Curmudgeon

For Sale: One wife, four cats, car, tools, lawn equipment, and any room in my house that Khorns won't fit in. Cash or money orders only - no credit! All sales final, and no trying before buying.

Well, this could be a very interesting auction. Klipschorns in Brazilian mahogany signed by Paul Klipsch (per the seller). No pictures on the listing yet but boy would I like to own this pair! They don't match my current Khorns exactly but who cares, they're autographed by THE MAN! Kinda get the feeling that these could (and should) set a eBay record, though. Hell, if I win these I would even drive to California to pick them up (I'm in VA), I wouldn't give UPS or FEDEX a remote chance at damaging them. Excuse me for now - gotta go see the loan officer (or should that be mortgage officer )! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3001022493

---------------- On 1/13/2003 12:08:17 AM mobile homeless wrote: Curmudgeon, your answer to the wire database is at fatwyre.com or The Cable Company http://fatwyre.com/masterlist.html ---------------- Mobile, Thanks for the info on The Cable Co., I'll give them a try the next time I need cabling. I'll go through their database for the reviews, I'm very curious to see what matches up with what.

Having owned Klipsh speakers of various types over the years I didn't think much of overpriced "audio jewelry" type speaker wire. I recognized early on the need for good quality shielded interconnects between components but it always seemed the Klipsch speakers weren't as sensitive to wire types as other brands. Perhaps high sensitivity and stable impedance are factors. I swapped out different types and gauge sizes on my Cornwall's and Klipschorn's only to find (like MH said) that some wires types made them worse. On the Klipschorn's a good quality copper low to medium priced wire seems to bring out 99% of their capability, the other 1% I haven't found yet. The last wire I tried on them was an Audioquest Granite which didn't seem to do much at all. The Klipschorns are fed via a McIntosh C22 tube pre & MC275 tube amp, Nakamichi Dragon CD/DAC, & Linn LP12/Lingo/Ittok LVII turntable. Since the tube components and Khorns were designed before really good wire was available they are likely less sensitive to wires than modern stuff is. HOWEVER, on my other system the AQ Granite made a noticeable difference to the better. This system currently consists of B&W CDM-9NT's driven by an Aragon Soundstage, Palladium II monoblocks, Rega Planet CD, and a VPI Aries Scout / Rega RB900 turntable. The previous speaker wire was the same as I was using on the Khorns but the AQ Granite definitely opened up the sound stage a bit, improved the vocals, and seems to have helped bass response on the B&W's. With this being a revealing, high-powered solid state system and the B&W's being power-hungry (and a bit forward) the wire apparently can effect more obvious changes in sound. Mostly, wire changes are going to be very dependent on front end equipment and speaker brands, el cheapo wire could hold a lot of systems back but spending hundreds or thousands on wire may not do jack. In my opinion if wiring comes in a high-grade wooden presentation box you're probably getting screwed somewhere. High-end "power cords" are something I'm a major skeptic on, snake oil seems to apply directly here. What we all need is a computer database that you could input component and speakers into to receive appropriate interconnect and speaker wire recommendations. There's way too many choices out there and the stuff is too damned expensive to experiment with. It's a shame the component manufacturers seem unwilling to help with recommendations (unless its their own wire), because not everyone has access to a dealer that will let people "try out" wiring.

" Check out my avatar! " Damn?! I'm behind the times again, apparently Klipsch has changed the BBS so that the avatar doesn't appear full size when you click on it to go to user profile. When did that happen? Anyway, here's the full size image, I guess I need a new avatar since no one can see it properly anymore.

Check out my avatar!

Can you say ...... piñata?

---------------- On 12/18/2002 10:01:19 PM m00n wrote: ---------------- On 12/18/2002 8:45:52 PM JMON wrote: Moon: don't think he meant that they are dead. He lost them in that game of cards -- somebody else has them now! ---------------- DOH! ---------------- 'Twas just a joke! Still have the wife and never had any kids! And I never play cards for large sums of money or humans!

---------------- On 12/18/2002 7:57:19 PM HDBRbuilder wrote: Curmudgeon... I just had to laugh...a BMW R1150GS huh?; Whenever I see one, I am reminded of some of my Canuck buddies who own the GS models...they always lovingly call em their "Gravel Crushers!!"...LOL!...you gotta hear it to really understand the humor in it, though!! LOL! "Let's, uh, hop on our GRAVEL-CRUSHERS and go get some more beer for this evening, while we are still sober, eh?" LOL! ---------------- I've never heard that term but it's definitely funny! I like the "Gravel Crusher", it's kinda fugly unless you like machinery that resembles insects. The suspension is first-rate and the bike handles much better than it would appear to. The fun part is when you blow by (with a full load and saddlebags) some squid on a sportbike while on a tight twisty road. The last time I was at the Deal's Gap area I passed numerous sportbikes in the corners on US129 and the Cherohala Skyway - it drives them absolutely nuts to see a big ugly dirt-bike looking thing out-handle their race replica. I bought the ZZR for those days when only excessive horsepower will do

Social dilemma: You are at a business lunch when you are suddenly overcome with an uncontrollable desire to pick your nose. Since this is definitely a no-no, you: < > 1. Pretend to wave to someone across the room and, with one fluid motion, bury your forefinger in your nostril right up to the fourth joint. < > 2. Get everyone drunk and organize a nose picking contest with a prize to the one who makes his nose bleed first. < > 3. Drop your napkin on the floor and when you bend over to pick it up, blow your nose on your sock. Definitions: The Kiddie Pick When you're by yourself and you uninhibitedly twist your forefinger into your nostril with childlike joy and freedom. And the best part is, there's no time limit! Camouflaged Kiddie Pick When, in the presence of other people, you wrap your forefinger in a tissue, then thrust it in deep and hold back the smile. Fake Nose Scratch When you make believe you've got an itch but you're really trolling the nostril edge for stray boogers. Making A Meal Out Of It You do it so furiously, and for so long, you're probably entitled to dessert. Surprise Pickings When a sneeze or laugh causes snot to come hurling out of your nose, and you have to gracefully clean it off your shirt. Autopick The kind you do in a car, when no one's looking. Pick Your Brains Done in private, this is the one where your finger goes in so far, it passes the septum. Pick And Save When you have to pick it quickly, just when someone looks away, and then you pocket the snot so they don't catch on to what you did. Pick And Roll No explanation needed. Pick And Flick Ditto. Pick And Stick You wanted it to be a "Pick and Flick," but it stubbornly clings to your fingertip. Paydirt The kind where you remove a piece of snot so big, it improves your breathing by 90%.

This day holds a lot of meaning for me. It was on this day two years ago that I lost my dear wife and children. I'll never forget that game of cards ....

I agree with HDBRbuilder: Motorcycle Consumer News is a great magazine and the audio industry could well do with a rag that take's MCN's approach. It would be really refreshing to get honest opinions of audio equipment from a reviewer that isn't worried about losing ad revenue or the editor coming down on him for calling a POS a POS. Will it happen anytime soon ....... nah? I currently subscribe to Stereophile and it's OK but nothing you want to base a purchase on solely, although they do keep up with newer analog stuff. I subscribed to Sound & Vision a while back and thought it absolutely sucked, nothing but boring articles and kiss-up reviews. Didn't renew that subscription. Sound & Vision reminds me of Cycle World magazine - they have never reviewed a product they didn't like (that placed ads with them). 2002 Kawasaki ZZ-R1200 2000 BMW R1150GS

Paranoia will destroy ya! And your neighbor's dog is sending his instructions telepathically!

Number 32. The lady lies with her left leg planted firmly on the ground and the right hand waiting .......

Are audiophile speaker cables REALLY better than zip cord?

---------------- On 12/11/2002 11:55:28 PM prodj101 wrote: I am feeling like shooting the next person that says prod. it obviously says prodj, so get the damn name right. ---------------- ....... and she slammed the door In a petulant frenzy! (A petulant frenzy, this is a petulant frenzy. I'm petulant, and I'm having a frenzy) On the sofa she weeps BOO HOO HOO HOO She weeps and she weeps BOO HOO HOO HOO HOO HOO She weeps and she peeks Through the curtain .......

You can get info on Sansui equipment from http://www.classicaudio.com The other stuff ???

When I listen to my system... ... I am 15 feet away from the speakers. ... there is padding from the listening chair behind my head ... I sit reclined ... I am sober 98% of the time

They missed the boat. That promotion idea should have been used for the Mission Impossible movies!

When the LaScala's pop up (playing organ music?) does Dr. Phibes pop up with them?

The Rodney Dangerfield of woofers?

Just had to go check it out and about spit up my Diet Coke when I read their listing's opening propaganda: "As a pillar of the eBay community, and fellow PowerSeller, Sound Emporium is committed to upholding and embracing all the core community values that are at the very foundation of eBay. We are an exceptional Gold PowerSeller whom provides the highest quality customer service and care. eBay says Sound Emporium maintains a stellar feedback rating of 100% with 229 positives, and 0 negatives. Our audiophile products are of the highest quality, competitively priced, and include full manufacturer's warranty. " Unbelievably rude and vacuous e-mail responses from "pillars of the eBay community". If they had sent me those kind of responses and their business was within 100 miles or so of my residence I would have gotten together with some of my more obnoxious biker buds and cruised by for a personal listening session with those imbeciles. Someone should lift up that guy's bangs to check for a scar! And I bet the ambulance-chaser's response was as fake as their representation of their fully warranted products. Good post Fini, hopefully this will keep other forum members from getting burned by those piles - I mean pillars of the eBay commune.

---------------- On 11/15/2002 6:21:47 PM j-malotky wrote: Remember Microsoft is not a software company, it is a marketing company. Just pray that Microsoft and Bose never merge ...... talk about signs of the apocalypse!

Here's the money pit! This mess is wired up a bit unusually (cables behind the racks looks like two octopuses fornicating): Home theater is via Aragon Soundstage and three Aragon 8008ST amps using Klipschorn mains, Cornwall II center, Heresy surrounds, and a LF-10 sub. Nak DVD, Brand-X (Toshiba) VCR, Rega CD, Aragon tuner, and Linn turntable are the sources. Straight stereo listening can be done with three methods: Aragon Soundstage / 8008ST amp / Klipschorns (with above listed sources) Aragon Soundstage / Palladium II balanced monoblocks / B&W CDM-9NT's (with above listed sources) McIntosh C-22 / MC-275 / Klipschorns with Nak Dragon CD/DAC, Yamaha PF-800 turntable, and Denon DR-F7 & DR-F6 cassette decks as sources The Soundstage has both single-ended and balanced outputs, which allows the front channel 8008ST amps to work via single-ended cables and the Palladium II's to connect via balanced cables. The source-switching for the Klipschorns is accomplished via a Niles SAS-1 switching controller. Home theater amp switching is automated via a Mondial RPC-120, the McIntosh amp switching is automated via a Rotel RLC-900. To listen to the B&W's you have to manually switch off the 8008ST's and switch on the Palladium II's. Don't ask how this rig came about, it wasn't planned (no one in their right mind would plan this!) so much as it evolved over the years. The fireplace and sectional sofa in the room screws up listening on the long wall, so speaker and rack placement is somewhat of a compromise for two-channel purposes but works very well with home theater. I just have to remember to not consume alcohol before screwing around with the wiring! A big thanks goes out to the forum members for providing the info to motivate me get into tubes, I would never have made the leap without the informed opinions and selfless hours of posts by Mobile Homeless, Jazzman, NOS440, Edster00, DeanG, and numerous others (including Fini who keeps it interesting!). I tend to lurk more than post due to time constraints but those out there that do take the time to post should realize that their time and efforts are greatly appreciated. Overview of right corner: Cornwall II center channel, VPI 16.5 record cleaner, B&W CDM-9NT's, Aragon Palladium II monoblock amps, 1979 Klipsch KC-BR's (only right ones are visible), and equipment racks. The Mobile Fidelity UltrAmp & Linn Kolektor are temporarily unhooked. Left rack upper section: McIntosh MC-275 Gordon Gow Commemorative amp, Aragon Soundstage pre-pro, Nakamichi DVD-15 player, Aragon 47K phono stage, Aragon 4T2 tuner Right rack upper section: Linn LP12 turntable, Ittok LVII tonearm, Entre mc cartridge with Van den Hul mods, Nakamichi Dragon CD & controller, McIntosh C-22 preamp (original-not a reissue) in a L52 slant-leg cabinet Left rack lower section: Aragon 8008ST amplfiers Right rack lower section: Nakamichi Dragon DAC 96/24, Linn Lingo power supply for LP12, Rega Planet CD player, Denon DR-F7 cassette Closeup of Linn LP12 turntable and also what no home can do without: "art". Audio Technica tonearm lifter is just visible, this is a lifesaver! Closeup of Yamaha PF-800 turntable

cluless, If you've never heard Tom Lehrer you're in for a treat. Pick up or borrow one of his CD's and be prepared for some modern-sounding semi-sick humor that he wrote back in the late 1950's (1959 I think). The man was very much ahead of his time, plays the piano well, and is very intelligent too! Whenever work gets to be a bee-otch I'll throw on one of his LP's or CD's, it brings a smile to my face in this current politically correct environment.