[Paladin79]

Now that nighttime lows in my neck of the woods have dipped below freezing a couple of times in the past week and I've picked up a copy of chef Justin Sutherland's "Northern Soul" cookbook, it seems appropriate to make a batch of his Creole Jambalaya this weekend. Need to go shopping today for the chicken thighs, shrimp, and andouille. Already have the red rice, veggies and aromatics, and I have the spices I will need to whip up a batch of Cajun seasoning.

And, of course, I must put together a proper playlist in Roon to play while I cook, simmer the pot, eat a bowl or two of it, then happily pass into a food coma for a few hours, so that I can blissfully ignore the stark fact that winter is coming (for a few hours, anyway). So far I have Dr. John, The Meters, Neville Brothers, Mr. Armstrong, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Trombone Shorty, the Marsalis brothers. Any another recommendations from the group?

Speaking of Marsalis and New Orleans: I listened to Wynton's "Standard Time, Vol. 2" on the Folkvangr last night. After spending the first couple of weeks getting an idea of the base sound with the stock tubes, I'm now trying a few different sets of input tubes. Figure I'll spend a week with each set to determine what I like best. Started out with an inexpensive set of 6N23P Reflectors. Pretty spectacular and a good reminder that expensive ≠ best. Sitting there last night with the lights down low, enjoying the music, sipping on a cocktail, it struck me that I really don't mind having a black FV in the middle of my otherwise silver rack (take that audio OCD!). Accentuates that late night tube glow!

Some of the Reflektors are inexpensive, when you get close to the 1975 version the price can increase dramatically. I just gave some away or I would help you out.

This is a pretty good buy, I do not know the seller though...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1342110388...rYtG+2HC8+k4MUaDRSpqnrUzI=|tkp:Bk9SR-iTyOjxYA


Same tubes at a higher price..

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1839610756...xRjOFilgGfcHjZwXovTkz9Nsy3RV|tkp:BFBM5pPI6PFg


Then there is the 1975...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1753781353...G9PIwUlQRhFqF93ZWwInoecuRZc7|tkp:BFBM6JPI6PFg

 

[filthy mechanical]

You just need some combination of the following - more charcoal, more propane, more wood chips, a bigger grill, an insulated smoker, an insulated bbq grill (green egg style), etc. Up north bbq season is whenever the mood strikes.

Lol @ Green Egg.

I'm not some snooty corporate executive living in Lexington, MA who buys an expensive grill to pose in his neighborhood of $2M homes but never use it, who also owns a Tesla for the same reason

No, barbecue season is ~April through September, and it happens exclusively on the cheapest propane grill they had at the Home Depot on sale a few seasons ago when barbecue season was about to end.

Not a smoker or any charcoal or any such nonsense anywhere in sight, and we have no idea what "brisket" is, and we don't "pull" our meats.

The fanciest that will happen is the grilling of a premade bratwurst from the local supermarket.

Yep, when my parents were in Somerville it was the propane grill, and used year round even if it required to shovel it out first. Where I am, the coworker was complaining on a trip to Ohio that it was very cold out at 50-60F out.

 

[Paladin79]

Yep, when my parents were in Somerville it was the propane grill, and used year round even if it required to shovel it out first. Where I am, the coworker was complaining on a trip to Ohio that it was very cold out at 50-60F out.

50-60 F is when I want to be cooking at my fire pit, nothing better than a few friends and drinks as you cook over a wood fire and wait for the stars to come out. Perfect weather for that now, 68 F or so at 5 PM dropping down to 54 F at around 11 PM. Hot Buttered Rum is my favorite drink for such activities.

 

[Roy G. Biv]

And, of course, I must put together a proper playlist in Roon to play while I cook, simmer the pot, eat a bowl or two of it, then happily pass into a food coma for a few hours, so that I can blissfully ignore the stark fact that winter is coming (for a few hours, anyway). So far I have Dr. John, The Meters, Neville Brothers, Mr. Armstrong, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Trombone Shorty, the Marsalis brothers. Any another recommendations from the group?

Maybe some Subdudes?

 

[DACattack]

Some of the Reflektors are inexpensive, when you get close to the 1975 version the price can increase dramatically.

Yeah, I'd say that's a dramatic increase! Thanks, as always, for the links. Tempted by that first pair though, although I need to wait a while before my next audio purchase. Bills to pay and all that.

And I've been avidly following the on-going build of your retirement system. Glad you're enjoying both the sound and the journey.

 

[DACattack]

@Roy G. Biv Nice suggestion. I'd not heard them before, and found several of there albums on Roon. Definitely will add them to the mix. Thank you!

 

[Paladin79]

Yeah, I'd say that's a dramatic increase! Thanks, as always, for the links. Tempted by that first pair though, although I need to wait a while before my next audio purchase. Bills to pay and all that.

And I've been avidly following the on-going build of your retirement system. Glad you're enjoying both the sound and the journey.

My discretionary audio funds are severely depleted right now so it will be a while before my next big purchase. I did get nearly all the gear I wanted as well as some great music so I am close to finishing my quest. A second turntable can wait and I have DAC's to use till I do that upgrade.

 

[Paladin79]

@Roy G. Biv Nice suggestion. I'd not heard them before, and found several of there albums on Roon. Definitely will add them to the mix. Thank you!

New to me as well, I have the album playing right now and it was a wonderful suggestion.

 

[Luckyleo]

I listen to records not because they "sound better" but because more often that not, they can make me "feel better". The fact that they are more tactile than streaming ("steaming"?) music is part of their charm. Their allure if you will, is that they are a physical medium. With digital sources be they steaming or CD, I never strain at a bit and swallow the OCD lie.

Like the Doobies said, I "...Listen to the music". Not the equipment. Not the bit rate. Not the codec. The music.

frAudiophiles are the pharisees and sadducees of the audio world. They will never be happy. Never be satisfied. Never be content. And they want you to join their OCD fueld misery. Nope. Screw 'em!

ORT

How do you really feel??? I actually agree. LOL

Leo

 

[JamminVMI]

You see, in most of the civilized world where we have 4 true seasons, a barbeque is a summer get together in which one grills food.

Could be anything really. Burgers, hot dogs, heck even corn on the cob or zucchini.

If it's not summer, you can't barbecue. It's too cold

For me, given that my summer is like living in an oven, summer is when my grills and pizza oven get the least use by far. Who wants to sand by/in front of/near a 500 to 800F fire when it’s over 100F outside to start with? So fall, winter and spring get the most outdoor cookery here. Backwards day for us.

 

[JamminVMI]

The magic of the Weber is it does it all. Brats, dogs, chicken, fish, watermelon, beer butt birds, pineapple, various smoked meats, pizza....etc. direct, indirect, rotisserie, pan fry, high heat, low heat. One Weber kettle to rule them all

That’s the truth. I have a Weber kettle and a Kudu (South African Braai-style grill). Both are extremely versatile in their own ways, but the Kudu is magical when it comes to doing an entire meal (at least the hot stuff) over wood or charcoal. But it does have quite the learning curve (like most charcoal/wood grills, in my experience).

 

[JamminVMI]

... and why you should never just stretch images to fill a gap and distort the schiit out of them with incorrect aspects. I can almost live with scaling up, but distorting the aspects really grinds my gears.

*actually no, scaling up also sucks

Scaling introduces lack of detail, focus and just nasty pixelation, which renders an image unusable. Then again, stretch induces that ‘house of mirrors‘ effect that, well, yep, ruins it too. Never mind, nothing to see here…

 

[Paladin79]

That’s the truth. I have a Weber kettle and a Kudu (South African Braai-style grill). Both are extremely versatile in their own ways, but the Kudu is magical when it comes to doing an entire meal (at least the hot stuff) over wood or charcoal. But it does have quite the learning curve (like most charcoal/wood grills, in my experience).

I really like the looks of the Kudu, I could use hot coals from my firepit and make cooking a bit easier lol. I have various racks that swing over the fire pit but they are set very low. Thanks for that info.

 

[Rensek]

That’s the truth. I have a Weber kettle and a Kudu (South African Braai-style grill). Both are extremely versatile in their own ways, but the Kudu is magical when it comes to doing an entire meal (at least the hot stuff) over wood or charcoal. But it does have quite the learning curve (like most charcoal/wood grills, in my experience).

Looks like a cool addition to any outdoor cooking collection. Price is above an impulse buy. Something to look at for the future though. Thank you very much.

 

[45longcolt]

A bit of audio nostalgia for your weekend contemplation...circa 1960...

With more than a hint of What Were They Thinking?
Gotta wonder how many were sold. Do any still exist? Perhaps in the Smithsonian, if the Smithsonian had a Useless Consumer Detritus Wing. Though, that'd be a popular hall, giving visitors the chance to feel smugly superior to their hick ancestors who bought that drek (while ignoring all the garbage they are burdening their credit cards with...)