The Gift Giving Season is Upon Us

SteveFord · « **on:** 27 Nov 2013, 10:17 pm »

Snow is falling here (UGH!), Thanksgiving will be here and gone before you know it and then comes Xmas.
Most of us don't get beans in the way of audio stuff for Christmas so it's only prudent to make contingency plans.
What are you planning on getting yourself?
This has been the year of downsizing/trying to be frugal so it's two upcoming Zappa vinyl releases for me and maybe a cheap RPM gauge to see just where 33 1/3 really is.

Perhaps 2014 will see that Mini Maggie System show up under the tree for me!

jarcher · « **Reply #1 on:** 27 Nov 2013, 11:34 pm »

I'd like a pair of Quad ESL-57's and maybe a matching low watt Quad amp or Dynaco ST70 to power it for my "vintage" listening room, if you're listening Santa......

But send it over via a white glove elf service, 'cause if your gonna throw it in the back of your sled then take it down the chimney, it'll be a guaranteed DOA!

jk@home · « **Reply #2 on:** 28 Nov 2013, 02:03 pm »

I have a bad habit of buying and unwrapping my "christmas" way too early

. In this case, over a grand, and many hours labor, remodeling my listening room, over this last fall. Towards the end, when I brought home a large ($$$) throw rug, to cover the old wall to wall carpet, that sent my wife over the edge. So I had to claim "Merry Christmas to me"!

I would like to sneak in an order to MiniDSP, to play around with one of those NanoDIGI gadets.

kevin360 · « **Reply #3 on:** 28 Nov 2013, 02:51 pm »

I've been pondering another phono preamp for the cave. Somehow, Steve, I think you know what happened with my last one. My turntable is still in the bedroom system. I simply can't afford to nuts like I did a couple of years ago with my amp, but I'm still thinking tubes.

You know; I was once quite happy with my little Thorens Restek phono preamp.

Music is always a great choice and maybe I should buy the same thing you are. That should force me to make a decision about which phono pre to buy.

pumpkinman · « **Reply #4 on:** 28 Nov 2013, 03:00 pm »

I gave myself an early gift. All 6 Doors albums on SACD

Been pondering a Yaqin tubed integrated after hearing one a few months back.
As long as it has a remote (lazy me)

SteveFord · « **Reply #5 on:** 28 Nov 2013, 03:26 pm »

Maybe Santa will help out with the Quads - it never hurts to drop a really strong hint with specific instructions on where to get them.

A MiniDSP doesn't sound too unreasonable. You should send your wife a link to what you want. That always brings a smile to their faces.

Great minds think alike - I'm listening to Morrison Hotel right this second as Roadhouse Blues is great for tuning new guitar strings.

The next vinyl releases (Dec. 17th) are Uncle Meat and Roxy and Elsewhere and Dweezil will be hitting York in February doing the Roxy tour.
I should probably go to that one.
I like my Jolida phono preamp with JJ tubes, you should tell Santa that you're deprived.

kevin360 · « **Reply #6 on:** 28 Nov 2013, 04:36 pm »

I really love Zappa, but 'Uncle Meat' isn't one of my favorites, although it does have its moments. 'Roxy and Elsewhere', however, is my kind of Zappa - that incarnation of the Mothers is my favorite.

Yeah, you should definitely go to that!

To be honest, the Jolida JD9 II has been on my mind. They say it can be placed directly under one's turntable, but is that the best idea? Besides, it's only 13" deep. Hmm, I could move the media player down with the DAC, eliminate the secondary bluray player, and relocate the HDMI switch. That would free up the self directly under the turntable.

I'm still troubled by the hum problem I had with the turntable in the cave. Connected to my Marantz integrated, its noise floor is essentially inaudible. You didn't have that problem with the phono pre from hell, so was the hum induced by the proximate Pass amp? Then, I have to face the facts about the condition of what vinyl collection I have left (been to Europe and back with time in storage, not to mention lots of needle time). I 'unloaded' 75% of what I had nearly 20 years ago. Do I want to start buying vinyl again? How much of my favorite music do I want to buy again?

There is much to consider. If I don't put the top back on the cookie jar, I might not have any cookies left when I'm 80. Maybe, I'll just keep working 3 days a week until then.

SteveFord · « **Reply #7 on:** 29 Nov 2013, 01:42 pm »

Maybe I'll buy some concert tickets for the wife for Christmas if I can swing it.
Right now I'm doing the work overtime/juggling act to fix my truck and keep the creditors happy.
My Jolidas don't hum but I wouldn't place a turntable on top of them as there are two tubes in there; mine are a shelf away.
I don't know anything about the Zappa downloads but the new albums make the CDs sound really crappy by comparison (if you'll pardon the audiophile prose).

kevin360 · « **Reply #8 on:** 29 Nov 2013, 03:30 pm »

Oh, I'll pardon your audiophile prose, but I'm not so sure I agree with it. I don't find much reason for complaint about the sound quality of the Zappa digital catalog. I have a couple AU20s that are stunningly good - 'Apostrophe' and 'One Size Fits All' (deserted island material, both).

Strike the comment about the closeness to that amp as a potential source of the hum. I remember unplugging the amp, which made no difference. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you did say that phono preamp from hell didn't hum in your system, right?

It would be nice to have the turntable in the cave. I really should make that happen.

SteveFord · « **Reply #9 on:** 29 Nov 2013, 03:42 pm »

Yes, you really should get that turntable going again.

That wretched little number didn't hum as far as I can recall.
I do remember that it would just stop working for no reason at all every so often until Dean reworked the thing.
I don't know if I've ever owned a piece of audio equipment which made me laugh as much as that thing did.
I think I see a little orange glow in the tubes, well, maybe it's just my imagination, c'mon, you can do it...

kevin360 · « **Reply #10 on:** 29 Nov 2013, 10:47 pm »

The problem right now is that I need tires. The rear tires for my car last about 10K miles. My last set didn't even last 8K - they weren't over-inflated (in fact, I intentionally under-inflated them around the 4,000 mile mark), but the center treads are pretty much gone. I need fronts this go-round, so that's a grand shot. My daughter's car needs tires too - they aren't worn out; they are rotting (7 years out of modern tires is about it). She needs a new amp (musical instrument type), too.

Oh, I could buy all of these things right now - no biggie, but it means dipping deeper into the retirement kitty. I promised to put the lid back on that cookie jar. Maybe, I need to go back to a 40 hour work week. The extra weekend is nice, but it compounds not making any money with spending more money - week after week. My music budget over the last few years has bordered on the obscene.

Gallagher once said, "Everywhere you leak, the world hangs a bucket."
I'm surrounded by buckets.

SteveFord · « **Reply #11 on:** 30 Nov 2013, 02:33 pm »

Those must be some awfully soft compound tires, I even do better than that on my motorcycles.
I can relate to vehicle expenses as I'm going through rusted out Toyota Tacoma hell right now.
You have to remove the junk parts with explosives (not quite but it would be more fun).

SteveFord · « **Reply #12 on:** 7 Dec 2013, 01:24 pm »

The guitar bug has bit again so thinking ahead to Valentine's Day maybe a nice Gibson Lucille or Firebird might make for a romantic present to myself.

I'll get something for the wife, too.
She probably needs some warm socks, maybe with little hearts on them or something.

kevin360 · « **Reply #13 on:** 9 Dec 2013, 03:32 pm »

Go for it Steve. Lucille can sing!

All I want for Christmas is to get my projector repaired. It went south last night.

---

I did get my daughter an amp. She's really digging the effects that can be applied to her dulcimer, etc - even the harp and kalimbas. I also bought her a new set of tires. I'm waiting for Bridgestone to put the RE11A mold back on the line (in a few weeks) before I replace mine. Those will save me a few hundred bucks and they are a newer design than the RE070s - might even be enough to pay for repairing the Runco.

SteveFord · « **Reply #14 on:** 9 Dec 2013, 04:37 pm »

You talked me into it - tax refund goes for my third (and hopefully) final Lucille!
I'll try not to do anything stupid like sell this one like I did my other two.

rollo · « **Reply #15 on:** 9 Dec 2013, 04:58 pm »

Christmas this year will be special as our Daughter is getting married. Gift giving this year has been scaled back for obvious reasons. However come Spring time a new custom pair of GTA 2 are in the works. With copper ribbons for the mid/bass panels and TWL internal wiring, Duelund inductor and resistor with solid cherry enclosures I'm pumped. A new room designed by Arron Hoffman of Kanso will complete the picture. Turning a two car garage into the new dedicated space.
Steve the guitar has your name on it. I will notify Santa. Merry Christmas to all.

charles

SteveFord · « **Reply #16 on:** 21 Dec 2013, 10:00 pm »

Rollo,
You'd better post some pictures for us.
The Lucille officially has my name on it as of today and I'll just have to take my lumps when the wife discovers what I've done with the tax refund.
The worst she can do is torture me to death.

kevin360 · « **Reply #17 on:** 24 Dec 2013, 12:17 am »

Well, the projector repair will cost me approximately $1400. That would have bought quite a nice phono preamp. I was entertaining the idea of replacing the projector, but I'm already in for $300, so the repair is less than a third the cost of a replacement. In a few more years, all projectors will probably be 4K. I think it makes sense to wait.

66mgb · « **Reply #18 on:** 24 Dec 2013, 03:34 pm »

Kevin
I found a Conrad Johnson PV12 this year on Audiogon for $900 that has a great phono section and blends well with the pass amp and the 3.6's. The Conrad Johnson stuff is well made too. A friend rolled some NOS tubes in it and tweaked it to even better sound. Could get a new projector for $1400 ?

Minn Mark · « **Reply #19 on:** 24 Dec 2013, 04:10 pm »

Gave myself a new AVA Vision phono in my Insight preamp. I've been commenting on it in the Audio by Van Alstine AC circle.
Also, expecting by mail today the TAS vol 1 book on loudspeakers. A good combo: spin some vinyl the next few days and do some reading.

Merry Christmas,

Mark