Welcome to the IHoP v.2

[Penguin4x4 1,761]

8 hours ago, sandt38 said:

You're pregnant?

 

 

 

 

 

[Penguin4x4 1,761]

2 hours ago, nem said:

The UPS man bitched about heavy subwoofers in the past, he was really bitching carrying 2500 rounds of 5.56, 500 rounds of 9mm, and 500 rounds of .45!

 

He got his workout!

 

[Penguin4x4 1,761]

a little Chick Corea is just what the doctor ordered

[Penguin4x4 1,761]

Looks like they have me flying into Reagan this time around. Sweet. More time to explore!

[Penguin4x4 1,761]

Huh, they changed Mary Washington College University of Mary Washington? Wonder when that happened.

[///M5 2,833]

1 hour ago, Penguin4x4 said:

a little Chick Corea is just what the doctor ordered

Pretty sure that I was the only one who knew who he was/owned any of his albums on the board, lol

[dem beats 1,223]

So I googled Chick.  I have definitely heard something from him and it was anything but good.

 

 

Can you make a recommendation on what sounds good from him?

[///M5 2,833]

Most of it will give you a headache.  My Chick days are way past over, lol.

[///M5 2,833]

Safest to pick when he plays with someone more classical. The live show with Herbie is more than acceptable, but there are other pianists I'd rather listen to.

[///M5 2,833]

The other options are when it is NOT his band.  ie, the late 60's Miles albums are fine.  If you want to laugh, grab some Return to Forever....

[///M5 2,833]

You should own Bitches Brew btw....and yes he plays on it

[dem beats 1,223]

I don't own bitches brew. I have listened to it. 

I should buy it.

 

At least I'm not crazy.  He has showed up on Pandora I think and I have never heard anything with his name on the title that I wanted to listen to.

[///M5 2,833]

Live he is wicked fun to watch, recorded to dissonant and confusing.

[dem beats 1,223]

And for the record, Mingus gives me a headache. 

It's not completely unpleasant.  That return to forever.... I couldn't listen for more than 30 seconds at any part of the album.  Maybe as background for an elevator.

[dem beats 1,223]

2 minutes ago, ///M5 said:

Live he is wicked fun to watch, recorded to dissonant and confusing.

Maybe in person live. Live recordings were not so good. Lol

[///M5 2,833]

Hard to watch a live recording...I also don't consider TV or Computer a mechanism for "viewing" musicians.

[dem beats 1,223]

Cell phone being even worse.

 

I agree.

[dem beats 1,223]

4 hours ago, nem said:

The UPS man bitched about heavy subwoofers in the past, he was really bitching carrying 2500 rounds of 5.56, 500 rounds of 9mm, and 500 rounds of .45!

 

He got his workout!

Let me know when you need to burn through some of that.

[dem beats 1,223]

Just got kind of recruited by a DM in the cellphone world.

 

At least I'm back on my game enough to be desired by other opportunities.

[Penguin4x4 1,761]

20 minutes ago, ///M5 said:

Most of it will give you a headache.  My Chick days are way past over, lol.

 

Probably half my music gives people headaches.

[sandt38 448]

7 hours ago, nem said:

The UPS man bitched about heavy subwoofers in the past, he was really bitching carrying 2500 rounds of 5.56, 500 rounds of 9mm, and 500 rounds of .45!

 

He got his workout!

LOL!

[nem 2,019]

3 hours ago, dem beats said:

Let me know when you need to burn through some of that.

Maybe this weekend, I have 2 new AR's to sight in.

[sandt38 448]

Scanner arrives tomorrow. I'm pretty excited!

I got my Piece of Schiit yesterday.

http://schiit.com/products/mani

I am using it to replace my Project Phono Box.

The Project box sounded pretty good, but the highs were a bit rolled off. I also wanted more gain.

The Schiit Mani affords multiple gain settings, and it allows you to select 47 or 47kOhms to facilitate the use of both moving magnet and moving coil carts. At this pricepoint the ability to boost MC is unheard of, and Schiit's reputation is exceptional. I am using fairly solid moving coil carts right now, but really wanted to try some moving coil units. They are audiophile based units, and not priced for the feint of heart.

I hooked the piece of Schiit up yesterday and spent several minutes playing with my input and gain settings. At top gain (59dB) it really lays down the law, but I start clipping at about 2/3 volume. I stepped back to 47dB and found my happy spot. She clips just past 7/8 and doesn't ever hard clip (remember, tube clipping is actually pleasant), so the phono stage isn't actually imparting it's own distortions. At 3/4 it is difficult to be in the same room with it, it is LOUD. I find myself cranking it at 1/2 and enjoying it between 1/4 and 1/3 volume, where the Project box took the amp at full tilt to equal my 1/3 setting with the Schiit. The Schiit sits about 6 inches away from the player and the amp and has no noticeable interference. It isn't dead silent, but you need to have it opened up to hear it isn't totally black. For under $150 and with all it is capable of, it is beyond acceptable.

When I first fired it up I was not terribly happy. Midrange was bloated and highs seemed to roll off really early. Bottom end was improved in both depth, but it seemed muddy and incoherent. After several hours of break in the bottom end has developed an immediacy and impact that the Project simply lacked. Top end is lively now, although not as extended as I would like, and midrange is a tad forward, but not as bad as it was at first. I am using my Shure mx97e cart right now, which is known for midrange and bottom end with an understated top end, so maybe that is why it lacks the shimmer I was hoping for... or maybe it needs time to break in more. Sibilance does not exist at this point, so I have that to be thankful for.  With the forward midrange my image seems a little cluttered and forward, but it isn't horrible. Stage is still vast and the air is still there, although compressed a bit.

Is it amazing? No, I can't say that, but it is a vast improvement over the Project Phono box, and IMO worth what you pay for it, and then some. I wanted to play with MCs but this unit will have to break in better before I take that jump. Ultimately I will be running a Budgie tube phono stage, but the module to add to it to enable the use of MC carts is $400... add that to the $450 price of the phono stage and quality carts costing upwards of $750 (admittedly you can find them on Amazon for $450 though) and I don't see myself taking that jump blindly to MC... ever. I was hoping that the Schiit would give me a good idea of weather the jump to MC would be worth it to me, but I don't think it does at this point.

We'll see... maybe it will open up to where I will feel comfortable dropping $450 on an MC and trying it.

[Godsmack 360]

13 hours ago, denim said:

Free beer for life?

No, but oddly enough I won a free case of 'beer' this past friday. I quote the 'beer' as it was BudLight.

 

J

[Penguin4x4 1,761]

Woohoo, free case of Bud Light!