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Taking a photo of new boards before blowing them up later tonight they are: top - 2x 5V linear supplies 300B/20B cathode/plate cathode servo +/-12, +12 linear supply 2x GRHV

For me, Stax simply lack focus and I'm not sure how much that is due to the new higher ups or Edifer. I certainly don't agree with the design decisions of the 009, X9000, Lx00 lineup and some just don't make any sense. They are clearly pushing boundaries in some ways with more advanced drivers but major steps backwards with basic stuff like earpad quality. It's not ok that earpads for the L500Mk2 last for a couple of years before they fall apart. Some of the products were just arguably crap, the D50 was so bad it was never sold in Japan. The D10Mk1 was utter trash and I just got a D10Mk2... it's improved in some ways but it still sounds terrible. The SRM-400S is a "what the fuck were they thinking" product and on the whole, they just took the original circuits and doubled the price.

I had to dream somewhat reasonably, because my harem of twinks is going to cost a fortune to maintain.

Our executive director, Kristie and I after the walk, it was a long day but great. Many thanks to y'all for your generosity and support. It was a great day, and it went off without a hitch. We got it all done before the rain hit. :} We had four other organizational partners there to share their missions, including the local Community Service Officers from Seattle. Thanks again all... cheers - Mikey

Al and I are building some bookcases for his Sister, from White Oak. Our glue up panels are just two 1" x 6" boards, so pretty simple. However, even using dominoes, there are always little fluctuations that need sanded flush. But working in Al's shop is always nicer than the equipment I've had currently or in the past. This is a twin barrel drum sander. 80 Grit on the first drum, 120 on the second. This is automation at it's finest.

Not playing yet, but coming up: Sarah Jarosz in Lowell on Friday August 30th. I will likely get tix, Karen may join or may be up in Maine with her sister. Letting @n_maher and @en480c4 know just in case (that is Labor Day weekend, though). https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/73729351/sarah-jaroszpolaroid-lovers-tour-lowell-lowell-summer-music-series-at-boarding-house-park

Whoa mama. BMW 1602 converted to EV. I know these things pose all sorts of safety concerns (pedestrian killing front end, tiny pillar, etc.) but ...just don't care. Modern cars are so seriously fug I hate more or less all of them. The '02 series BMWs are among the best in 70s car design. Video on the above. Unfortunately, Blimey McSideburns is in dire need of a lavalier mic and lacks one.

Speak To Me by Julian Lage (2024) https://album.link/i/1724864226 Example: Bit of a rainy day and some Julian on Blue Note. Tis a good day... An hour well spent.

NYT's Chicken Tikka Masala

Agatha Christie, unless you count that hack Shakespeare.

There are worse deals... https://petapixel.com/2024/04/23/this-ai-powered-poetry-camera-turns-photos-into-poems/

A story in 3 parts:

Know What I Mean? by Cannonball Adderley (1961) https://album.link/i/1729940744 Example: Cannon and Bill playing nicely with each other. Enjoying this recent master, the noise floor dropped a bit, that being noticable. Holding off on rant about a 63 year old recording sounding this good vs a lot of things. {get off my lawn}

Mine changes fairly often, but if I were to win the lottery now, this would be my current dream system. My OCD need for matching is quite apparent. Vinyl setup... Acoustic Signature Typhoon/TA5000 Triangle ART P200 phono preamp Audio Technica AT-ART 20 DAC/Sources... PS Audio Direct Stream Mk2

Mushroom and cheese omelet with fried potatoes.

Broadcast by the BBC in 1959 https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/hi-fi-fo-fum/zjt6kmn

The Mucky Duck....#WINNING! I haven't been in soooo long. We got to see The English Beat (label in the U.S.) with General Public at the Bayou Music Center last weekend. I have to say Dave Wakeling is still jamming well. The two bands put on a great show IMHO. Adam Ant....well, let's just say he has a good band. The percussion section was impressive. HS

The Blue Hawaii lives! Got my shipment of Cree C2M1000's and replaced the 4 parts that appeared bad. Turns out the BC557B was not bad. I had just tested it incorrectly. So just the c2m1000, the 24V diode, and the 2N3904. My guess is that the alternate part I used for the C2m1000 was not quite up to the task and the inrush current of the startup finally killed it. I will probably replace the positive PSU's chip as well since I got 5 of the C2M1000's for future repairs as needed. I had not adjusted the balance of the amp since I first built it, and decided to check the voltages. After 30 minutes warm up, balance and offset are still +/- 1V. Impressive given the number of hours I have put on that amp over the past 3 years.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HO8e85DwrvA_BJq_Fck4j_iqTMR2odbc?usp=sharing

I try and try to make this forum a more serious place, and all you people do is mock me!

Obvious choice - Steinway Spirio

Dramatic* / Deconstructed Salad Nicoise with the Brits *Dutch Angle

Not technically listening to (yet), but went to the local record store for RSD. A lot more variation in titles this year, but also felt like a lot more exclusives with shorter runs. Line to get in was brutal.

Barney Wilen - French Ballads Available for listen and purchase at Bandcamp Recorded and mixed at Gimmick Studio, Yerres, France, on June 24-26, 1987. Released in 2021

I couldn’t be happier with the Q fix. It is clear that “general cleaning” involved disassembling the lens, as there is zero dust now (there was a little dust in the lens before, but the main issue was the fungus on the sensor). A great camera and hopefully one I’ll get a lot of use out of.

Julian is always well spent time

There has been this push to make the drivers more open when it can work against the overall design. Perhaps it is just fashion/trend or the designers don't understand the air-damping and now to apply it. With Stax looking to the past so much... I feel that they just don't know. I've often used Quad as an example of what happens when the main designer retires and those who come after him... have no fucking clue what they are doing. The ESL2912 is a ESL63 with all of the same issues but extra panels tacked on and higher bias, which makes them fail even more. The panels still de-laminate as they did in 1982, how hard is it to use better materials now.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Anthony Garcia & Los Diablos Tejanos: Apparitions Live at the Mucky Duck (Houston)

I definitely think Steve needs to dream bigger on the audio dream system. PS Audio is not expensive or exclusive enough. 😁 The OMA Imperia was the first thing that came to mind when I saw this thread. JP and I had a demo at OMA and I think it is the best speaker system I have ever heard. Huge presence but intimate sound. I wish I had a bigger house and could justify the cost, for example by actually listening to my OMA Mini system more often...

Sonus Faber sounded so good. They were on my list back in the day. So I started looking around and I found a few things that initially fall on my list. For right now just speakers and amp. Oswalds Mill Audio - imperia pushed by some 300Bs - Pair of WE 97A monoblocks More to come

Back when I read all the audio mags, Sonus Faber released the Extrema in 1991, and that's the speaker I lusted after for years.

Sonder by TesseracT (2018) https://album.link/i/1341084087 Example: Really found their sound in this one. The tracks come on hard, and you are rewarded with multiple listenings (I think I am one my 5th round). Looking forward to the recent releases. and THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: THE ANTHOLOGY by Taylor Swift (2024) Example: Yes the 2 hour version. It is a good collection of songs. Not a complex album, but it is all focused on lyrics. And there are lines that hit hard. As I have said before, I am not the audience for this, but I completely get it. The fans are richly rewarded by pulling apart the lyrics. And there are catchy hooks in there. And 31 tracks - crazy amount of work.

I use to play this game a long time ago when I read all the audio mags.. I think if I listen now it would be a bunch of old equipment. But I may ponder and contribute. 'cause you know that this is a serious forum, wish serious peoples. -- I have not seen it, but I hear you have a big bass trap...

Someone needs to share that with Linus' Tech Tips.

REL Carbon Special pair

PS Audio Perfect Wave SACD transport HiFi Rose RS 130 streamer Amplification/Pre-Amp PS Audio BHK Signature pre-amp PS Audio BHK Mono 300 pair PS Audio PowerPoint 15 Speakers/Subwoofers... PS Audio Aspen FR30

Vinyl

I've been following Bret for a few years, he posts very nice jazz videos. Now he wants to make a documentary about Horace Silver, I like the idea, but he needs funds to make it. For some reason that he doesn't get, the algorithm changed and now he gets very few views in his YT videos.

You still remember the directions to my house, right?

Watching this one too. I'm 4 episodes in. The first one felt a bit disjointed but the second one and following are entertaining and raise interest.

Yay a new overlord.

a.k.a. The adventures of Boyd from Justified turned up to 11 and as much Lizzy Kaplan and Finn from Star Wars as we could afford. Honestly I'm having a good time. The show wears its influences on its sleeve (Silo, Walking Dead, Hello Tomorrow!) but the world feels visceral and fun. It's absolutely good enough to prove the assertion that video game settings can also be good TV settings and I like that.

This