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Finished running 6” vacuum line and setup automatic blast gate for the CNC. Time to start putting together my erector set.

So until 20 minutes ago I had been listening to the Colossus through the Parasound Zphono USB, because the Pass Pearl had the wrong resistors installed, and I had to turn it to near full volume to get much sound at all. And it had a ringing at that level. Marc and I mulled that over, trying to remember why it would have been set that way. We ended up deciding to change the resistors for 12K and adding an SUT, which the DL-103 really likes.

Just some nice soaking rain. Very welcome. Sunny and in the 60s through the weekend. Jolly good.

Now that I have a working tonearm and a proper setup, the AMG is super solid. The 35lb platter is spinning at 33.3 and 45 RPM very consistently and steadily. The arm tracks precisely and without any wobble even if I walk around on my relatively spongey floor, which was a serious issue with the dead arm. I'm still getting to know the sound of the new cartridge and it is hard to compare anything given that I've barely been able to play this TT previously. The only cartridge I got to work briefly was a much cheaper Soundsmith moving magnet. I am going to try side by side listening to some vinyl and digital versions of the same recordings. I can try to add some thoughts on sound later.

So, now with the new resistors installed and the Denon AU-300LC SUT in line, I'm getting my first real listen to the system as a whole. I can definitely hear the improvements that the Pearl brings right away, but I still sing praises to the Parasound Zphono USB. It's a really good phono stage for the money. The Pearl is just a bit better at everything though.

Ordered some too. Decent performance, no hassles is about where I am in life right now.

Holy smokes it appears as if we are actually talking about gear and doing sound comparisons and showing off our vinyl rigs. I like this version of 2010

I have no intention to use the case unless I need to transport them somewhere in my bag.

That must be the Head-Fi approved ceiling attachments.

Spinning a Stretch hand-me-down. Thanks tall pal.

So the Maxx showed up yesterday. I'm impressed. I think people who purchase them will be very happy. $600 with tax is a lot, but the build quality is impeccable and you pay a premium for how slick all the (cr)apple stuff works together. Switching from listening to a podcast on my phone to a YouTube video on the iPad to a work zoom call on the MacBook without pressing a single button is a neat trick. As for sound quality I think it meets expectations. It will not blow anyone on HC away with how good it sounds, but I also think it won't offend either. The tuning is fairly neutral, which is appreciated. Beats by Steve Jobs™ with a warmed-over bass-boosted response they are not, and that makes me glad. I'm not a lover of closed headphones when open headphones are an option. The usual closed headphone characteristics are all present in the Maxx. These are not a replacement for a proper headphone rig. My HD800S aren't going anywhere. My HD800S also aren't able to operate without being tethered to my ECP amps, which is where the Maxx come in. If you want to listen to something while walking around the house or the office or on the airplane then these will hit the spot. Their mass is such that I don't think they would be a good fit for exercising.

A good piece on Pride... What Country Music Asked of Charley Pride https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/14/arts/music/charley-pride-country-race-covid-19.html?referringSource=articleShare

It's Opera. Or Opry at any rate.

I have no knowledge of George Jones, let alone his duets.

Plus recipes!

This is an album I had no knowledge of. It's George Jones duets. George Jones with Dr. Hook is uhm, interesting.

I decided to wait after I saw they were set to arrive March 23.

In the grim darkness of the near future, there is only pork:

Same in Canada with Canadapost.

Piroshka, new Miki (Lush) project, this is great!

It looks like a Slinky was included with the Erecter Set.

Camel, Snowgoose because ‘it’s the season

Yep, that is pretty much what we had today and will have for the weekend.

Don't you need to put them in the case for them to drop down to low power mode right away? Otherwise I believe it's like 2 hours before they do it on their own. Obviously if you can configure that time it's not a big deal.

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-motor-f1-redbull-idUKKBN28S009?taid=5fdc0ad3047c5c0001cbcbe1 Checo Pérez to replace Average Albon next year...

Fancy! I have the settle for the green reissue from RSD. Jealous! From newvelle records - Andy Zimmerman “half light”, beautiful thing I can’t quite describe, essentially a jazz/classics thing but really defies genre.

I only got 4-5" in central Jersey. But I managed to burry the snow blower in the back of the garage so I spent at least 30 min digging it out. Thankfully it fired right up

I'd recommend finding a friend instead. While it'll be pretty simple for a routine user of a table saw it's certainly not something that I'd take on as one of my first. Given your use of metric dimensions I'm going to guess that you're not in the CONUS or some of us might be able to help.

Thanks for the encouragement, y'all. Getting closer now:

I also ordered the Mophie & received it today. My wife loves it. Thanks for the recommendation - much appreciated.

HV and LV wiring is now in place: Next up is input and output wiring.

I'm with Doug, there's no good or easy way to do this with CNC and it's definitely not required. I drew this up in CAD real quick just to rough out some of the missing dimensions (thickness, heal and toe angles) and I think you could make this out of a single piece of rough sawn lumber. I'll defer final species recommendations to others but finding 6" wide 5/4 oak might not be a bad place to start and not horribly expensive. To me the hardest part is figuring out how to do the bevel on the heal - best thought there is with a router after using a dado blade to hog out the underside. But with a finished thickness of ~6mm (1/4") it's going to want to flex/deflect. I'd have to play around with it in real life to figure out any better solution. About the CNC solution - the real challenge is the two-sided nature and true 3D requirement. A lot of machines and affordable software are really good at 2.5D (translation in purely the vertical when cutting in the Z direction) but struggle when it comes to shapes like what you have described in your image. Also, some quick Googling yielded results very near what you are asking for - No Endorsement Implied - a more focused search would likely yield better results. Me - I'm working on fixing my Jonokuchi which had developed a problem with one channel. I opened the chassis hoping to easily spot the problem and did. Two caps in serious distress (one blown) and two resistors torched and failed open. Replacement parts ordered last night due to be delivered tomorrow which will likely get deferred to Friday but hopefully repairs can be accomplished this weekend. I've spoken with Pete and we don't think there's likely anything else at play other than one of the resistors drifting driving current and voltage up in an escalating fashion that resulted in the cap expelling its magic fluid filling.

Same as every gay bar I've ever entered.

In unrelated news, I bought SW Battlefront I and II (the new ones) on Steam for $15. Downloading them took ages.

This reminds me of the police blotter entry from the local paper in Michigan that I read this morning. There are always some gems in the blotter but I did love this one.

EMO the consecration of Gabriel.

Wonderful. Listened and appreciated it. Only afterwards did I realise she's from my home country - never heard about her before. Shame on me.

Nothing says Christmas like a dead, rotting King on a skull thrown.

Green Druid - At the Maw of Ruin

RIP Tim de Paravicini, another audio legend.....and fuck cancer! https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/tim-de-paravicini/

Boba Fett actor Jeremy Bulloch, RIP. Too early from Parkinsons at 75. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-55358301

Stupid USPS is ruining all my fun. Received one package in the last 6 days and had 5 items due last Friday. The app doesn’t even bother suggesting a delivery date, that is when it will actually load.

Ann Reinking: Ann Reinking Dead: 'Chicago' Broadway Star and Tony Winner Dies at 71 - Variety

I just found out a good friend's dad died of covid tonight. Sad and angry. RIP Dr. Gerald Katzin.

Checked all the windows were securely closed and patio doors secured because people three miles away had this unexpected visitor. Hello, can I come in?

RIP David Cornwell (John le Carré). Superb novelist over the decades. Aged 89, so not too bad an innings.

RIP Charlie Pride. He became a huge Country Music star at a time when a Black Country singer was unheard of. He did it with a positive attitude and a bucket load of class. They wouldn't even put his picture on his first two albums. Covid-19 sucks ass!