[Baumli]

Dear folks,

The time has slipped up on me. As you know, my wife is involved in doing a medical mission trip to The Honduras once a year. In the past this has been hosted by an organization called Grace the Americas, but this year it is going to be stewarded by a group called Washington Overseas Mission simply because, located in Washington, Missouri, they are nearby and arrangements can be handled more easily.

The focus has been on one village, with surrounding people coming in. The difference made so far, in four years, has been vast. I remember Abbe (my wife) talking about how the first year she was there a nurse brought in a mother with six children who were suffering from "distended bellies." Well; they were hungry. They got fed, but more important, one main focus of this medical group has been to get birth control to the women and the men too. The result is vastly fewer babies, ergo, less hunger. Another result, very surprising to me, is that a dentist has gone too, and arrangements have been made for all the children to brush their teeth. Given the resistance to this foreign (sic) practice, the kids have to do it twice daily in their schools. The result is that all the young kids now have healthy teeth. Quite unanticipated, this.

But of course money has to be raised. The McGurk's event is one such means. The only time McGurk's could host it this year is earlier than usual; hence, it sort of slipped up on me. The method (and mayhem) will be as usual. You have to pay $25 to get in. This is a steep price, but it means that from 4-7 P.M. you have full access to an open bar, free food, and there is a silent auction. This auction includes many items, such as gift certificates to restaurants, baked goods, etc. But I am responsible for procuring audio goods. As I stated, I got a late start this year, but so far I have two great ICs from Graham Engineering in England, a Cardas PC, also Cardas RCA covers, and a 5-gauge JJ Acoustics Premium Grade Super Power Cable. (I know a fellow who uses a pair on his Pass Labs monoblocks, and swears they are better than the Cardas "Clear Beyond.") This cable, by the way, is intended for very high-current solid-state, or tube amps. Its size makes it not work very well with low-current solid-state. Also I have a good pair of new Denon headphones. And there will be some vinyl gems too--some rareties that have been played but are in excellent shape, and some old ones that are factory sealed.

The best part of the event, for me, is just getting to see some GAS members I haven't seen in a while, meet some new members, and also meet young folk who are scouting the audiophile terrain.

The date is March 29th, so please put it on your calendar. It's a Sunday. The time (again) is 4-7 P.M.  Do try to come. And don't be as foolish as I was last year. I put away a full meal, washing it all down with raw Irish whiskey. My 65-year-old brain was accordingly addled. This year, my 66-year-old brain will bring water, since I'm not much on beer. (Unless it's Spaten beer! Have other people discovered that expensive brew?!)

I'll give more details about what audio goods will be for sale in the silent auction as the time gets closer, and I've had a chance to hit up some dealers. It truly had escaped my attention that this event is happening as soon as the end of March.

Hoping to see you there!

Francis Baumli

[Scott F.]

Hey Junior Member 

We've got it on the calendar

[charmerci]

What an awesome group. The world needs far more groups/people like this.

If I lived nearby, I'd certainly come to this.

[daves]

I think our next Gateway Audio Society meeting needs to be at McGuirk's on March 29.

[Baumli]

Dave, et al.,

I think we should just plan on  it. We could bring a patrician atmosphere to that joint! And we have too few meetings that are mainly for socializing. This would be a great opportunity!

See y'all there,

Francis Baumli

[opnly bafld]

We could bring a patrician atmosphere to that joint!

None of the other GAS members even know what that means, let alone have the ability to pull it off.   

[daves]

None of the regular McGurks patrons know what an open baffle speaker is, let alone how it sounds. By showing up, we would immediately increase the knowledge level of arcane and obtuse terms like first diffraction, air, liguid depth, a dark floor, and fine grained cable, even if the rest of the non-stereo patrons could give a fig. BTW, did I ever tell you the story about inviting Claudia Schiffer to come listen to my stereo?

[Baumli]

Dear folks,

If none of the Gateway Audio Society members know what the word "patrician" means, then this probably only means they are so exalted they never think of such things.

As for Dave's offer to tell us the story about inviting Claudia Schiffer to listen to his stereo ... well, I don't even know who this female is, but I would bet Dave's story is so short as to be miniscule.

And by the way: My passing reference to Spaten beer caused me to pick some up this afternoon at Schnuck's. It was on sale no less. About $9 for a 6-pack, which is cheap for that Munich brew. If ever there was a patrician beer, that one is!

Sated on Spaten,

Francis Baumli

[Baumli]

Dear folks,

The McGurk's "silent auction," with open bar and free feed, is fast approaching. I'll be giving a list of items that will be there, and posting photos soon. Meanwhile, I would like one bit of advice. I have been offered some operas on CD, many unopened, and I also have one incredible set of several operas conducted by Claudio Abbado--this is a huge boxed set of vinyl! The question is: People in GAS seem to have such a variety of music tastes, and I'm just not sure it would be worth taking up space with opera offerings if no one is interested. So does anyone have a cogent opinion? (An omniscient opinion would be welcome too!) Would there be much of a chance of operas selling at this event? I really do need to ask, because the process of getting so many things there is really difficult.

Any thoughtful opinions would be welcome!

All the best to all the best,

Francis Baumli

[daves]

Francis, we will be there, but sadly we won't bid on the opera unless liam comes with us. I will have no problem bidding on the usual suspects.

[Bob in St. Louis]

In my several years with the GAS group, I've not only never heard opera, but never heard it talked about.
Hope that helps.
Bob

[daves]

Bob, if you make it over, and if Liam is in the bathroom at all, you will hear opera.

[Bob in St. Louis]

Liam's your son, correct?
And when you say, "if he's in the bathroom", is that because he sings while he's .....uhm..."busy", or because when he leaves the room, you'll put it on?

[Scott F.]

 

[Scott F.]

Francis, as BISL mentioned, I don't think many, if any members are into opera, me included which is sort of ironic since my oldest daughter has her Masters in Vocal Music (opera). I love listening to her sing but I think that's more a paternal thing. She's got an absolutely beautiful operatic voice though. When she was singing full time she was able to reach 3 full octaves. She's a Mezzo.

I listen to a very minor amount of opera. When I do, it's mostly male voices and those are usually the classic tenors. When I listen, I just love the power of the male voice. It's almost like they could knock you over with it. Then again, I've heard Jeanine project and completely overpower the 'house system' to the point I wanted to duck and take cover sitting halfway back in the theater. It's pretty startling live.

Anyway, I suppose I need to be 'schooled' in opera so I can gain a better appreciation of the genre.

You might think about listing the operas you have both on vinyl and CD that you are looking to donate on the Trading Post Circle. I know AC has a few opera fans. They may well snatch it up if they don't have it already, plus it could be a nice write off for them as a donation to Grace The Americas 

[daves]

Liam broke open his piggy bank and loaned me another $28 .... I'm loaded for bear now!

[Baumli]

Dear GAS members,

(And remember: GAS stands for Gear Acquisition Lust.)

At last I am getting around to posting pictures. Note that this is a very small selection of what will be offered at the silent auction. I will give a more thorough description of certain of the comestibles. I'll do this in writing--likely tomorrow night.

More gear may be coming in; as I have stated, I got on this project late, not keeping in mind that it is happening about two months sooner than it did last year. But what comes in late will be available next year!

Here, as follows, is a partial offering. Note certain items: Four brand new 180-gram Nina Simone LPs for jazz lovers. An ultra-rare, factory-sealed CD of Bill Clinton doing that sax schtick he managed while he was our Commander in Chief. There are many other LPs and CDs: popular, classical, jazz and New Age. So come prepared to look at black software. And, not least, look at those 45-rpm classical sets I scored.

So here follows the pictures. Thanks to many of you for your advice as this preparation has proceeded, and I do hope enough GAS people attend we can consider it a meeting. (Maybe not a coherent meeting, since it is an open bar, but are any of our meetings  coherent?)

[Baumli]

Dear folks,

I'll say more later, but just a few words on what I put up on the pictures. Note that huge boxed set of Kathleen Ferrier. She is my all-time favorite alto. (Well, maybe I prefer Adelina Jocobi, but most of her work was in duets, trios, and quartets; she only did four solo recordings, and they were on cylinder.)

Scott, I know what you mean about Jeanine's voice overpowering a person. My older sister was an alto, and she could blow you out of the room. I didn't have a dB meter back then when I was young, but I wouldn't be surprised if she often went to over 120 dB in a medium-size room. Years later, I knew a quasi-professional soprano who, when she later had a baby, could not even bestow a lullabye because she couldn't back off with the volume. This is just one more illustration of how live music can't be matched by any stereo.

And by the way, for those of you who are wondering what that orange box in the picture is--well, it's a Mitutoyo brand vernier caliper, extremely accurate, and it retails at about a hundred dollars. I have one, and I'll give the ticket for mine with this one to vouche for its monetary worth. I use mine at least once a week in my work with stereos--usually something to do with one of my turntables. It's the kind of tool you never think about, until you use it once, and then you wonder how you got along without it.

As for the discussion about opera--many people just plain don't like it. I do, but seldom have time for it. Most operas involve a commitment of two or three hours if you're going to listen all the way through, which is what they (and you) deserve. Maybe your suggestion, Scott, is a good one: to list them and see if Audio Circle people are interested. I'll try and get busy with doing some more itemizing in a day or two. At the moment I'm working on a big editorial job, and polishing a work of my own that I just finished. Always those deadlines, you know.

Thanks to all of you for your input. My wife, Abbe, will appreciate any help for that medical mission work. When she's gone for that work--about two weeks--people always joke about how I surely have bimbos over and party. The truth is, I usually do work on the house which is more easily done when I am the only one here dealing with the mess.

I will write more later, and will answer any questions if anyone has any.

All the best,

Francis Baumli

[Baumli]

Gentlemen,

I wanted to add a comment about a few of the other items:

There will be a complete Cardas set (12) of RCA caps, and a set (2) of Cardas Balanced input caps.

Also a new Shure stylus force gauge.

And a new IEC adapter--this is the gizmo where you hardwire it in, plug in a variety of power cords to find out which one works best, then take off the adapter and hardwire your favorite cord in. Or you can just leave it there, and use your power cord of choice.

Also there is vinyl for the young set. A soundtrack to the movie, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." "More Greatest Hits of the Monkees," Dan Fogelberg's "The Innocent Age"--a 2-LP set, and "Ride 'em Cowboy" by Paul Davis. Also, the one LP which is used and not in the best of shape (though it still is quite good) which is by Mary Kay Place. I had never even heard of her, but she has Emmylou Harris with her plus just about every musician who was a member of Emmylou Harris' The Hot Band. I did clean it and give it a listen. It's a fun LP.

Just to renew my pledge: I myself won't be bidding on anything. That wouldn't seem fair. If you do see me bidding, it is for someone else, as happened last year when 3 people had to leave and asked me to bid certain items up to a certain amount. (Only one of these items didn't get outbid by someone else, so it helps to remain there.)

One more item came in today. That was the new Shure Stylus force gauge. (Still a tried-and-true machine!) I am good at getting dealers to make small (sic) donations on behalf of a charity. Why can't I convince them that I myself am a charity case?

I'm looking forward to a great time!

Francis Baumli

[Baumli]

Dear people,

A small correction to the above post: I stated that I got in the "new" Shure stylus force gauge. I suspect more than one person has been prowling the Internet to find out what the "new" one is.

Well; that was a mistake in my composition. I didn't mean it is a new model. I just meant that it is brand new. That's all. It's still the same type that has been around now for--what? At least 30 years.

Contritely,

Francis Baumli