Clipped and Shorn

One of the advantages to the Technics TT is the ability to play 33 1/2 rpm recordings. A simple tweak and they sound just like 33 1/3 rpm. Also, I have the 78 conversion which allows one to play all the old speeds + or - from 78 which was not totally a standard in the early days. "Personal" could be home type recordings, many people made them, even going to special outfits which would record you if you thought you had a promising voice or a potential career. I have found these over the years in thrift stores. c7s

and something "recorded live in Las Vegas", seen in the background. That too is promising. c7s

The best thing about that collection is probably the condition of those records. You may have a treasure trove of Excellent condition Bing Crosby as well as Caruso. You could have still shiny Glenn Miller recordings as well as Benny Goodman. Much better condition than what one usually finds in thrifts. You could even find the Andrew Sisters and even some Paul Whiteman if they go back to the 20s.. I mean you need to check them out, contact the Smithsonian if you have to, and see if you can get a home equity loan, but grab those things. Artie Shaw to Beethoven, you'll have your weight in gold with that horde. Seriously, you could have just one record that would make the effort worthwhile. Maybe even Spike Jones and his City Slickers. Keep your eyes peeled for any Harry James, Kay Kyser, Xavier Cugat, Woody Herman, Guy Lombardo, etc. .....now you even got me drooling. 78 rpm materials Early disc records were made of various materials including hard rubber. From 1897 onwards, earlier materials were largely replaced by a rather brittle formula of 25% shellac, a filler of a cotton compound similar to manila paper, powdered slate, and a small amount of a wax lubricant. The mass production of shellac records began in 1898 in Hanover, Germany, and continued until the end of the 78-rpm format in the late 1950s. "Unbreakable" records, usually of celluloid on a pasteboard base, were made from 1904 onwards, but they suffered from an exceptionally high level of surface noise. "Unbreakable" records could be bent, broken, or otherwise damaged; but not nearly as easily as shellac records. Vinyl was first tried out as a 78 rpm record material in 1940 due to material restrictions. Decca introduced vinyl "Deccalite" 78s after the Second World War, and Victor made some vinyl 78s, but other labels would restrict vinyl production to the newer 33 and 45 formats.

I have two Xberries, no issues ever noticed except need for tube improvement in one to quiet a bit the phono section, certainly nothing illogical in L/R set up. What else could you have got at the time that sounds this good for that ballpark $ ? If one is so impatient with standby \warm up/ delay etc., you shouldn't bother with tubes in the first place, imo. Need for a little conscious care in treating jacks was a known precaution going in. A small tradeoff for bang on the buck. -Z 'n O

I brought mine in by myself. I placed some particle board (smooth) and slid them in on a blanket. I couldn't wait. Once in the house I just did them end over end to get them where I wanted them. Bruce If you get an appliance dolly (one with a strap) for this, it will become your favorite tool! Hey Fini, That is what I thought I was going to do. But when I went to lift them out of my pick up truck, I decided to get help. Now I just do what Bruce does, I just slide them around on the carpet, end over end if necessary! Luckily they are built well! Dennie I cannot imagine a dolly like that, even a well built one, being so heavy. (Just so much hot air) So did you try using the strap on? Doing them end over end.....way to go. -fini'sfriend

What crossover do you use? -Zeno

I heard pianist Danny Grissett at the Headsburg Jazz Festival a year or so ago. He is absolutely top notch for a young player. I would think anything he would be associated with would also be top notch. -Zeno Okeanos

Yep, I seen 'em every single time I go to Friedman's. Christ, they're a lasting temptation. maybe they're not fishers but they surely are diverse I heard that the bugle boys amperex and genelex were the ducks nuts as good as tung sols if you put them innuendo push pull or single ended NOS arc so be prepared for a flood, everyone is getting into tubes and vice versa I forgot to mention the virgin gold pin feathers

Heads up for fini, There are a bunch of Mallards up for grabs right in your neighborhood (Rohnert Park). -Gyro Gearloose

I just use one of these: http://www.raystoreylighting.com/chem/images/BUNSEN%20BURNER.jpg zx

Blind Lemon Zest

We have been waiting all year for this day, the real birthday, but that other one was also good too. Like they say, even a broken calendar is correct twice every year. -Sieze 'n Ness

Now all you need to do is put up an antenna, study up and get a license and call sign, plug it in, and then you can call CQ and then tell folks: "I own a radio" and then say "73". That is what ham radio is all about. hi hi. Communicating this information. Its fun. I own a radio. K6TAJ 73

drbill, Did you restore some vintage AM tube gear? What is your antenna situation? Clipped & Shorn aka K6TAJ (my long wire dipole blew down and I have been procrastinating on fixing it, but hopefully soon.)

#290273517769 Pretty, but think I will pass for now. -zncx

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Interesting, thanks. I bet they sound amazing in that vintage way. Mark's pCats have on board "metering" for bias in the form of red, yellow, and green lights, which you adjust until both channels are green. For my upgrades on other vintage Eico and Heathkit tube amps I installed improved bias controls which do allow for matching up odd tubes, but that, of course, still requires an external meter. I assume there is something similar on the VRDs (?). -Zeno 'n Xeno

Marks preamps were/are kickasss for sure. Craigs VRD's are a darn good match up to Marks Pre's. Don't know what I'm gonna do if my BBExtreme goes bad. And the Pcats are even a better match! and darn impressive to look at as well. ... still don't quite understand what the meter does on those 'rantzs -ZnX

I assumed what was meant is how to service what will be a rare classic JuicyBBX pre or pCat amp when it is as old as a Marantz model #2, eg. 60 or so years from now. -ZnX

What do you do when the Marantz goes bad? Its all just electronics. I guess, find a local rocket scientist. Z'nX Marks preamps were/are kickasss for sure. Craigs VRD's are a darn good match up to Marks Pre's. Don't know what I'm gonna do if my BBExtreme goes bad.

Makes you realilze what a steal Mark's P-Cats were. Being even more rare, I can see them going for 10K+ down the line. Z'nX

Are you saying you see the pilot light on the front panel go out briefly?

Re: Sophia Electric, I second this opinion for their 300B. The carbon plate is superb. -znx

I was thrilled and amazed last week to see the name Charlie Parker appear on these boards, something of a rare occurrence, being that his recordings, along with a rather large percentage of great historical jazz, is not hi fi. http://www.boingboing.net/2009/09/15/animated-short-about.html -Zee 'n Exx

Whisking away the curls to keep them from interfering with the record cutting was something I saw the professionals having to do also at the Scully Lathe. The whole operation was so "analog" and old school, amazing, and it all is exemplified in that blow up of the actual grooves. = Z'nX