Never heard them play it like this but if you want to hear the current Deep Purple playing a lounge version of Smoke, follow this video and move about 5 mins in to hear the live performance, great stuff.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
When albums ruled the world video
Fascinating video on the rise and fall of the LP as a medium for recorded sound, by the BBC. Worth watching all the way through.
Cartridge alignment joys
I've been trying out a couple of cartridge alignment gauges recently to celebrate the installation of an SME V on my table. The experience convinces me that those who find vinyl too fussy to deal with have good cause.
First off, in need of a new alignment protractor for the arm, I found that these are not always readily available, and rather than buy one from the UK, I ended up dealing with the fine folks at Flat Earth Audio who were out of stock but told me they could get some from SME probably faster than I could. Deal done. At $18 shipped, this is never going to break the bank but given that you are only getting a piece of card with the devilishly clever SME design that allows alignment with single point adjustment, you cannot complain. However, from my perspective, there are still a couple of problems with this alignment tool.
On my SME 20, the centre hole on the gauge is larger than the spindle on my player, which was not a problem on my old 309 gauge. With the roomier hole, the placement of the gauge is never certain and either SME makes difference center hole sizes for different tables, or my older SME has an older sized spindle. The solution for this was careful placement of tape over both sides of the hole which I split carefully with an Exacto knife on two-diameter lines to allow me to center the gauge tightly on the spindle. Plenty of room for the anal-obsessive to worry that the diameter lines were not perfect but it worked well enough for me. Seems odd though that I am reduced to this.
Problem two is the degree of precision one can get using a single point that is determined by eyeballing the arm's alignment from above for placement within two lines representing the outline of the tapered tonearm. It is possible to move the arm slightly fore and aft while still getting the appearance of a good fit, which means that the stylus point also moves slightly without ever being certain that you have got it perfectly set. SME's literature suggests not to sweat it -- and that is probably the most appropriate advice here but surely they know who they are speaking to? Audiophiles live to sweat it! For the sane few, this is fine, but how many sane purchasers of multi-thousand dollar analog rigs are out there? So, ease of use is wonderful but the sense of precision one demands, especially with a table/arm combo as otherwise perfectly engineered as my SME 20/SME V, is lacking.
In search of alternatives (or could it be reassurance?) I have purchased the alignment gauge designed by AVID for SME arms from Analog Seduction in the UK whose price and service were very good. This arrived promptly and safely but you should be warned, the only instructions are etched onto the gauge. In form, it's a hard, mirror-like plastic, quarter-circle-ish in shape, which (incidentally) fits the spindle of my SME 20.2 perfectly. Good for several models of SME tonearm, it's almost impossible to photo clearly but this image from Avid will give you a good idea. Here are the instructions:
1. Point alignment guideline at tonearm pivot
2. Immobilise alignment tool
3. Align cartridge using one of the grid patterns
4. Without moving guide check correct alignment with other grid.
As one intrepid owner on an audio forum put it, it's easy from step 2 on, the problem is step 1. While the tool does allow you to sight down a guideline (unlabeled) toward the pivot point of your tonearm, if you can see it, the line does not go all the way, and in my experience, it can tolerate slight sighting errors which, if you can imagine the tool, means you would move it slightly left or right to get your fix. Of course, in so doing, move the position of the two etched alignment grids on the gauge. Small errors, perhaps, but variance in use that you'd obviously wish to avoid. In fairness, I've not heard to many complaints from other users, but then I've wondered how confident all of them are in their sighting?
I'd add another couple of potential problems here. When you go to step 3, do you lower the stylus onto the gauge or just above it? No instructions there but I lowered to the surface and noticed that if you really want to hit the target, minor movements become very important, all the more reason to get the tonearm pivot point sighting perfect, not just close. My solution was to run a taut thread along the line and across the top of the SME to try to ensure I hit the pivot point. It might get easier with practice but since the thread must rise above the tool to hit the upper pivot point on the SME, there is room for error here too. All this makes me think those expensive tools which contain an adjustable pivot to spindle element such as the Feickert, are not overkill; precision costs. Alternatively, stick with the SME paper gauge and 'don't sweat it'. More as I go.
First off, in need of a new alignment protractor for the arm, I found that these are not always readily available, and rather than buy one from the UK, I ended up dealing with the fine folks at Flat Earth Audio who were out of stock but told me they could get some from SME probably faster than I could. Deal done. At $18 shipped, this is never going to break the bank but given that you are only getting a piece of card with the devilishly clever SME design that allows alignment with single point adjustment, you cannot complain. However, from my perspective, there are still a couple of problems with this alignment tool.
On my SME 20, the centre hole on the gauge is larger than the spindle on my player, which was not a problem on my old 309 gauge. With the roomier hole, the placement of the gauge is never certain and either SME makes difference center hole sizes for different tables, or my older SME has an older sized spindle. The solution for this was careful placement of tape over both sides of the hole which I split carefully with an Exacto knife on two-diameter lines to allow me to center the gauge tightly on the spindle. Plenty of room for the anal-obsessive to worry that the diameter lines were not perfect but it worked well enough for me. Seems odd though that I am reduced to this.
Problem two is the degree of precision one can get using a single point that is determined by eyeballing the arm's alignment from above for placement within two lines representing the outline of the tapered tonearm. It is possible to move the arm slightly fore and aft while still getting the appearance of a good fit, which means that the stylus point also moves slightly without ever being certain that you have got it perfectly set. SME's literature suggests not to sweat it -- and that is probably the most appropriate advice here but surely they know who they are speaking to? Audiophiles live to sweat it! For the sane few, this is fine, but how many sane purchasers of multi-thousand dollar analog rigs are out there? So, ease of use is wonderful but the sense of precision one demands, especially with a table/arm combo as otherwise perfectly engineered as my SME 20/SME V, is lacking.
In search of alternatives (or could it be reassurance?) I have purchased the alignment gauge designed by AVID for SME arms from Analog Seduction in the UK whose price and service were very good. This arrived promptly and safely but you should be warned, the only instructions are etched onto the gauge. In form, it's a hard, mirror-like plastic, quarter-circle-ish in shape, which (incidentally) fits the spindle of my SME 20.2 perfectly. Good for several models of SME tonearm, it's almost impossible to photo clearly but this image from Avid will give you a good idea. Here are the instructions:
1. Point alignment guideline at tonearm pivot
2. Immobilise alignment tool
3. Align cartridge using one of the grid patterns
4. Without moving guide check correct alignment with other grid.
As one intrepid owner on an audio forum put it, it's easy from step 2 on, the problem is step 1. While the tool does allow you to sight down a guideline (unlabeled) toward the pivot point of your tonearm, if you can see it, the line does not go all the way, and in my experience, it can tolerate slight sighting errors which, if you can imagine the tool, means you would move it slightly left or right to get your fix. Of course, in so doing, move the position of the two etched alignment grids on the gauge. Small errors, perhaps, but variance in use that you'd obviously wish to avoid. In fairness, I've not heard to many complaints from other users, but then I've wondered how confident all of them are in their sighting?
I'd add another couple of potential problems here. When you go to step 3, do you lower the stylus onto the gauge or just above it? No instructions there but I lowered to the surface and noticed that if you really want to hit the target, minor movements become very important, all the more reason to get the tonearm pivot point sighting perfect, not just close. My solution was to run a taut thread along the line and across the top of the SME to try to ensure I hit the pivot point. It might get easier with practice but since the thread must rise above the tool to hit the upper pivot point on the SME, there is room for error here too. All this makes me think those expensive tools which contain an adjustable pivot to spindle element such as the Feickert, are not overkill; precision costs. Alternatively, stick with the SME paper gauge and 'don't sweat it'. More as I go.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Latest HIFI'Zine published
The March 2013 issue of HiFi'Zine is out this morning. It includes my review of the Legacy Studio HD monitors, plus interviews with the brains behind Vapor Audio and a new electrostatic panel for the DIY community, as well as a survey of mid-priced DACs by Oliver Masciarotte. As always, comments welcomed on all articles.
The Legacy's are packed up and ready to ship out (non-trivial when I have to haul the box to UPS myself) but I have some Absolute Fidelity cords in the rig, which are causing reactions in listeners, and a test of the PS Audio PowerBase is up next. Both, hopefully, in the June issue but for now, enjoy the March edition -- this is a labor of love, remember, the 'Zine is a truly volunteer effort.
The Legacy's are packed up and ready to ship out (non-trivial when I have to haul the box to UPS myself) but I have some Absolute Fidelity cords in the rig, which are causing reactions in listeners, and a test of the PS Audio PowerBase is up next. Both, hopefully, in the June issue but for now, enjoy the March edition -- this is a labor of love, remember, the 'Zine is a truly volunteer effort.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Axpona -- the new RMAF?
I've not been to Axpona but I wish I could be there. Chicago is just a great location but I suppose once you get there for an audio show, location is not really a concern. Looks a little quieter than RMAF, which has got to be a plus for all but the dealers. This video from Cor Dekker gives you some sense of the occasion:
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Legacy Studios in the house
Also purchased several of the Sony Legacy reissues of the Rory Gallagher back catalog, and they are sonically a step up from earlier CD copies I have, perhaps closer to the original LP sound wise, which was a complaint I've repeatedly heard of all the reissues, regardless of origin, to date.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Improvements by Mapleshade
I always enjoy the Mapleshade catalog when it arrives, though I am not sure if it's the products or the claims that capture most of my attention. If you're not familiar with Mapleshade, they are home to a range of products from recordings to modified turntables. They also are probably most known now for their massive maple racks and plinths, which they sell as bases for everything from CD players to bookshelf speakers (which they recommend positioning low on the floor but tipped back so the drivers aim up at the listener).
The latest catalog doesn't disappoint and comes with the usual tales of endless listening tests behind their products such as the thin $100 speaker wire which 'customers' report besting mega-buck cables, the choice of maple over everything else for supporting gear, and their proprietary wash for steam cleaning LPs, that before you place them on their microdot platter spots which, you've guessed it, are of optimized geometry and yield 'bigger sonic dividends' than spending $3k on a cartridge upgrade. All of this might be true but I don't actually know anyone who's tried their products so unless they are sending stuff out for review, I'll just have to continue enjoying the claims.
Their thin power cords and strips, which look like they are wrapped in cellophane bags certainly lack the bling factor of most audiophile products, but they also probably elicit shrieks from spouses when introduced into a living room. All a matter of taste, I suppose, but among their free tips for better sound, they recommend sitting with your chair back to the wall behind you (long wall preferably) with the speakers pulled up to 5ft in front of you. Now, I might be able to sell my significant other on the cellophane wrapped wires but rearranging the furniture and speakers in this way would be a quick path to bachelorhood I fear. If you try it, let me know how you get on, sonically that is (I don't want to know about your relationships!)
Now I am not saying there is nothing of value here - the Stanton table upgrades seem impressive, but the endless claims of listening tests, $90 tweaks that outperform multi-grand component upgrades, and exact percentage increases in sonic quality that result from one or other addition tends to elicit guffaws rather than respect after awhile but who knows? If you've tried one of these products, share your experience.
The latest catalog doesn't disappoint and comes with the usual tales of endless listening tests behind their products such as the thin $100 speaker wire which 'customers' report besting mega-buck cables, the choice of maple over everything else for supporting gear, and their proprietary wash for steam cleaning LPs, that before you place them on their microdot platter spots which, you've guessed it, are of optimized geometry and yield 'bigger sonic dividends' than spending $3k on a cartridge upgrade. All of this might be true but I don't actually know anyone who's tried their products so unless they are sending stuff out for review, I'll just have to continue enjoying the claims.
Their thin power cords and strips, which look like they are wrapped in cellophane bags certainly lack the bling factor of most audiophile products, but they also probably elicit shrieks from spouses when introduced into a living room. All a matter of taste, I suppose, but among their free tips for better sound, they recommend sitting with your chair back to the wall behind you (long wall preferably) with the speakers pulled up to 5ft in front of you. Now, I might be able to sell my significant other on the cellophane wrapped wires but rearranging the furniture and speakers in this way would be a quick path to bachelorhood I fear. If you try it, let me know how you get on, sonically that is (I don't want to know about your relationships!)
Now I am not saying there is nothing of value here - the Stanton table upgrades seem impressive, but the endless claims of listening tests, $90 tweaks that outperform multi-grand component upgrades, and exact percentage increases in sonic quality that result from one or other addition tends to elicit guffaws rather than respect after awhile but who knows? If you've tried one of these products, share your experience.
Friday, February 1, 2013
Jimmie Vaughan doing well
Well, it happens to the best of them but I was amazed to learn from a friend in the UK that Jimmie had suffered a heart attack this week, though thankfully he is doing well. Read it here but I would not have known without that link form Europe as I don't read the local press. You may not know either, unless you read such outlets as you can be sure the mainstream media don't cover musicians such as Jimmie. I have to say Jimmie Vaughan is really a quite amazing player who's guitar skills are often under appreciated because of his laid back style and lack of histrionics. Having seen him live, I think he is way more impressive than some whom he backs, e.g. the 'god' who is appearing soon in Austin with ticket prices ranging from the low hundred(s) if you just want to be in the arena to several thousand bucks if you want to be up close. That ain't the blues, and it sure isn't justice either. Am sure JV does not mind and for that alone, we should all be grateful he's around for bit longer yet. Play on, JV.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Hi Fi as rip off?
Attendees at the Bristol Sound and Vision Show got an earful from the keynote speaker about the 'deceit' of many hi-end manufacturers. Reviewers also got it in the eye from AVI head honcho Ashley James. Cheap parts masquerading as expensive design? Check. Huge mark ups for dealers? Check. Reviewers who perpetuate the myth of value from the uber-expensive products? Check. Wish I could have been there. Of course, AVI do have a dog in the fight so pinches of salt are probably in order ("more than $1.5k for those little monitors?"). I'd love to try some of their products to get some perspective here but let's face it, we all suspect that he's speaking at least some truth, no?
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Rory Gallagher lives on....
I've been on a Rory Gallagher kick recently both informationally and musically. After reading the bio mentioned below (and being concerned by the close match between its content and much of what is available freely online, if you get my drift), I wanted more. Thankfully, much more is available through long-standing bass player Gerry McAvoy's "Riding Shotgun", his account of years on the road with Rory. I was not really looking forward to it, worried that it was an effort to make money from Rory's name but was really pleasantly surprised by the book's content. Gerry makes for an engaging story-teller and pulls few punches in his account of the endless road journey Rory and the boys undertook through the 70s and part of the 80s. By this account, Rory was a rather elusive character, committed to music, particularly the blues, and very uncomfortable with the business side of music. Managed by his brother, Donal, Rory kept the band on weekly wages (a somewhat sore point to them, with Gerry documenting the weekly increases from $35 per week in the early days to $500 later, with annual bonuses for good years). There's lots of great stories here which you need to read for yourself but if you love the music, Rory, or just a decent account of life on the road for a real band during those years, not pop stars or stadium rockers who seek to glamorize their 'recoveries', this is a book for you. Sadly, the end of Rory seems so tragic and avoidable, but it seems Rory had few friends or close partners, and he ended his days badly, alone, and even booed off the stage when his illness prevented him delivering the goods that he so reliably demonstrated for decades. This is an honest account, on all levels, and there's great credit to Gerry McAvoy here, this is far better than a lot of music biographies.
Musically, I've been mining the Rory back catalog and unearthing some gems.
The live BBC Sessions disc is superb and from the opening bars of Calling Card, where the sound mixer realizes the bass is way up and makes a quick adjustment, you get a real 'you are there' listening experience. I've also picked up a couple of reissued LPs to get a sense of what's happening to the back catalog on vinyl. The Back on Black release of "The Beat Club Sessions" is actually a superb, heavy white vinyl double album of live appearances made by Rory and the band over the years on this German TV show. Those thick slabs of milky white vinyl look and feel as good as they sound. Photo-finish, on newly released vinyl from European label Music on Vinyl is decent too, though the treble seems a little hot on my rig, which might be the mix, the pressing or the still-not-completely-broken-in Dynavector. Don't have an original copy to compare this with but the quality is sufficiently good to give me confidence picking up further releases (watch these, the price varies a lot so shop around).
Of course, there also some great video footage of Rory now available, and an Xmas present I loved was a Blu-Ray release of "Irish Tour '74". This is a great fly on the wall rock documentary, not a staged concert with a cherry-picked audience and posed moments, replete with superb concert footage that comes as close as anything I've seen to the experience of Rory live. Happy memories and no little sadness at the loss of this giant. Was Rory really that good? Hah.... he was even better.
Musically, I've been mining the Rory back catalog and unearthing some gems.
The live BBC Sessions disc is superb and from the opening bars of Calling Card, where the sound mixer realizes the bass is way up and makes a quick adjustment, you get a real 'you are there' listening experience. I've also picked up a couple of reissued LPs to get a sense of what's happening to the back catalog on vinyl. The Back on Black release of "The Beat Club Sessions" is actually a superb, heavy white vinyl double album of live appearances made by Rory and the band over the years on this German TV show. Those thick slabs of milky white vinyl look and feel as good as they sound. Photo-finish, on newly released vinyl from European label Music on Vinyl is decent too, though the treble seems a little hot on my rig, which might be the mix, the pressing or the still-not-completely-broken-in Dynavector. Don't have an original copy to compare this with but the quality is sufficiently good to give me confidence picking up further releases (watch these, the price varies a lot so shop around).
Of course, there also some great video footage of Rory now available, and an Xmas present I loved was a Blu-Ray release of "Irish Tour '74". This is a great fly on the wall rock documentary, not a staged concert with a cherry-picked audience and posed moments, replete with superb concert footage that comes as close as anything I've seen to the experience of Rory live. Happy memories and no little sadness at the loss of this giant. Was Rory really that good? Hah.... he was even better.
Monday, December 24, 2012
It's really about the music
Despite all the great gear I have and get to review, sometimes I have to remind myself that it is all for nothing without the music. I am reminded of this tonight after reading a bio of the great Rory Gallagher, and realizing from this how many of his albums I own and how important some of them once were to me: Live in Europe, for example, was rarely off my table during certain teenage years.
So, of course, I have to go looking for what is out there from Rory in this new, re-released, newly remastered, never-before-heard-age. Are those 180g audiophile-approved Rory LPs really any good? Let's see.....I'll be back.
So, of course, I have to go looking for what is out there from Rory in this new, re-released, newly remastered, never-before-heard-age. Are those 180g audiophile-approved Rory LPs really any good? Let's see.....I'll be back.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Kickstarting a turntable?
Not quite as the title suggests but you've got to admire the passion behind a project to launch a new table via the Kickstarter site. The Orbit by U-Turn Audio has got to be worth supporting. Check this out:
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Dec issue of HiFi'Zine now issued
My review of the wonderful Von Schweikert VR22 kicks off the Dec 2012 issue of HiFi'Zine, which also has coverage of the RMAF and the Australian AV/Audio Show, and lots more. The VR22s are an easy-recommend, and deliver great, lively, room-filling sound in your home for under $3k.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
RHB announce teflon capacitor patent for audio
RHB Sound Dezign, an amplification modification company run by Bob Backert, argues that even some of the best gear in the world uses cheap electrolytic capacitors in the audio chain, driven by cost savings. They offer a series of upgrades to better capacitors to improve sonics, and hopefully saving you some money over the cost of a new amp. This week, RHB announced they have been awarded a new patent for a power supply using only teflon capacitors, apparently a world's first for audio amplification. The teflon design is said to greatly improve linearity and dynamics in the audio signal. Progress, it seems, comes even in the most traditional of audiophile products. I also hear the company will be producing it's own tube preamp in 2013, so I'll be keeping my calendar open for a review sample.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
New owners for Thiel Audio
If you believe audio is unnecessarily a guy's domain, you might be saddened a little by the news today that Theil Audio has been taken over by a private equity firm, and one of the few female CEOs in audioland, Kathy Gornik is leaving. It should not be too surprising following the death of Jim Thiel that the company would end up with new owners and there is hope here that the company will continue to thrive. They may even get their website up to date! More here:
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