Voltron

I voted for a B22, and recently bought thrice's personal beast of an amp that I believe is configured much as swt61 proposed in his recent post. There is a FS thread here on HC and it has some details. Not at all sure that thrice would build one for money, but you can always ask (and offer Belgian beer and art photography as inducements). I have heard that particular amp before at a meet and think it is excellent and easily beats most of what is on your list. I have also heard at least one more balanced B22 that wasn't as good, but was still good. Your location is not going to make your life particularly easy, but you can get anything shipped to you if you try hard enough. As for the other options, and with your preference for the Ed. 9s, here are some unsolicited thoughts: The HeadAmp GS-X and HeadRoom Balanced Max are probably the no. 2 suggestion I would make. I have only heard them at meets, but they are both impressive. I cannot recall hearing any Ultrasones on either one. The RPX-100 is the Rudi amp I would suggest out of those choices, and it sounds quite good with the Ed. 9s. The RPX-33 is underpowered and the RP010-B just didn't seem worth the hype of the price when I heard Rudi's original model. Maybe it was the meet conditions or something, but I didn't think it was very powerful or appealing in any significant way. The Apache does not sound good with the Ed. 9s, and overall is probably not a choice that would be great for you or for the money you would have to pay. The SS-1 is not the best solid state amp I have heard by a long shot. It is quirky and never seemed to be sounding its best or configured right in the few times I have heard it. I don't think it is available, but I would not seek it out. The Harmony or Transparency are intriguing without ever hearing them myself, but the Square Wave is not in the same league. Same for the Naim and Opera: not in the same league, imo. Oh, and the Dynamite is a really cool amp if you could ever find one. Haven't heard the others.

Vaderette can't find the zipper.

Except here you do not pay until they ship but you do save your place in line.

I like but do not love the Ayre products. JP#s likes them more and actually owned one--maybe that same model, but I cannot recall.

Steve's response: All questions being answered here: http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?p=3412758#post3412758

This one musta eaten a photographer who wasn't wearing any bells

T-rrific, Fool!

Worked out well? You don't want Nate to end up divorced do you?!

I can't really imagine that these are going to be terribly limited editions, but I am hoping for clarification of that by AP/AS. I am curious whether they will do it on a rolling basis or just release them all at once, which would take a while. I am not pre-ordering yet but I intend to keep an eye on it.

This is what producer Michael Cuscuna allegedly told somebody on the Hoffman forum: "Michael was told that the DSD masters were created as they cut the 45 rpm LPs. It would only make sense that they will have the same mastering as those LPs. No need to run the masters through the playback mechanism twice."

Hybrid Stereo

I just noticed over on the Hoffman site that the current run of Blue Note reissues on 45 RPM vinyl will be coming out on SACD shortly. That is some very cool news even though I will have to figure out whether I want to cancel the vinyl subscription, double up some, or wait and see how they compare before making a choice. I will not cancel my other subscription to the Music Matters BN reissues because those are the most gorgeous LPs ever produced. Anyway, these remasters are so awesome that anybody who likes jazz even a little should be buying these things. Apparently $30 a pop, so that is $20 cheaper than the vinyl option.

Oooh, so B-52-like! Although, I guess they would have to be gold.

"can he swing, from a web? no he can't, he's a pig."

Shit, she looks worse than I feel. Rehab my ass. She needs some serious psychological work!

Double the because stevieo claims to be unwilling to carouse, and yet he had 5 gins on the plane here and then several shots of tequila to go with his beers. Go figure this older generation! CJ08 WILL register on the Richter scale, I guarantee it! Why isn't Reks coming?! What about the rest of the H-C crew?

Brown leather RS-1s with flats = bad? WTF, dude, you are so wrong. I will try them with bowls tonight but you are so wrong...

I like the story more than the pics, but I still like the pics. Sorry about the sliced finger, but progress comes at a cost, man! You are cruising and there is no question that the Menace will be menacing SoFla in two weeks time. I am so psyched that we will all be there for a change -- no more wimping out and I do mean you thrice! I have been drinking this evening with JP#s and none other than stevieo himself! We had a fine time drinking way too much to drive, so I hope the old bastard makes it home to Marin OK. He is full on for CanJam so that will be something else, altogether. I truly believe that this meet is going to top all meets from a pure fun and mayhem perspective. Gear like the Menace and thrice's FORMER balanced b22 will be cool and all, but the people and the action will RULE. Can't wait to see you all, but Nate and Grawk especially, because we either met briefly (Nate) or haven't met at all (grawk) and I think we need to drink and carouse and bond. Looking forward to it and the Menace and the like will just be gravy...

I have certainly done long stretches involuntarily for work in the last 17 years as a lawyer, but in college I did it more of my own will. In college I had a tradition of staying awake on Pete Townshend's birthday from midnight to the next night at least so that I could play every Who and Pete record I had for 24 hours of Pete and re-Pete as necessary. One of those years I recall staying awake until the 2nd day and trying to play softball in the afternoon. I would of course drink plenty in those hours to keep going, and I recall having some Olde English 800 malt liquor that put me completely over the top for that period. I struck out in slow-pitch softball, which is really saying something for somebody who played baseball all of his life. Ah, good times. I hope you plowed through the remaining 7 cans, Duggeh. Those late hours are the best.

Apparently you haven't see cankin's bio pic Just kidding. Trying to distract from my enormous noggin.

I am sure that is true, about trying different things and such, but they were performing at least one new composition that he had written for the SF Jazz festival. They had sheets -- Patitucci alone had a 6-page wide spread for one number -- and played 3 distinct songs as a quartet, then several more with the Imani Winds (I'm forgetting but I think 3 more) and then they bowed and left for good. No encores. The Imani Winds also did an original Shorter composition that he wrote for them.

I'd say they are on the fun neutral side because they have a nice warmth to them without being slow and sloggy. I use them as my office cans and think they are just right for that duty. Quite open so I can hear a knock or the phone ringing and very, very comfortable. Good choice.

went the 7 3/4

K