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The Hitachi DA-1000 (and associated clones) is one of the earliest and most prized CD players. It's method of loading the CD can't accurately be described as unusual (at the time there was no defined normal) but it's certainly a striking one. Working examples change hands for a tidy sum. Even nonfunctional units are near to look at. European market clone of the Hitatchi. The fragile but very interesting looking CD loading mechanism. When was the last time you saw a CDP with an output meter?

Modern tech with vintage looks, Ruark R710 all in one system, basically, hook up a pair of speakers and you have everything. Heard it at an audio show a couple weeks ago and was surprised that an under $10k setup was one of the top 5 rooms at the show, it embarrassed the shit out of many mega-buck systems. Yes, it also plays CDs. If I had room for speakers, I'd be totally happy with this setup.

Not to many of these being built anymore, I built this from Mjorin kit, parts are getting difficult to find. Works and sounds great . Bill

I had some leftover pork chop and a small amount of new potatoes (1.5 small potatoes to be exact) and I wanted to make pizza with it. I caramelized onions, made an olive oil, garlic and shallot spread for the sauce and added mozzarella and Hungarian goatherd peppers. Came out great.

So, I came across a program that was talking about the album releases in October 1969. And it was a monster month. So I started listening to them for fun. I had not heard Free's second Album Free - So: Free by Free (October 1969) https://open.qobuz.com/album/0060254705385 Example: It was very good. - Like Zeppelin good. So: Led Zeppelin II by Led Zeppelin (October 1969) https://open.qobuz.com/album/0603497920099 Example: So - do I think Free is a better band than Zep? No. But I do actually prefer the Free Album to Zep II. Zep has huge highlights, like example, but the Free album is very nice to listen to. Anyway King Crimson trumps the entire month regardless.

SACD Been listening to mostly plastic lately.

Go sports ball.

😔

Everything But The Girl - Young and Dumb (single from their new album coming in February)

Saw Suzanne Vega Saturday night. Can't believe it took me this long to see her (I, like many, became a fan with the Solitude Standing album which contains Luka, Tom's Diner, etc.). Great voice, and she was a great chatter and storyteller as well! Loved her intro to Flying With Angels, and then her explanation of what it means to her hit a big chord. I had more than one of those "angel" moments taking care of Karen. Links to videos https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pbVJOr7oRrMu3qFmzp_BR2ClAard30ou/view?usp=sharing - Luka https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yoDLhsgfoNn9umTOkQ3h7JGVvBIizeM9/view?usp=sharing - Flying With Angels

Last lowrider show of the season, this time Día de los Muertos themed. Went with one camera, one lens/focal length, one aperture - Leica SL2-S, Zeiss Otus APO 28mm, f/1.4.

Currently listening to Fun Boy Three Was listening to The Colourfield Music on TIDALThe Colourfield - Sound of The ColourfieldListen to Sound of The Colourfield on TIDAL in exceptional sound quality, or on your choice of serviceYes, all 5+ hours

Coincidentally, I was just listening to Aja. I even had a bit of a conversation with Google AI about it. Me: Art Pop is one of my favourite genres, especially jazz-tinged art pop. There's something about those chord voicings that just "hits me where I live". I also really dig Voivod's Piggy Chords, and I just want to learn how they compose and incorporate those elements. A lot of my music (that I write) is audibly "melodic minor" to me, and I'd like to expand my palette. It: (Too long, don't read.) After which the conversation shifted to The Colourfield's "Castles in the Air" ("the perfect bridge between Steely Dan and melodic minor"). ...Where art pop differs from traditional straight-ahead jazz is the voicing architecture. Art pop often avoids standard, textbook jazz "shell voicings" (Root-3rd-7th) in favor of highly colorful, open-sounding structures where the melody line can sing out over a flurry of inner voice movement. Add9 and Mu Major Chords: Popularized by Steely Dan, a "mu major" chord is a major triad with an added 2nd (or 9th) voiced directly adjacent to the 3rd. Example: Instead of spelling C major 9 as C - E - G - B - D, voice a C(add9) as C - D - E - G. The second interval between D and E creates a beautiful, shimmering harmonic "blur" that anchors the art pop sound. Slash Chords (Poly-harmony): Art pop relies heavily on playing a clean triad in the upper register over a completely foreign bass note. This gives you jazz extensions without the clutter. Bb / C: A Bb major triad (Bb - D - F) over a C bass note. This instantly yields a C7sus4(9,13) sound—sleek, modern, and deeply reminiscent of late '70s art pop. G / C: A G major triad over a C bass note, creating a pure Cmaj9 feel with a wide, cinematic gap between the bass line and the upper melody...

The October Suite by Steve Kuhn (1967) https://open.qobuz.com/album/0060246544132 Example: On the edge of avant-garde from time to time, and rarely gets into a groove. But it is rewarding with absolutely lovely melodies and variations like the example. Gary known for his compositions and arrangements died 1971 (aged 38).

New Order's turn.

If you guys remember the Back to Mine series (artists compile the music they listen to at home after a night out), Everything But The Girl’s one now…

RIP Mr. Stewart, you seemed entirely like a decent human.

Well now he's seen everything the GuardianPatrick Stewart, Star Trek actor and acclaimed thespian,...Star Trek: the Next Generation and X-Men actor died at his home after ‘a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia’

North Node by Natalie & Brittany Haas (2026) https://open.qobuz.com/album/q8qgcdcx9xl6c Example: The Haas sisters back at it again. I thought Brittany was too busy with the Punch Brothers that I missed this one coming out. Just what you would expect from a Cello and Fiddle album. And that is what I wanted with a touch of mandolin thrown in here and there.

I have a soft spot for Jungle and their stubborn commitment to being funky white boys.;

Terry Hall was just great.....

Going out to Mr. and Mrs. Bedecarre. Some AI BS but that's just where we are?

There are long standing threads for speaker and amplifier porn on HC. Thus far, sources have been neglected. It's true, speakers and amps are in general better looking units than most sources but there are certainly some good looking ones out there. Let's start with a mid 80s Revox CDP that is a bit of a legend amongst collectors: The Revox B225. It's overbuilt like a MFer, which is good as it's also prone to failure and in need of extensive servicing. I just watched a really good YouTube video on repairing one while I was editing a whole stack of photos. TL;DW: A whole pile of Swiss engineering, dirty electrical contacts and a new motor. There were some variants with balanced out and at least one meant for professional use: Love those green lights.

Aged 86 with Alzheimers and Lewy body dementia. RIP Patrick Stewart. What a rotten way to go. Was lucky to see him several times on stage, three times in Chichester. Malvolio in Twelfth Night, MacBeth in the landmark production as Macbeth in the tiny Minerva (so close I could have touched him), and as the aged Shakespeare, and his death in Bingo. That particular production of MacBeth transferred to the West End, and then two theatres on Broadway, and was made into a movie. And on the London stage with McKellen in Waiting for Godot and both of them in No Man's Land, a rather bleak play by Harold Pinter. A really superb actor of stage and screen. I'm really gutted he's gone.

They sell a ton of these to pilots. You put them on a knee board and it's perfect for displaying charts/approaches etc. and with a pencil you can jot down complicated ATC clearances. The biggest ask for a couple of years has been a brighter screen, so we'll see if the OLED is a step forward. Some folks will even mount them on the control yoke as an additional flight control display, although the FAA officially frowns on this.

And Now there's the iMac's and MacBooks with M6 Power! Spec Bump? Price Bump! $4K, Nice? They may announce a Touch Screen Tomorrow.

I’m team performance then recording first. Without those the rest is irrelevant.

Mi Historia Americana: Sur by Daniil Trifonov (2026) https://open.qobuz.com/album/z5ctty71t1zjt Example: A lot of new works for me. I should have looked at the runtime (knowing Daniil's work in the past). I was not ready for 2.25 hours of music right now. I am a little over half way. I really enjoy it, there are some challenging works mixed in with lovely powerful pieces. Edit: I forgot to mention a feature in Qobuz that I recently found. I don't know how long it has been there. But for some classical recordings they include the digital booklet. So that you can have liner notes and track lists. I do hope that they keep expanding it, because having the back album covers for old jazz releases would be great. Ex. (18 page booklet)

Strewth!

That's quite an endorsement. I've never heard that Free album but will have to listen. Agreed, the Crimson album being the most epic of that bunch.

or try windows 10 ltsc iot.... still gets security updates... or try windows 11 ltsc iot.... you don't need a Microsoft account for either and less bloatware and no AI slop...

Meanwhile, making compact casssettes in Japan:

MacBook Pro, with a touch screen thats not just an OLED, its a PROLED XDR! You might need a Pro Wallet XL, though or be part of the Anthropic IPO

Woob 1194 Music on TIDALuploader - Woob 1194Listen to Woob 1194 on TIDALWill probably listen to the spiritual successor https://woob.bandcamp.com/album/repurpose The lost tracks https://woob.bandcamp.com/album/lost-1194 And whatever you want to call this https://woob.bandcamp.com/album/drift-1194

RIP, Donnie Iris

Lampazitor is such utter crap, almost as bad as Chord. Fucking hate that garbage.

There's always the new iPad mini. Lifestyle Benefits Narrative Or Minimalist Product Showcase What's not to like? Several things, actually. OLED, yes, nice, but only 60 Hz, not 120 Hz ( sorry, Pro Motion) Display?

Grahame outdid himself making all of these delicious curries and two more salads/sides from scratch, although he only sliced the banana. As you can see, defending the universe requires a lot of sustenance. Thanks again Grahame and Joanne for hosting us at your wonderful new home!

There may have been Curries and fixin's to help defend the universe and sustain excessive woodworking. There may also have been exquisitely crafted Apple Tart And fixin's But I couldn't possibly comment.

What a cutie

Alec is a huge APP fan. Regularly sends me tracks.

Oh, that reminds me, was thinking of you when I had breakfast!

This is my latest to add to the growing collection, I think a may have a problem... oh well. This is a Simon Marty guitar, it features his innovative radial bracing, the back and sides are ancient Huon pine, salvaged before a dam flooded a valley, estimated between 1000 -1500 years old, the neck is Australian rosewood and the top is spruce.