-Max screen, that was one of the high points of my life in terms of rock-'n-roll appreciation.

I hope this helps, and I hope to see  you there. (Come to think of it, since I'll be drinking Irish whiskey instead of single-malt Scotch, I may not be capable of seeing you there. It's Tim Simpson's fault. He is the one who steered me in the direction of that Nirvana called whisky (spelled without the "e").

On the topic of the Rolling Stones: I still think Bill Wyman was the best rock-'n-roll bass player ever. Period. But he sure plummeted when he struck off on his own. All that keyboard work?! Take me to the nearest vomitorium.

All the best,

Francis Baumli

[Bob in St. Louis]

Mmmmmm whisky. 

[daves]

Maybe a wee drab of tulamore dew..

Aftermath was recorded in the us, but strangely four songs were cut from the us release. Out of time, take it or leave it, what to do, and mother's little helper were all missing. Paint it black was added after a few months. The British abcko release had all five songs on all releases.

Btw their current bassist is from St. Louis.