<div dir="ltr"><div>It does sound sweet, Ted! I have the modern equivalent to your old Heathkit amp. Mine is a kit designed by a company called <a href="http://www.bottlehead.com">www.bottlehead.com</a>. 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!</div>
<div> </div><div>Specifically I have their Paramour mono block amps (<a href="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">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</a>) </div>
<div> </div><div>Foreplay pre-amp (<a href="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">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</a>) </div>
<div> </div><div>and Seduction Phono Amp (<a href="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">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</a>)</div>
<div> </div><div>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.</div>
</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Jul 16, 2013 at 4:37 PM, Ted Moffett <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:starbliss@gmail.com" target="_blank">starbliss@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>I of course did not mean that the vinyl audio system described approaches "200,000 thousand dollar" price, which is 200 million! Yikes!<br>
</div><div>I'll blame this on the by the second computer Internet disconnect warning on the library computer...<br>
<br>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.<br>
<br></div></div>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.<br>
<br></div>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. <br>
<br>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.<br>
<br></div>I wish I had that amp and turntable still!<br><br></div>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 ( <a href="http://www.musicdirect.com/p-13615-jolida-jd302crc-integrated-tube-amp.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.musicdirect.com/p-13615-jolida-jd302crc-integrated-tube-amp.aspx</a> ) though manufacturing in China has kept prices lower for some manufacturers.<br>
<br><a href="http://heathkit-museum.com/hifi/hvmaa-100.shtml" target="_blank">http://heathkit-museum.com/hifi/hvmaa-100.shtml</a><br>-----------------------------<br></div>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:<br>
<br><a href="http://classicalbumsundays.com/about/" target="_blank">http://classicalbumsundays.com/about/</a><br><h2>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.</h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.”</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
To get updates on future Classic Album Sundays events, please become a fan of the Classic Album Sundays on Facebook<br>------------------------------------------<br></div>Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett<br></div><div class="gmail_extra">
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Jul 15, 2013 at 2:23 PM, Darrell Keim <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:keim153@gmail.com" target="_blank">keim153@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;padding-left:1ex;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid">
<div dir="ltr">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.</div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div><div>On Mon, Jul 15, 2013 at 2:07 PM, Ted Moffett <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:starbliss@gmail.com" target="_blank">starbliss@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
</div></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;padding-left:1ex;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid"><div><div><div dir="ltr"><div>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...<br>
<br></div><div>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.<br>
<br></div><div>This stereo system approaches the 200,000 thousand dollar price range... <br><br></div><div>I wonder if anyone in the Inland Empire owns a system of this sophistication...<br><br></div><div>Colleen's website regarding her "Classic Album Sundays" events. which are offered internationally, described as a "communal and audiophile listening experience:"<br>
<br><a href="http://classicalbumsundays.com/" target="_blank">http://classicalbumsundays.com/</a><br><br></div><div>-------------------------------------<br><a href="http://www.stereophile.com/content/classic-album-sundays" target="_blank">http://www.stereophile.com/content/classic-album-sundays</a><br>
<div><h2>Classic Album Sundays</h2></div>
<div>
<div>
By <a title="View more from Art Dudley" href="http://www.stereophile.com/writer/86" target="_blank">Art Dudley </a> • Posted: Apr 14, 2013
</div>
</div>
<div>
<p><img src="http://www.stereophile.com/images/041313-LPSundays-600.jpg"></p>
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 <i>Hunky Dory</i> 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.)
<p>
<img width="600" src="http://www.stereophile.com/images/041313-CosmoHeads-600.jpg" border="0">
</p><p>
<b>John Atkinson adds: </b>Colleen played classic albums all weekend, following <i>Hunky Dory</i> with Talking Heads' (in photo), John Hiatt's <i>Bring the Family</i>, The Beach Boys' <i>Pet Sounds</i> (in mono), Kraftwerk's <i>Autobahn</i>, Steve Wonder's <i>Innervisions</i>, and ending the Show with the truly classic <i>Forever Changes</i>
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 <a href="http://classicalbumsundays.com/" target="_blank">website</a>. </p></div>------------------------------------------<br></div>Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett<br></div>
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