My Stanton T.92 USB Direct Drive Turntable is a winner. Big step up from the Dual in terms of tracking accuracy, quiet soundstage (I've always wanted to type that), and fullness of sound. Lots of sonic oomph.
I'm listening to a circa-1957 Carmen Cavallaro LP, and it sounds gorgeous. Tracking force: 3.7 grams (because of the age of the vinyl). Little to no distortion, and the vinyl is only about VG. Amazing.
Only drawback is the lack of a removable spindle--the Dual 1229 had one, and it enabled me to properly align badly off-center pressings. But that's life.
Setting up the Stanton was easy. Figuring out how to get the table to spin, however, took me several minutes, until I figured out I had to turn the little plastic dial at the top of the pole labeled "Motor." For all I knew, I had to turn the whole knob (which is no-go). Anyway....
So, I listened to some LPs and 78s. Whereupon, I removed the cartridge supplied with the unit and switched it for my Stanton 600-series model (which came with my Dual 1229 and simply says "Stanton" on it). Now all sounds fabulous.
I should have looked more closely at the dealer specs--the two needles they supplied with the table are conical (a.k.a. spherical). My ears just can't deal with the fuzzy, broken-up sound produced by same. When I became such an audio snob, I don't know.
I'd had stuff ready to go for today, but it bit the dust with the rest of that folder I deleted when I was switching stuff from Drive C to Drive J. The good news, though, is that MAGIX is continuing to function as never before. No end-of-burn slow-downs. Not yet, anyway.
There's this tacky-looking dust cover that I need to assemble. I mustn't forget--dust piles up fast in this teepee-style room. (The ceiling is angled, and dust probably hits it and bounces off.)
Annnnd... it looks like I've got carpal tunnel in my right wrist. Feels like, I mean. Symptoms: numbness from wrist on up, and fairly often.
Another clue: I was fixing some loose boards on the back porch deck, and one of the screws was giving me a hard time--the last few turns seemed unusually hard. So I switched to my (normally weaker) left hand, and it had no trouble at all. And I'm right-handed.
Odds are, I need carpal-tunnel surgery. Oh, well. What's life without its hospital appointments? Well, cheaper....
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Win some, lose some
This week has been a mixture of great luck and not-so-great luck. Take the twelve 78s I won on eBay (actually, I'm hoping the dealer will take them back). They were mailed in a sturdy enough box but without any packing. Not beyond a plastic bag around the album of 78s, anyway, which didn't prevent the discs from jack-knifing through the sleeves. Two were broken, including the one I most wanted (left). Mailing 78s in an album is not a good idea, really, unless unusual care is taken. And none was taken in this case. I certainly paid enough for the alleged handling....
Anyway, the dealer has one more day in which to respond to my email. And to give a complete refund. The saddest part of all is that the discs were in immaculate condition--someone had taken extremely good care of them.
Please note that this is not my usual eBay experience, by a long shot. This kind of carelessness is not what I typically experience, nor do dealers usually ignore my emails. I've had good luck with 78s at 'Bay, and broken shipments have been the exception to the rule. And refunds have been no problem. Overall, my 'Bay experience has been fabulous.
And... I just sent three MAGIX projects to the cyber-beyond. It was a really dumb mistake on my part, but the good news is that I seem to have (for real, this time) solved the MAGIX CD-burn issue by transferring both MAGIX folders (there are two, for some reason) to my spare hard drive. So far, two burns without a hitch.
And most of the music files lost from the C drive were backed up on disc, anyway, so it's only a little bit of work that went bye-bye. And I guess I was due for wiping out a whole folder of stuff--it's my first time doing so. I feel like I've arrived.
Speaking of arrived, my turntable will hopefully show up today. I don't want to sound eager, but I am, and then some.
Lee
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Me again
Greetings. It'll be a few days on any new playlists--an ear infection has gotten in the way. This is my first in years--I almost thought I'd kicked the things. No such luck.
Nearly no sound is getting through on the left side, owing (probably) to congestion and swelling and what-not. I'll be seeing my doctor tomorrow, and he'll probably have my ear ear-igated. Or give me ear drops. We'll see. I hope he opts for wax removal so that I can get back to using headphones with a cleared ear. Especially with my new turntable getting here Friday or Saturday.
Regarding the rumble I described in my Dual 1229, I'm probably hearing changer-mechanism noise. Idler wheel noise, too. Rumble would be lower in freq. and more ear-hurting. It wouldn't invade the body of the music (not if it were in the 60 Hz area). And, problem is, I'm getting better and better at hearing it. I know it's there.
The sound of the Dual 1229 without the noise--that would be divine. But it's there. (Did I mention that it's there?)
I'll likely re-rip my last few vinyl rips. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, here's what my (very late) piano teacher's studio looks like today. Oddly enough, I recognized it right away as the place where I took piano lessons with my brother and sister. There used to be a a disused hydraulic elevator in the closed-off passage behind that partially-open door--my teacher referred to it as a "water elevator." And there were dark, dusty staircases. Huge. We weren't supposed to go back there, but we did whenever the chance arose.
Nearly no sound is getting through on the left side, owing (probably) to congestion and swelling and what-not. I'll be seeing my doctor tomorrow, and he'll probably have my ear ear-igated. Or give me ear drops. We'll see. I hope he opts for wax removal so that I can get back to using headphones with a cleared ear. Especially with my new turntable getting here Friday or Saturday.
Regarding the rumble I described in my Dual 1229, I'm probably hearing changer-mechanism noise. Idler wheel noise, too. Rumble would be lower in freq. and more ear-hurting. It wouldn't invade the body of the music (not if it were in the 60 Hz area). And, problem is, I'm getting better and better at hearing it. I know it's there.
The sound of the Dual 1229 without the noise--that would be divine. But it's there. (Did I mention that it's there?)
I'll likely re-rip my last few vinyl rips. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, here's what my (very late) piano teacher's studio looks like today. Oddly enough, I recognized it right away as the place where I took piano lessons with my brother and sister. There used to be a a disused hydraulic elevator in the closed-off passage behind that partially-open door--my teacher referred to it as a "water elevator." And there were dark, dusty staircases. Huge. We weren't supposed to go back there, but we did whenever the chance arose.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Things to come
More music coming up quick--and I hope you like my layout changes. Dig the new colors.
I find Blogger quirky in its layout-changing features, but that's most likely because I'm not very techy, as the expression goes. At any rate, I'm a widget-creating expert now, and I even figured out how to expand the sidebar width. And dig the Mog Music Network headline widget.
I'm getting dangerously close to actually knowing what I'm doing. Of course, I always say that, and it's never true.
Other changes to come: a new turntable. I love Dual turntables, and I love the way they introduced me to decent audio sound, starting all the way back with my Dual 1219, which I got for eight bucks at a flea market fifteen or so years ago. And my latest Dual (1229) has been a joy to work with. However....
However, I can no longer tolerate the rumble, which anymore sounds like an earthquake fixing to erupt. (Do quakes erupt? Anyway....) I was listening to a piano recording with my Sennheiser monitoring phones plugged into my amp (vice the PC tower), and I turned up the volume and, AIEEE!!!
I could hear the train a'comin'. And the lonesome whistle was telling me to get a new turntable. As in, brand new. Not "classic."
I'll be getting it as a birthday present, my b-day being this month (22nd). I'll tell you all about it after it's arrived and I've set it up. Comes with a cartridge (with LP and 78 needles, er, styli). I could get a fancier (a little pricier) one that comes without a cartridge, but I'm fine with the all-in-one table, which sells for $359.95. (Saving a nickel is so nice.)
My 1229 could probably be tuned up and the rumble minimized--dunno. But I'm no turntable tech, and I trust the place I'm buying from (Esoteric Sound).
Meanwhile, I believe we have a freeze coming tonight. Yikes.
Lee
I find Blogger quirky in its layout-changing features, but that's most likely because I'm not very techy, as the expression goes. At any rate, I'm a widget-creating expert now, and I even figured out how to expand the sidebar width. And dig the Mog Music Network headline widget.
I'm getting dangerously close to actually knowing what I'm doing. Of course, I always say that, and it's never true.
Other changes to come: a new turntable. I love Dual turntables, and I love the way they introduced me to decent audio sound, starting all the way back with my Dual 1219, which I got for eight bucks at a flea market fifteen or so years ago. And my latest Dual (1229) has been a joy to work with. However....
However, I can no longer tolerate the rumble, which anymore sounds like an earthquake fixing to erupt. (Do quakes erupt? Anyway....) I was listening to a piano recording with my Sennheiser monitoring phones plugged into my amp (vice the PC tower), and I turned up the volume and, AIEEE!!!
I could hear the train a'comin'. And the lonesome whistle was telling me to get a new turntable. As in, brand new. Not "classic."
I'll be getting it as a birthday present, my b-day being this month (22nd). I'll tell you all about it after it's arrived and I've set it up. Comes with a cartridge (with LP and 78 needles, er, styli). I could get a fancier (a little pricier) one that comes without a cartridge, but I'm fine with the all-in-one table, which sells for $359.95. (Saving a nickel is so nice.)
My 1229 could probably be tuned up and the rumble minimized--dunno. But I'm no turntable tech, and I trust the place I'm buying from (Esoteric Sound).
Meanwhile, I believe we have a freeze coming tonight. Yikes.
Lee
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Atheists are not only okay, we love them
Whatever I think of neo-atheist dogma, I think atheists are wonderful people. Seriously. Read my essay at MY(P)WHAE Text.
Meanwhile, it's Sunday, and I'm praying for a drop in the pollen count.
And Beverly, my foster mom whom I love and cherish, is 75 years old today (this happened on the 1st). I could say "75 years young," but she's not nearly that vain. Besides, she gets wiser with every passing year, and why take any of that away from her?
Bev and our late John have been an inspiration, a comfort, my friends and surrogate parents, and two of the coolest people anywhere. They helped me find me by loving me without any clause tacked on. The older I get, the more I come to believe that life's journey is as meaningful and good as the people we share it with. The privilege of walking together is the greatest privilege of all.
Even as some our cats try to trip us, especially along the journey down the drive or around the garden. (Savio, we're talking about you.) Okay, and Aim, our neighbor cat.
Oh, and a late link to this fine post at Way Out Junk.
Happy Mother's Day!
Meanwhile, it's Sunday, and I'm praying for a drop in the pollen count.
And Beverly, my foster mom whom I love and cherish, is 75 years old today (this happened on the 1st). I could say "75 years young," but she's not nearly that vain. Besides, she gets wiser with every passing year, and why take any of that away from her?
Bev and our late John have been an inspiration, a comfort, my friends and surrogate parents, and two of the coolest people anywhere. They helped me find me by loving me without any clause tacked on. The older I get, the more I come to believe that life's journey is as meaningful and good as the people we share it with. The privilege of walking together is the greatest privilege of all.
Even as some our cats try to trip us, especially along the journey down the drive or around the garden. (Savio, we're talking about you.) Okay, and Aim, our neighbor cat.
Oh, and a late link to this fine post at Way Out Junk.
Happy Mother's Day!
110 percent...
...of Christians approve of waterboarding. Read all about it at my other blog: 110 percent of Christians approve of waterboarding.
That's the figure I expect to encounter any day now on the Net, on TV, or in the newspaper. From there, it will rise to 140 percent. Mark my words.
Meanwhile, in cyberspace, the water carriers for the neo-atheist fad have taken to pretending they've never heard the term (neo-atheist), and they demand that I explain it to them. Google it, I respond. No, you tell us, they say. After which, I say something really clever like, What's wrong? You don't know how to Google?
Such witty and distinguished repartee, no? I'm thinking of inserting "Ya Muddah wears combat shoes!" at some point to give this tangy verbal cyber-sparring even more panache.
That's the figure I expect to encounter any day now on the Net, on TV, or in the newspaper. From there, it will rise to 140 percent. Mark my words.
Meanwhile, in cyberspace, the water carriers for the neo-atheist fad have taken to pretending they've never heard the term (neo-atheist), and they demand that I explain it to them. Google it, I respond. No, you tell us, they say. After which, I say something really clever like, What's wrong? You don't know how to Google?
Such witty and distinguished repartee, no? I'm thinking of inserting "Ya Muddah wears combat shoes!" at some point to give this tangy verbal cyber-sparring even more panache.
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