Tarheel
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Posts posted by Tarheel
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Spongeworthy just now left from my house for that long dark stretch of I-40 to Raleigh. He met us at Don's shop earlier and the khorns were ready and waiting for his xovers and midrange drivers. A quick hookup and we all were in store for a musical treat. Don brought along several cds including the remastered Santana Abraxas and Keith brought along a Red Hot Chili Peppers cd. Wonderful sound...some of the best music that I have ever heard.
We then went to my house for ribs, chili and mexican beer talked music, equipment, and the forum and some of our favorite forum personalities. We listened to my hybrid LS and much too quickly said so long. It was a very nice saturday afternoon. My take was that Spongeworthy was pleased with his purchase and it was really great to meet him.
Chuck
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If Doc can't help I would recommend Jim Ellis at Sonic Perfectionist who has done some really good work for me. Contact him at jim@SonicPerfectionist.com or 206-774-0596.
Chuck
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Thanks Dtel's wife...I am looking forward to Keiths visit...its really fun connecting with folks with the same interest....some just don't get our interest in music/equipment. Last weekend I had some friends over for dinner and they said my system sounded really great but they just didn't see sitting silently in front of a system passively listening. He talked of buying a new plasma tv and being entertained that way. It doesn't have to be an either/or situation you can have either or both.
I agree...I would like to meet more forum members....this will be the first visit..excluding bluesboy...and he's no fun...but seriously if you ever get to the east coast give us a call.
Chuck
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It would be worth the trip from dowm south just to meet Old Buckster. I think he is a shoe in for the classic rock hall of fame. Is the Duke going to be there?
Chuck
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Not to steal Spongeworthy's thunder but tommorow Spongeworthy comes to the port city to pick up yet another set of speakers. How many pair does that make? I know he just bought some Cornwalls and now he is picking up a pair of khorn hybrids built by Bluesboy and decked out in piano black lacquer and paduak trim. After a stop at Bluesboy's shop to audition the speakers and eat some ribs, we will go to my house to listen to my hybrid La Scalas. We don't get many forum members down our way so this is kind of a big deal for us.
I am sure Spongeworthy will give everyone a full report once he gets them home and set up. Four sets of klipsch....what an understanding wife.....I've got to meet her someday. Anyway...a great Saturday in store. Keith..plan to spend the night if you want we have the room.
Chuck
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Hi Keith....yes I will be here this weekend...come on down. Been in Rocky Mount on business the last two days and Just got in....a little road weary. Time for a scotch and some music. Suppose to be very cold Friday but moderating for the weekend. I will check with Don and see how your speakers are coming along. Looking forward to seeing you.
Chuck
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Keith...are you going to sit those on top of your new khorn hybrids.? They look mint. Good score. Hope to see you down this way soon.
Chuck
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William....I did get your pm when I got to work Monday and sent a reply. I gave you my home email address since the other one is only good when I am goofing off at work weekdays. Try me at blackweldercmjr@bellsouth.net. or cblackwelder@hcpplanning.com.
Just checked the forum after checking out reel to reels on ebay and saw your thread. I don't need a fourth RTR but if a mint one comes up I like to look. Saw your reply about reel tape prices today and that link you mentioned is a keeper. I had them send a catalog.
Keep me up to speed on your second system as things progress. If I had a house and budget large enough I would probably have a house full of equipment especially vintage. What do you think of the replacement tubes in your preamp? I have been using Dougs Tubes as well and need to retube my preamp soon.
BTW..the new avatar...your car? If so drive on down this weekend and will get Bluesboy and Spongeworthy together and audition some speakers.
Chuck
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Dave...before you check yourself into a clinic please try a couple of these selections. I frequently am bummed about how bad cds from the 80s and 90s sound and bemoan the fact that I own so many from that era. I need to cull about 300 from my collection. With a great recording I am usually happy with my system. Maybe we can start a thread getting folks to list their 5 favorite cds for sound quality. Here are my five.
Sonny Rollins-Saxaphone Colossus
Mark Knopfler-One Take Radio Sessions
Miles Davis-Kind Of Blue
Mark Knopfler-Shangri-La
Van Morrison-Pay The Devil
Sonny Rollins-Way Out West
Tahe 2 of these and call me in the morning.
Chuck
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I may have missed this point in someones comments and if I did please excuse me...I am getting older along with my ears. Trying to recreate a sound we remember or thinking the music sounded better back when could have something to do with our point of reference. My first reciever was a Bellewood with tiny speakers that I bought from a furniture store. It had a built in 8 track player and I thought it was great. It couldn't have been great but it was a step up from a transistor radio. See where this is going? So in 1971 or there about I bought a Pioneer SX-780, a Pioneer PL-12D, and Radio Shack Nova 8s? and later added a Teac 3300S reel to reel. This too sounded great. I thought I was on the cutting edge. From there A Pioneer SX-1280 and Mcintosh ML-1Cs, and a AR tt. Then a Denon cd player was added and the AR was sold (mistake). By then the disco 80s were here and I quit listening.
About five years ago I started trying to ressurect a system or put together a new one by buying back the reel to reel I had given to a friend. I gave him 4 classical cds and he gave me the Teac back. I still had the 1280 in storage and dusted it off. Then I bought a Denon DP-1250 and ordered a Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood cartridge. I sent the reel to reel off for repairs and had the McIntosh speakers reconed. Everything sounded okay but not the improvement that I had heard going from car radio to the Bellewood.
So now I am on my second set of LS, tube preamp, mono amps, tubed cd player, record vac, stylus force gauge, silver interconnects, hepa filter to control the dust and a dedicated music room.
Know what....it sounds great but the difference is less noticeable than the difference between the car radio and the Bellewood to my then twenty something ears. The quantum leaps were made in the early stages and now they are less dramatic and cost much more for incremental improvements.
BTW ....I had glass cut for the top of the McIntosh speakers and they are doing duty as end tables in my music room. The Teac 3300S now rebuilt joins a X-10 Teac and both are played daily.
So Dave.....take a break as Phil suggested...go for a hike on the AT, collect or drink Scotch, or whatever...I am sure your system sounds wonderful and will when you come back to it...maybe not as good as your first system did in your minds eye...but still very good!
Chuck
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Sorry...that thread I mentioned is on 2 channel entitiled "can you go too far?"
Chuck
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William.. Did you see the QS line stage preamp on audiogon.com for $550. Another deal. I have decided my next system build will be to get the best sound at a very reasonable price by shopping used equipment and building the speakers. I think a very good system can be put together for less than five grand if you go this route. Its amazing how quickly the price of stereo equipment drops in a year or two.
You are probably right about calling Mike Sanders. He will probably say to leave well enough alone. One of the reasons I like my monos is the reliabilty and I haven't had a seconds problem with mine so I guess he builds them to last and be trouble free.
Let us know what you do with the caps and the results....until then keep squeezing everything you can from your already great system.
BTW there is an interesting thead on updates and modifications about someone who has tweaked ad infinitum and is still disillusioned with the results. Its a pretty good read. Its about recapturing a sound he remembers from college days.
Anyway.....have a great weekend.
Chuck
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William... my system is at it's best yet. As you may recall the hybrids replaced the 2005 LS and recently ALK Engineering designed xovers for the 511b/902 combination for me. Bluesboy put them together and I have been listening to them for about 2 weeks now. Still running the KT-77s in the horn monos. Two Mark Knopfler cds came in the mail yesterday and the sound quality of those 2 recordings was excellent. Way more bass than ever and absolutely all I need. As soon as the second reel to reel gets back from rehab in florida all will be well with my world.
You know what bothers me from time to time is that I find some remarkable recordings (remastered or not as long as the recordings used 21 or 24 bit processing) that sound so good that I don't want to hear the cds from the 80s and 90s. What do you do with old cds that don't sound good? That is more of a rhetorical question unless someone has a really good solution. Donate them to the library? ***** shooting? I have probably 300 cds like that and maybe 100 that sound really great.
It sounds like you continue to tinker/upgrade your system. Any changes planned other than the caps? Have you talked with Mike Sanders about the cap question?
Chuck
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Hi William.....can't answer your question but thought I would mention the 3 sets of Quicksilver Audio amps on Audiogon.com. A set of horn monos, a set of silver 60s, and a set of vo4s all at about half the retail price! Go to tube amps and then look under classifieds.
Chuck
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Welcome to the forum Vixenvamp6. There were so many BSR TTs made you shouldn't have too much trouble locating a cartridge. Do a google search for stereo cartridges, Microphone solutions.com or try audiogon.com and search analog/cartridges. Needledoctor is a good site as mentioned above. Ebay may have what you need. Good luck.
Chuck
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Thanks BS. The wait was well worth it. The xovers were icing on the cake. Now I am content with my system and can get to the business of listening to the music. Bluesboy is now building a pair of khorns in the black/paduak look like my speakers. Can't wait to hear those.
Chuck
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Absolutely beautiful work...some of the finest ever and I love the overkill aspects of the job. What a way to end your upgrading. Congratulations and now enjoy the fruit of your labor.
Chuck
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Bluesboy soldered late into sunday morning on the custom designed xovers making him late for the playoff games and the first rack of ribs. Reed and I had to occupy ourselves with Sam's Boston Lager and football. A quick hookup expedited by dangling ribs on a stick in front of Bluesboy and we were ready to go. Sonny Rollin's "Way Out West" and Stevie Ray Vaughn "Couldn't Stand The Weather" never sounded so good. Much tighter bass. A very good upgrade.
Not bad for a rainy sunday in Carolina.
Looking forward to hearing Spongeworthy's new hybrids very soon but for now its off to work and 2 days on the road.
Chuck
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Good thread Coytee. Let me add Over The Rhine, Natalie Merchant, Joan Armatrading. Sunny Sumter, Kendra Shank and Monica Worth from Mapleshade records. Nana Mouskouri, Sara Brightman.
Chuck
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Christina....that does sound like a deal. Someone will likely snap those up. I prefer my LS hybrids with Altec, Beymas, and ALK Egineering xovers but the new LS ll has been getting good reviews. Thanks for the heads up.
Chuck
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Jeff...there is really no way to be sure which will sound better unless you take them home and plug them up in your system and in your listening room. There are just too many variables to control. What are your other components? What size is your room? Carpet or hardwood floors? What is the thickness of your billfold?
I guess I would be tickled to have a great sounding player especially if I got it at a good price and had money left for some audiophile recordings. I don't think my ears are good enough to appreciate a $14,000 player but my Jolida was humming some great sounds today when Bluesboy brought over my new xovers that he built from a custom design by ALK Engineering for my hybrid LS.
You may have to buy your favorite and if it doesn't please you then take it back if your retailer allows or sell on Audiogon. Upgrading is a necessary process in building the ultimate system which will be the ultimate for a only a short period of time if you are like most of us. Today I am at a good place where I am happy with my system but it has taken much trial and error to get there.
Good luck in your journey.
Chuck
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Again I am remiss....welcome revjac. Post number 5! Good recommendation on the Rega. Lots of help on the forum with any question. I certainly have learned a lot these past two years.
Chuck
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Wallflower...I was negligent in not welcoming you to the forum. Welcome! You can meet some very fine folks here like William and get some very good information too. All the cds recommended are probably very good. I own a Jolida and am pleased with it but all the Regas are very good.
William and I share some of the same equipment and I have enjoyed his comments on tube rolling in his Quicksilver Audio Horn Monos. It seems like yesterday when I first posted but I am now on my second set of La Scalas and over 140 post.
Let us know which player you decide on and your impressions.
Chuck
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Wallflower......The Jolida 100 modded or not can be found on Audiogon frequently for $700 and has that nice tubed output section.
Hey William is that a new avatar and can I assume that is you in the picture?
Chuck
Tarheel's Hybrid LaScalas
in Technical/Restorations
Posted
This thread has had its alotted time but Dtel's wife wanted to see other Bluesboy projects so I brought it back.
Keith...I know today was special for you and I too spent the afternoon with my system and some good single mault. I must say your speakers are about as close to musical nirvana as I have come. That said lets don't get Bluesboy's head too big or he may start charging for his speaker builds. Enjoy the night as well and come back soon.
Tarheel