Whats on your turntable tonight?


For me its the first or very early LP's of:
Allman Brothers - "Allman Joys" "Idyllwild South"
Santana - "Santana" 200 g reissue
Emerson Lake and Palmer - "Emerson Lake and Palmer"
and,
Beethoven - "Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major" Rudolph Serkin/Ozawa/BSO
slipknot1

The Aulos Ensemble : Telemann - Essercizii Musici. MusicMasters mid-80’s release I believe.
 

Ya know, I’m starting to wonder if it’s my ultrasonic humidifier. That damn thing puts a hazy film over everything when in use during the winter. The ‘residue’ is easy to clean/wipe off, but am starting to think it could do either damage or at the very least can create problems with electronics.

I have a hard time believing if could actually find a way into used tube sockets, but am thinking it could indeed be an issue. And just removing and resetting the tubes took care of it.

Think I’ll get a non-ultrasonic unit for next winter.

That T. Rex "Greatest Hits" (according to the sleeve)  is actually Electric Warrior. Weird. 

@noromance ya man, that’s where i got my copy from as well Brian. Enjoy…

i am toooooooo tired to spin vinyl tonight, work and early getups all week are a nasty combination….

I wouldn’t do anything more Brian just yet, keep an ear on it, maybe one of the sockets loose, pin bent, dirt, reinserted fixed it….hopefully for good. in future, i switch cables L to R to isolate to a component, you may have done that to arrive at phono preamp…. You have find decent B and K Tube testers for $75 - $100 ish also. w Tubes spares are your friend…

I am wondering if the tube in the weak channel may not have been fully seated? If it was bad tube, it should have followed to the other speaker when you switched them.

@boxer12 

Yep Tim, I have a couple sets of extra 12au7’s. And yea, did think about installing them as a check. But again, everything seems to sound back to normal with the Brimar’s, so….

‘Music Memorials’ : Glazunov - Solemn Contata In Commemoration Of The Centemary Of A. S. Pushkin For Soloists, Choir, And Orchestra Op. 65 & Two Preludes For The Large Orchestra Op. 85 / Taneyev - Cantata On The Inauguration Of The Memorial To A. S. Pushkin / Balakirev - Cantata On The Inauguration Of The Memorial To M.I. Glinka. Moscow Radio & Television Symphonic Orchestra and Choir (I believe). Мелодия 1974 USSR release.

In my mind, will dedicate these cantana’s the the people of Ukraine 🇺🇦 . So sad

BTW, I wouldn't mess with azimuth unless the situation comes back in the same channel it initially was. 

Do you have a spare pair of 12AU7's? If it's a weak tube (very probable), it will show up again soon. 

Could be self biasing, but then again you would think both channels would have it. 

@boxer12 

Tim, I have no equipment to measure tubes. Thought about azimuth, but again, after swapping the two 12au7’s, everything seems to back to ‘normal’. Haven’t checked in a while though, so could not hurt regardless.

I wonder if the Hagerman has some type of self-biasing circuitry and just flipping them allowed to be ‘readjusted’. I dunno.

Hey Brian,

Are you able to take any measurements of the 12AU7 tubes or check cartridge azimuth?  

@mammothguy54 

Yep Joel, what I was thinking too, but, the two NOS Brimar 12au7’s were matched from Upscale. So I have a good feeling they were sold as a good matched pair.

As I understand, a preamp typically isn’t as sensitive to matching or bias as an amp would be. Thus, unless there is a catastrophic failure, or an extreme mismatch, as far as I know, there should not be a significant difference.  

Curious.

Brian, all I can think of (also, a newbie in the world of tubes) is there is a mismatch.  Maybe they were well matched to begin with, but over time one of them lost its potential and the other was just fine.  Tubes are best when purchased in pairs or quads (depending on one's need) and after being tested and matched by the seller.  I know that Upscale Audio does that and most likely so do other quality tube sellers.  Anyway, that is my best guess.

Got back from Mammoth Mountain last night.  A fabulous week of skiing.

Atlanta Rhythm Section - A Rock And Roll Alternative  

Annie Lennox - Diva   Man, this is a wonderful album, both musically and sonically.

Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughan  -  2 disc set, 45rpm Analogue Productions.  This is a piece of musical history.  And WOW, is it great!

 

OK, for you tube guys, and to a tube ‘newby’. For the last few days, it has seemed to me that when spinning viny there was a lean towards my left channel. The soundstage seemed unbalanced. This has been driving me a bit crazy. It wasn’t extreme, but enough that I could hear it, especially with classical recordings and instrument placement within the stage. So last night tried some digital test tracks for R&L Channel, measured, and everything seemed fine, as did any digital music I played. So, figured it isn’t the amp, isn’t the preamp, so perhaps the vinyl front end. Last night took stylast cleaner to my stylus (which I rarely ever use), thinking there may be some ‘gunk’ on it. No real change. So tonight I focused on the Hagerman. Flipped the center two (of the four) 12ax7’s, mmmm…maybe a small difference? Then, just flipped the two 12au7’s, and presto!, everything filled in and a full balanced soundstage returned. And it isn’t like the right channel is now more prominent, it just sounds as it should.

 

Why in the heck would this happen? Very curious and confused. Maybe I’m just crazy 😜

István Kertész conducts Dvořák - Symphony No. 5 In F, Op. 24 & Overture "My Home" From Op. 62. The London Symphony Orchestra. London 1967
 

Streaming Lady Blackbird - Lost and Looking. Pretty sweet. Vinyl seems to be available from the UK for $61 + tax inc shipping. Not for me.

Miklós Erdélyi conducts Bartók - Suite No 2, Op. 4 / Hungarian Sketches / Transylvanian Dances / Rumanian Folk Dances . Budapest Symphony Orchestra. Hungaroton / Bartók Béla Complete Edition 1976 Hungarian release 

satoshi & makoto - cz-5000 sounds and sequences vol 1

incredibly beautiful record. from the bandcamp release page: 

We write to you with the conclusions of our investigation into the synthesized audio transmissions picked up by the deep space telescope at regular intervals since 1986. The source was traced to two brothers in Kawasaki, Japan, who identified themselves as Satoshi and Makoto. When we raided the building, they were huddled around a synthesizer manufactured by the Casio Corporation, model number CZ-5000.

In their archives we discovered a wealth of colourful and ear-pleasing material created entirely using this music-making device in the early 1990s. We asked them to provide copies so that we could make these compositions available to the public for the first time. They handed us a compact disc that bore the handwritten code “ST006”.

Recent arrivals,

Patti Smith "Banga" pp/2012/Columbia

John Illsley "Glass" pp/1988/Phonogram

@tomic601 - Been streaming "Black Acid Soul" a lot. It's a favorite at the shop. So tried to do some tax work but nope, back to the deck for one more twirl... Jeff Buckley, "Grace". Perfect night cap!

Lady Blackbird - Black Acid Soul

my favorite of the year…..in heavy rotation….

Roberto Szidon, piano : Villa-Lobos - A Fiandeira / Rudepoêma / Saudades Das Sélvas Brasileiras / New York Skyline / Carnaval Das Crianças, Para Piano A Duas E Quatro Mãos / Suite Floral, Três Peças Op. 97. Deutsche Grammophon 1976 German release 


 

@noromance 

Beethoven - Arthur Rubinstein, Boston Symphony Orchestra / Erich Leinsdorf – "Emperor" Concerto (RCA Victor Red Seal 1964)

I have that one Brian, very nice indeed

Beethoven - Arthur Rubinstein, Boston Symphony Orchestra / Erich Leinsdorf – "Emperor" Concerto (RCA Victor Red Seal 1964)

~ much better.

Mozart, Turina, Heifetz, Piatigorsky – The Heifetz-Piatigorsky Concerts / Violin Concerto No. 5, K. 219, Trio No. 1 For Piano, Violin And Cello, Op. 35 (RCA Victor Red Seal 1967 mono)

~ not a great recording unfortunately. Loud parts seem compressed.

Adrian Boult conducts Tchaikovsky - Suite No. 3 In G Major Opus. 55. Orchestre De La Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire. London reissue 1967, originally 1956

 

@bigross 

👍🏼 Great LP. Enjoy! 
 

I believe the last LP they released prior to their divorce 

So many nights away from LPs but tonight, ahhh,... Island Records, 1st pressing of Richard and Linda Thompson, "I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight" 2x - I liberated it from a sleepy record shop just outside of Boston today. Breaking in a a new Van den Hul, cart too. Just wonderful!

Mendelssohn / Bruch / Zino Francescatti, Szell, Schippers – Concerto In E Minor For Violin And Orchestra, Op. 64 / Concerto In D Major For Violin And Orchestra, Op. 35 (Columbia Masterworks 1962)

Super. Lovely depth.

OK, this should be interesting…..

Die 12 Cellisten Der Berliner Philharmoniker : Villa-Lobos - Bachianas Brasileiras Nr. 1 (1930) / Xenakis - Windungen (1976) Für 12 Violoncellisten / Eder - Melodia — Ritmica, Op. 59 Nr. 1 (1972) Für 12 Violoncelli / Traditional - Gospel Train / Lennon & McCartney - Yesterday / Handy - St. Louis Blues. Telefunken 1978 German release 

The Platters – Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries! (Mercury 1961)

~Sweet album of great music. Life sounded happy back then. A classic. Recording solid and lively. Great test of some interesting voices.

Patsy Cline – I Can't Forget You (Sears 1966)

Lee Andrews And The Hearts – Dean Tyler Presents Lee Andrews And The Hearts - Live On Stage (Lost Nite 1965)

~This is a pretty bright recording with in your lap audience whistles. Lots of energy with the Decca. Where's that old Nagaoka?

Steve Miller

Great compendium 

Engineered by Glyn John's

Talk about speakers disappearing!