picky

chuckears: I've been watching my Sharp XV-Z9000U DLP connected to a Pioneer Elite DV-47Ai DVD player via a Pioneer Elite VSX-49TXi Receiver and a 25-ft Monster M-Silver component cable now for over a year and I nor anyone who has watched it with me has ever noticed any rainbows. I also suck at Magic Eye, but my wife, who does not see any rainbows either, is a champ at Magic Eye. -Picky

Michael: I wonder just how well a hot glue gun like dantfmly mentioned would work? Hmmmmm..... I may try that this weekend.

Today's television commercials are filled with yesterday's music because Madison Avenue (in their infinite wisdom) thinks the boomers (by their sheer numbers) are the only ones with any money.

lynnm: In addition to home electronics, BB carries major appliances such as refrigerators, stoves, washers and dryers. Due to increased competition from stores such as Lowe's and Home Depot, Circuit City dumped major appliances more than a year ago in favor of carrying more home electronics. It has been my experience that BB has an absolutley awful return policy, and that Circuit City tends to have more knowlegable salespeople who will actually LEAVE YOU ALONE if told to. Hmmm I wonder if they'll change their name to: RADIO CITY? -Picky

dgb: Hmmm.....sounds pretty serious! I guess I'd better pick up a copy of Queens..! Thanks! -Picky

lancestorm: Whoa! I'm not sure if you are trying to suggest that, based on my views, I am living in the stone age, or that my taste in music implies that I am deaf, or that Queens of the stone age: 'Songs for the deaf' is actually worth a listen? That's the first time I've heard of the group. Are they pretty good for real? Audible Nectar: You commented: "Crappy, lowest common denominator music rules the day. This is not a "generational" issue." I just wanted to clarify with you that it was not my intention to make this either a generational, nor music genre issue. I believe the problems exist for all ages and all musical tastes. My mention of my age was the easiest way I know to illustrate that I have been buying (and enjoying) music for many years. I hope I did not trip you up with my enormous post (sorry). I tend to agree with what you said including about the RIAA. Let us not forget ASCAP and BMI as well. Yes, this is a new era. I actually believe that the music companies should consider direct marketing to the customer via downloading services, for both music and movies. That will be happening sooner than we think with the Internet-2 (superspeed internet) just over the horizon. However, if the music industry does decide to go this new route, it is my hope that the files are of at least CD-quality rather than MP3 compressed files. Also, the full album price had better be far less than the going rate for a store-bought CD, now that the actual plastic CD, the delivery costs and the middleman have been taken out of the picture! (Apologies to music & video store owners.) Blame it on "PROGRESS"! -Picky

Kraveen: I'm with m00n: I haven't heard any hiss or hum coming from my RC-7 at all, unless it is the fault of poor program material. I am running RF-7s & an RC-7 just like you. I recommend you might look for another source that may be causing the problem. -Picky

Michael: Thanks for your idea on using Fusor. Has anybody ever tried J-B Weld (epoxy) to fix those pegs? I have a couple that are broken, too. J-B Weld is far cheaper than $18 and it doesn't require a special applicator or gun. It's also available at most hardware stores. Anyone? -Picky

I feel I have a decent collection of both vinyl albums (about 400) and CDs (about 450). The vinyl dates back to the early 1970s and of course the CDs start around 1981. Prior to the 1970s, I had lots of 8-tracks and many of 45s, all which have all since "left the building". I never did get into cassettes, except to record my own records for portability in my car. Although, a turntable is included in my theater's equuipment list, the CDs would be the only valid point to discuss as the vinyl is no longer widely available. I can testify that the bulk of my CD collection was purchased in both the early 1980s and again in the early 1990s. There was a lull in my buying during the late 1980's. Since the early 1990s, my purchase of new CDs has plummeted. Why? That's simple! It has nothing to do with my lack of financial means to make the purchases, or because I became some sort of reclusive, MP3 downloading maniac. The reason is purely due to: THE CONTENT! Or, shall I say, "the lack there-of?" That lull in my buying in the late 1980s was because of the same reason. I simply did not want to buy what I did not wish to collect. Now, how hard of a concept is that for the record industry to grasp? I'm 52 years old. I have always enjoyed most forms of music, with my favorite being rock. My musical tastes are seldom correlated to my age group as my friends my own age are always asking me how I can "listen to that crap" when they witness my playing something unfamiliar to then such as Depeche Mode, 3 Doors Down or Nine Inch Nails. They tell me their kids listen to the same stuff I do. Well? Get with the program! My music purchases have always been governed by my desire to have a particular song or group. This desire appears to be cyclic in nature and governed by whatever trends the music industry itself decides to crank out and sell to the public. That current trend seems to be based purely on looks and profanity. In this case; the more crap there is, the less inclined I am to buy. And, by the way, you can't hear looks on a CD (and I'd prefer not to hear all the profanity, too, thank you very much.). Yes, it is as simple as that. I still buy CDs, although I am very selective. It's also really difficult for me to deal with the fact that they have never gone down in price. Vinyl records certainly went down in price long before they were obsolessed. So, why not CDs? Wouldn't it make sense to sell a lot more CDs at less and make more money? They would then be more affordable for their primary, target audience: the teenagers! That's what the major computer software vendors have all done. And music CDs are really nothing more than software in this day and age. But, I guess that makes to much sense for the record companies. They're so smart after all: "Hey! Let's start SUING our target audience!" -Yawn. There is one final point I'd like to make: Now that I have a home theater, I find my self more inclined to watch a concert video or music video or a movie, than to just sit and listen to a CD and watch a blank screen. What about the rest of you? Have you noticed this, too? I'm certain this will impact music CD sales as well. They'd better get busy and start suing more customers! SHEESH! -Picky

Trey: PA-LEESE excuse my extreme ignorance, but there are still some of us out here (in caves) who don't know what this Indy Trip-thing is about. Where is the information posted? It sounds interesting. Thanks. -Picky

m00n: I gots to agree with Frzninvt: The fact that the 75's have their port on the front makes more sense to me than trying to make the RC-7s work for your side surround application. -IMHO. I admit that I have not yet listened to RB-75's. So, I will reserve comment on A/B sound comparison with RC-7's. -Picky

Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms - 1981

Dayam! I must live in a cave, guys. Except for Sponge Bob, I've never heard of any of the shows you've all mentioned including 'Reno 911'. Sheesh! I guess I'd better put down all of these owners manuals and get with it! -Picky

Piranha: I've got Satriani on VINYL (Flying in a Blue Dream) and he sounds awesome! -Picky

BBB: Hey, the 442 is long gone....but there's always the wheel barrow! ...I LOVE the smell of gasoline fumes in the morning!

m00n: It's all from the heart, man,...all from the heart! I LOVE this hobby!

m00n: You certainly need not defend what you know from actual experience that what you are doing is right thing to do for you! I don't know if someone has criticized you in another post or what. But, if this is so, I find it a bit amazing that someone who probably has never set foot in your theater and heard how it sounds is trying to say that your methodology is all wrong! And then to try an explain their rationale based on specifications, and tests based in rooms other than yours. Who knows? Perhaps, they are correct? So what? There are few things in life that are more personally intimate than to witness sound in a room that is yours, which totally envelops you and tugs at your emotions, because it sounds good to you. As we are told; everyone hears things differently. Sound is subjective! And, despite the fact that there exist supposed "rules and regulations" based on "testing scenarios", who is to say what is really right for you, but you? That's like somebody insisting that I like the taste of beets! How the heck would they know? "Well Sir, based on beet surveys that we've taken, 40% of the respondents said that......" Phooey! No offense to all the beet-lovers out there, but they taste still like dirt to me. m00n, the simple fact that you are concerned with trying to achieve as sonically perfect an experience as possible for EVERY person seated anywhere in your theater, says that you are very passionate about this hobby and deeply care for your friends. Now, I ask you: How can anyone dare find fault with that? Press-on, my friend! -Picky

BBB: Hmmmm...you might just have something there! My basement theater is only about 10.5' x19' (26' at the deepest part) but I've got 24x28 unattached garage! ZOUNDS!!! mandi: I think the "rolling pictures" you are refering to is simply the dynamic, Flash-based animation I have that comes up when you first enter my site. To see "static" photos that do not roll, simply choose from the selections in the left-hand column of links. I hope that helps. As for basement sound quality, one must really work to make a basement sound good due to all of the hard surfaces (cinderblock and concrete) and low ceiling. Artto can probably tell you that the average basement is an acoustics nightmare. (Please correct me if I am wrong, Artto.) The walls are fully studded (2x4) and drywalled and I have built them in front of the cinderblock basement walls. There is also sound blocking material in them so I do not get any reflection from the hard cinderblock back into the room. The ceiling is acoustic (fireproof) melamine foam and sound blocking material which prevents sounds reflection and aids in blocking sound from transferring between the basement and the first floor above and vice versa. I do not seem to have any issues with floor reflection as the overstuffed furniture helps to absorb that. I got lucky there as we have a resilient tile floor. To sum up, in my opinion, a basement, relative to sound quality is anything but optimal, even after having gone through all of the trouble I have. But, you know what? The end result sounds great to me and my wife, so I consider it a success! Thanks for the good words! -Picky

Hey Mike: Here's where I get my acoustics help: (Apologies to Charles Schulz) -Picky

David: No problem. I wil call them today and I will email you what I find out off-line. -Picky

Thors1982: I'm glad you are okay, dude. You can always replace a windshield, but not your bod. I'm glad luck was on your side. Things could have been a lot worse! Hang in there! Best wishes, -Picky

dkp: It could very well be that the one you are speaking of in Oakland County may be Alma's Hi-Fi Stereo. They have two stores: The one in Oakland County is in Royal Oak on Woodward Avenue. I frequent their store in Dearborn on Michigan Avenue. That's where I bought my reference series. -Picky

Our local IMAX theater at The Henry Ford utilizes a sound system made for them by IMAX Corporation subsidiary, Sonics Associates, Inc. (sorry, no pics). If I am not mistaken, the Queen Mother of all THX Theaters, The Stag Theater, at Skywalker Ranch uses all TAD Speakers, from the Technical Audio Devices, division of Pioneer Electronics that develops Professional Cinema components such as the 37499 Series shown in the attachment. This, I believe, would be considered "new stuff". -Picky

Joe Shmoe: I handled my wiring similar to yours. For video cableing runs to the projector I used 1-1/2" ID ridgid PVC piping. For Speaker cabling (Tributaries 12 gauge) I used that flexible, blue 3/4" ID "Smurf tube" from Home Depot. For my cold air return and my heat ducting, I made sure to put at least 2, 90-degree bends in the duct, which really seems to have helped to cut the sound bleed-over to the floor above our basement theater. I didn't have the option of tapping into the plenum chamber. Things are just too tight so, the bends are my compromise. -Picky

Hey, Boomer: Thanks! Wednesday is St. Patty's Day! C'mon over! -Picky