[Vision2020] Fwd: New York Audio Show 2013: Colleen “Cosmo” Murphy's "Classic Album Sundays"

Ted Moffett starbliss at gmail.com
Thu Jul 18 14:15:55 PDT 2013


Your speakers look amazing... I've built several speaker systems, one with
Dynaudio drivers.

I was reading the latest edition of Stereophile magazine last night, which
featured a short review of the Unison Research S 6 integrated single ended
tube amp, for a mere $4895.  What was interesting was the use of parallel
tubes to achieve 35 wpc in a single ended design.

http://www.stereophile.com/content/unison-research-demos-audio-doctor


The S 6 uses six EL34 output tubes to deliver 35Wpc and proved a better
match for the Dali Helicon 400 Mk.II loudspeakers.

We next listened to the Unison S 6 integrated amplifier ($4895). This is an
all-tube, single-ended, class-A design. It uses the same ECC82 preamp tubes
as the Unico 50, but employs six EL34 power tubes for a rated 35Wpc. It
offers five line inputs and a tape out. Switching to the S 6 resulted in a
subtle, but significant change in the overall presentation. Bass was less
robust, but more tightly drawn, resulting in better top-to-bottom
coherence. The saxophone may have lost some edge and extension, but I heard
more space around it, and the guitar sounded appropriately vibrant. I felt
the S 6 to be a better match for the Dali loudspeakers. That combination
more easily transported us from Dave Lalin’s room to the recording space.
-------------------------------------------
Anyway, some audiophiles love a single classic 300B tube in a single ended
design... Simplicity, but not much power.
------------------------------------------
Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett



On Wed, Jul 17, 2013 at 11:19 PM, Darrell Keim <keim153 at gmail.com> wrote:

> I've heard those same comments about tone controls, etc.  What can I say?
> I think they sound good, and fairly transparent.  You are correct about
> needing high efficiency speakers.  About 95db is recommended.  I use a pair
> I built off a design I found on the web.  The design is called Super
> Whamodyne.  I could describe how they look, but a picture is better.  I've
> attached one, and a pic of the amp and phono preamp.  You are welcome to
> come over and check out the system sometime.
> [image: Inline image 1][image: Inline image 2]
>
>
> On Wed, Jul 17, 2013 at 3:34 PM, Ted Moffett <starbliss at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Of course, I've been reading about single ended tube amps for years...
>> Anyone with a subscription to Stereophile, or other audio magazines, could
>> not avoid this, if they read all the reviews, etc.  They are controversial
>> in the world of audio... Some love the sound they generate, others have
>> expressed opinions such as "They are expensive tone controls" regarding the
>> tonal irregularities sometimes involved.
>>
>> I don't think the tube amp I built in the 1960s was single ended... I'm
>> almost certain it was push-pull...
>>
>> If I may ask, what speakers are you using?  As you said, efficiency is
>> needed, well over 90 db one watt at one meter, as its sometimes measured,
>> with an amp below ten watts, otherwise you would be very limited in the
>> sound level of your system.
>>
>> Thanks for the info on bottlehead.com... Never heard of them, and it's
>> good to see kits like this are still being offered...
>> ------------------------------------------
>> Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Jul 16, 2013 at 7:38 PM, Darrell Keim <keim153 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> It does sound sweet, Ted!  I have the modern equivalent to your old
>>> Heathkit amp.  Mine is a kit designed by a company called
>>> www.bottlehead.com.  Uses 12au7, 12at7 and 2a3 tubes.  It is a single
>>> ended triode amp, if that means anything to you.  Very low power, about 5
>>> watts.  Requires very efficient speakers to work well.  But, when it does,
>>> it sings!
>>>
>>> Specifically I  have their Paramour mono block amps (
>>> http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&sa=N&biw=1242&bih=585&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbnid=NWBK5_7JUM7QgM:&imgrefurl=http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php%3Ftopic%3D50663.0&docid=kR-MNKzliKo4ZM&imgurl=http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php%253Fid%253D13475&w=564&h=550&ei=ZgLmUayxF4b9iQLtmIDwBw&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:13,s:0,i:120&iact=rc&page=1&tbnh=187&tbnw=216&start=0&ndsp=15&tx=162.36370849609375&ty=104.18183898925781)
>>>
>>>
>>> Foreplay pre-amp (
>>> http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1242&bih=585&tbm=isch&tbnid=VE94-glpYPJELM:&imgrefurl=http://www.bottlehead.com/et/adobespc/foreplay/foreplay_line_stage_kit.htm&docid=iZQWtVNS8ic_VM&imgurl=http://www.bottlehead.com/et/adobespc/foreplay/forepl2.jpg&w=432&h=356&ei=pgLmUbSZPO7jigLSpIGQBA&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:1,s:0,i:82&iact=rc&page=1&tbnh=187&tbnw=239&start=0&ndsp=15&tx=103.0909423828125&ty=79.3636474609375)
>>>
>>>
>>> and Seduction Phono Amp (
>>> http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1242&bih=585&tbm=isch&tbnid=Lx-dgNI9psPHYM:&imgrefurl=http://www.tonepublications.com/review/bottlehead-seduction-phono-preamplifier/&docid=QKJI1yWSC5onfM&imgurl=http://www.tonepublications.com/media/bottlehead-seduction.jpg&w=600&h=450&ei=1ALmUcqcLKKnigLTxoGQDw&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:6,s:0,i:97&iact=rc&page=1&tbnh=167&tbnw=175&start=0&ndsp=15&tx=133.54547119140625&ty=86.18185424804687
>>> )
>>>
>>> It sounds sweet.  And, who cares if others are spellbound by our choice
>>> of topic?  Many is the time I've seen other active conversations on the V
>>> about things that don't interest me in the least.
>>>
>>>
>>> On Tue, Jul 16, 2013 at 4:37 PM, Ted Moffett <starbliss at gmail.com>wrote:
>>>
>>>> I of course did not mean that the vinyl audio system described
>>>> approaches "200,000 thousand dollar" price, which is 200 million!  Yikes!
>>>> I'll blame this on the by the second computer Internet disconnect
>>>> warning on the library computer...
>>>>
>>>> Tube amplifiers!  I bet your amp sounds sweet!  Tubes are still going
>>>> strong in the world of music and audio, and preferred by many music lovers,
>>>> though some modern solid state designs approach the musicality offered by
>>>> tubes.
>>>>
>>>> When I was a Moscow High student in the 1960s, I hand built a tube
>>>> integrated amplifier kit, then hand built another one of the same amp kits
>>>> for a friend.  Easy to do, if you can do basic soldering and follow
>>>> instructions carefully, with a well written instruction manual.
>>>>
>>>> I foolishly sold the amp while in high school for a low price, having
>>>> been deluded by the specifications worshipers that sold state amps were
>>>> much better than tube amps for music reproduction, because they achieve
>>>> lower levels of some kinds of distortion as measured on the test bench.
>>>>
>>>> When in high school I also had a belt drive Empire turntable and
>>>> cartridge, completely manual except for magnetic tone arm pick-up at the
>>>> end of a vinyl album, to lift the needle off the record.  The platter was
>>>> meticulously machined, thick, heavy and well balanced, the diameter of
>>>> which equaled 33 1/3 long playing vinyl, the belt driving the platter on
>>>> the visible outside circle of the platter, with the motor off to the side
>>>> suspended so it was isolated from adding vibration to the platter or tone
>>>> arm.  Changing speeds required hand moving the belt to another gear!  The
>>>> tone arm was balanced so that you could easily play records with the
>>>> platter not perfectly horizontal, which if I understand correctly is
>>>> possible by making the weight at the pivot in the back perfectly equal on
>>>> both sides.  Stylus pressure was applied by a spring, not a movable
>>>> counter-weight, but as I recall there was no anti-skating adjustment.
>>>>
>>>> I wish I had that amp and turntable still!
>>>>
>>>> Here is an example of a tube amplifier offered in kit form way back
>>>> when, for a mere $84.95.  To buy an amp like this now would be a bargain at
>>>> 1000 dollars (
>>>> http://www.musicdirect.com/p-13615-jolida-jd302crc-integrated-tube-amp.aspx) though manufacturing in China has kept prices lower for some
>>>> manufacturers.
>>>>
>>>> http://heathkit-museum.com/hifi/hvmaa-100.shtml
>>>> -----------------------------
>>>> Anyway, here's more from Colleen "Cosmo" Murphy's ":Classic Album
>>>> Sunday" website.  I've posed the same basic question to many people about
>>>> listening to an album with absolute full attention:
>>>>
>>>> http://classicalbumsundays.com/about/
>>>> When is the last time you listened to an album from beginning to end?
>>>> And sticking it on in the background while working on the computer, talking
>>>> on the phone or doing chores around the house does not count. I mean
>>>> sitting down and giving the album your full attention. For many of us, it
>>>> has been awhile.
>>>>
>>>> Hearing is like breathing and smelling – it does not require an active,
>>>> directed effort; we do it subconciously. When we want to look at something,
>>>> we direct our gaze toward the object; when we want to touch something, we
>>>> must reach out. In short, we have to focus our attention. Hearing, however,
>>>> is different as we constantly hear 360 degrees around us. We can hear
>>>> things going on in the other room while we chat to a friend whether or not
>>>> we are trying to listen. We cannot shut our ears and therefore we often
>>>> take our sense of hearing for granted.
>>>>
>>>> Active listening takes effort. It requires us to slow down and
>>>> completely stop other actions which is very difficult in this age of
>>>> hyper-reality. We are used to multi-tasking at all times – texting or
>>>> tweeting while we are out with friends or talking on the phone while we
>>>> make dinner. It is rare to focus on one activity and that is what active
>>>> listening requires.
>>>>
>>>> Actively listening to a whole album from beginning to end involves a
>>>> fair amount of concentration and requires us to set aside some time. We
>>>> have to commit ourselves to the task and in our day of the MP3 single
>>>> download where we are used to the quick sound bite, this can be quite a
>>>> feat. As Hermione Hoby stated in The Observer, “It’s hard not to develop an
>>>> aural antsiness when YouTube is there for the flighty browsing, iPods for
>>>> the impatient shuffling. Meanwhile, Spotify and every other streaming
>>>> service allow us to take for granted a song being there for our ears when
>>>> we demand it. In short, our restless listening might mean we’re in danger
>>>> of becoming careless listeners, too.”
>>>>
>>>> Over the past few years my husband and I have achieved super-geek
>>>> status by slowly assembling an audiophile sound system. The cons: a hole in
>>>> our pocket. The pros: listening to music with friends and rediscovering our
>>>> record collections. We recently had our friend James over on a Sunday night
>>>> and after dinner we sat down and listened to Brian Eno’s “Another Green
>>>> World”. The last time I truly listened to that album in its entirety was
>>>> nearly two decades ago but it sounded just as fresh – maybe even better as
>>>> it is such a rare occasion to have the opportunity to shut everything else
>>>> out to solely concentrate on the music. It was somewhat meditative and
>>>> definitely therapeutic not to mention artistically beneficial.
>>>>
>>>> Our friend Greg Wilson had a similar realisation and has started
>>>> “Living to Music”. On the first Sunday of the month, people are encouraged
>>>> to sit down with friends and listen to a selected classic album. There are
>>>> suggested guidelines such as having time for small talk before the
>>>> listening session gets under way and turning off all mobile phones (Yes!).
>>>> Of course, these are all suggestions and it is hoped that is will
>>>> cross-pollinate with people starting their own listening movements and
>>>> selecting their own classic records.
>>>>
>>>> My husband and I sat down and listened to Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of
>>>> the Moon”, the second album chosen by Living to Music. We had the Mobile
>>>> Fidelity version which is part of their “Original Master Recording” series
>>>> which featured half-speed mastering by Stan Ricker. Whilst listening to
>>>> this amazing recording, it just seemed rude not to share the audiophile
>>>> experience with others. It also seemed like a good idea to have more of an
>>>> exchange regarding the selected album with other people.
>>>>
>>>> With Greg’s nod of approval, Cosmodelica started a monthly London
>>>> listening session called “Classic Album Sundays: A Communal and Audiophile
>>>> Listening Experience”. So far we have covered The Beatles’ “Abbey Road”,
>>>> Kate Bush’s “Hounds of Love” and De La Soul’s “3 Feet High and Rising”. In
>>>> the next couple of months, we have David Bowie’s “The Rise and Fall of
>>>> Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars” and Stevie Wonder’s
>>>> “Innervisions” and there are many more fine albums lined up for the rest of
>>>> the year.
>>>> To get updates on future Classic Album Sundays events, please become a
>>>> fan of the Classic Album Sundays on Facebook
>>>> ------------------------------------------
>>>> Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, Jul 15, 2013 at 2:23 PM, Darrell Keim <keim153 at gmail.com>wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> If they do, I'd like to meet then Ted!  I've got a very nice sounding
>>>>> handmade tube based system, I even have occasional "audio get togethers"
>>>>> with another friend.  But neither of us has anything like that.  It is fun
>>>>> to see the best systems, like that one.  It is also fun to see how good the
>>>>> sound can be for a fraction of that cost.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Mon, Jul 15, 2013 at 2:07 PM, Ted Moffett <starbliss at gmail.com>wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Famous music devotee, dance DJ and audiophile, Colleen Murphy is
>>>>>> shown below with a mind blowing vinyl stereo system, used at the NY Audio
>>>>>> Show 2013...
>>>>>>
>>>>>> In one photo she is posed with the vinyl record cover of Talking
>>>>>> Heads "Remain in Light"... Once upon a time I had superb Japanese import
>>>>>> vinyl copy of this album, which sounded fantastic.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> This stereo system approaches the 200,000 thousand dollar price
>>>>>> range...
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I wonder if anyone in the Inland Empire owns a system of this
>>>>>> sophistication...
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Colleen's website regarding her "Classic Album Sundays" events. which
>>>>>> are offered internationally, described as a "communal and audiophile
>>>>>> listening experience:"
>>>>>>
>>>>>> http://classicalbumsundays.com/
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -------------------------------------
>>>>>> http://www.stereophile.com/content/classic-album-sundays
>>>>>> Classic Album Sundays
>>>>>>  By Art Dudley <http://www.stereophile.com/writer/86> • Posted: Apr
>>>>>> 14, 2013
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Colleen “Cosmo” Murphy, the record-store clerk-turned-internationally
>>>>>> known DJ-turned-analog impresario, has set out to change the way we listen,
>>>>>> one roomful at a time; based on my experiences at NYAS 2013, she is bound
>>>>>> to succeed. I had heard that Ms. Murphy is as sound- and music-savvy as she
>>>>>> is lovely, and I can only say those observations don’t do her justice.
>>>>>> “Today, music is treated almost as aural wallpaper, as a cheap commodity,”
>>>>>> Murphy bemoaned in her opening remarks before spinning the Japanese vinyl
>>>>>> version of David Bowie’s *Hunky Dory* on a truly grand system,
>>>>>> including a Spiral Groove SG1.1 turntable with Centroid tonearm and a Lyra
>>>>>> Atlas cartridge; a VTL TP 6.5 phono preamp (with integral step-up
>>>>>> transformer); VTL’s TL 7.5 line-level preamp and Siegfried monoblock amps;
>>>>>> Wilson Audio MAXX 3 loudspeakers and Opus series cabling from Transparent.
>>>>>> (When I visited the Classic Album Sundays room, early on the show’s first
>>>>>> day, exact pricing details weren’t yet available; suffice it to say,
>>>>>> everything was rather expensive.)
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  *John Atkinson adds: *Colleen played classic albums all weekend,
>>>>>> following *Hunky Dory* with Talking Heads' (in photo), John Hiatt's *Bring
>>>>>> the Family*, The Beach Boys' *Pet Sounds* (in mono), Kraftwerk's *
>>>>>> Autobahn*, Steve Wonder's *Innervisions*, and ending the Show with
>>>>>> the truly classic *Forever Changes* from Love, on a new,
>>>>>> superb-sounding reissue from Rhino. I took in two of these sessions and it
>>>>>> was a buzz being in a room of attentive audiophiles listening to an album
>>>>>> in its entirety. You can find the Classic Album Sundays calendar at
>>>>>> Colleen's website <http://classicalbumsundays.com/>.
>>>>>> ------------------------------------------
>>>>>> Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett
>>>>>>
>>>>>> =
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>
>>
>
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