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I must admit, I've dabbled in improving on the original ...

Just recently found out he doesn't do the vocals ... well, I'll be dipped 'n twiddled I said ...

JD McPherson ... Okie Rock at it's finest! Watching the strings go all sine wave on the big fiddle is killer ... ah be hipnotized!! PS ... whole lotta love went into restoring that studio ... kudos to HiStyle for keeping the past alive!

Speaking of H9AV's ... got one offa da bay da udder day. Just what you don't want to see hitting the porch while you're away ... several times maybe. Hard even. I could also hear the unit sliding around inside. Took some pics before opening the box just in case - and got lucky. Popped the top to check for crunchy bits or swollen caps. Looked good so fired it up, and all sorts of scratchy out of the hologram switch. Nothing a bit of deoxit couldn't fix. Put it in the system and am having fun comparing the results to my trusty old C9 ... I think this could grow on me!

Duck? DUCK!! No ... but I can see I might have given that impression. The existing doorway is where it was. I just opened up the wall and added a supporting pillar. The lights are aimed to compensate for the offset. Non bearing and all that, so it was relatively easy. Bricked the knee wall and added a deflector plate behind the woodstove so that can be cooking all day and the wall doesn't heat at all. That wood stove serves another purpose ... makes a killer damper for the joist wood floor that might otherwise have acoustical issues. Stove weighs in at around 1000 pounds, so I built up a strong header box in the basement under it for support. That also doubles as a nook for my electronics workbench. The equipment cabinet itself tops out at around 600 pounds as well. Reinforced the joists under that as well, so the floor is very neutral . PS ... the vintage Maxell "blown away guy" is right at home in my listening room. I thought hanging it crooked was also a nice touch. Appropriate when the system's tickling 100+ SPLs ... those McIntosh XR16's can push a LOT of air ...

This was a pleasant surprise ... Storm Corrosion (Self Titled) Collaboration between Steve Wilson of Porcupine Tree and Mikael Akerfeldt of Opeth. I keep hoping for an encore, but chances are slim ...

Speaking of sound field ... wouldn't want you to think it's just holography going on here. That of course is fed with the quad, which does some exciting things with stereo source. The rear of the room gets ... interesting. The Bose 161s mounted up top are arrayed with the Gekko flat panels - the white ones mounted mid wall on the sides of the comfy chair. Those are both driven by the rear channel outputs on the quad via a Dynaco Quadraptor. - The Bose 161s do the usual Bose tricks with reflections. - The Gekko flat panels have a unique distribution ... the entire surface radiates. You can put them right next to each other, step to the side, and still hear stereo ... it's magic! - The Quadraptor does the Hafler twist on the secondary speakers. There's also a pair of Bose 201s mounted in the other room behind the arch. Those can be turned on to provide additional depth and levels are adjusted with the quad's balance controls. Then it starts getting complicated. ;-}

Show off! Now I'M gonna have to put LEDs under my drivers! <G> Near field is really my only option in an 8x8 cube. One thing that helps a lot was I blew the back wall out and that adjoins a 10x16 foot, so the system's got room to breathe. That adds it's own set of complications when it comes to tuning the acoustics, but not so much since I discovered DSP and REW. The C9 works surprisingly well in my environment. The stage really improves if I throw out the guidelines on toe ... works best when splitting the difference between my ears and the side walls. As always, balance is critical, but once it's locked in, not a whole lot of fiddling required. Good to hear on the H9AV ... just scored one off that auction site. Should be here any day now. Looking forward to seeing what precog can do in my world.

UPDATE > > The 9001 looks way better today, ensconced in it's new home ... Sounds way better too. The backup QRX-6001 did yeoman duty while the 9001 was benched, but in comparison, is positively muddy next to what I'm hearing now. That will eventually get the full monty as well, but I don't expect it'll take 100 hours of bench time to get it singing again. The McIntosh MC2205 is more or less ballast at this point. I'm just too lazy (and weak!) to move it into storage, and I don't need the space ... right this minute anyway. You may have noticed I'm not exactly a purist when it comes to equipment and the signal chain. PS ... anyone else into near field listening? My cottage kinda forces it on me, but I ain't complaining.

Got it for the cover ... kept it for the music. That girl can SING! Very tasty selection of blues and big band, with some serious rockin' as well ... Crank It!

Kinda reminds me of my sainted Polish Busha cranking out a feast for Easter ... you really needed a strong stomach to watch her doing the nasty to a pig, but oh, was it good once it hit the table ... yards and yards of fresh sausage cooked up on a commercial stove in the basement ... Not sure what I miss more ... my Busha, or her sausage? ZAPPPP!!! (cower) My Busha of course! <G>

That's the world famous "teeter hangup" equipment rack ... Gotta get me one of those.

What else?

WARNING - IF YOU'RE SQUEAMISH, DON'T LOOK !! Here's what the 9001 looked like a couple months back ... And did I mention caps? This is what all came out of it ... 269 of em, if my count is right. And might I add ... never, ever again. Once was enough. After this, everything will seem easy!

Twist my arm and I'll show you more. <G> That was actually easy. Just now dragged a Sansui QRX-9001 off the bench and plugged it in for the first time in two years. That got the full monty with all new caps, LED lighting, and a few basic mods to keep it kickin' for another 30 years. Don't know if anyone's familiar with the unit ... it IS the King of Quad, and it IS a real PITA to bring back to life. Certainly not something I'd ever want to do again ... but she shore turned out purty, she did ...

Recent project: My McIntosh MC2205 amplifier developed "issues". I'd been meaning to build a tube amp, so figured why not? Loosely based on the Latino ST120. Custom case and extras like bias meters and larger chokes, as well as dual volume controls and a built in "Y" adapter so I can drive it off a tape loop on my receiver. The iron is also plenty strong to drive a quad of KT120's ... my power tube of choice. The McIntosh now sits, gathering dust. The sound of this amp is just levels above what that could do.

My bad ... I found this place a couple years back when I was playing with an H9AV and that got shuffled to the side. Quite a few projects passed over the bench since then, and the great circle done closed with the H9AV back on the bench for another go ... and here I am! (I'll wait for the applause to die down) <G> Anyway ... been playing with electronics ever since grade school when I'd go dumpster diving behind the local TV repair shop. Dragged many a relic back to my room and kept a fire extinguisher handy as I learned what to do, as well as what not to do. Was able to revive a good percentage of those, and the experience was priceless. Got some good electronics training in the Navy as well - most of which I've forgotten along the way. Took that to civilian government life, moved into management, and never did anything useful again. Kept the hobby alive though. Most everything in my "classic" system was second hand w/issues at one time, revived with some time on the bench. As before, my successes tend to outweigh the failures, in quality if not quantity, and even those are mostly salvageable with yet another go around after I've had time to ponder the error of my ways. A few do end up as donors. I'll take questions from the audience now.

I got it for the cover ... and kept it for the music. That girl can SING!