TheEvan

I have a very pretty Hickock 6000a "Dynamic Mutual Conductance" tester I'm willing pass along. It is calibrated and running nicely and fun to use. I just don't have the need. I'm uncertain as to its value but I'll sell it to you under market value. I hope somebody can chime in as to whether this one would do the trick.

Klipschorn, without a doubt. Barring that, LaScala, Cornwall, Forte, Chorus... Heresy is fine.

Not exactly a thrift store, but I went to a closing business sale to a non-retail business that is member of the barter exchange to which I belong. To my suprise, there was a box of vinyl on the floor. It was a TIME CAPSULE. Unopened, unplayed original copies of Hwy 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde. PRISTINE copies of two Velvet Underground records (my son was flipping out) and much more, all at .50 a pop.

Is this what you guys mean by "tube rolling"?

MIJ is no shame. In fact, Accuphase, Luxman, Micro Seiki, Saec and most of the best MC cart makers are from those isles. That's for starters. Lots of exotica comes from there.

Seems like everybody wants some wow factor. Also, sometimes artists get into the process. The results are not always good. After John Williams (the guitarist) got big, he insisted on a recorded sound that mirrored what he heard when playing. The result was two disks so close and so dry as to be almost unlistenable. "Aargh, I think my speaker just swallowed a guitar!"

Ah yes, life in Estrogena.

Even with Mercury's purist approach, the resultant sound is, to my ears, the opposite of the Dave Mallette™ sound, which is utterly natural. You da man.

I always heard Mercury Living Presence was the end-all and be-all. I've bought a number, some excellent performances among them. Interesting music, mostly. But am I alone in mostly not liking their recorded sound? I find them generally brash and in-your-face and lacking space. Here's a vote for Hyperion, Erato and harmonia mundi. Great labels.

It may not have audiophool cache, but the SL1200 is a fine table. With a good catridge it will sing, and darned near forever. My similar SP10 walked all over my Rega P3...no contest. Cart. depends on your taste. M97xe is a great cartridge...it runs to the smooth, laid-back side of things. For a livlier presentation, the AT ML440 sounds great. I love both. For that moving-coil thing, the AT o9c and Denon 103 are great, if you have provision for moving coil. I've heard that the new rtofon cartridges are great for the money. Back to your original question of best bang for the buck...an M97xe for around $60.

It makes sense that there'd a r2r tech still in New Orleans. NO has had a solid recording industry forever and plenty of tape must be floating around, as well as machines to play it.

Thanks for the testimonial, jhoak. I just got $60 M97xe (from jr.com) to put on my son's SL1200 mk2. He's a serious vinyl junkie. He'd bent the cantilever on the Sumiko Black Pearl that's on it. It's just as well. That cartridge was everything wrong...harsh, tubby, wooly. I'm feeling better about my shot in the dark.

I need to get back to Jay's joint and have a listen since he upgraded the horns. It was fantastic before the upgrade!

Ahhh, stainless steel cleaner, yes. In fact I just may have some at the shop. I fear the Krud Kutter because it is a degreaser. If it sits down in the engraved bits I'm afraid of the ink softening or worse. I figure I'll start with the most benign substance and work my way up. As clean as the old girl is, the SS may well do the trick. This is what janitorial folks use every night to clean water fountains, elevator control panels and such.

After, say, Anchor Steam and some really old Bushmills?

I'm looking for a non-destruction method to clean up the lightly smudged and soiled face of my early-to-mid 70's Luxman L-390 integrated. On the plus side, all lettering and markings are engraved, not screen printed. On the minus side, the engraved bits are then filled with ink. I'm thinking a wax of some kind, non-solvent. Suggestions?

Al, I'm sorry for the loss of your friend, Mr. P. Thank you for sharing him with us.

Corner placement really reinforces the bass. LOL!!!!!!!!!

If the family room is an otherwise go space for music, you can do a false corner without much work and to great effect. Will you be in this house "forever"? 13x12 is small for Khorns. You're unlikely to hear the bass develop like it could in a larger space.

Fantastic work, really. I'm not always a fan of raw concrete & glass structures, but this is magnificent. I would love to stand inside and get a sense of the spaces. And that view! Curious, what is the counter top material in the kitchen & bathrooms? Why stainless garage doors? That's kuh-raazy.

High cotton...first class! Whadda a bunch of gear...man, but I didn't see your beautiful Khorns.

I'm afraid you misunderstood my comment. It might bear reading again. Forgive me for the lack of clarity. 1. I expressed approbation for a SB with two class QBs. 2. I opined that on that day, Brees and Payton (the coach, not Peyton the QB) had more "want to" that day. Where's the hate in that? I will, unlike some hard-core fans, acknowledge other teams and players than my own. Not pedantic. Makes for better conversation. I agree with the "experts" who call the Colts #1 preseason. Whether that will translate into going all the way remains to be seen. It's possible, I suppose. Meanwhile, I'll be rooting for the Saints again.

I love the game. I'm not too wild about many of its fans. Anyway, it should be a good season. It was nice to have a SB with two exceptional people at QB. Brees and Payton (not Peyton) just had more "want to" that day.

Birch, raw, 1977. Somebody finished them and probably built their own grill frame & covered it with cloth.

I've seen a few floating around. They work off the 'puter router, plug into the stereo. Any decent?