01-09-2016 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree Paul S San Diego, California, USA Posts 2,658 Joined on 10-12-2006 Post #: 41 Post ID: 22390 Reply to: 21467 So long, 2016 fiogf49gjkf0d I spent most of the past year trying to get more/better Big Music from my system. I played with (speaker) drivers and crossovers, and I also spent some quality time on my LP playback, in order to make this happen. I have posted some results in the “Analog” section of GSC, and I will say here that I “succeeded” in getting more lower-MF/upper-bass energy from my essentially-4-way Diamond Edition BassZilla speakers - which I think are about tapped out now - mostly by futzing with crossovers. Though I’m actually happy with the sound, I remain intellectually restless, and I continue to play with my many vintage drivers, with an eye on a multi-way, blended center channel. Most of these efforts are about increasing overall coherent energy in the room, along with “proper” soundstage/soundfield/frequency balance. The last really good-sounding center channel “stack” I had was very encouraging… apart from the fact that I need to sit farther away from it than the room allows! Oddly, my digital source continues to “fit in” with my analog changes. Busy, busy. Joy and Peace to all of you through the coming year! Paul S

01-01-2017 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree Paul S San Diego, California, USA Posts 2,658 Joined on 10-12-2006 Post #: 42 Post ID: 22906 Reply to: 22390 Bump [2016/17] By the time I realized (last year) that I'd kissed off 2016 a year early, it was too late to edit/correct my mistake. Ironically, 2016 has been an "off year" for me, in terms of hi-fi, so, in fact, I've little to reprise for this year.  I have poked along with my driver experiments.  I also have some shielded, multi-metal (Cu/Ag) phono cables sitting there, partly finished, and I'm in no hurry with any of it. I have enough drivers sitting around to go into business, if I were so motivated, which I'm not.  For 2016, there's been less terrible and less excellent electricity, which is just as I'd supposed; whoopee. Happy New Year; Prosperity, Peace and Joy to all! Best regards, Paul S

01-02-2017 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree Romy the Cat Boston, MA Posts 10,159 Joined on 05-28-2004 Post #: 43 Post ID: 22907 Reply to: 22906 2017: Playing too much Bach over Bose table radio… Yep, this year was kind of different. The twins hit me like much harder than the first child and to have “3 under 2” under the roof with two parents having full time jobs is not fan at all. The new listening room was the main new things but frankly the family obligations sucked so much out of me in 20016 that very little time left to audio. I did some movements here and there trying to tune ups something but it never went to depth and the seriousness with which I was doing it in past. Not that I have no interest anymore but I have so many other things competing nowadays for my time! I am sure as kids get older I will be able to come back but now I more enjoy the moaning of a fed baby then the sound of single ended triod. "I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

01-02-2017 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree steverino Posts 367 Joined on 05-23-2009 Post #: 44 Post ID: 22908 Reply to: 22907 Life is what happens to you while you're making other plans All the best to everyone in 2017!  I finally got my Mac MR 67 tuner back from the shop so that means no Bose Radio for me in 2017 I hope.

12-20-2017 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree Romy the Cat Boston, MA Posts 10,159 Joined on 05-28-2004 Post #: 45 Post ID: 24603 Reply to: 22908 The 2017 This was an interesting year for me but from a different perspective. For sure I had 3 kids under 3 and it very much colorized anything I did and felt. Still I was able to setup my playback after moving to new listening room in 2016, find a good configuration for a direct radiating Midbas and actually was able to get all together good sound in my listening room. I wish I had more time and more strength to spend with playback. Unfortunately too frequently I do not have this luxury and if I do, then audio very much competes with other temptation… like to go to sleep for instance… Still, I personally, me with my wify and sometimes with my family we had a number of great listening sessions. I think as kids grow it will be more.    There is another aspect of audio that progressed in 2017. I never was a fan of audio people. Well, let me to rephrase: I never was a fan of any group consciousness. Individuals are unique and smart, the people in randomly formed groups are stupid and boring. At least it is always was how I felt. The audio groups are always particularly disgusting as they are navigated and administered horrible people. Probably the worst of the worst are the cretins who appointed themselves as “shepherds” of the audio groups – that pretentions life forms I despite the most.    So, for a years I am know to give some difficult time to audio groupies and to the industry Morons but this year I recognized that I am begin to lose my ability to understand the interests and even the language of the audio horde. I do not get audio printed audio publication but I sometimes do read some audio articles online and some forums/blogs to keep my mind on audio heartbeat. The problem that I begun to observe is that I understand the words the articles say their words do not form any ideas in my head. This would apply to less degree to writing from regular people within forums and blogs but it is very much applicable to the official “industry” writing. I remembers that there were many moments when I read something and I clearly do not “get” was I was reading or was not able to remember what was reading about. It is not that I am stupid, suffer from illiteracy of have a progressing Alzheimer's. I still, at my 49th can memories pages of books that I like. My mind is not crystalized but rather more associative and in order to understand the things I need to find in my mind a reference to something that I know or care. So, when I read many of the audio industry writing my head is absolutely empty and the reading does not ignite any associative thinking or mind.    A few days back I find myself “reading” an article in PF and suddenly I recognizes that I do not read it by juts looking at the text. I just did not want to force myself to read much of nonsense from another audio idiot who suddenly got an inspiration because an audio company just make a new version of unremarkably- performing  speaker or amplifier.    So, if I have a word of the year to choose how I feel about audio industry it would be INDIFFERENT. It looks like in audio industry new formats are coming and going, the new technologies coming in fashion and going to dark , the new audio reviewers are coming to distribution trough and  dying off… the thing are going on but I feel more and more indifferent  and apathetic to all of it crap. I think this new indifference is the very main thing that I developed in 2017. "I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

01-01-2024 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree Paul S San Diego, California, USA Posts 2,658 Joined on 10-12-2006 Post #: 46 Post ID: 27319 Reply to: 24603 Happy 2024! 2023 was pretty weird for me, continuing battles with health issues and enduring cures that have been worse in some ways than the ailments. Somehow, I managed to build and integrate The Loudspeakers during this time, resulting in what turned out to be a Great Audio Year for me! Yes, I pretty much lucked out with The Loudspeakers (qv), but I'll take take the win, and I have to say it went up another notch today when I re-visited and re-set my tonearm (again), and playback is yet better. I mean, how good can it get? Well, vinyl sounds better, anyway, though I think my CD transport needs fixing. No lasting peace in AudioLand, I guess. I've read something about silicon grease on the Philips Pro 2 reader rails getting sticky and causing errors, but I haven't so much as popped the cover on the transport yet. Basically, "improvements" have been more "dynamcs" over a wider frequency range, and some more color available at HF. I have gotten more insight into Music I have heard many times, and I hope this continues.  Today, bass took a giant leap for the better, from jazz to Bruckner. Very pleased! May we all know Peace and Joy in 2024! Paul S