Blast out of bed

[KEW]

When I was single, I used to have a device from RatShack which looked like a simple alarm clock. I would set it up with my stereo cranked and cassette set on timer. It would kick start me every morning with high energy tunes (possibly my favorite for blast-effect was "Soundchaser" from the YES Relayer album).

This ended when my wife moved in, she thought it was insane to wake so abruptly!

However, my wife is currently waking up and out of the house before 6:30, which means I can fall back into my high energy wake ups!

So, my questions:
1) What is a good system to allow use of my stereo system as an alarm clock?
2) Do modern CD players have a timer function? I have a Marantz CC4001, but do not see it mentioned in the manual nor labeled on the unit or RC. I have an old Sony CD player from he 80's that would do the job. Just curious if this feature has been eliminated.
3) For fun... suggestion on good "blast out of bed" music.

Thanks,
Kurt

 

[sholling]

Alarm clock? What's an alarm clock? I vaguely remember something about rising and shining. I just get up when I feel like it or the dog sticks that ice cold nose in my side.

 

[Seth=L]

Get an audio timer. Used Pioneer audio timers often show up on ebay. You can also use a universal remote with macro functions and a clock to execute a series of functions in a particular order and time segments.

 

[dkane360]

I use my iphone and have it set to play the most annoying ring tone at max volume. It's usually enough to scare me awake if my cat hasnt already done so.

 

[KEW]

I use my iphone and have it set to play the most annoying ring tone at max volume. It's usually enough to scare me awake if my cat hasnt already done so.

iPhone? No, no, that's all wrong! I want an adrenaline rush!
The room needs to be pressurized when the drums and bass hits which should be the first sound!!!!
Hmmm, now I'm wondering if my auto-on subs will be at the ready. I'll have to see how the Pioneer Audio Timers work.

 

[dkane360]

iPhone? No, no, that's all wrong! I want an adrenaline rush!
The room needs to be pressurized when the drums and bass hits which should be the first sound!!!!
Hmmm, now I'm wondering if my auto-on subs will be at the ready.

Hmm, I guess I'll try and hook it up to my Klipsch towers and my Dayton titanic

http://technabob.com/blog/2009/09/24/worlds-loudest-alarm-clock/

 

[Alex2507]

I thought it was maybe gonna be a thread about farting ... possibly sharting.

 

[KEW]

Hmm, I guess I'll try and hook it up to my Klipsch towers and my Dayton titanic

http://technabob.com/blog/2009/09/24/worlds-loudest-alarm-clock/

That is more like it!

I kind of like the linked setup, but the beauty of music is I go from adrenaline rush to immediately grinning like an idiot and getting into the music. I think the two 140dB horns would just piss me off!

 

[KEW]

I just get up when ... the dog sticks that ice cold nose in my side.

Actually, Ice cold nose and a good dog is pretty much the same effect - intensity followed by good vibes

 

[Pyrrho]

When I was single, I used to have a device from RatShack which looked like a simple alarm clock. I would set it up with my stereo cranked and cassette set on timer. It would kick start me every morning with high energy tunes (possibly my favorite for blast-effect was "Soundchaser" from the YES Relayer album).

This ended when my wife moved in, she thought it was insane to wake so abruptly!

However, my wife is currently waking up and out of the house before 6:30, which means I can fall back into my high energy wake ups!

So, my questions:
1) What is a good system to allow use of my stereo system as an alarm clock?
2) Do modern CD players have a timer function? I have a Marantz CC4001, but do not see it mentioned in the manual nor labeled on the unit or RC. I have an old Sony CD player from he 80's that would do the job. Just curious if this feature has been eliminated.
3) For fun... suggestion on good "blast out of bed" music.

Thanks,
Kurt

1) Use a timer, just like you did before.
2) Many do not. You can test your particular player by turning it on, sticking a CD into it, and then, with it on (but your amplifier off), unplug it. Then plug the CD player back in, and if it starts playing when it is plugged in, it will work. But since you have an old CD player that can do the job, it hardly matters whether your newer player will work or not.
3) Make a CDR copy of the end of the first track of this, when it gets very loud, so that you skip the earlier quiet portions for maximum effect.

 

[sholling]

Actually, Ice cold nose and a good dog is pretty much the same effect - intensity followed by good vibes

I still haven't figured out how she manages to get her nose down to about -20 in a 70 degree bedroom.

 

[sparky77]

You could get something like this for example, and open it up and wire in a 3.5mm stereo jack to easily connect it to your receiver. I did it with an old GE clock radio, until I accidentally set it on the dead mans alarm setting and left the volume turned up...... Let's just say an alarm clock doesn't survive after your woken up to 200 watts of buzzing......

 

[highfigh]

iPhone? No, no, that's all wrong! I want an adrenaline rush!
The room needs to be pressurized when the drums and bass hits which should be the first sound!!!!
Hmmm, now I'm wondering if my auto-on subs will be at the ready. I'll have to see how the Pioneer Audio Timers work.

The Pioneer timers were made for receivers and amps with a mechanical power switch and the way they turn on now isn't going to allow this to work. The new receivers are on standby if the power is turned off. If you use a URC or Pronto remote with a turn-on command and RF control, it's the best bet for making this happen but I'm not sure that a big adrenaline rush at wake-up is actually good for anyone.

 

[KEW]

The Pioneer timers were made for receivers and amps with a mechanical power switch and the way they turn on now isn't going to allow this to work. The new receivers are on standby if the power is turned off. If you use a URC or Pronto remote with a turn-on command and RF control, it's the best bet for making this happen but I'm not sure that a big adrenaline rush at wake-up is actually good for anyone.

Thanks for the info on the timers and modern equipment. I'll have to give more thought to putting this together.

I don't know if I really get an adrenaline rush or not, but you do have a good point - in that it has been ~20 years since I've done this. It might not sit so well with my older self. I'll have to cobble something together for a test before I go whole-hog.

 

[highfigh]

Thanks for the info on the timers and modern equipment. I'll have to give more thought to putting this together.

I don't know if I really get an adrenaline rush or not, but you do have a good point - in that it has been ~20 years since I've done this. It might not sit so well with my older self. I'll have to cobble something together for a test before I go whole-hog.

At this point, it's good just to get a good night's sleep. I'd bet the reaction for the first time it fired up the system at 100dB isn't printable here and then, there's always the mess that goes with waking up that way. I think you know what I mean.

 

[The Dali]

I would check with your doctoir first to make sure your heart is in good enough shape to take the shock every morniing!!!

Damn, waking up to "The Trooper" would likely scare me silly each morning!

 

[sholling]

it has been ~20 years since I've done this. It might not sit so well with my older self. I'll have to cobble something together for a test before I go whole-hog.

Good plan. If it's been 20 years I suspect that the hazard to the heart and the gear - as in going postal on it with a bat - would be high.

 

[Pyrrho]

The Pioneer timers were made for receivers and amps with a mechanical power switch and the way they turn on now isn't going to allow this to work. The new receivers are on standby if the power is turned off. If you use a URC or Pronto remote with a turn-on command and RF control, it's the best bet for making this happen but I'm not sure that a big adrenaline rush at wake-up is actually good for anyone.

Yes, I had forgotten that, many of the modern receivers may not be on if unplugged while on and then plugged back in (which is effectively what one is doing with a timer). However, I suspect that some may be on if one does that, and the only way to know about a specific model is to try it out.

 

[KEW]

Good plan. If it's been 20 years I suspect that the hazard to the heart and the gear - as in going postal on it with a bat - would be high.

Yeah, I suspect I will tame it down some, but I still like the idea of at least waking up to some good strong high energy music. I've always been one to go from sleep to wake quickly. My wife likes to ease into it and is commonly annoyed that I am chipper in the AM.

You can read between the lines on that one and you'd all probably be right (except Alex, with his demented twist, of course).

 

[KEW]

Aha! I forgot that Soundchaser starts off with about 5 seconds of "piano tinkle" (yeah, I know it's not really piano) - just enough to wake and be ready for the kick that follows it.

I haven't listened to it for a long time - it is a little over the top for me, but a great "get your arsh out of bed" tune. I thought it started with the drums.

I'm a little hesitant to post this, because it will definitely sound like pure mush on any kind of normal computer system. I takes a good, tight hi-fi system to keep things from getting jumbled!

Crank it!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn5pRggtZpc

Cheers!