Tom, I know you aren't going to make people "see" by listening to stereo, but its more than just airflow, isn't it? (although looking at "airflow" is a good too, or 52's, 600's, .314's, or, um, infinite fractal regressions beneath all those numbers, right?). On the other hand, I think a lot of people are here not simply for the gear (although, we should admit, it is always a remnant of consideration, as I look out at my black and gold and rosewood gleaming totem of "me"...).
It may sound contrite, but only because it remains so simple: people come here, you too, because you are in search of "beauty", in this case in sound transmuted into the "shape" of music in your mind. And, I would submit, that attraction is a symptom of a recoil from its opposite: not-beauty, or what is percieved as such. People come home from their capitalist-conformist lives, hardly what Locke had in mind, and sit down to go to a place, which is in their mind. No, stereo does not change ground orientation - how one is in the world when not listening to stereo - but it is a tonic from that world, is it not? Isn't that a gradiation you are willing to concede; have already conceded by still being here?
Eccl: love to hear you on NOS tubes! More of that! Please. Yes, the Mullard 12AU7's are a good point to make, I have several pairs for my amp and arrived at them the hard way, which I would further submit, is how I arrived there. Consider this: I have people contact me to ask about stuff - which is quite nice, if they are, and I know you help around too - but isn't it true that sometimes you can say to someone do-this-or-that, just a suggestion, and they head head-strong into what Tom Gillette says? Its conformism, attachment to the feeling of security, actually a secondary symptom of the fear of making a mistake (um, that others might see) that then, in fact, causes the mistake. And it takes a few knocks on the head to go out and get a tube-tester, doesn't it? So, is the path ever separate from the eventual knowledge gained? I used to be more impatient, but, you know, everyone is in different places, just trying to get there, whether they know it or not...whether they like 62's in public, and then, the tonic when they are alone... (sorry Tom, just want you to talk more, you know...and, of course, see how many hyphenated words I can work into one run-on - oh, there I go again - sentence...:0).
Question: Isn't the frustration only a frustration at where you once were? Hmmm.
Great music in the next room right now, and good people here, "difference" doesn't matter; they are all going towards "quality."
The Supratek ain't a bad place to start...
Mark
