great musician's audio systems

In Pablo Casals' as-told-to book, "Joys and Sorrows" (1970), there are two photographs on p. 192 that show Casals listening to an LP recording, with the associated quote "Only recently I was listening to one of Sarasate's old records, made at the turn of the century. . . . What an extraordinary virtuoso he was!"

The record player is a very ordinary KLH-type 1960s portable phonograph, the kind that looks like a Samsonite suitcase when it's shut up.

That Casals would have chosen to hear his great heroes of the musical past on such a mundane instrument made quite an impression on me when I read it years ago.

The CBS Sunday Morning Show did a story/interview with Herbie Hancock. There were some shots in his home and he definitely had some Tetra speakers. Never heard Tetras myself, but they have a distinct appearance.

I own a pair of Tetra 205's and I love them, probably because of the room, which they are perfectly suited for. I have had them in other rooms where they practically died. I have never heard the 505's, but I am sure they CAN be great.

Herbie had Tetra's two years ago. I guess he was so ashamed of touting the Bose Wave radio on late-night infomercials, that he's now going bigger and bigger.

Albert --Very funny story--is it true that Madonna is wired with kubala??--rich

Madonna is long after my stint with rock and roll photography, sorry but I don't know the answer.

I did meet some of the very famous ones before her. Some of the best musicians in "rock and roll" are a joy to be around, and some are pricks, same as in real life :^).

Strangely enough one of the nicest people I met back stage was Peter Frampton, so it makes me laugh out loud when I see him in the Geico insurance commercial, posing as a "star" to speak for an ordinary insurance buyer.

Funny thing is, Glenn at Aesthetix Audio (Jim White's right hand man) turns out to be a roadie for rock groups. Somehow we got on this discussion the other day when I was asking about upgrade for my Aesthetix and we went on for an hour :^).

His stories were much better than mine because they involved the groupie girls that show up to meet the band. Now I wish I had learned to play guitar instead of a Nikon camera.