Mantown

[afterlife2]

Walter, a member from Upstate gave me the TT and TLS sent me a working motor a few years later when the old one became sluggish. All free but there is no such thing as a free puppy. I don't really buy records any more as much as I look to cull the ones I have. There's a few hundred of them by now. It's a ridiculous storage problem for a condo dweller but there's a bit of Americana that I'm missing and my 1st record deal was with this old guy for like 90 of his old albums going back to Benny Goodman.

The first record I played was K.C. and the Sunshine Band.

That's the way, uh-huh, uh-huh

KC is still the man! Love Boogie man. Rahaha

 

[Alex2507]

I was trying to get a an idea of annular rings per inch.

... and it's quarter sawn. It was a coffee table. Now it's the top to the rack.

I got to looking around and noticed more Maple accents in here. This ought to look alright.

 

[ryanosaur]

Do you always measure your wood?

 

[Alex2507]

Yes.

Anybody know for sure about the connector for this? I need one.

Are they called Pheonix Type?

 

[Alex2507]

Are they called Pheonix Type?

Ahem ... somebody out there must know. I ordered a couple of twos and a three to make up the 7 prongs. It occurred to me later that two three packs would have worked better. I think I still have a pair of Monster RCA's with twisted pair and a one sided ground to attach to the amp. JBL MPC 200, BTW. My first external amp with some home cooked thermal paste kung fu from way back. There's a fire extinguisher within 50 feet. Long story.

So the top for the equipment rack turned out to look ridiculous and amounted to a seeming waste of some pretty nice wood and a definite waste of time. I'm back at the drawing board the solution is sooooooo obvious: I can bolt the amp into the top of the rack and just have it be the top. But ...

1. I lose that cool AF radiused nosing
2. Its fan noise
3. There's already a ton of weight on those little height adjustment feets
4. Just thinking about it is making me tired

An odd thing with the TT happened. The arm felt heavy. I checked the balance on it and found it to be way off even though it was on my marks 100%.

It now has new marks. I have no idea how that happened. I balance the arm and then every 1/16" that I slide the weight past that is a gram? I gotta look that up again but I can finally set the needle down using the little mechanism that the XB's came equipped with, without the needle catching a groove and being launched into the album from the momentum of the extra weight I had on it. Maybe the weight was on there to keep the needle from being bounced by footsteps. IDK.

I've been listening to my record collection more than anything. Whole albums make waiting for one song take forever but it's time to flip the album before you know it. Maybe it's called a turntable because it turns the laws of physics in on themselves and time travels in two directions simultaneously.

And I want to ditch one of the two subs. The only time it might be an issue is with the Denon 1920 on SACD/DVD-A because of their -10db sub out. It would just mean coming down 3db on the mains. (EDIT) Just remembered: can't come down on the mains. I'm already maxed out in either direction with the subs up and the mains down ... hmmm (/EDIT)

I'm tempted to ditch the bi-amping scheme too but ... it's still too soon. We have just reunited after all ... but I really only need one channel out of the seven if I ditch a sub and use the rec'r for the mains. At any rate, I'm not about to disconnect any wires from a working system without a plan. As far as A/B listening comparisons, NFW. I know it sucks when I don't want to hear it and I know it's good when I can't get enough.

Anyway, that's my Dear Diary installment. Now I gotta get to the post office and grocery store to further propagate the myth of adulthood. I'm thinking about asking the butcher what's in his equipment rack just to shake him up a little.

 

[everettT]

Yes.

Anybody know for sure about the connector for this? I need one.

Are they called Pheonix Type?

Yes, with the female part inserted

 

[ryanosaur]

Yes, with the female part inserted

Ummm...
Nope. I won’t.
But please, somebody... you know what needs to be done.

 

[Alex2507]

Yes, with the female part inserted

Are you being fresh?

I got these. I didn't notice they were 4 packs. That gives me the option I wanted to go with a three pole for each channel and an open ground in the middle.

That amp has 31 db of gain and it's a QSC knock off. Irv's weak pre-pro ought to hum along nicely with that. I'll see then if it has that low level hum he spoke of due to the ground issue. The parts are on their way. Now even listening comparisons seem like a good idea, I mean there are two different systems sitting right here with like 3 amp options as soon as those connectors show up. System 2 is on one of those custom wood stands often coveted by the audiophile elite.

 

[everettT]

Are you being fresh?

I got these. I didn't notice they were 4 packs. That gives me the option I wanted to go with a three pole for each channel and an open ground in the middle.

That amp has 31 db of gain and it's a QSC knock off. Irv's weak pre-pro ought to hum along nicely with that. I'll see then if it has that low level hum he spoke of due to the ground issue. The parts are on their way. Now even listening comparisons seem like a good idea, I mean there are two different systems sitting right here with like 3 amp options as soon as those connectors show up. System 2 is on one of those custom wood stands often coveted by the audiophile elite.

Yup those are the type. Some OEMs have slight variations FWIW.. you're going to town lately, kudos!

 

[Alex2507]

you're going to town lately, kudos!

Last Spring somebody on CL was asking $10 for an old Panny plasma. It turned out he didn't want ten bucks. He just didn't like the riff raff the word "free" attracts: f^%&ing weirdos. So I've had this plasma sitting on our bedroom dresser not plugged in or anything for too long.

This morning we got to getting ready for company and I got the TV hooked up to the old Roku device from Mantown. System 3 is starting to take form. Of course it wasn't that smooth: I had to use an Oppo HDMI switch because the Roku device was too long to be able to plug it in to the TV. I had already given up before I remembered having the switch: victory from the jaws of defeat.

 

[Swerd]

I just caught up reading all your recent blur of activity in Mantown. It's been some major work. I don't know if I should feel proud of you, or guilty. Afterall, I introduced you to Dennis Murphy and his speakers. I also provided the venue for the Great Speaker & Amp exchange when you picked up your SongTowers and that 7-channel amp. I guess I feel both guilty for enabling an addict , and proud of your really nice work .

I'm up way too early this morning, reading stuff online, because I'm trying to forget my upset stomach. Two nights ago, I had the worst case of the throws & goes that I've had in decades . You know what I mean, I was convinced a guy named Ralph O'Rourke lives down sewage drain pipe. And if I hollered his name loud enough, down the toilet, Ralph would answer me. After 3 tries at calling Ralph & his brother Earl, I followed with the Hershey Squirts.

The next day, I pretty much slept most of the day, eating only a small bowl of cereal that evening. Yesterday, I seemed to feel better, but still very tired. I ate a very small breakfast, ½ a bowl of soup for lunch, but had decent sized dinner. I felt alright through the evening, went to bed early, and woke up with a seriously upset stomach. As I remembered my Ralph & Earl session too well, I couldn't stay in bed. So, I've been up since 3:30, and I feel like hammered dogshit.

So, despite my GI tract, I've really enjoyed your Mantown Diary .

 

[Alex2507]

So, despite my GI tract, I've really enjoyed your Mantown Diary

Glad I could be there for you. Puking while sober is so wrong. The first time I got sick after getting sober was like a decade into sobriety and with the way alcohol works, I had pretty much forgotten what an affront puking really is. I was not prepared.

I also provided the venue for the Great Speaker & Amp exchange when you picked up your SongTowers and that 7-channel amp.

I leave the amp part out of the event's title. After all, it was the speakers that got everybody acting all crazy. My favorite part of all that was about a year later when Cheryl said to me, "you're not getting rid of those speakers". I like it when she starts making sense like that.

The amp though, I think about ditching it but then I don't want it sitting unused so I hook it up. Then I think about ditching it. Then I read 2 posts by RichB and I want a bigger amp.

http://imgur.com/MuzobLt

 

[Swerd]

Glad I could be there for you. Puking while sober is so wrong. The first time I got sick after getting sober was like a decade into sobriety and with the way alcohol works, I had pretty much forgotten what an affront puking really is. I was not prepared.

Thanks for making me smile.

 

[ryanosaur]

Awesome story. All of it. Every little part.

Glad you are feeling better @Swerd !

 

[Truthslayer]

Yes, with the female part inserted

What you talkin about Willis ?

Ummm...
Nope. I won’t.
But please, somebody... you know what needs to be done.

Guess we been doing it all wrong for all these years. Time to go home and slap your momma. How dare she teach us to insert the male part .

 

[Pogre]

Most likely food poisoning of some kind. Almost every case of "stomach flu" is actually food poisoning. When it hits you hard and fast and comes out of both ends it's rarely, if ever a virus. Unless you have the plague or something. Then puking is the least of your problems.

Why Alex, do I relate so well to the way you put "puking while sober"? God, it's so much more miserable when you're sober. When I used to drink there were times I'd puke then go right back inside and grab another beer. No biggie.

 

[KEW]

I always liked the look of that amp!
I have regretted selling it!
Maybe we should call it the waffle amp because of the way we waffle in our appreciation of it!
When I sold it, I was of a mind that I would always use my AVR amps for surrounds and only use external amp(s) for the front two (or three), so a 7 channel amp was too much more than I would ever need. However, with the current ECO system (as presented by Marantz/Denon) there is a risk of switching noise which is not an issue if you use external amplification for all channels, so I now have the use for a 5 channel amp (and likely 7 before long with atmos). I want to use the ECO option because the AVR runs cooler.

 

[Pogre]

I always liked the look of that amp!
I have regretted selling it!
Maybe we should call it the waffle amp because of the way we waffle in our appreciation of it!
When I sold it, I was of a mind that I would always use my AVR amps for surrounds and only use external amp(s) for the front two (or three), so a 7 channel amp was too much more than I would ever need. However, with the current ECO system (as presented by Marantz/Denon) there is a risk of switching noise which is not an issue if you use external amplification for all channels, so I now have the use for a 5 channel amp (and likely 7 before long with atmos). I want to use the ECO option because the AVR runs cooler.

I've seen you comment on eco mode many times and a couple weeks ago I finally switched mine. I'm shocked at how much cooler my SR6011 runs now. I might even take my fan off of it now.

 

[Alex2507]

Awesome story. All of it. Every little part.

I just checked, this room is about a decade in the making. I like your speaker story arc better.

What sounds good?
I'll take two Phils.
The end.

... and then the only upgrade worth considering from an affordability stand point is DIY. The only problem there is that Salk finishes only come from Salk. It took me a while to stop being ridiculously impressed by the ST's. I can only imagine the level of appreciation you have for that bright blue of the Phils.

I now have the use for a 5 channel amp (and likely 7 before long

$750 still takes the amp but you have to bring your own power cord.

I always thought folks looking for a 5 or 7 channel amp were concerned that this amp is rated to push 200 watts into only 3 channels at once. In all honesty, every single source of amplification I have used (AVR's included) has been loud enough and then some. The Aragon is just plain too cool for school but I would still sell it. <<< I'm going to do my best to stick to that.

I might even take my fan off of it now.

I still haven't used a fan and the 2 Yammies I have run about as warm as you would expect. It's just a matter of laziness that keeps me from getting some. If I had them in place, laziness would keep me from disconnecting them, especially in the light of the current pro-fan craze.

 

[KEW]

If the $750 includes shipping, I will take it!