The Monkey

That was my initial thought, but it gets expensive fast. I'm wondering if I can get a "lite" version of something that doesn't need as much data. That's my plan. Of course, the two Verizon "affiliates" I went to today have inoperative display models.

As posted in another thread, the coverage offered by AT&T in Manhattan (especially lower Manhattan) is laughable. My iPhone will continue to suffice for personal email and stupid apps, but now I need something that will actually work as a phone. I was considering a blackberry, as I have grown accustomed to them and find them excellent. However, I don't really want to pay for the data plan, and I won't have corporate support for email, so that seems to be a waste. So I'm thinking that I need one of them smart phones? I'd like something that is a solid phone, and ideally with a keyboard so I can text without learning to type on a numeric keypad like a teenage girl. And it needs to be on Verizon. Help a Monkey out.

I use a Vic-20 for music, bitches!

^Mint.

I just got back from the AT&T store and asked the guy about 3G coverage in Manhattan. He acknowledged that it was a bit of a problem, but that some of it was due to the fact that AT&T is trying to rapidly upgrade the area by mid-August. He seemed relatively knowledgeable, but what the hell else was he going to say? So I smashed one of the hello kitty phones into little bits and stormed out.

Unfortunately, AT&T's frequency range doesn't seem to penetrate air very well.

I'm fed up with the piece of shit phone reception that AT&T has in Manhattan. Does the 3GS improve this in any way over the first gen? My guess would be no (I think Dan said something to this effect?), but any further insights would be appreciated. Otherwise, I need to get something from Verizon.

Ok, the KGSS DX is in the house. So now I'm listening to the O2 out of that and the HD800 out of the Gilmore Light. Let's just say that so far, the O2 is getting more playing time. The GLite is a very capable amp, but I think the 800 will need the B22 to keep up.

Ok, the BDA-1 changes considerably when using balanced out as opposed to unbalanced. Much. Moar. Better. I'm seeing the limitations of the SkipJack here, because while it is good for switching and doing a quick and dirty relative comparison of single ended sources, it can't do balanced. Regardless, it is a different DAC when connected to the KGSS DX via balanced XLR. Much more impact, better soundstage, far more detail. You know, just a lot more Canadian.

So good. So good.

Good point Al. I will be dispatching my team of DACninjas to the West Coast asap. Actually, NinjaDAC would be a pretty cool name for a DAC...

It's getting hard to find ANY Parasound DACs inside the U.S. because all these silly DACaddicts are snapping them up.

;DA little bit of dinner roll just got lodged in my nostril. Steve Jobs is a dickhead for pretending to be an "audiophile."

I would avoid Bosch. Or anything "energy efficient" for that matter. I've had very good experiences with Redco. Except speed. They can be slow. Otherwise good stuff.

I'm not in front of the Mac now, but is it correct that it goes as high as 24/96 or can it go moar higher? Also, how do the hi rez files sound? And why is the sky blue?

My music library is accessed via my iMac and iTunes. AFAIK, iTunes does not support high resolution audio files. Is there any way I can get hi rez files to pump out of the optical out of my iMac?

Unfortunately my friend jumped at the insurance co's offer to cut a check for the whole apartment. So of course that was a lowball number and the cash is long gone or otherwise accounted for. I'm having trouble envisioning what the $2k would be for, too. And now I want a copy of that estimate to see if this is a co. that we should warn folks about.

Of course! That's why I'm trying to save him $2k. Then he'll need one of MY DACs! (Btw, lots of O2s floating around teh interwebs, good sir.) I have a feeling this gear is going to be paying me a visit. But $2k seems a bit (a lot?) crazy without knowing more, doesn't it?

He probably has access to some expendable speakers.

A good friend of mine owns a McIntosh amp and pre-amp--both vintage, probably 1970s. My friend likes audio but doesn't know too much about the technical side of things (and no, my "friend" is not me). He needs some help with this McIntosh gear. My friend's apartment building caught fire and his apartment, though not burned, was totaled. His entire apartment was soaked through due to the fire hoses and smoked through due to the, well, smoke. The gear is now sitting at an audio store in NYC, and has been for a while. He has been quoted a "repair" of $2000.00 for the McIntosh gear and a Hafler amp. He does not have a good idea of what's going on with the gear, and he doesn't understand what the repairs entail. I've asked him to get the estimate in writing, and to also get me the model numbers of the gear. I will post further info as it comes. In the meantime, I think he still needs to verify the underlying premise that the gear is broken. He does not know for sure that it go soaked. But he's afraid to turn it on for fear of shorting/blowing stuff up. I figured before he spends $2k on stuff he doesn't know or necessarily need, let's see what kind of advice Team Arcy Sparky has up its collective sleeve. As far as I know, the gear is solid state, not tubes, but I have asked him to confirm this. He told me that the amp and pre amp were in great condition and do not look bad despite the fire. I'd like him to try to power the thing up at least and then maybe try it through some speakers. But of course, I'd like to know (a) the safest way for him to do this and ( the worst-case scenario (and second worst if worst is death/maiming).

We Cityfolk know not of such things. But now that I know what's on there, it pretty much summarizes what was in the back of my mind while spending a weekend on a lake. I have lake issues.

At first I thought Colin's shirt said, "Oprah," which would have been awesome. dusty, what's on your shirt?

The BDA-1 is here. All I'm prepared to say at the moment is that I think it sounds better with the Upsampling enabled.