[LUMAZ]

Quote: Original posted by SilentOne
 
(A good rest, I shall. And yes, I enjoy listening to my samples of Dark Shadows opening/closing theme; Victoria Winter's opening voice over; definitely Angelique's wicked laughter! ) 
 
Hello Silent, are you a Dark Shadows's fan? In Italy we never aired but some years ago I have bought the first box set with Barnabas Collins. I like but I am frightened to buy all of them! Do you know how many box set there are in the market now?

 

[Silent One]

Quote:

Quote: Original posted by SilentOne
 
(A good rest, I shall. And yes, I enjoy listening to my samples of Dark Shadows opening/closing theme; Victoria Winter's opening voice over; definitely Angelique's wicked laughter! ) 
 
Hello Silent, are you a Dark Shadows's fan? In Italy we never aired but some years ago I have bought the first box set with Barnabas Collins. I like but I am frightened to buy all of them! Do you know how many box set there are in the market now?

 
Am I a fan? Does having an Angelique ring-tone on my mobile count?!
 
Oh man, LUMAZ, you got me reminiscing! Dark Shadows is my favorite soapie of all-time! Current fav is "Generations" (S.Africa). I started with the poor quality transfer VHS (Buying). Then, thanks to Netflix I just rent the DVDs - in this format the collections total 26.
 
Barnabus made his debut deep into the first year. Ratings were low, the action was dull up until then. So, the DVD 26 collection box set doesn't waste camera time on this period and picks up pretty much when Barnabus makes his way in to the scene (if I recall correctly). There were 1,225 episodes total; a few less since the collections don't start from Day 1 like the video tapes did.
 
Have you watched long? And how on Earth did you get exposed to the series? I last watched from 2003-2005, the entire series. May do it again in 2012. I actually admire all of the production gaffs from exposed wires to hanging microphones. As well as the actors flubbing/forgetting their lines because it lent to a genuine theatrical feel.
 
You know, if you really think about it, a Woo WA22 would not have looked out of place if it were in the Drawing Room in their present time during the series before the Flashbacks.  Now that you've got me all worked up over DS, I may bring my portable drive next time I visit Clayton SF or mikemalter to play the opening & closing soundtrack on their WA22's.

 
Since your a new member, a treat for you below:
 
[size=x-small][/size]
 

 

[LUMAZ]

Quote: original posted by
 
(Yes LUMAZ, I like them, but I'm not much of a cable guy. Like you, I take the recommendation from a local Stereo Shop guy. I haven't compared them to many High End cables. I like them better then some XLR MIT's I have.
 Are you plugging your Naim CD555 directly into the WA22 (RCA to RCA)?)
 
Well, my Naim 555 is plugged directly into the WA22 but not RCA to RCA but Mini-Din 5 Pin to XLR: since my retailer (he is a friend of mine so I have complete faith in him). told me that the output signal from Naim is balanced I ordered an hand-made cable from Klimo: it is an excellent cable that permits to obtain the best from the WA22 and from the Senn HD-800: my Senn has been recabled and now it has a balanced cable with two cables completely separated (one for the right channel and one for the left) terminated with two XLR Neutrik 3-Pin connectors. As stated in another post we really don't know if the output of WA22 is balanced but surely connect the headphone through the XLR connections is better than through the RCA 1/4 jack because (my retailer cut a cable with RCA connector to let me clearly see!) a XLR connector has a wider surface employed to make contact with the amplifier and so the connection is more stable and the signal flows smoothly and with lesser interferences from the outside. I hope I am made myself clear (in English that is!)

 

[Silent One]

WA22 ~
 
If fed a balanced source, it offers 3-pin/4-pin balanced headphone out option...

 

[LUMAZ]

About Dark Shadows: to improve my English, since 1999 I have bought from Amazon, books, comic books (please don' t laugh, I am a great comic books fan and since in these months have been published the old Dark Shadows comic books maybe I will buy them!) and then DVD's so when some years ago I read about Dark Shadows (a cult series some reviewer wrote) for sheer curiosity I have bought the first box set: unfortunately it don't have English subtitles so sometimes I don't fully understand all the dialogues but I like the series but I can't buy 26 box sets, otherwise I ought to get out from the window half of my CD's collection!). Now also the first year has been published in DVD format..
About WA22 balanced headphone output: My Naim has arrived only a week ago, so before his arrival I listened music from a Marantz universal player employing unbalanced inputs and from the headphone to the ampi the XLR connection: IMHO the sound was tighter and precise than before when I was employing my Senn recabled with a Cardas cable with 1/4 RCA jack.
Thanks for the Dark Shadows intro, it is really wonderful!

 

[LUMAZ]

A question to all WA22 owners: any of you has a mod  WA22? I have read another old post where Seamaster talked about his unit before and after modification. I have seen on Jack's website that he offers an upgrade for WA 5 LE (with better caps, etc.) but not for WA22. My friend (and Naim seller) is against any modification of an unit whatsoever and so I really don't know if  to upgrade my WA22 (that now it receives his signal from a top cdp like Naim 555) would be a step up or not? What do you think about it?
Thanks for the answers!

 

[Silent One]

Quote:

About Dark Shadows: to improve my English, since 1999 I have bought from Amazon, books, comic books (please don' t laugh, I am a great comic books fan and since in these months have been published the old Dark Shadows comic books maybe I will buy them!) and then DVD's so when some years ago I read about Dark Shadows (a cult series some reviewer wrote) for sheer curiosity I have bought the first box set: unfortunately it don't have English subtitles so sometimes I don't fully understand all the dialogues but I like the series but I can't buy 26 box sets, otherwise I ought to get out from the window half of my CD's collection!). Now also the first year has been published in DVD format..
About WA22 balanced headphone output: My Naim has arrived only a week ago, so before his arrival I listened music from a Marantz universal player employing unbalanced inputs and from the headphone to the ampi the XLR connection: IMHO the sound was tighter and precise than before when I was employing my Senn recabled with a Cardas cable with 1/4 RCA jack.
Thanks for the Dark Shadows intro, it is really wonderful!

I admire and applaud your obtaining English media to learn. And to come inside this thread and share your audio journey and joys with us. And yes, a collection of 26 boxes can be expensive. Do you have a rental service like Netflix? Through them, I rented the entire series over a couple of years.
 

 

[Golfnutz]

 
Quote:

Quote: original posted by
 
(Yes LUMAZ, I like them, but I'm not much of a cable guy. Like you, I take the recommendation from a local Stereo Shop guy. I haven't compared them to many High End cables. I like them better then some XLR MIT's I have.
 Are you plugging your Naim CD555 directly into the WA22 (RCA to RCA)?)
 
Well, my Naim 555 is plugged directly into the WA22 but not RCA to RCA but Mini-Din 5 Pin to XLR: since my retailer (he is a friend of mine so I have complete faith in him). told me that the output signal from Naim is balanced I ordered an hand-made cable from Klimo: it is an excellent cable that permits to obtain the best from the WA22 and from the Senn HD-800: my Senn has been recabled and now it has a balanced cable with two cables completely separated (one for the right channel and one for the left) terminated with two XLR Neutrik 3-Pin connectors. As stated in another post we really don't know if the output of WA22 is balanced but surely connect the headphone through the XLR connections is better than through the RCA 1/4 jack because (my retailer cut a cable with RCA connector to let me clearly see!) a XLR connector has a wider surface employed to make contact with the amplifier and so the connection is more stable and the signal flows smoothly and with lesser interferences from the outside. I hope I am made myself clear (in English that is!)

As long as the source is balanced, then you're running your system optimally.  This should be pretty simple to test. If you connect RCA to RCA, the voltage should be 1/2 of the Mini-Din 5 Pin. You would then be required to turn up the volume to get to the same level as Mini-Din 5 to XLR input. Also, the SQ will be less via RCA. I've tested this in my system using a RCA to XLR adapters (BD player RCA  --> WA22 XLR). The differences are very noticeable.
 
 

 

[Silent One]

Music Appreciation Day/Night . :      : :
 
I left the library Monday evening with 30 CD's. From Tuesday afternoon throughout the night until this morning saw two amps and a listening session stretch over an 18 hour period. While I was familiar with many of the artists, some still had selections I had not yet heard. And then there were discoveries from unknown artists that had me pleasantly surprised.
 
 
Woo Audio WA 6 Special Edition
Caress/ Volume moderate:
 
"Cha Cha"   by Fufu-Ai   (Sound Of The World - Beyond The Horizon)
"Jive Samba"   by Sarah Vaughn    (Viva Vaughn)
"We've Got Silver At Six"   by Horace Silver    (The Hardbop Grandpop)
 
 
Pioneer SX-650 Integrated Amp
Attack/Volume up:
 
"Back In The USSR"   by The Beatles    (White Album)
"T-Bone Shuffle"   by Albert Collins, Robert Cray, Johnny Copeland    (Showdown)
"Big Lovin' Woman"   by Shemekia Copeland     (Turn Up The Heat)
 
 
Though I heard some 700 tracks, only a couple of highlights, one from each group listed above (hey, it' sunrise... I'm sleepy!) My biggest surprise of the night came from the Spanish group Fufu-Ai. I had known about them for a few years now but never got around to hearing them until last night and WOW!
 
They're a mixed band from Barcelona with a French touch, singing lyrics in English, French and Spanish. Whose style ranges from pop, reggae, bossa, rock and punk. French singer Anouk's vocals are delivered in a seemingly easy and effortless manner. And with a sound that's alluring, soft and seductive. In the song "Cha Cha" her vocals were tailor-made for a vacuum tube amplifier, no doubt (Lush; sweet & engaging)!
 
On the solid-state side of my highlights we have The Beatles. I'm not necessarily a fan and whether they recorded 500 tracks or 5,000 I can still count the number of tracks I enjoy of theirs on one hand. That said, "Back In The USSR" is among them... they kill it! In a nod to the soon departing "Set-2-Jet Clayton SF" I thought I'd play it a few times this morning. The synergy brought on by the Pioneer & D7000 gives this track an electrical charge that makes "Back In The USSR" at once listenable & danceable, it's that engaging!
 
Because the track is so short, in a concession to my good hearing I turned it up! (Time for one more highlight? Ok.) Then there's Shemekia (19 year old daughter of famed Texas blues guitarist Johnny Copeland) singing "Big Lovin' Woman", the Pioneer handled that track like a Soldier at chow - focused, no dilly-dallying around!!!  

  
 
Time to lay out... hope all my Woo mates get off to a great start this morning!
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

[Clayton SF]

Quote:

Quote (original posted by Clayton SF ):
 
(No. Shucks. But I also saw, Norman Greenbaum (who? Spirit in the Sky) he opened for the Doors. Crazy World of Arthur Brown (Fire), Blue Cheer, Spirit, Peter, Paul & Mary, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Led Zeppelin, Yvonne Elliman (she opened for Led Zeppelin!), Johnny Crawford, Three Dog Night, Lee Michaels, Rolling Stones (1972), Guess Who. That's all I can think of. Oh, Linda Rondstadt, Lucifer with Randy Holden, Santana, Fleetwood Mac (1977).  I think that's it.)
 
Did you see Spirit? But the original formation with Jay Ferguson and John Locke? I adore them and I often play their four albums: for me they are one of the best band ever! Period. How were they in concert? Terrific as in studio recordings?
 

Yes. It was the original Spirit. Blue Cheer opened for Spirit in 1970. Spirit, with Jay Ferguson and John Locke, was absolutely incredible. Ed Cassidy's drumming was focused and drove the band with determination. I can still see him up there. It was at the Waikiki Shell.
 
This is not the concert, it is just a picture of the Waikiki Shell.


 

 

[Silent One]

Quote:

All done editing.  Promise me you guys won't tl;dr when you see it, because it's reaaaaally long.  I got carried away. 

  I just need to take the picture and post it all.  Tomorrow hopefully, so long as nothing comes up.

 

[musicman59]

Quote:

Yes. It was the original Spirit. Blue Cheer opened for Spirit in 1970. Spirit, with Jay Ferguson and John Locke, was absolutely incredible. Ed Cassidy's drumming was focused and drove the band with determination. I can still see him up there. It was at the Waikiki Shell.
 
This is not the concert, it is just a picture of the Waikiki Shell.


 

I have a video of a Doobie Brothers concert taped in this venue.... It was really nice.
 
 
 

 

[Clayton SF]

Quote:

I have a video of a Doobie Brothers concert taped in this venue.... It was really nice

Just leave it to old-time acoustic-enhancing structures and placement. Like the Greeks with their amphitheaters. The days before electric amplification we depended on strategically placing structures, man-made and natural, to amplify sound. No need for high-end IC here!
 

 

[grokit]

 
Quote:

Today at 5:54 am

Pioneer SX-650 Integrated Amp

Man you were up late again, I think that is 6:54 my time! Does that Pioneer drive the headphone port at full power?

 

[mikemalter]

Trip to the turntable doctor on Friday.  Maybe a shorted cable in my tondarm interconnect.