[Moondog55]

I think Tuscaloosa has the famous spots.

The original Dreamland. Ribs, sauce, bread. No sides, don't even ask.

 

[Senex49]

Well stated. And well done. And one of the things my Dad taught me early on (where he led by example): "Don't wait for opportunity to come to you. Go where the opportunity already is." CA -> KY -> NY -> NC -> TN -> MO -> NC -> OK -> Netherlands -> WI -> CA -> NC -> GA -> OK. Maybe I took that too literally.

OK, maybe others here know, but what in the hell did yu DO that had you move that many times. I spent 30 years in the same nuke plant.

 

[Balthazar B]

Sir Douglas Quintet...cool

Had quite the pop hit with Mendocino

And this beauty (depending on where you were living at the time):

 

[Ripper2860]

And then, as if HEB+ wasn’t good enough for mortals…

There is their TOTL experience: Central Market. Meat? OM freaking G! Berkshire Pork (Heritage) in any desired form. Different breeds of USDA Prime beef in all forms… huge fish/seafood selection. Produce? Yikes! CM>HEB+>HEB> any/all others… as you mention, Sprouts, Natural Grocers, et. al. Compete at the HEB+ level. Whole Paycheck hit/miss similarly (but more $$ to cater to the “colorful” crowds).

Yeah, we MISS that a LOT. HEB and CM spoiled us badly. Across much of Texas HEB is THE local center-of-community gravity. Everyone sees everyone they know etc. Why not? In addition to great food, you can do your car registrations, renewals, licenses, etc. all there in-store!


And, as @Jason Stoddard rightly points out, venture out to the more “local” type places for bespoke butchers, out of this world Mexican/spanish markets and foods… Not like certain other areas of the US I’ve spent lots of time in that would rightly qualify as “food deserts”.

+1 for Central Market's AWESOMENESS!

 

[Balthazar B]

My deal with my two sons, all during High School, was this: “I will *match* the scholarship you get - first year value - to buy a vehicle. I will pay tuition and, if in college dorm, room/board for exactly and no more than 4 years. Don’t F it up.”

If you don’t count second son’s ONE extra semester - F U COVID and the CRAZINESS. Both made it. I also forced them to take (small by today’s standards) loans, so they had a real-world stake in the AFTER outcome.

Son 1: Graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2019; scrubbed pilot jobs/cargo dog all during Covid. Now (starting) pilot at SWA; already owns own home, father to my first grandchild.
Son 2: Graduated (pheee-freeeking-ewwwww/barely) in 2022. Now a MechEng at Toyota NA R/D HQ in Michigan.

“Tough love”. Make contracts/deals. Stakes. Consequences. Lessons. Be consistent. Be thankful. Raise strong kids. Build from YOUR mistakes.

Anywhere (California or Texas, or ….)

Nice start! Now incent them by offering to match their annual Roth contributions, and you'll be providing them with comfortable retirements long after you're shuffled off this mortal coil.

 

[Daniel Johnston]

I'm running a 5670 in my Vali2++ and absolutely loving it. Big jump in sound from stock, at least for me. Thinking of dropping the $ for a WE 396a. Will I discern a significant audible jump in sound again that makes it worth the expenditure? Will it take the sound to the top? Chime in and help me decide. I trust you guys.

IMHO. No.

I'm using mine with a Freya N to Rekkr. Headphones I'm using are the Utopia, Diana V2, and DCA Stealth. I can't honestly say there is a substantial difference.

If you find a good 396a for decent money, try it for yourself. I don't think it's worth the $180 NOS prices out there.

 

[OldRoadToad]

Is there a tube that looks like a classic light bulb and it fits in the new Vali 3? I doubt it. I cannot even convince my self to buy this 'phone amp for my brother that collects tube guitar amps (he also plays) as it does not yet look cool enough to me.

Still waitin' fo' dat dere Valhallkyrie 3 wit sumthin' spacial...'n' Schiit. If I had mah druthers it would be jes dat. Scheeeeeeiit!

Lil' ORTner

 

[Orange5o]

Sorry for derailing the BBQ discussion with Schiit talk

At @Paladin79's recommendation back when this forum had a bit over 8,600 pages, he recommended to me some Soviet Reflektor ECC88 tubes for the cathode follower sockets for my Freya N. They are inexpensive, readily available, and made a positive difference over the stock tubes that came with my Freya. For the past couple of weeks I've had my new set of Telefunken's in the follower sockets. A couple of weeks ago I started hearing some random hissing noise while listening to music. I traced it to one of the follower tubes, thankfully, so I pulled them and replaced with the stock tubes or similar spares that I have on hand. In the meantime, I soaked the Rockets in Deoxit for over 24 hours, gave them a thorough cleaning, and brushed them with Deoxit Gold.

Anyhoo, with the non-Reflektors the music was lacking something or rather, I was missing something that was there before, some ingredient that gave the sauce that extra thing that kicks it over the line from good to very good. Last evening I put the Reflektors back in and settled in for more of Apple Music's Jam Band playlist while I read some more of Tolkien's "The Silmarillion" (great book, BTW, not at all the slog I was warned that it would be). The good news is that there was no hissing or other unwanted noise. The music sounded amazing. Detailed, warm, and oh-so-tubey! The chain was M1 Mac Mini->Gumby->Freya N->Lokius->Sys->Magni Piety>HarmonicDyne Zeus Elite headphones.

For those of you with Freya N's, what tubes are you using in the follower sockets? Any other recommendations?

(Cross-posted to the Freya Impressions and Tube Rolling Thread)

Here is that section of my tube spreadsheet (yes, I know). So far 1962 Tele 1966 Tele have been the best but I need to spend more time with the Amperex. I've actually spent more on my 12AX7/12AU7 stash and may need to try some of them. Ebay can be so dicey sometimes I just email Brent Jessee and tell him what sound I'm looking for and pay the premium.

 

[AstronomerXI]

Here is that section of my tube spreadsheet (yes, I know). So far 1962 Tele 1966 Tele have been the best but I need to spend more time with the Amperex. I've actually spent more on my 12AX7/12AU7 stash and may need to try some of them. Ebay can be so dicey sometimes I just email Brent Jessie and tell him what sound I'm looking for and pay the premium.

Is that a shared spreadsheet (there was one posted a couple of weeks ago, but this looks much different)? Are these for the cathode followers or the voltage gain sockets? I have 8 Amperex non-Bugle Boys that I'm tempted to put into the follower sockets to see what they do to the sound.

 

[Orange5o]

Is that a shared spreadsheet (there was one posted a couple of weeks ago, but this looks much different)? Are these for the cathode followers or the voltage gain sockets? I have 8 Amperex non-Bugle Boys that I'm tempted to put into the follower sockets to see what they do to the sound.

No, it's got a lot of info I don't want to share (price, who I bought from, etc) (edit: I ran a simple formula summing the prices I've spent on tubes total, and let's just say i don't even want to share this sheet with my wife lol)

I mostly roll the gain stage, I don't think the follower stage makes nearly the difference...

 

[AstronomerXI]

No, it's got a lot of info I don't want to share (price, who I bought from, etc)

I mostly roll the gain stage, I don't think the follower stage makes nearly the difference...

Got it, thanks!

I've found that there is a difference to be had with the follower tubes, but it's not as great as the gain stage, maybe 10-15% of the difference that a good tube in the gain stage will make but enough to make it worthwhile if they complement what's in the gain side. The Telefunken ECC88'S are my top gain stage tube so far. Now to experiment with tubes to complement them on the follower side. I have some tubes to tryout there.

 

[Orange5o]

This is a great resource to guide even if you don't want to pay his prices. Unfortunately it's the safest way to get what you think you might be getting on eBay. https://www.audiotubes.com/6dj8.htm

 

[US Blues]

Part of the Texas Naturalization Test:

1. Have you smoked a brisket?
2. Overnight?
3. Did you get up in the middle of the night to apply the Texas crutch?
4. Which crutch? Foil or butcher paper?
5. Knife required, or fork only?
6. Did your friends leave any, or did they take all home?
7. If yes, are all of your friends Texans?

Plus bonus questions about the Alamo, HEB, Goliad, Buc-ees, puffy tacos, etc, etc....

Regarding #1 above- I'm still trying to figure out how to keep it lit while I smoke it!

 

[bcowen]

Is there a tube that looks like a classic light bulb and it fits in the new Vali 3? I doubt it. I cannot even convince my self to buy this 'phone amp for my brother that collects tube guitar amps (he also plays) as it does not yet look cool enough to me.

Still waitin' fo' dat dere Valhallkyrie 3 wit sumthin' spacial...'n' Schiit. If I had mah druthers it would be jes dat. Scheeeeeeiit!

Lil' ORTner

Sure is:

Even one with a blue tint if that increases ORTappeal:

Just need one of these and you're in business (although it will stick out of the socket a bit):

 

[sam6550a]

Not empty. Filled with cryo-treated Texas ice when hell froze over that time @bcowen accidently ate Texas BBQ when negotiating with the triple-wall cardboard cartel while contracting Fotonic cryogenic storage in Antarctica from his satellite home office (Pacer).

You were able to put all of those subjects into one sentence, unfortunately, you left out cats!