Hurray! We survived the scare of Mayan myth and solar storm. Dude! It's 2013, I'll drink to that.
Having been warned about the intense solar storm and what potential damages it could harm our electronics, I powered off my audio system for four days just for the peace of mind. I hate to find one day my audio components are not working. We often find ourselves in odd situations, don't wee, whereby we could not have it whne things are around but things appear right in our eyes when we don't need them. So, I spend my time listening to others' systems.
As per our social economic exchange of view with friends, talk of house breaking rate is on the rise. People, be cautious! These crimes are committed by foreigners from South America. They rent a house in the neighborhood to study the "habit" of the targeted house. That's one way they beat the security. These guys often drive a nice car, and knowing that the foreign guards, a job the locals do not want, would let them drive in. Thirdly, break in normally occurs at 3-4pm when nobody home.
On the other hand, we always get bad apples in our neighbourhood, really rotten lot. My friend likes the statement "Don't ask your neighbour to pay for your security." seen somewhere in Damansara. Many refuse to pay their share of security and take the community for a ride, enjoying free security. This happens everywhere, my place is not exempted. Now, I am not talking about low cost or medium cost real estate but also 1-2 million Ringgit worth of real estate. I despise these people. Look! They can afford to live in a house worth millions but could not afford the security? My security operator told me he once received a complaint from a unit that did not even pay for security from day one. Man! This is so sickening!
To review 2012 audio spending, I have got one Power Bank, three harmonisers, tone woods, some serious spikes and 100-150 CDs. More listening, that's how I get timbre accuracy and tune for refinement. Music is the very heart and soul of hifi or otherwise will be like a soundsmith, altering the sound for the sake of audible difference.
My budget exercise is important to keep my woman quiet. She gets to know that the friends around me play expensive audio. And also, to keep harmony in the house, do not skip your dinner with spouse for audio. You are asking for troubles, so to speak. Like a fellow audio friend used to tell me, we learn to co-exist with our spouse under one roof.
Damn, I see a lot of serious upgrades in the last two months. Feeling kind of venerable, eh! First off, the banker had got a kick ass auto bias module and upgraded components in his CD player. He changed the op amps and upgraded the clock. The result was astonishing, lesser jitter. The op amps are worthwhile upgrade, the presentation has gotten more zeal from a typical Marantz player. The caps were old and dry, those get replacmenet too. All these translate to more energetic and upbeat presentation.
As the name implies, the module modulates a consistent bias regardless of your tube wear. What this means you can mix and match the tubes, replace only the dead tube. I knew from the start, if you can not listen without tubes, you are cursed by tube. Good tubes are scarce and ain't going cheap by the days. It is not me against tubes, but I am more concern with running cost. Sometimes, we turn the tubes on and premature off due to change of plan/mood. The tube life is then shorten.
Tubes are, circuitry aside, born sensitive to bias, current and resonance.
The auto bias had kept the banker jumping for joy for two weeks. The banker reported the auto bias installed in the pre accorded a blacker background, more consistent soundstage and more steady presentation especially when the demanding passages call for. He also noted the decay has a wee bit longer and more distinct, no softening notes, not consumed by the darkness of soundstage.
And now, the banker's Telefunken tubes are coming to end of their life. And a pair of NOS Telefunken tubes would cost him a cold hard RM1000. We were laughing, once you are smitten by Telefunken, this is the dirty work of KF, there is no turning back. You wish to have a genie who can realize your wishes. Telefunken black plate. And right at the same time, the audio devil showed up with his ultimate Jeff Rowland clone pre, and says "This guaranteed to rock your boat." This audio devil does nothing good but spewing vernom where he goes. The banker was just like a kid who can not reject a new toy, he took the bait.
DIY Jeff Rowland clone pre comes with a cool remote control volume, a featuer I find very useful for a lazy bum like me. A CD player without a remote control, that's not cool! Trying out new things is one exemplary steep learning curve that avid audiophiles must endeavor. Only then, you are granted the admission of snobbish audio bull shit and "lecture" others especially new birds. You get to see new birds sitting there quietly grasping "knowledge" without knowing which is right. They are usually the target of bully. This story continues...
All I can say is that as of today the banker had made a name for himself - small system big sound, winning many approvals from friends and relatives. The wow factor, small speakers, low watter amp in a moderate room, his bass is an obvious defiance. What do you expect? Big room, small drivers, incapable to excite meaningful air velocity. His highs rivaled many expensive systems though, particularly with little bass audible. If someone could loan him a dCS Puccini, it could make people kick themselves (highs) for why pay more.
So, while US is facing fiscal cliff, I'm afraid the banker is having his little own audio cliff. Having said that, his highs stood out. Boys to men, this is a big audio hurdle. He will soon find out a balanced and neutral system is not an easy feat to achieve.
The banker wanted to take another step forward. This is an agonizing and helpless moment. I told him to set his priorities right. Get a room or rent a room. Of all the real estate I had viewed to date, they build the rooms suitable for standmout speakers. They do not build a sizable room for floorstand speakers. No, no, no, you can't take the master bedroom away for audio! This is the real people with real world priorities. And the real world problem here is you do not get an ideal shoe box room for floorstand speakers unless you do structural change. This will cost a bomb.
I know a few who managed to wrestle the living room from their spouse and converted to audio room. On this account, I look up to them, the man of the house. Clap, clap.
Our long lost friend, KF has been out of action for many months, shocked us by installing a Power Bank and a second Power Bank two weeks after. I almost fell off my chair hearing this. This uncle moved fast, very much alive and kicking and he kicked me right at stomach! I can imagine he is showing his fist to the banker, I'm not done yet!
It is good to hear from him again. The story comes later.
I have been laid back for the past two weeks, my mind did not want to work. That's a problem if you take too long a break. I needed more time to pull myself together. I wish you all A Happy New Year, work hard and audio harder!
As per our social economic exchange of view with friends, talk of house breaking rate is on the rise. People, be cautious! These crimes are committed by foreigners from South America. They rent a house in the neighborhood to study the "habit" of the targeted house. That's one way they beat the security. These guys often drive a nice car, and knowing that the foreign guards, a job the locals do not want, would let them drive in. Thirdly, break in normally occurs at 3-4pm when nobody home.
On the other hand, we always get bad apples in our neighbourhood, really rotten lot. My friend likes the statement "Don't ask your neighbour to pay for your security." seen somewhere in Damansara. Many refuse to pay their share of security and take the community for a ride, enjoying free security. This happens everywhere, my place is not exempted. Now, I am not talking about low cost or medium cost real estate but also 1-2 million Ringgit worth of real estate. I despise these people. Look! They can afford to live in a house worth millions but could not afford the security? My security operator told me he once received a complaint from a unit that did not even pay for security from day one. Man! This is so sickening!
My budget exercise is important to keep my woman quiet. She gets to know that the friends around me play expensive audio. And also, to keep harmony in the house, do not skip your dinner with spouse for audio. You are asking for troubles, so to speak. Like a fellow audio friend used to tell me, we learn to co-exist with our spouse under one roof.
Damn, I see a lot of serious upgrades in the last two months. Feeling kind of venerable, eh! First off, the banker had got a kick ass auto bias module and upgraded components in his CD player. He changed the op amps and upgraded the clock. The result was astonishing, lesser jitter. The op amps are worthwhile upgrade, the presentation has gotten more zeal from a typical Marantz player. The caps were old and dry, those get replacmenet too. All these translate to more energetic and upbeat presentation.As the name implies, the module modulates a consistent bias regardless of your tube wear. What this means you can mix and match the tubes, replace only the dead tube. I knew from the start, if you can not listen without tubes, you are cursed by tube. Good tubes are scarce and ain't going cheap by the days. It is not me against tubes, but I am more concern with running cost. Sometimes, we turn the tubes on and premature off due to change of plan/mood. The tube life is then shorten.
The auto bias had kept the banker jumping for joy for two weeks. The banker reported the auto bias installed in the pre accorded a blacker background, more consistent soundstage and more steady presentation especially when the demanding passages call for. He also noted the decay has a wee bit longer and more distinct, no softening notes, not consumed by the darkness of soundstage.
And now, the banker's Telefunken tubes are coming to end of their life. And a pair of NOS Telefunken tubes would cost him a cold hard RM1000. We were laughing, once you are smitten by Telefunken, this is the dirty work of KF, there is no turning back. You wish to have a genie who can realize your wishes. Telefunken black plate. And right at the same time, the audio devil showed up with his ultimate Jeff Rowland clone pre, and says "This guaranteed to rock your boat." This audio devil does nothing good but spewing vernom where he goes. The banker was just like a kid who can not reject a new toy, he took the bait.
All I can say is that as of today the banker had made a name for himself - small system big sound, winning many approvals from friends and relatives. The wow factor, small speakers, low watter amp in a moderate room, his bass is an obvious defiance. What do you expect? Big room, small drivers, incapable to excite meaningful air velocity. His highs rivaled many expensive systems though, particularly with little bass audible. If someone could loan him a dCS Puccini, it could make people kick themselves (highs) for why pay more.
So, while US is facing fiscal cliff, I'm afraid the banker is having his little own audio cliff. Having said that, his highs stood out. Boys to men, this is a big audio hurdle. He will soon find out a balanced and neutral system is not an easy feat to achieve.The banker wanted to take another step forward. This is an agonizing and helpless moment. I told him to set his priorities right. Get a room or rent a room. Of all the real estate I had viewed to date, they build the rooms suitable for standmout speakers. They do not build a sizable room for floorstand speakers. No, no, no, you can't take the master bedroom away for audio! This is the real people with real world priorities. And the real world problem here is you do not get an ideal shoe box room for floorstand speakers unless you do structural change. This will cost a bomb.
I know a few who managed to wrestle the living room from their spouse and converted to audio room. On this account, I look up to them, the man of the house. Clap, clap.
Our long lost friend, KF has been out of action for many months, shocked us by installing a Power Bank and a second Power Bank two weeks after. I almost fell off my chair hearing this. This uncle moved fast, very much alive and kicking and he kicked me right at stomach! I can imagine he is showing his fist to the banker, I'm not done yet!It is good to hear from him again. The story comes later.
I have been laid back for the past two weeks, my mind did not want to work. That's a problem if you take too long a break. I needed more time to pull myself together. I wish you all A Happy New Year, work hard and audio harder!
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