I Just Picked Up ...

[tfarney]

I picked up Van Morrison's "country" album, "Pay The Devil." Some folks might have trouble calling it country, but it's quite good. The old guy can still belt it out.

 

Used to have a '65 Deluxe Reverb with the original Jensen blue frame speaker and a pair of NOS Visseaux 6v6 power tubes made the year I was born (!), but it got to be worth too much for a working tool and I sold it to a collector in California.

 

Tim

 

[baumer]

It seems like some of the songs end just as they get going, (i.e. No Ceiling). Does that make sense?

 

Doug

 

[baumer]

... just as long as i don't have to watch him sing!!! One of my favorite artists is Ryan Adams and the Cardinals. A lot of people would say that's country too. If they only would have seen them on the Henry Rollins Show!

 

Doug

 

[hifisoup]

It must the the Northern Illinois winter this year. We are setting records for snow fall around here. Having been a cold, dark, snowy February I purchased a lot of new music:

Lust Lust Lust & Pretty in Black by The Ravoenettes. Just got into this band about a month ago.

Dwight Sings Buck by Dwight Yoakum. What a fun album! Dwight sings Bucks best loved songs. RIP Buck.

Confessions Tour CD/DVD by Madonna. Madonna is my 'quilty pleasure'. Love her dance music.

The Hits by Faith Hill.

Liverpool 8 by Ringo Starr.

Dirt Farmer by Levon Helm.

Music for the Masses by Depeche Mode. (thanks TROY!)

Brothers & Sisters by The Allman Brothers.

Thick As A Brick (remaster) by Jethro Tull.

Tales of Mystery & Imagination Deluxe Edition by Alan Parsons.

 

As far as computer gear...I use an iMac G5 with itunes and have a 160GB AppleTV. I stream all of my music (entire CD library burned into itunes/stored on external Lacie HD) to my AppleTV in the living room. Sound is a NAD744 receiver and Paradigm speakers. I must say this is totally fun and sounds awesome! I've been in the Consumer Electronics industry since 1979 and have sold and owned a lot of high-end audio/video products but the easy access to quality, high-end music reproduction now available is the best ever.

 

By the way Chris C., I stumbled upon this site and it is now listed in my favorites. Very cool.

 

Doug 'hifi'

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hey Doug thanks for being a regular contributor and visitor to the site. You got me started on the Raveonettes and I'm off to get a couple albums today!

 

"I must say this is totally fun and sounds awesome!"

 

I think this is what everyone should strive for. Enjoying music and great sound. It really makes this fun, and hearing from people with this attitude about things is fabulous.

 

Feel free to describe your setup using the Apple TV etc... so others thinking about this can give it a shot if they want.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Picked up a couple CDs this afternoon.

 

The Raveonettes - Lust Lust Lust

 

 

 

and

 

The album I am really excited about is the new Suzanne Vega - Beauty & Crime. She switched labels over to Blue Note and the album is pretty different from previous releases. This was mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering.

 

 

 

[Innertuber]

Well, we hit another garage sale and bought about 400 CDs. A guys collection. Hope I can resell a lot of them. Here's a list of the ones I fiddled with over the weekend to give you a flavor. Mostly rock stuff. I've gotta stop going to these sales. Most of the multi sets should be complete, I just haven't yet unpacked two giant rubber maid tubs full of music!

 

Disks

Badfinger

Basia - Time And Tide

Beck – Mellow Gold

Billy Squire - Don’t Say No

Blues Traveler - Save His Soul

Bob Seger - Beautiful Looser

Bruce Springsteen - Tunnel Of Love

Chris Issak - Forever Blue

Chris Rea - Road To Hell

CSNY - So Far

Foreigner

Foreigner - Best And Beyond

George Thorogood – Baddest

Great White - Best Of

Janis Joplin - Pearl

Kiss Alive - Three

Lenny Kravitz - 5

Melissa Etheridge - Brave And Crazy

Mickey Hart - Planet Drum

Mozart - Final Symphonies

Neil Young - Harvest

Nirvana – In Utero

Pat Benatar – Gravity’s Rainbow

Patty Smith - Dream Of Life

REO - High Infidelity

Robert Plant - Fate Of Nations

Rodger McGuinn - Back From Rio

Rusted Root - When I Woke

Simon Garfunkel - Greatest Hits

Sly Stone – Greatest Hits

Sonny & Cher - Best Of

Sound Garden - Super Unknown

Spin Doctors - Turn It Upside Down

Sponge - Rotting Piñata

Tears For Fears - Seeds Of Love

Temple Of The Dog

The Church - Gold Afternoon Fix

Tin Machine

Tom Petty - Full Moon Fever

Uriah Heep - Live Europe 79

Van Halen - II

 

Multi Disk Sets

Allman Brothers - Dreams (1,4)

Bee Gees - Greatest (2)

Doors - Best Of (2)

Eric Clapton Crossroads Disk – (1,2 And 4)

Forrest Gump Soundtrack (2)

George Harrison - Live In Japan (2)

Neil Young - Weld (2)

War Anthology (2)

Woodstock (2)

 

Box Sets

Led Zeppelin (4) w/book

Rod Stewart - Storyteller (4) w/book

Soul Train - Hall Of Fame (3) w/book

Tommy Bolin (2) w/book

 

 

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

That's just too cool!

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

I picked up the MoFi limited edition, number 3033, of Santana. The sound is fabulous so far.

 

Hey Markr - I got this at my local Cheapo, have you been to the one in Austin yet? Same price as MoFi.com.

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[markr]

This is a new world record for me Chris. I just saw this post this morning.

 

No I haven't been to Cheapo's yet. My hours aren't compatible with most businesses, and I really have problems getting motivated to make the trek in time on my days off (though I didn't realize that they were open until midnight until just a minute ago!) - I usually have 'better things' to do: my most prodigious 'creative' time seems to be soon after fully awakening Thank Heaven for the internet. Also, Cheapo's in Austin is almost next door to one of the best record stores in this part of the country: Waterloo Records and Video - I always end up there instead. That could change soon though.....

 

I actually have both of these records. The Tupelo Honey is an original release that is well-worn. The Santana is virtually unplayed. I will soon get to try damage repair and digitization on my vinyl using Sound Forge and the DBX 117 that I just got on eBay though.... (w00t!).

 

That Santana has just AWESOME sound doesn't it?

 

markr

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Tha MoFi Santana release sound very good!

 

Cheapo is the place to be. Went there last night around 10:30 and picked up the four CDs above. They are the only place in town that still carries some MoFi releases.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

 

 

Yes, this is the new MoFi release!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rom661]

I've been a big Hiatt fan for 20 plus years. I also love "Big Love" by Little Village which was a one CD shot by Hiatt, Nick Lowe, Ry Cooder, and Jim Keltner, the lineup from Hiatt's 1980 "Bring the Family" release.

 

That provides my segue into my offering: This lady is new to me. Her name is Mary Ann Redmond and her "Here I Am" release leads off with a cover of Hiatt's song "Cry Love". Very soulful, strong voice, good recording, very good players. I like it. I picked up a couple of her other CD's and they are also quite good but this is my favorite. Perhaps put her in the Shelby Lynne category for earthiness but take away the bit of Memphis in Shelby and substitute a splash of Motown, which sounds weird but it works.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Just downloaded the low-fi iTunes version to hear what you're talking about. You're right on with your description! Good music!

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[tfarney]

Innertuber - Let us know what you want to sell. There are few in there I'd be interested in.

 

Chris - you have great taste in music. How do you like the Tupelo Honey re-master? The new Van re-masters are getting mixed reviews over on the Hoffman forum. Bear in mind, though, that there, mixed isn't bad. They are hard-core older is better guys for the most part.

 

I've got to hear the MOFI Santana and Abraxas someday. I have the early cd transfers and they're fine, but a little dull.

 

My most recent acquisition is Contrane Gold. It is part of an on-going adult education program I'm on in which I keep trying until I get Coltrane. It hasn't worked yet.

 

Tim

 

 

 

[Innertuber]

Hey Tim

 

We're out of the contry for a while - I'll get something to you when we return. About 100 or so left I think.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hey Tim - The Tupelo Heney remaster sounds pretty good to me. I don't have another version to compare it to though.

 

The two MoFi Santana discs are a real treat. Too bad they are so expensive.

 

I'm a huge Coltrane fan! I highly suggest getting your hands on a copy of Standard Coltrane. The Analogue Productions version from Acoustic Sounds is one of my favorite albums ever. The music and the sound quality are fabulous.

 

[tfarney]

The re-mastered Tupelo Honey is probably just a bit louder and brighter than the original Warners CD, which I have. And frankly, the purists over on the Hoffman forum would disagree, but I suspect that one benefits from the treatment. The old CD is a bit dull.

 

Here's the thing with Coltrane -- God, I love his tone. His sense of harmony (the right note against the right chord at the right time) is otherworldly. His phrasing is nearly vocal in its nuance, feel, and sheer brilliance. But all of that is in the first few bars of almost everything I've ever heard. It's like he's saying, "ok, here's the song we're playing...alright, I'm done with that..." and it's where he goes from there that I can't follow. I'm good with fast playing, and even dissonance. But dissonance is about creating tension in music, and tension has to be released. Coltrane never lets it go on time. Sometimes he doesn't let go period. He just rides the raw, dissonant edge of the music for chorus after chorus until he's thoroughly indulged himself, then stops off on the song again for a few bars to remind us of what we were supposed to be listening to.

 

All of that is just an opinion, of course, and it's one I'm a bit reluctant to express, as I know the man is universally considered a genius, and I can hear that genius, and I think perhaps the shortcoming in being unable to love his stuff is all mine...

 

Tim

 

[sammie]

I recently picked up a great CD: Jim White, Transnormal Skiperoo. I really like it and highly recommend it to others! It is mellow southern rock with blues and a little bit of gospel mixed in.

 

Also, I got the Synergistic Research USB cable. It offers a HUGE improvement over the Kimber cable I was using previously. Is it worth $550? Well, based on the improvement I'd say so...

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

The Synergistic USB cable has received a lot of good press.

 

I'm still waiting on a review sample from them. Last time I talked to Synergistic they told me that every cable is hand made and takes quite some time to put together. If you purchased the cable for $550 you've gotten a good deal. Synergistic is selling it for about half of what they would normally charged based on the materials and time involved in making it.

 

[PaulC]

A benchmark DAC1 USB and Red Wine Audio Signature 30.2 battery powered amp - need speakers - anybody got recommendations with a budget up to USD 2000?

 

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

This is a tough one to answer because everyone has different tastes and rooms and music and cables etc...

 

My recommendation for you is the Avalon Acoustics NP Evolution 2.0. It has been called the best speaker under $2k by some people. TONE Audio Magazine, which I am a contributor to, did a nice review on these speakers. I suggest downloading the PDF and reading the review.

 

[Donkeyshins]

I just picked up a whole bunch of parts from Digi-Key and Mouser and some Riken Ohm resistors from various sources that I am going to use to rebuild my ST-35 tube amplifier...

 

Does that count?

 

I also picked up 'No Sleep 'til Hammersmith' (new) and 'Freedom of Choice' (used) by Motorhead & Devo respectively on LP.

 

-D