[JamminVMI]

Lexington bbq. Right on the dividing line between the vinegar-shed and the tomato-shed. BBQ birthed there can run downhill in either direction. Pure perfection. And I think the cheerwine is better too. But ymmv.

Cheerwine hard to find here in CA. Sigh...

 

[Zojokkeli]

About those driving conditions, visited girlfriend’s family today. The road is all ice and water now.

At least Elma is loving it.

 

[ScOgLiO]

About those driving conditions, visited girlfriend’s family today. The road is all ice and water now.



At least Elma is loving it.

Mmh, not sure I want to try the that car version of ice skating myself...

Elma is super cute!

 

[sam6550a]

IMHO, all the gear is a means to an end. Music is the real passion we all share. Well, that and BBQ, etc.

And collecting vacuum tubes.

 

[macdonjh]

While I’ve been enjoying spinning cds lately I sometimes miss a long playlist. This sounds better than it has any right to.

It must be that boutique-looking USB cable.

 

[darkarn]

IMHO, all the gear is a means to an end. Music is the real passion we all share. Well, that and BBQ, etc.

Indeed, this is why I am starting to figure that it may be better to get a decent "mid-ranged" setup, and then spend the rest of the money on being able to go for trips to attend the concerts of the artists that I like

I mean, no matter what kind of Argle Bargle AAAA++ "end-game tier" setup of the day you have to enjoy those virtual concerts (which are at best, more as a life support for those artists right now but that's another story for another day), you still can't beat live sound and more importantly, the live atmosphere of being in the same physical space as your favourite artists and fans.

This is one of the few things I am thankful about COVID-19 as it made me realise this much more acutely than before

PS: As for the BBQ, well, will certainly channel some money there since I can't cook that at my family's house!

 

[Les Strat]

Indeed, this is why I am starting to figure that it may be better to get a decent "mid-ranged" setup, and then spend the rest of the money on being able to go for trips to attend the concerts of the artists that I like

I mean, no matter what kind of Argle Bargle AAAA++ "end-game tier" setup of the day you have to enjoy those virtual concerts (which are at best, more as a life support for those artists right now but that's another story for another day), you still can't beat live sound and more importantly, the live atmosphere of being in the same physical space as your favourite artists and fans.

This is one of the few things I am thankful about COVID-19 as it made me realise this much more acutely than before

PS: As for the BBQ, well, will certainly channel some money there since I can't cook that at my family's house!

I agree @darkarn

As soon as lockdown ends in the UK, I will be back out seeing live music again

 

[Ripper2860]

I'm holding tickets for 4 concerts postponed due to COVID.

 

[ev666il]

So here's a fun thing that happened.

Some of you already know from my previous posts that I'm a huge detractor of the Loudness War and will go great lengths to acquire whatever version a given album has the highest DR.

Last year I developed an appreciation for groove metal band Lamb of God and thus the search began. It was so that I discovered Lamb of God did something most extravagant with two of their albums: they released a so-called "Producer Edition" that came with track stems for all songs as a bonus. One of the two albums, 2006's Sacrament, proved especially hard to find in this edition but I was able to snatch a copy off eBay with the help of a friend who lives in the States (seller was unwilling to ship overseas for whatever reason.) It came signed by the whole band so I found it to be a mighty fine addition to my collection.

As soon as I got my hands on the discs I threw the stems together in Audacity and congratulated myself on owning two Lamb of God albums that measured DR13 on average.

Unfortunately mine was a short-lived elation, for just throwing the stems together with no mixing nor mastering sounded positively like ass. And I am no sound engineer—I don't know the first thing about mixing and mastering. All I had was the potential for great sound and no way of making it a reality.

The solution to my conundrum came from somewhere most unexpected. For some time I used to follow Davie504's YouTube channel. On occasion, he would go on Fiverr and hire musicians to play bass for him. It had been a while since I last watched one of his videos, but as I struggled with those track stems it dawned on me: I could go on Fiverr and hire a sound engineer to mix and master the tracks for me.

Off to Fiverr, I sifted through a number of reasonably priced options and eventually wrote an engineer who serendipitously turned out to be a fellow countryman. I sent him stems for one of the tracks and shared a reference track that I wished to emulate the sound of (Avenged Sevenfold's Hail To The King.) Yesterday I received two different versions of the final mix of the song, both of which are stunning.

I shared the tracks with my father, a long-time audio aficionado with a killer two-channel setup. Earlier today he called me and said the drums hit so hard he thought he'd get a speaker driver in his teeth any moment. This is some of the best sounding metal I've heard and I will task the same person with mixing and mastering the remaining songs as well.

Of course, much as my fellow countryman offered a generous discount on his service (on account of my hiring him to mix music I wouldn't turn a profit from), the whole thing will cost me a pretty penny. But that's all right, as I consider it an investment in my continued enjoyment of music and sound—and isn't that what we're all in this for?

 

[tin-ear]

Oops/ ignore
Edit: how do you delete your own post?

 

[Les Strat]

I'm holding tickets for 4 concerts postponed due to COVID.

I've got tickets for Jeff Beck at Royal Albert Hall, which was originally scheduled for May last year.
The concert was postponed to May this year, and now it's due to be in May 2022....
If he is as good as last time time I saw him, it will be worth the wait

 

[tin-ear]

Here's an interesting study that some Internet-Direct company with a strong forum presence should do some day. Track the number of posts begging for a product release VS the number of orders in the first week following release, and if possible track which of the most frequent "update please" posters end up actually purchasing. I'd read that study.

Such information exists. You have to pay to see it.
eBay I will assert absolutely has mined their sales for all sort of information. Moving to the side a bit, if eBay finds out anything that increases eBay income, I'll bet they do it.
I'm sure Amazon has done number crunching too, but less public than eBay.

 

[macdonjh]

you still can't beat live sound and more importantly, the live atmosphere of being in the same physical space as your favourite artists and fans.

PS: As for the BBQ, well, will certainly channel some money there since I can't cook that at my family's house!

Exception to this: I went to a Michael Buble concert with my wife a few years ago. The acoustics in the large venue were atrocious and much of what makes Michael Buble fun to listen to was missing. I would have rather heard him sing through my stereo. Even he commented on it between songs. He lamented the large venue and poor acoustics. Said he'd much rather be singing in a cabaret, where most of his repertoire at that time was meant to be heard. But ticket prices for a show like that would be so high he couldn't afford to get into his own performance.

Contrast that to hearing Joe Satriani at Jones Hall (where the Houston Symphony performs) during his Crystal Planet Tour.

If your family won't let you cook barbeque, you need a new family.

 

[tin-ear]

Yes that would indeed be interesting. I've sold a few items on eBay over the years and I've noticed that the people who ask a lot of questions never buy anything.

My mother was a certifiable horder and packrat. She passed in 2000. I started selling off things from the estate on ebay and locally. Next thing I knew I became the expert on selling things on the intenet and people would bring me things to sell, and I've made some thousands of sales. (I'm still trying to get those Barbie doll images out of my mind). If someone asks 3 or more questions, the chances they buy goes way down. A lot of people try to play sellers for some scam, or try to wear the seller down, or they want it but need to raise the money and hope you won't sell it to someone else while they are still discussing it with you over 19 posts and 5 weeks.
Recommended book:

You Can Negotiate Anything​

Book by Herb Cohen
The Chapter on Soviet-style negotiators is very interesting.

 

[macdonjh]

I did get some head phone time this afternoon. The perfect balm after battling with a poor manager at work all day. I kept the volume pretty low, which required me to listen carefully if I wanted to hear the details. My Bifrost and Mjolnir didn't disappoint. Even at low, nap time, level, detail was there, bass weight was at least not disappointing, and tonal balance was full, even and utterly satisfying. The last few songs, before the battery in my DAP expired, were real treats:

"In This Place", Robin Trower, Bridge of Sighs: I just love Trower's tone throughout this album. I also enjoy his musicality, which he can achieve without the "athleticism" over-used by some guitarists. The right notes and the right time.

"It Had to Be You", Ray Charles, The Ultimate Collection: this was kind of jarring after "In This Place": bright and brash and loud. I like young Ray Charles' voice, though, and his rhythm and meter when he sings.

"It's All Over Now", Molly Hatchet, Flirtin' With Disaster: Lynard Skynard style southern rock with grittier guitar and twangier vocals. Fun stuff. In moderation.

"It's For You", Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays, As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls: not only my favorite Pat Metheny piece, definitely one of my favorite songs ever recorded. I've had this disc for more than thirty years and I still get shivers in my spine whenever I hear this song. Simply wonderful phrasing by Pat. My favorite Pat Metheny/ Pat Metheny Group period is 1979- 1985 or so. I love his work with his synclavier-guitar (not that he used one on this album). Great accompaniment from Lyle Mays (RIP) and Nana Vasconcelos. Lots of micro detail in the ECM recording. If my battery hadn't given out, I'd have listened to this song again at higher volume to take it all in. This is one of my audition songs when I'm judging new gear. Everyone has songs their gear simply must "get right", this is one of mine. It's also the soundtrack to a great scene in one of my favorite movies: Fandango.

"It's Your Dog, Charlie Brown", Vince Guaraldi, Oh, Good Grief!: Guarldi's bright, thin piano was another jarring contrast to the rich, lush Metheny recording. But, as I posted last week, this is a long-time favorite album. Takes me back to the Peanuts specials when I was growing up, and listening to music with my mom.

"Jessica", Allman Brothers, Brothers and Sisters: Could you imagine being Duane Allman's daughter and knowing this joyful song was composed because you were born? Wow. This recording, even the Mobile Fidelity remastering, isn't that great, but what a wonderful riff. Makes me happy just listening to it in the same way Holst's Jupiter does. I just wish the percussion didn't sound so sloppy (the recording, not the playing).

And now my DAP's battery is 100% again, it's my turn to take part in a newly restored Texas indulgence, a shower, and then I can have a dram (or two) and enjoy whatever music comes up next. Perhaps with the volume turned up a bit now.

This was so much fun a few days ago, I took that same DAP and pair of IEMs to work the following day and listened to these all over again. I wasn't really a good test because everything was a variable, except the source. One thing did stand out to me because it was so obvious even while I was concentrating on work. There's a section in Pat Metheny's "It's For You", I'll call it a bridge but I'm not sure if that's what it's really supposed to be called, between the opening section when Pat plays acoustic guitars and the last section when he switches to electric. Pat plays this seven-note motif on acoustic guitar which sounds like a clock ticking, except the seventh note which he holds for an extra half-beat or so: tick-tock-tick-tock-tick-tock-tiiiic... . It starts to build suspense and is quite effective in creating tension. At home this little buzzing fly was up and even with everything else going on. But at work with those IEMs it was back in the mix, almost subliminal. The two different presentations were interesting, especially because bits are supposed to be bits.