Qobuz (PC) --> Audirvana --> Schiit Bifrost 2/64 --> (NOS mode) --> Feliks Elikse mkii (PSvane Horion CV 181 driver tubes, Genelax Gold Lion KT88 power tubes via adapter)--> Byerdynamic DT 880 (600 ohm) UK Custom Can mod.
Happy Sunday/Monday, everyone. First album(s) for the day. This complete set has a special place in my heart and on my shelf.
Back in 2006, when I was slowly expanding my musical horizon as a young pup, I learned about Miles Davis. I listened to as many free recordings and checked out many CDs from my university's library. One afternoon, as I needed to pick up a few books for a literature course, my mother decided to accompany me to the local book store, Borders (may fortune keep a blessed place for this wonderful bookstore franchise). Anyway, as I completed my browsing of the books and getting ready to purchase the books, my mother wanted to look at magazines. So, she ventured to grab a few magazines, a nice cup of vanilla latte, and sit down in the designated "cafe" section. In the meantime, I headed to the music section and was immediately captivated by a large CD collection, in a midnight blue rectangular cover box. I heard of John Coltrane, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Phil Jones, and of course Miles Davis, but I had no idea they all played together. My interest was piqued as soon as I lay my sight on this treasure.
Looking behind the glass panel cover, with a hefty lock preventing me from grabbing the wondrous artifact, I left wondering what the music must have sounded like. For the next 20 minutes, I remained unmoved in that same position as if I was digging roots into the ground. I looked at the price tag, I opted against spending money as I had other expenses that needed my attention. Lost in thought, I felt a hand gently reaching for my shoulder. It was my mother. She inquired what has caused me to lose track of my surroundings. I explained to her how I read about these wonderful musicians and how I was slowly exploring Jazz music.
My mother asked me to return the magazines she did not like and to meet her at the cash register as she was going to pay for the magazines she picked and for the two books (Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment" and Tolstoy's Anna Karenina") which were the respective books I went to purchase in the first place.
Once my task was completed - returning the magazines my mother did not want to purchase back to the respective racks - I headed to the cash register area. My mother already completed the transaction and was holding two bags, one rather large which was perplexing since the books and the magazines did not require a separate bag, and certainly not one so large as she held in her right arm. As I got closer, I saw a large rectangular shape in a midnight blue blazing through the shopping bag. I dared not believe it, but my mother purchased the four CD set as an early birthday gift. That evening, as I recall it being Friday night, I spent the next four hours listening to the set on an old CD player with my Alesandro MS-1. While the equipment itself was humble (as best as I could afford then), I never enjoyed music as I did that evening and do not believe I ever lived such a magical moment with music again.
Happy listening everyone.
