kevvwill

Responses from kevvwill

Your perfectly produced/performed studio rock song
One song? "There's a Bag of Weights in the Back of My Car," by Pinebender. Just got the 2xLP of the band's "Things Are About to Get Weird," and it's just staggering. I took a few minutes and banged out a review of it that is wending its way throug... 
Bonus Rega 301 arm on Thorens TD 2030
Thanks, everyone. What's this tracking force spring business? The skeptic in me says it's voodoo. 
Magnepan or Carver???
If that is the choice, go with the Magnepans. I had some (sob!) Carver Amazings, which are still the best speaker I have ever heard. The ALIII's weren't. They weren't even in the same family, tonally. Which was weird, when you think about it. Anyh... 
Double blind test on Strads
It's why as an audio nerd I was so fond of blind tests (as are a number of UK magazines). Sometimes, what we think we know isn't what we in fact know.The points about concert hall projection are certainly valid. A point could also be raised that m... 
Lifespan of a quality solid state amplifier?
Good question. I don't think there is really much required in the way of care and feeding. I am on more than 20 years on my PS Audio 250 Deltas, and they still sound fantastic. That said, there are problems that crop up with amplifiers, tubed as w... 
Cars. What does the typical audiophile drive?
2005 Subaru Legacy GT wagon, when I'm not "driving" my Cannondale Super Six HiMod. Yes, manual transmission. 
Whats on your turntable tonight?
"Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie," Ella Fitzgerald, "Vespertine," Bjork, "Whites Off Earth Now," Cowboy Junkies, "Dire Straits," "Giants of Jazz," a live set featuring Sonny Stitt, Dizzy Gillespie and Art Blakey. 
Arvo Part... Where have you been my whole life?
Yikes! Been loving Part for eons, it seems. And he found the right label in ECM, as he gets sound quality to match his compositions.If you like Part, you'll also like Giya Kancheli, another ECM artist. Same qualities and compositional sense. Doesn... 
NOLA Boxers in my space
You will find, Dmm53, that they break in rather nicely. I have about 50 hours on mine, and they're getting even better. Smoother, mostly, and I have never had a speaker disappear so completely. What a little gem.I must say that I don't feel the ne... 
Pros and Cons of "Staying with" Analog and Vinyl
Chayro hits the nail on the head with a very insightful comment. This stuff is about music, in whatever form it takes. In the microscopic world of vinyl playback, everything is important, and nothing is. There is always noise with music. Digital h... 
NOLA Boxers in my space
I know, right? And it isn't even that it isn't what PJ Harvey has done before. It just isn't good. I love the fact that she and Bjork don't sit still, creatively, but be good, dangit!Speaking of PJ, if you don't have the "Rid Of Me" demos recordin... 
Pros and Cons of "Staying with" Analog and Vinyl
And to speak to your value analysis, it's a fascinating point. I went from a Maplenoll Ariadne Signature/Sony XA-20ES CD player to a Thorens 2030/Primare CD21. Same Grado Reference Sonata cartridge for both.The Thorens is more than 95% of the Mapl... 
Pros and Cons of "Staying with" Analog and Vinyl
It isn't "us vs them," it's both. For me, vinyl is still a more enjoyable experience, even with the occasional surface noise. I have a stereo copy of the amazing "Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie" that at some points sounds like someone's making pop... 
UCube USB speakers
Aha! Got it. They sound like the good Etymotic earphones, tonally. Was trying to figure it out, then fired up the portable. Voila! 
Which band's vinyl catalog is consistently great?
And speaking of the Pinebender recording that I mentioned, their label, Lovitt Records, still has some double-LP sets of it in stock. Not sure how many they have, but it's worth a pickup if you have a spare $25 lying around. I should say that Pine...