good news

[Clipped and Shorn]

The custom officials are giving us back the LPs they confiscated. I am stoked. nuff said.

c&s

They probably thought it looked like a bunch of worthless old junk.

Viva La Vinyl Obscura!

[3dzapper]

Good news.

I thought you were going to tell us that you saved a bunch of money...............

[3dzapper]

on a pair of Klipschorns.

Rick

[Tom Mobley]

Why would they care about LPs in the first place? sounds a little strange to me.

Tom

[Mike Frankel]

What is the story here, with the LPS? I must have missed the beginning of the story. Was it in another thread? It does not appear here. Anyhow, I am interested as the owner of about 4500 LPS, I always like a good story.

Mike

[Clipped and Shorn]

Americans are not supposed to spend any $ in certain countries and it turns out I am partial to the music of such a place. You can fill in the rest. I will know more when we pick these things up at the airport. Just some funky junky old LPs nobody wanted anymore....gifts, you know, that the natives gave to us for some useful trinkets we brought them. ah hem.....

if I get inspired I can post some pics later.

C&S

saving money on some Klipschorns?, not likely, because 1) jazman already grabbed the rare unheard of once in a lifetime sf bay area deal recently, and 2) I simply would have no place to put them unless I were to get another dwelling (chosen for its corners). At least I have Cornwalls and am very happy with them lately.

[jbsl]

I hope that country is not Denmark! I just bought a preamp on ebay that is being shiped from Denmark.

[jnorv]

C&S. I think my wife is in the place from which you are having troubles importing LP's. Several in the tour group came with lists of local street artists from whom they wished to buy recordings. Any recomendations? I am partial to Mingus/Coltrane and Ligthnin' Hopkins.

Jim N

[Clipped and Shorn]

No I am talking about Qba. Another friend is leaving for 5 weeks in Havana tomorrow, he has a license. He is also a collector, researcher, and DJ. Bringing back these kinds of cultural materials is actually protected by the first amendment, but it is becoming clear lately that the best way to go is with a license. This means a lengthy application process in which you establish your credentials as a cultural researcher or whatever.

Musicians in the US mostly know about Cuban music prior to '58. There are more than 3 decades of musical development and evolution which we here are mostly in the dark about. During that period there was a lot of very worthwhile Cuban Jazz and other forms of music., and a very active State operated recording industry.

I was just listening to a great LP by pianist Ruben Gonzalez from that period. He just died in the last couple of days. You might remember him, because he had somewhat of a real revival after the BVSC phenomenon. There are many marvelous CDs of this recent revival of his. Many even called him a Cuban Thelonious Monk, although I really do not care for those kinds of hyped comparisions.

C&S

PS:

As far as picking up music in Cuba, there are several State stores there which have a large variety. Generally speaking the categories are:

1. reissues of classic traditional material: Sextetos, Conjuntos, Charangas, Orquestas, Big Bands (Beny More, Orquesta Riverside etc.).

2. Songo period of the last decade or so. Modern Charanga

3. Timba which is contemporary but already has a few years of history.

4. Current groups which preserve old styles of traditional music including Son and Changui from Oriente.

5. Hip Hop, yes , this is really big now in Cuba. I like it way better than US hip hop, and I don't really even know what they are saying . There are now hundreds of Cuban hip-hoppers, and now the State sponsors them and supports and encourages them just as it does all the other musicians and artist there.

6. Folkoric music. Street Rumba. Street style Comparsa. "Anthropological" recordings. Etc.

7. Boleros, Cancion, Trova, Nueva Trova

8. Classical Music.

9. crapshoot recordings sold on the street by the numerous bands playing in every cafe in central Havana, and they are many, mostly good.

[jnorv]

I think I will pass on that option. My wife is not atuned to my tastes in music. she can pick out toys in Burma (Myamar) that I like but not music. On another subject, what is your crossover between your 416(?) and 515B. I have my 515B in an 828 tuned to about 35 Hz and I think it may be too boomy. Looking to put JBL 2245's in them for the bottom end.

JIm N

[Clipped and Shorn]

Jim,

My cabinet was supposedly tuned to 24hz. I used the parameters from the published charts rather than testing my individual components, a method which is supposed to be superior in that it accomodates for possible individual discrepancies between the actual units and the published specs. Mark Deneen helped with the solfware and found the optimum curve. I carefully did all the math after that to create the braced design which would result in the correct net volume. My cabs came out fine and I like my bass response which is driven by a rather hefty SS Carver TFM-55 at the moment.

I usually cross over to the 515C around 100-200 hz which is something I do by ear on the active crossover. The tendency is for me to max out the range for the 515 because it sounds so good. In the end my horns are often set to cut in at 1.5 K, the Altec 515 sounds that good. I tend to tweak these crossover points all the time as I change recordings. I know that seems crazy but I like to have this control. In the end I am trying to make things sound best to my ears in each instance. I am not sure if I am following the "rules", but the 3-way active crossover is so cool and is a whole learning experience in itself. As a result of this control I can choose how horny to be, which I cannot do with the Cornwalls. Sometimes I am more horny sometimes less, depending.

c7s