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After 8+ years, we decided to replace the Barista Express. While it has been leaking for a while, the leaks recently got bad enough to affect the quality of the espresso. Based on the experience with it, we decided we didn’t want too big a change, and ended up with the Barista Express Impress. The dosing and tamping is much cleaner and it just took pulling a few shots to get it dialed in. I like that it still has the pressure dial, unlike some of the higher-end machines.

so i posted this elsewhere because people really want to spend large amounts of money on an electrostatic amplifier that uses a pile of 300b. this is the first of two. Megatron xl with 4 x 300b Megatron xxl with 8 x 300b Power supply #1 goldenreferencehv all solid state Power supply #2 tube rectified lc filtered no regulation solid state regulated bias. Power supply #3 tube rectified lc filtered 4 x 6l6gc fully regulated voltages. 300 volt tube rectified and 6bq5 regulated power supply. solid state regulated bias high voltage rectifier tubes are gz34 (5ar4) 300v rectifier tube is ez81 I figure a megatronxxl with power supply #3 should come in at a retail built price of $40k evidently one or more companies are making dc supplies that slam 7 amps into cold 300b resulting in tubes that don't last very long. so this will have a slow start quad 5v power supply board. the xxl will have 2 of these boards. amp chassis will be about 14 x 14 x 4 inches. power supply box should be the same size. the spice simulations indicate that minimum distortion is set at about 33ma, so this is likely to eat about 300 watts total power consumption. distortion will end up about .01% at full voltage swing.

"Where are the clouds?"

Unfortunately, it's training those eyes for that look. Next stop AI.

I put all oily rags on a small trebuchet and launch them at my neighbor.

Pentax: "I haven't been around this many people in a long time." (both funny & sad/true)😂

Think I might have to knock-off this guy’s custom dining tables. So nice.

A few phone snaps from a photo fair today. Showing a rare example of will power I came home with -1 cameras. These are held three times a year in Newark, CA, but also show up once in year in Portland (coming September), if anyone up there is interested. The 2.7MP Nikon D1, originally $10K in today’s dollars, that I picked up for $40 here last show, were going for $75 today. #digicamtrend

Well when you reach my age leaking is a everyday occurrance and we learn to live with it and move on.

Some "New" music. Some Background / an Ad, in case you are unfamiliar with the work.

Unfortunately, if we built a trebuchet here at half-assed woodworking, it would undoubtedly fling the burning cloths directly into the finishing cabinet when the shitty build failed.

Now this is pretty cool. Minor Threat set lists from their June 26th 1983 NYC show. Very neat penmanship for a bunch of punk kids. That said, I'm pretty sure "12XU" is said "One, Two, X You" there, Lyle.

I have definitely been guilty of improper handling of oily rags in the past but I have been far more careful since building the shop. I'm never going to be lazy about it again after seeing that video.

This is a must watch for anyone with a shop or garage...

This what I did exactly with my Megatron.

that section runs on 300 volts. ksa1156 is in stock at mouser now. would work fine. i think the pinout is backwards from 2sa1968 so just rotate it around. the emission labs tube with the octal base and the center tap filament would make things much easier but would limit the amp to those tubes. so its the standard 4 pin socket.

Maybe better to go with the 2SA1627A in TO126 form. These pretty much the only 600V pnp's though.

These are the loudness wars of photography: "kill the contrast".

Robin Hobb - Farseer Trilogy I read some interview saying that these books were one of the best fantasy series in the last 30 years. George R.R. Martin seemed to agree, as he is blurbed on the back cover. So I picked the first one up. It started ok. I figured I'd put it down if I got bored and move on to something else. But I kept going. The more I read the more I started really getting in to the world the author has created. There is some really great stuff here, and Ms. Hobb has the prose of a seasoned writer. Now I just finished the second book and am on to book 3! I'm all in. If you at all enjoy fantasy game of thrones-ish type series, this one is a winner. (sadly I got ebooks from the library and am not reading those amazing looking folio society hardcovers)

300B's have been ordered so time to show Woo Audio and Hifiman how this should done.

As is typical, Doug was right. Like the less blingy version now that it is installed.

Just for shits and giggles, I did something suggested in case of air bubbles (this can cause the same symptoms as what I have): turn it upside down and shake the shit out of it. That got me one shot before the loud buzzing and lack of water flow returned. I think that’s pretty definitive that the pump is shot.

RIP Gordon Moore https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/news/gordon-moore-obituary.html https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/24/23655844/gordon-moore-intel-co-founder-creator-moores-law-died https://www.theregister.com/2023/03/25/gordon_moore/

So, after hurting my back I left some things up to the pros. Look how that turned out. Yes the blue and red color in the background is the EMS.

RIP Israel "Zuny" Zelitch. 99 years old, he was in the same Independent/Assisted Living facility as my mother-in-law. In times after his wife passed, and my father-in-law was gone, he was a wonderful companion to her. She passed in June 2021, he just passed today. A brilliant and fascinating man, not much for idle conversation but had some fascinating stories. Also a major part of local Yiddish organizations, and very well known in that community. Unfortunately he was unconscious soon after catching COVID recently, was moved to hospice where his son (wearing basically a hazmat suit) got to say goodbye. A woman from that Yiddish community was called and they held the phone to his ear while she spoke; he actually twitched his eyes several times. Shortly thereafter, he passed. One link with info about him: https://portal.ct.gov/CAES/ABOUT-CAES/Staff-Biographies/Israel-Zelitch Karen and I had met his son and daughter-in-law years back, when our kids went to the same after-school program. We also found out his son's wife was my neighbor growing up! We got to reconnect after we found out Zuny was his dad. Karen was able to share some stories about Zuny and her mom that his son was so thankful to hear. Just a wonderful family, and a fascinating man. RIP Zuny, you may have two women vying for your attention now! 🙂

Sad. No more Meestah Weeck. 😢 RIP Special Agent Broyles.