ChrisK
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Posts posted by ChrisK
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It is recommended to put something under the vipropods like wax paper so that the oil or residue from the vipropod does not stain the wood. I read it from there website a long time ago.
I have black diamond racing cones and pucks under my cd player and I did hear a significant difference in the soundstage when I did this.
I have no experience with the vipropods.
I wish the salesman that sold the Vibrapods to me had said something or the instructions they came with had mentioned the problem with using them directly on wood surfaces. At the same time, it's not really a big deal. I must have some pretty solid floors, as neither Vibrapods, BDR cones, Clearaudio pucks or Daruma's have made the smallest bit of detectible sonic difference in any of my gear.
This is what their website says now -
"VIBRAPOD Isolators may leave rings on woods, acrylics, and painted surfaces. They may also dissolve the paint, especially if it is lacquer. To protect these surfaces and your equipment please use BAR COASTERS or PLAYING CARDS between the VIBRAPOD Isolators and these surfaces. AOL Discs work well too."
hmmmmm....I wonder if you get a more focused image using the Jack of Clubs or Jack of Diamonds?
Regards,
Chris
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I know one thing they do. I put some under my cdp and amp a few years ago and after a few weeks when I lifted both pieces off the wooden rack (Contours, pictured below) for cleaning, the VibraPods were stuck to the shelf. After removing the VibraPods there were deep rings in the wood finish. Needless to say, the VibraPods are sitting out in my garage now. Want them?
Good Luck,
Chris
This is the same model as mine. However mine have black tubing and cherry shelves.
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A couple of further points regarding these speakers.
1. The woofers on the pair in SoCal have been completely reconed by Orange County Speaker ( a very cool place to visit, lots of studios, musicians and the like send speakers there for repair). In fact when I brought the woofers in, the guy at the desk brought out one of the techs to take a look at the "very cool vintage speakers". The tech remarked that "speakers aren't made like this anymore, too bad...". I think Josh's pair of woofers were redone at a shop of some fame also.
2. Both pairs have new "Klipsch" logos that can be attached at the new owners discretion. The badges are the rectangular coppper type, not the "pie slice" type. I like the look of this type, however if anyone would like the other style, I'm sure they can be found.
3. I REALLY do not want to sell the pair down in SoCal. Restoring them has been a complete labor of love. But, my wife thinks I'm insane to have two pairs of "those things" and I need to keep peace on the home front. In fact I have these speakers on a soft beach blanket, covered on their own side of the garage with an eight foot "no fly zone" perimeter around them. I also have 2 pairs of Dynaco A-25's in my garage (not to mention a HK 430, HK 630, (2) Sony 5000FW tuners, a Sansuit TU-717 tuner, Scott 299B, Accuphase T-101 tuner, (2) Marantz HT receivers) and a pair of Wharfdales up at Josh's house that are coming down to SoCal soon. So, one pair of Cornwall's have to go.
Thanks,
Chris
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What. someone is not very happy with a wholly of wholly McIntosh tube amp??? He should be drawn and quartered! Of course it's a wiring problem or cap problem or tube problem or your power cord is crap or your speaker wire is sub-standard or you have cheap inter-connects but it can't be that a SS amp sounds as good, maybe better, than a tube amp! Especially, a McIntosh tube amp! It's just not done! Let the Saints preserve us! What ever shall we do???
Dooooood,
Ease up! This isn't "The Jungle" (a radio show that is sounding a little tired imho). I'm sure there are plenty of SS amps that sound great. Heck, I've heard and had some in my system (Kenwood, Marantz, Classe', Parasound, Theta and Krell) that sounded very nice. My experience has been that some of the better designed tube amps seem to be more "listenable" over the long run than there SS counterparts. Not to mention, the tube amp look. I will also say that the MC 30's are not my favorite Mac amps. IMHO, a tad brown and round sounding.
Regards,
Chris
PS The absolute "best" sounding amp that's been in my system was a Decware "Zen". Wow! That little thing was clear, quiet and accurate. The only problem was a lack of power when I turned it up to "11".
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Count me in for the Cornwall networks!
Thanks,
Chris
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KKJZ played it the other eveing. Heard most of it in my car, so I can't really comment about the fidelity, but DAMN there was some SERIOUS blowing going on!
I ordered the LP and am anxiously waiting . . .
Allan,
Speaking of KKJZ...terrible news about Sam Fields. Wasn't he a fellow B3 fan? First Chuck Niles is gone, now Sam Fields. I spent many hours sanding and tinkering in my garage listening to Mr. Fields. May he rest in peace.
Chris
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Not really company-sponsored.... Amy-sponsored!! [
]"The man behind the curtain" had the idea for the giveaway and is providing the small gift. I think it's cool [
]Sure, Michael, your vote counts.
Can we ask a couple of questions before guessing?
1. Finish - MDF, Plywood, Particle Board, ?
2. Who's drivers/binding posts/crossover parts?
Based on answers to the above;
Budget Design $2,000-$2,500 (MDF/PB, budget drivers/crossover parts/binding posts)
Mid Level Quality $2,750-$3,500 (some combination of above and below)
Cost No Object (stain grade wood veneer, drivers/crossover parts/binding posts) $5,000-$6,000
Based on what I've seen restoring 2 pairs of on mid 70's Cornwall Decorators, duplicating them today might have a MSRP of somewhere between $4,000-$5,000. The grade of wood used back then has gone up WAY more than the CPI and most of the hardware/parts are top quality.
Reserving the right to be completely wrong,
Chris
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The picture of Allen's TT does NOT even come close to giving an accurate depiction of just how gorgeous it is in person. His Thorens is one of the prettiest pieces of audio gear I've ever seen. Bar none. As a matter of fact, all of his gear is visually stunning due to his incredible restorative skills. Some serious anal tendencies at work here. I'm betting he's a folder, not a wadder.[
]Chris
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I know a lot of guys think these things are snake oil, but the Aesthetix ABCD-1 Cartridge Demagnetizer (usually $150-$175) really makes a difference to my tin ears. I have a low output moving coil cartridge and I swear I can hear a noticible improvement.
Chris
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One of the best sounding systems I've ever heard was battery powered. It's owned by Tom Port. He also owns and operates a audiophile record/cd business. While Tom is a little bit on the evangelical side of audiophilia, he is quite knowledgeable. He runs his system on battery by choice. Although I haven't seen Tom in more than a year (note to self, need to buy more vinyl), I recall his system had so many wires and cables running everywhere, you could have sworn you were at Mission Control for a Shuttle launch.
Good Luck,
Chris
BTW, this is Tom's website http://www.dccblowout.com/index.asp. Not necessarily the cheapest dealer around, but he does have some good stuff.
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You might try and find a pair of Dynaco A-25's on eBay or Craigslist. I read way too much online opinion before buying my first pair and was shocked at how good they sound. I now have 3 pairs. They run about 50-100 a pair in need of some TLC and can easily be re-finished (they are real wood) and parts are readily available if necessary. I have a pair out in my garage hooked up to a Scott 299B (redux by NOSValves), Sansui TU-717 and my son's Sony Walkman. This system sounds astonishingly good.
Chris
This picture is not one of mine, but you can get the idea.
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Speaking of rebuilding vintage...The little Scott 299B that Craig re-did for me continues to amaze. My Mac 225's are being refurbished and I'm using the Scott in my main system and I can't get over how GREAT this little sucker sounds. I LOVE the tone controls. I really wish my Peach had some. Maybe Craig and Mark could collaborate on some sort of integrated tube amp with tone controls.
Regards,
Chris
PS I feel like a schmuck talking about audio crappola while the people on the Gulf Coast are going through this...
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----------------On 8/18/2005 7:01:17 PM thebes wrote:Ouch!It was an 8b and it was an estate sale being run by professionals who do this for a business and have access to all the books, ebay etc. and about 30 years in the estate sale business. Far cry from ripping of a widow.Bring 'em on!----------------
What are you talking about? I admit to not reading the forum on a regular basis. Is something too close to home?
Chris
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----------------On 8/18/2005 2:56:29 PM Allan Songer wrote:I loved the Edgarhorns without the sub--I could ABSOLUTELY live with them forever. The bass with the sub was impressive to be sure, but somehow didn't seem to integrate with the rest of the sound for me. But lets face it, with the stuff I listen to it doesn't really matter!Dr Edgar is a fantasic man and a helluvan engineer. He's not much of a businessman--if there was ever a case of the product selling ITSELF it's the Edgarhorn!!Are you considering buying his speakers? I would in a heartbeat if they weren't so damn big and ugly--but I've only seen the raw version--I guess he's making furniture grade models now, but I don't remember seeing them in his shop.Hey, I'm an audio geek too--never said I wasn't one. But, DAMN--why the Tuck and Patti and VIrgil Fox albums all the time?----------------
Sensei,
I'd NEVER call you an AUDIO geek...a limosuine liberal maybe...
Your pal,
Chris (playing the "air B3")
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Kinda like the guys who "pick up" a Marantz 10B or something similar for pocket change at some poor widow's estate sale and then brag online about how cheap they got it.
Line 'em up, take 'em down,
Chris
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----------------On 8/18/2005 12:02:10 PM Allan Songer wrote:I have been to Dr. Edgar's place a few times and I have to tell you I'm not a huge fan of the subwoofer either. Not only is the the size of a refigerator, but it also seems very much disconnected--you just NOTICE it and that's BAD. When listening to some nice old Blue Notes I brought over one day I thought that the system WITHOUT the subwoofer sounded great. But then the audio geeks wanted to put on their Virgil Fox and Tuck and Patti CDs and the subwoofer was hooked back up.End of day for me.Edgar also had a prototype of a Cornwall-type speaker with a 15" JBL woofer. It was hideous sounding, but he said the crossover was not right and that it was only a work in progress. I don't know if he ever perfected that speaker.----------------
Gotta disagree with you here, Sensei. Except about the prototype. But then again, you have a much more refined ear than I. I liked the bass from his system much better than from mine and, excuse me, yours too. Not to mention calling those (us) guys "audio geeks" might be little rough and maybe a tad bit o' the pot calling the kettle....
Chris
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This is the best horn loaded system I've ever heard. It was at the time in a different (bigger,better) room.
Speakers - Edgarhorn "Titan" System w/Seismic Sub - no website
Amps - Brenneman Audio "Silver Odyssey" - http://home.earthlink.net/~cybrenneman/audio/index.html
I believe the speaker system costs around 10K and the amps are 40K+. However, I haven't spoke to Dr. Edgar or Cy Brenneman in quite awhile. They are definitely a pair to draw to. Think Craig Ostby, only not as refined or nearly as good looking.
Chris
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JC,
You might take a look at a Godar. They are highly thought of by many FM gurus as the antenna of choice for indoor use. Of course, a dedicated outdoor, directional antenna is always best. I have an APS whip, various Terk type powered units, a few different dipoles and even a couple of pairs of rabbit ears. The Godar Model 2 works best for me with Radio Shack rabbit ears not far behind.
You can find Godar at http://users.mcleodusa.net/m/mgodar/index.html
They are great people to deal with and sold to me at somewhat below the listed price. You can also sometimes find them listed on eBay by Godar.
Good Luck,
Chris
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James,
I own a Peach pre-amp and live in the South Bay (Manhattan Beach) area. Drop me a line.
Chris
----------------On 6/16/2005 12:04:03 AM crazytubepower wrote:Anyone in socal have a juicy pre-amp...any model is fine...I would like to come over and listen to it...plus you get to meet a 14 year old who know a ton about audio and is a fellow klipsch owner...how cool huh?ThanksJames---------------- -
Robert,
I use a Nitty Gritty 1.0 machine. If you call Nitty Gritty directly, they may sell you a "factory blem" for a pretty darn good price. They did me. I've had mine for 4 years and cleaned hundreds of records. The 1.0 works great for me. I especially like the all-manual operation. It gives you the ability to control direction, speed and brush pressure. BTW, I've yet to find the "blem" and it wouldn't matter if I did because I use it out in the garage. These record cleaning machines are so loud, there's no way my roommates (wife, kids, dog) would put up with one in the house.
It's important for me to mention that many people speak highly of all things VPI and probably deservedly so. I bought the Nitty Gritty based on price and the fact they are located near Los Angeles.
Good Luck,
Chris
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My favorite Neil Young thought is remembering how great it was watching him play live with Pearl Jam. That SOB can flat out R-O-C-K!!
Neil Young is also a well known advocate of analog recording and playback practices. He's been quoted many places making disparaging remarks about digital music playback. I'm paraphrasing (not to mention, probably fracturing and misquoting) a statement attributed to him I've seen on the web many times and in many places - analog sound is like standing under a cool mountain waterfall, digital sound is like getting ice poured over your head.
I'd have to say I pretty much agree. Maybe not in as strong an opinion, but almost every album I own on both vinyl and cd sound noticeably better when playing the vinyl record.
Thanks,
Chris
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in use -
Scott 299B (NOS Valves redux)
Dynaco A-25's (speakers)
Sansui TU-717 (tuner)
Sony Walkman (cdp)
APS Whip antenna
Nitty Gritty record cleaner
not in use -
Klipsch Cornwall's 1977 "Decorator" restored completely, almost a dulplicate of my main system pair
2 Sony 5000FW (tuners)
Dynaco A-25's (speakers)
Harmon-Kardon 630 receiver
Marantz SR-7000 A/V Receiver
Fisher X-101 (amp)
McIntosh MC225 (amp) ready to ship for restoration
Thorens 145 (tt)
2 banana boxes FULL of interconnects, speaker wire, terminals and etc.
buttloads of tubes
Arcam MCD (cdp)
and a bunch of other audio crapola I can't remember right now
Bottom Line - My wife is NOT happy, but doesn't say anything. I don't deserve her.
Thanks,
Chris
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There's a guy here in the Southern California area that owns a shop where he manufacturers high end audio cables of all kinds. He makes interconnects, power cables, speaker wire and anything else you'd like. He makes some stuff for sale under his own brand along with some "in-house" brands sold at ultra high-end audio "salons" and even does some work for a few of the well known high-end cable companies. What I've learned from him is that the high-end cable business is just about the slimiest part of audio there is. I have some powercords he made for me that I've seen at a local retailer listed at $900 that he sold me for $65. They look really cool and sound great in my system. Trouble is, my system sounded just as great with the original power cords. Once again, I do like the way they look.
Chris
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Fini,
The Accuphase T-100 is a great tuner. I have both a T-100 and the follow-up model, T-101. A few years ago they were both great buys on eBay, selling for 150-250. Now a T-100 in nice shape can get 500+ and a T-101 400+. I've owned a MD-108, Kenwood 600T, Sansui TU-719, a couple of Scotts and both a Sony 5000FW and 5130. The only tuner that's come close to the sound and reception of the Accuphase was the Sony 5000FW. The fmtunerinfo site can be a great source of info, but tuner performance can vary greatly from location to location, depends heavily on the antenna used and how your local stations are broadcasted.
Last thought, the only US service center for Accuphase is down here in Gardena. Accutech is owned by Mas, who was once employed by Accuphase in Japan. He and his son run a great shop (It's so freakin' clean, you can eat sashimi off the foor.). http://www.yamasinc.com/Accuphase%20Service.htm
Great score!
Chris
PS The T-100 is a surprisingly heavy bugger, isn't it?
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What's Your Favorite World Music ?
in 2-Channel Home Audio
Posted
The local NPR radio station here in Los Angeles (KCRW) puts on a "World Music" series at the Hollywood Bowl every Summer. I've been lucky enough to go to many of the shows. Some of my favorites have been Pink Martini, Keali'i Reichel, Ozomatli, Buena Vista Social Club, Zap Mama, Daniela Mercury, and Albita to name a few whose music I've bought after hearing them live.
Chris