[45longcolt]

Says every Keurig user every morning before dropping the Maxwell House pod in and knowing 1 minute later the 'Elixir of the Gods' will be fully dispensed w/o all the fuss and muss. And yet they sit sipping and smiling knowing this CONVENIENCE yields an extra 20 minutes of QUALITY sleep every AM. Sounds like a reasonable trade-off.

I was going for succinct, even pithy. Didn't want to intrude on Armchair Philosopher's territory and compose a novella, though I'm quite capable of writing any reader into a coma.

But I see your point. Convenience sometimes trumps quality. Especially when one isn't really concerned with the ultimate in quality. For some, the ritual of coffee is integral to the experience and they are pleased to expend the time and effort. Others would rather have the sleep followed by a quick jolt. (I can tell you're not a true coffee fetishist - you mentioned Maxwell House. )

Our audio hobby is full of such quandaries - vinyl vs. streaming f'rinstance.

Still and all, in many if not most cases, convenience compromises quality. It's up to the individual to decide when that's acceptable. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go hunt down, kill and butcher my dinner. Going to the supermarket would be more convenient, but...

 

[433521]

Don't take this the wrong way but the McDonald's of audio gear. Franchises every where building from locally sourced materials.

Someday we'll get The Economist to have the Modi exchange rate table instead of the Big Mac one.
https://www.economist.com/big-mac-index

If anyone has had their eye on some Buchardt s400 mk II, now is the time!

 

[Jason Stoddard]

I was going for succinct, even pithy. Didn't want to intrude on Armchair Philosopher's territory and compose a novella, though I'm quite capable of writing any reader into a coma.

But I see your point. Convenience sometimes trumps quality. Especially when one isn't really concerned with the ultimate in quality. For some, the ritual of coffee is integral to the experience and they are pleased to expend the time and effort. Others would rather have the sleep followed by a quick jolt. (I can tell you're not a true coffee fetishist - you mentioned Maxwell House. )

Our audio hobby is full of such quandaries - vinyl vs. streaming f'rinstance.

Still and all, in many if not most cases, convenience compromises quality. It's up to the individual to decide when that's acceptable. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go hunt down, kill and butcher my dinner. Going to the supermarket would be more convenient, but...

I look forward to the day there's a Modi/Magni price index...and we are manufacturing locally in many places. But we'll see what happens.

Right now, there's a definite cooling off of sales across the board (not just us, everyone we talk to has experienced it.) Nothing to worry about, but combine a couple of years of being cooped up, and it's not surprising that people have other interests beyond audio. That's a good thing.

With respect to wine, let me be heretical:

Expect a few...er, big/small announcements before the end of the year.

Edit: Alex and the crew were going through possible 2023 introductions yesterday, and we came up with 18 products. That clearly won't happen. But if you think we've been loafing, you ain't seen nothing yet!

 

[Ableza]

I look forward to the day there's a Modi/Magni price index...and we are manufacturing locally in many places. But we'll see what happens.

Right now, there's a definite cooling off of sales across the board (not just us, everyone we talk to has experienced it.) Nothing to worry about, but combine a couple of years of being cooped up, and it's not surprising that people have other interests beyond audio. That's a good thing.

With respect to wine, let me be heretical:



Expect a few...er, big/small announcements before the end of the year.

Funny you should post a Tannat, which I have been loving lately. I did this yesterday (smudged glass indicating I should have washed my hands before popping the cork)

 

[JanMc]

I haven't heard Zu Audio, but I just grabbed a pair of Salk Song Surround I's based solely on the price (the drivers were $440 retail, the surrounds on sale demo were $700) and I'm very impressed. I don't know how much the Zu Audio drivers retail for, but I will never buy another pair of speakers before looking up the drivers first.

Part of what I hear about Zu Audio is that the speakers are gorgeous, but to me, the Salk Song's are just at another level. The black finish on the surrounds looks is furniture quality.

Salk has floor standing speakers called Song Tower that start in the mid-$2k's.

I have heard the Salk's at the Schiitr and I much prefer the sound coming out of my Zu Omens. Maybe the top end isn't quite as sweet, and I really do prefer ribbons up there, but the rest of the sound is so much more immediate and live sounding from my Zu's. Also, you can drive the Zu's with an Aegir but need a Vidar or equivalent for the Salk's, and I much prefer the sound of the Aegir (I own both).

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Funny you should post a Tannat, which I have been loving lately. I did this yesterday (smudged glass indicating I should have washed my hands before popping the cork)

LOL, and Amador. I love Amador. Great wine country, and much more approachable than, er, some California regions. I read an article about how visitors to Napa have dropped off dramatically, with a kinda confused/pensive tone...that also mentioned the average night in a hotel cost $948. Yeah, no idea why people are going elsewhere...Amador, Paso, Santa Ynez, hell, El Dorado, hellx2, Texas' Fredericksburg is now the #2 wine region in the USA in terms of visitors.

(If you venture out to Texas wine country, be aware it is still, er...developing. Avoid the places with the "best sangria slushies in town" and frequented by pink limousines. Ask about the estate wines. When they grin, you found a good place. Expect the grapes to be unfamiliar: Tannat, Tempranillo, Picpoul Blanc, Viognier...not the California Cab/Chard regime.)

 

[Ableza]

LOL, and Amador. I love Amador. Great wine country, and much more approachable than, er, some California regions. I read an article about how visitors to Napa have dropped off dramatically, with a kinda confused/pensive tone...that also mentioned the average night in a hotel cost $948. Yeah, no idea why people are going elsewhere...Amador, Paso, Santa Ynez, hell, El Dorado, hellx2, Texas' Fredericksburg is now the #2 wine region in the USA in terms of visitors.

(If you venture out to Texas wine country, be aware it is still, er...developing. Avoid the places with the "best sangria slushies in town" and frequented by pink limousines. Ask about the estate wines. When they grin, you found a good place. Expect the grapes to be unfamiliar: Tannat, Tempranillo, Picpoul Blanc, Viognier...not the California Cab/Chard regime.)

Shenandoah Vineyards (also owned by the Sobon family) makes a great blend called Zingiovese (Zinfandel + Sangiovese grapes.) A great $20 bottle, highly recommended if you see it in the shops.
https://sobonwine.com/product/2020-shenandoah-vineyards-zingiovese/

 

[bevanc]

So, I'm going to cause some arguments. It's Ribfest here in Pittsburgh this weekend. Two vendors were next to each other. In one corner, representing TX from Fort Worth, was Cowboy BBQ. In the other corner, representing SC, was, well, I can't remember the name to be honest.

Felt that we had to get a half rack from both and compare.

The TX ribs were meatier and juicier. Sauce was sweet with a little kick.

The SC were not quite as juicy and the sauce had a little more vinegar and was spicier.

The verdict? If I'm honest, they were both amazing and neither me nor my wife could definitively say which was better. TX may have shaded it in the tie breaker with the corn bread.

I might need a nap now.

 

[Ripper2860]

(I can tell you're not a true coffee fetishist - you mentioned Maxwell House. )

That's the wife's preference. I order my pods from Angelino's Coffee.

 

[Charente]

... .and we are manufacturing locally in many places

Bordeaux ???

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Bordeaux ???

I'm open to any place, but I gotta admit that the EU bureaucrazy has me a bit terrified.

 

[Charente]

Funny you should post a Tannat, which I have been loving lately. I did this yesterday (smudged glass indicating I should have washed my hands before popping the cork)

15.5% ??!! ... Wow !!

 

[Charente]

I'm open to any place, but I gotta admit that the EU bureaucrazy has me a bit terrified.

You have a point ... the French are masters of "bureaucrazy"

 

[Jason Stoddard]

You have a point ... the French are masters of "bureaucrazy"

Freudian slip...

But I actually like the term. I think I'll refer to bureaucracy as "bureaucrazy" from now on.

To keep this non-political, I have no problems with regulations, etc...it's just the completely bizarre and case-by-case stuff that drives me nuts. Ask how much it costs to get permits to build a house in California, and you'll get answers like, "Well, it depends," or, "well, when I did it 10 years ago, they said it would be like $XXk, but it cost me $YYk." In Texas, they have a permit calculator on our county's website. Enter what you want to build, it spits out a number and asks for a credit card. The first model (soak you for whatever you seem to be worth) I hate. The second model I'm fine with. Even if the numbers aren't want you want to see.

We'll see what happens.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

15.5% ??!! ... Wow !!

California went through a period (still going through it, it seems) when ABV went to the moon. There are some very good wines made this way, but there are also some absolute fruit sledgehammers. TX ABV seems to be a bit more moderate, but then again, they already harvested...two or three weeks ago. Eeeeek.