Pandemic Survival Kit

[zombywoof]

While I cannot give them all the credit, these things helped keep  me going full blown Jack Torrance.  Perfect brew of a Gibson guitar, a Linn turntable, a Fisher 500B amp, and some great vinyl., 

 

[duluthdan]

Love me some WZ

[Sgt. Pepper]

4 minutes ago, duluthdan said:

Love me some WZ

And he dug up her grave and made a cage with her bones.

Excitable boy they all said.

👍

Edited May 24, 2020 by Sgt. Pepper

[zombywoof]

Bringing Dave Lindley and Waddy Wachtel along for the ride ain't none too shabby either,   But this LP remains my favorite.   

[75 Hummingbird]

Don`t smoke kids ....it`ll kill ya !

[Boyd]

The guitar is definitely cool. Your choice of music certainly wouldn't be mine, but to each his own. 😉

However, I just don't get the appeal of a turntable or stereo receiver with tubes. I gave up on reel to reel tapes by the mid 1970's, vinyl records around 2006,  cassette tapes by 2008 and CD's around the same time. Still have boxes of all these up in the attic (vinyl going back to the 1950's).  A few years ago I ripped everything I wanted to my media server, I still enjoy listening to them but don't miss the experience of using records, tapes or CD's in the least. Good riddance, I'm quite happy with digital!

I built a fancy Heathkit tube type stereo receiver back in the 60's... took me forever, unbelievable how many parts are inside one of those. I think my first solid state amp was in the KLH portable (luggable) record player that I took to college in 1967 and used for many years afterwards. Later I graduated to bigger/fancier solid state receivers and expensive turntables. Still remember pulling tubes from my old amps and riding my bike to the drug store to test them... then getting frustrated when they didn't have the replacements that I needed and getting my parents to take me to Radio Shack at the shopping center.  Don't miss that either.

VIntage guitars are cool. VIntage electronic and media... no thanks, they would be more likely to drive me crazy than help me survive. But, like I said, to each his own. Glad you have found something to bring you happiness during these difficult times.

Edited May 24, 2020 by Boyd

[Sgt. Pepper]

17 minutes ago, Boyd said:

The guitar is definitely cool. Your choice of music certainly wouldn't be mine, but to each his own. 😉

However, I just don't get the appeal of a turntable or stereo receiver with tubes. I gave up on reel to reel tapes by the mid 1970's, vinyl records around 2006,  cassette tapes by 2008 and CD's around the same time. Still have boxes of all these up in the attic (vinyl going back to the 1950's).  A few years ago I ripped everything I wanted to my media server, I still enjoy listening to them but don't miss the experience of using records, tapes or CD's in the least. Good riddance, I'm quite happy with digital!

I built a fancy Heathkit tube type stereo receiver back in the 60's... took me forever, unbelievable how many parts are inside one of those. I think my first solid state amp was in the KLH portable (luggable) record player that I took to college in 1967 and used for many years afterwards. Later I graduated to bigger/fancier solid state receivers and expensive turntables. Still remember pulling tubes from my old amps and riding my bike to the drug store to test them... then getting frustrated when they didn't have the replacements that I needed and getting my parents to take me to Radio Shack at the shopping center.  Don't miss that either.

VIntage guitars are cool. VIntage electronic and media... no thanks, they would be more likely to drive me crazy than help me survive. But, like I said, to each his own. Glad you have found something to bring you happiness during these difficult times.

I am only buying vinyl now unless it is only out on CD. Yes the digital age is great I can use my phone to tell stuff play music. But like being at a live event, music sounds better when it is not compressed to death for digital files. Have you heard audiophile 180 gram vinyl. I just started getting them. They sound amazing, but like you said to each his own.

Edited May 24, 2020 by Sgt. Pepper

[jvi]

Nice .Beauty actually, all of it....J

[zombywoof]

1 hour ago, Boyd said:

The guitar is definitely cool. Your choice of music certainly wouldn't be mine, but to each his own. 😉

However, I just don't get the appeal of a turntable or stereo receiver with tubes. I gave up on reel to reel tapes by the mid 1970's, vinyl records around 2006,  cassette tapes by 2008 and CD's around the same time. Still have boxes of all these up in the attic (vinyl going back to the 1950's).  A few years ago I ripped everything I wanted to my media server, I still enjoy listening to them but don't miss the experience of using records, tapes or CD's in the least. Good riddance, I'm quite happy with digital!

I built a fancy Heathkit tube type stereo receiver back in the 60's... took me forever, unbelievable how many parts are inside one of those. I think my first solid state amp was in the KLH portable (luggable) record player that I took to college in 1967 and used for many years afterwards. Later I graduated to bigger/fancier solid state receivers and expensive turntables. Still remember pulling tubes from my old amps and taking them to the drug store to test them... then getting frustrated when they didn't have the replacements that I needed. Don't miss that either.

VIntage guitars are cool. VIntage electronic and media... no thanks, they would be more likely to drive me crazy than help me survive. But, like I said, to each his own. Glad you have found something to bring you happiness during these difficult times.

 I actually have four turntables including a Dual 1219 which is inside the cabinet as are a Cary CD player and Lounge Audio phono preamp.  ..  I do have fond memories of building gear from kits and going down to the hardware store to use the tube tester.  The Fisher has 22 tubes in it.   One of the things I enjoy though is that with the old stuff  matching it all up is an art form when it comes to speaker efficiency and such.  One of Fisher's quirks, as example, is it was designed to push the  7591 output tubes beyond their specifications and I have found old stock tubes will do me better than new ones.

But yeah, there are times when I think it is time to go with somewhat more modern audio gear.  A Rogue amp or the likes.  I do have some stuff which is maybe only 30 years old such as a  pair of Harry Klaus designed Sound Valves amps (updated versions of his Dynaco amps).  Problem right now is space when you throw in a preamp.  I ain't got it.    

But how could you resist the glow of the tubes in the dark and the "Magic Eye" beam.  

Edited May 24, 2020 by zombywoof

[zombywoof]

42 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

I am only buying vinyl now unless it is only out on CD. Yes the digital age is great I can use my phone to tell stuff play music. But like being at a live event, music sounds better when it is not compressed to death for digital files. Have you heard audiophile 180 gram vinyl. I just started getting them. They sound amazing, but like you said to each his own.

 

The Zevon LP in the pic is a 180 gram Rhino reissue.  It is the only one I as yet own.  But I will probably be going more in that direction when it comes to replacing worn records.  The Sundazed catalog in particular is pretty impressive.  

[Paul14]

As Paul McCartney said concerning synthesizer‘s & Drum machines. “Hey if it makes music, it can’t be all bad”

[Sgt. Pepper]

21 hours ago, zombywoof said:

 

The Zevon LP in the pic is a 180 gram Rhino reissue.  It is the only one I as yet own.  But I will probably be going more in that direction when it comes to replacing worn records.  The Sundazed catalog in particular is pretty impressive.  

I know it is. I have been buying the Zappa and Roxy Music 180's. I think the Beatles remasters and remixes are 180. Got them too. And a few others. I wish I could afford MacIntosh.  All my stuff is Denon. It is pre- surround sound days.

Edited May 25, 2020 by Sgt. Pepper

[Sgt. Pepper]

20 hours ago, Paul14 said:

As Paul McCartney said concerning synthesizer‘s & Drum machines. “Hey if it makes music, it can’t be all bad”

Yeah and he wrote Blackbird  and as a dual ended sword - Temporary Secretary. The horror.

Blackbird is one of my favorte songs of all time. The other one is silly.

Edited May 25, 2020 by Sgt. Pepper

[zombywoof]

9 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

I know it is. I have been buying the Zappa and Roxy Music 180's. I think the Beatles remasters and remixes are 180. Got them too. And a few others. I wish I could afford MacIntosh.  All m stuff is Denon. It is pre- surround sound days.

 

The real key to the Beatles reissues is you can get them in Mono.  Unless you are prepared to part with a boatload of cash it is the only way you are going to get the Mono version of the White Album. 

[Sgt. Pepper]

I got 8 or 9 different White Albums in all formats. One of my vinyl and one of my CD's are in Mono. I believe there is hand clapping on Ob -La - Di Ob - La - Da on the mono mix, but not the the stereo one. The White Album was the last one to have both mixes. Remixes Giles did I love. I have a Japanese pressing of The White Album on white vinyl on Apple that I've never played.

Edited May 25, 2020 by Sgt. Pepper

[j45nick]

21 hours ago, zombywoof said:

  

But how could you resist the glow of the tubes in the dark and the "Magic Eye" beam.  

 

As a kid, I had a Zenith Transoceanic radio in a wooden case on a table next to my bed. You could smell the tubes as they warmed up when you turned it on.

Scrolling through the shortwave bands at night when reception was good opened a different window onto the world, one which I've never forgotten: a cacophony of languages and accents cutting through the static, the names of faraway places etched onto the tuning bands on the face of the radio.

Somehow, YouTube doesn't have the same effect, as great as it is.

[Sgt. Pepper]

Nothing curls up my toes like hearing that distinct sound on the needle dropping and hitting the outer groove before song 1.

[zombywoof]

3 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

I got 8 or 9 different White Albums in all formats. One of my vinyl and one of my CD's are in Mono. I believe there is hand clapping on Ob -La - Di Ob - La - Da on the mono mix, but not the the stereo one. The White Album was the last one to have both mixes. Remixes Giles did I love. I have a Japanese pressing of The White Album on white vinyl on Apple that I've never played.

 

The Mono mix  of the White Album was never released in the US.   They were originally only released in the UK and were short lived..  So if you have one of the first pressings you are indeed very lucky.  The first four copies were given to the Beatles with Ringo getting #0000001.  If I recall, Mono mixes  started to become available in the late-1970s.  I know there was a Japanese version  released around that time.  Mono versions then started appearing a bit later in box sets.

[Sgt. Pepper]

1 hour ago, zombywoof said:

 

The Mono mix  of the White Album was never released in the US.   They were originally only released in the UK and were short lived..  So if you have one of the first pressings you are indeed very lucky.  The first four copies were given to the Beatles with Ringo getting #0000001.  If I recall, Mono mixes  started to become available in the late-1970s.  I know there was a Japanese version  released around that time.  Mono versions then started appearing a bit later in box sets.

Mine is from the 2009 remasters. I was 4 when they broke up.

[bobouz]

Sold all my albums a few years back - good riddance!  I even hated records as a kid.  Crackling, popping, skips, warped upon opening, trying to lay the needle just at the start of your favorite songs, trying to keep records clean, cleaning the needle, etc.

Love CDs & not changing formats again!

[SteveFord]

[Sgt. Pepper]

17 minutes ago, SteveFord said:

I just came back from cleaning my undies. 👍. Man I would love to hear a killer live  version of Strictly Genteel on that. He ended the show in Berkeley I saw with that one.

Edited May 26, 2020 by Sgt. Pepper

[E-minor7]

21 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

I got 8 or 9 different White Albums in all formats. One of my vinyl and one of my CD's are in Mono. I believe there is hand clapping on Ob -La - Di Ob - La - Da on the mono mix, but not the the stereo one. The White Album was the last one to have both mixes. Remixes Giles did I love. I have a Japanese pressing of The White Album on white vinyl on Apple that I've never played.

 

As you probably know there are many differences between the mono and the stereo mix of fx The White. And the funny and peculiar thing is that the Fabs didn't care for stereo - they were present while making the mono mix and then trusted the staff to imitate that and left the studio. Sometimes it worked better than others, , , as I remember it the engineers forgot to speed up certain things on Pepper. There must have been several more or less crucial examples over the years.

Apart from that me and 3 good (musical) friends sat down and seriously A/B'ed the black (M) and white (S) 14 CD-box when they came out remastered back on the 09-09-09. And there was were no disagreement or doubt :

S far surpassed M - simply by bein' far more entertaining, , , embracing the room with whole other generosity.

That of course only if not bein' a mono nerd.  Most people dig the pleasures of the wide sonic panorama with it's good separation etc. , , , but then there is Tom Petty passionately talking 'bout the depth of a mono mix. Hahe, , ,  not me. Okay, once in a while for the variation (and Lennon may have a point when claiming Revolution fell apart in the stereo) - else, no thanx. 

[Sgt. Pepper]

57 minutes ago, E-minor7 said:

 

As you probably know there are many differences between the mono and the stereo mix of fx The White. And the funny and peculiar thing is that the Fabs didn't care for stereo - they were present while making the mono mix and then trusted the staff to imitate that and left the studio. Sometimes it worked better than others, , , as I remember it the engineers forgot to speed up certain things on Pepper. There must have been several more or less crucial examples over the years.

Apart from that me and 3 good (musical) friends sat down and seriously A/B'ed the black (M) and white (S) 14 CD-box when they came out remastered back on the 09-09-09. And there was were no disagreement or doubt :

S far surpassed M - simply by bein' far more entertaining, , , embracing the room with whole other generosity.

That of course only if not bein' a mono nerd.  Most people dig the pleasures of the wide sonic panorama with it's good separation etc. , , , but then there is Tom Petty passionately talking 'bout the depth of a mono mix. Hahe, , ,  not me. Okay, once in a while for the variation (and Lennon may have a point when claiming Revolution fell apart in the stereo) - else, no thanx. 

I absolutely love the 3 Giles Martin remixes.  I think they are better than the originals. I remember hearing each one for the first time and almost jumping out of my seat at stuff I never knew was buried way down in the mix. Abbey Road was not as jarring as Pepper and The White Album. I've heard The White Album so many times I know every nuance of it. Me and my cousin used to listen to Rev. #9 over and over, each of listening sitting on front of  the left speaker and then the right and then again to hear all the weird stuff that was going on and what they were saying. That was summer '79. I probably listened to The White Album 50 times last year. I have given it a break for a while, but its calling me again.

I know everyone raves about mono and if you have originals they are more valuable. I have all the mono versions downloaded and they are a bit different in spots. Well if mono it is so good why is it not the standard anymore. Why do I want to have 2 speakers with the exact same thing coming out of both of them.

Come on Giles.  I hope you are doing a remix of Let It Be. Can't wait for the new doc. I saw the disaster that is the Let It Be Movie. Have not seen it since a the summer of '79.

[kelly campbell]

On 5/25/2020 at 9:42 AM, Sgt. Pepper said:

I got 8 or 9 different White Albums in all formats. One of my vinyl and one of my CD's are in Mono. I believe there is hand clapping on Ob -La - Di Ob - La - Da on the mono mix, but not the the stereo one. The White Album was the last one to have both mixes. Remixes Giles did I love. I have a Japanese pressing of The White Album on white vinyl on Apple that I've never played.

 

Man After my own Heart