Its a GAS Christmas

Scott F. · « **on:** 30 Oct 2005, 12:16 am »

Hiya Guys,

Well, since I keep talking about it, I guess we ought to start planning our Christmas gathering. As I’ve mentioned, I’m happy to host it at my house. It will be the usual affair. I’ll have plenty of soft drinks plus some ‘harder stuff’ but if you have a favorite beverage, you may want to bring some.

I’m looking at hosting it either Saturday December 3rd or 10th. I’ll leave it to you guys to figure out which day works best for your schedule. Depending on what you guys want to hear by way of comparisons or if you want it to be a purely social event, we can vary the start time anywhere from noon until whenever. No doubt, this thing will degrade into drunken debauchery, music played WAY too loud and will go until the early hours of Sunday. Anybody that wants to crash here is welcome.

We’ll have at least three systems plus my fledgling home theatre. I’ve got some pretty cool gear on the way in for reviews that might be of interest to some. Here are the systems.

Fleapowered
AH! Tjeob, upsampled, tubed
Sony SACD 595
Opera LP-5 Turntable, Dynavector 507 arm, various carts
Slee Jazz Club phono stage
Highly modified Korato KVP-10 tubed pre
AR EC-3 active tubed crossover
Welborne 300B DRD monoblocks driving the Lowthers
AKSA 55 driving the 15” Goodmans

Big Fun System
Arcam 8se CD player
CAL Sigma II DAC, tubed, modded (or will be)
Pioneer Universal player (SACD, DVD-A)
Audio Note TT-1 turntable
Highly modded Korato KVP 20, tubed pre and phonostage
Pioneer SF-750 active crossover
Highly modded Radii GS-75’s running KT-88’s and driving Odyssey Epiphony’s
Spectro Acoustics SR-500 driving a pair of 12 Adire Shiva’s.

Mystery System (subject to change)
Vintage HH Scott 299B ?
ADC CD player ?
Dual 504 turntable ?
Infinity Qe’s ?
Zip cords and cheap interconnects galore

Guest Gear (scheduled to arrive between now and then)
Stock Squeezebox, computer based music server interface
Red Wine modified Squeezebox, computer based music server interface
Bolder modified Squeezebox, computer based music server interface
Omega Hemp Speakers (don’t get any ideas Deadfish)
Graham Slee Updated Products – Jazz Club, Elevator, Solo Headphone amp, plus more stuff knowing Graham
and maybe a pair of Revelation Audio Mistral speakers
Response Audio Music Bella SP/AV-1s Speakers (UPDATED) (Thanks Bill!)
?Dared VP300B with Shugang tubes? Brents 300B rig (UPDATED)
Lowther Alerion speakers in the Cain and Cain enclosures (UPDATED)

I had mentioned a while back about doing a 300B listening session. Do you guys want to do it at this gathering? A lot will depend on Blackmore, Willie and Deadfish being able to bring there 300Bs along. If not, hopefully Willie can his convertible amp along and treat us to the sound of the awesome 50 tube. I’ve always got the 2A3 we can slide back into the system for a bit of a change.

Let me know what you think regarding the dates.

edits adding more gear

jcrane · « **Reply #1 on:** 30 Oct 2005, 06:26 am »

The 3rd will allow me to drink more, but the 10th works too.
I am looking forward to meeting everyone finally!

Thanks for hosting

Jamie

G · « **Reply #2 on:** 30 Oct 2005, 07:36 am »

I can make it on the third if it is in the evening.

G

bgrazman · « **Reply #3 on:** 30 Oct 2005, 12:49 pm »

Quote from: Scott F.

Hiya Guys,

Well, since I keep talking about it, I guess we ought to start planning our Christmas gathering. As I’ve mentioned, I’m happy to host it at my house. It will be the usual affair. I’ll have plenty of soft drinks plus some ‘harder stuff’ but if you have a favorite beverage, you may want to bring some.

I’m looking at hosting it either Saturday December 3rd or 10th. I’ll leave it to you guys to figure out which day works best for your schedule. Depending on what you guys want to hear by way of ...

Depending on when you schedule, I might be able to bring one of the Chinese 300B's--Dared VP300B with Shugang tubes...

brent

Mike D · « **Reply #4 on:** 31 Oct 2005, 03:55 am »

Scott

I got dibs on the guest bed!

bpape · « **Reply #5 on:** 31 Oct 2005, 06:49 pm »

Sounds like a good time. AFAIK, either date is good for me.

mark@marktwain · « **Reply #6 on:** 31 Oct 2005, 10:45 pm »

I won't be able to make the 3rd (previous commitment) but the 10th would work out. Oh I hope I don't have to miss yet another get together.
Mark

jcrane · « **Reply #7 on:** 31 Oct 2005, 11:59 pm »

Mark,
I am orginally from your neck of the woods, Canton to be exact.
Glad to see NEMO represented!

Jamie

kirch · « **Reply #8 on:** 10 Nov 2005, 08:07 pm »

Hey Scott -

I can do either one - I'll try and bring a friend too, if that's cool.

Kirch

jcrane · « **Reply #9 on:** 10 Nov 2005, 10:27 pm »

For anyone wondering...

According to Scott, I think DEC 10th was decided on at the Org. Meeting last sunday.

See everyone there!

Jamie

Scott F. · « **Reply #10 on:** 11 Nov 2005, 03:04 am »

You are correct sir! Saturday December 10th it is.

Just so I can get a head count, any of you guys that are lurking, if you haven't weighed in, let me know if you are going to make it.

Oh, wait until you hear and play with the Squeezebox

This thing is WAY too cool (and cheap too).

mark@marktwain · « **Reply #11 on:** 11 Nov 2005, 05:36 am »

Cheap and cool, sounds like my kind of gear

I'm planning on being there. Mike D I'll thumb wrestle ya for the guest bed.

On second thought I better not I'd probably just get a whoopin. I've got dibs on the couch! Have any of you guys heard the little k-502 11bm8 amp from tubes and more? I could bring it along if you like although it seems there's probably going to be a lot to take in already.

electricbear · « **Reply #12 on:** 11 Nov 2005, 09:41 pm »

I 'll be along after work, probably 7 ish.

drummerwill · « **Reply #13 on:** 12 Nov 2005, 09:58 pm »

Dec 10th is sounding good for me. So Scott think I should bring the convertible amp that would be cool. Lately I've been using a cheap pair of Sovtek 300B's and then back to 50's. So it will be interesting to hear a better quality 300B vs 50's .
But at some point you've gotta hear the low power 845SE mono's. Is there anyone else in our group with 845's ? Anyway thats another time.
I haven't been on the "Circle" for a while, so I'll try to get on more often.

Have fun all!
Willie

DeadFish · « **Reply #14 on:** 13 Nov 2005, 12:37 am »

FINALLY, I can tell you I am good for the 10th.
Getting a saturday off from the guy I work with is like asking him for a date with his wife.

Sounds great for me.
Lemme know what I can bring.

Regards,
DeadFish

sturgus · « **Reply #15 on:** 13 Nov 2005, 08:51 pm »

Scott, count me in for the 10th. Is there anything I need to bring?
Sturgus

Scott F. · « **Reply #16 on:** 13 Nov 2005, 10:47 pm »

Hiya Guys,

Been busy as usual. Just put together some el-cheapo bookshelves to store all that vinyl behind the Futon that was sitting open on those plastic shelves. It looks much better now.

Willie, bringing the 50 would be extremely cool if you don't mind lugging it around. I really think everybody will fall in live with its sound. Your 845's sound pretty interesting too. You mentioned low powered, did you lower the plate voltage?

As for stuff to bring, I think Blackmore is bringing the Yamamoto 300b and Brent might be bringing his Dared 300b. Deadfish, I don't know if you want to bring the humming bastard or not but it would give us something to try to modify

Any excuse to heat up the soldering iron

I'm not sure if you guys want to bring by some DACs also. I'll set up the NEC switcher so we can easily flip back and forth and give them a listen. We can use the Squeezebox as a source (trust me, you WILL be amazed). Sturg, would you mind bringing your CAL DAC. I'll trying to get mine modded by then but just in case.....

Oh, you may want to bring some interconnects and power cords for any DACs you bring. I'll whip up some more but I might just run out depending on how many pieces show up.

Over the next few weeks I'll figure out munchies and let you guys know if you need to bring anything (food-wise), Feel free to bring beer. As always, the bar is stocked. Still have plenty of Burbon, Vodka and Tequilla. I'll stop off and grab another bottle or two of Scotch since that seems to move the fastest.

DeadFish · « **Reply #17 on:** 13 Nov 2005, 11:10 pm »

Sure Scott, I can bring the 'Humming Bastard'. I've even got some mesh plates I've never heard in it before. A suitable candidate for slinging solder at, for sure.
Can bring the Theta DSPro IIIa dac. It would be nice if the Chime reached my point in the tour that week, but I'm not holding my breath.
I'll bring some Pepsi. I know I'll be drinking that before driving home.

This ought to be a hoot!

Regards,
DeadFish

Blackmore · « **Reply #18 on:** 13 Nov 2005, 11:36 pm »

Scott, I'm bringing the Yamamoto for sure. When do the festivities begin?

bmed · « **Reply #19 on:** 14 Nov 2005, 12:04 am »

Damn, Damn, Triple Damn!.......I don't know if I'm off that weekend yet; won't know for another week or so. Holiday schedules can be tricky. I'm going to try to call in some favors to assure I'm off--wish me luck.

Looks like there will be a pretty special assembly of gear. Can't wait to hear the Yamamoto. My Wavelength 45's with cobalt trannies are available, maybe with some new EML 45 solid plates if they come in on time, although that'll be some real amp overload from the sounds of it.

Cheers,
Brad