Who R U?

I've been reading this site with a passion for about 8 weeks but have never made a post. Although I feel I should introduce myself as I feel almost "voyer like" as I keenly read all the postings in this section. My name is Steve Dougherty and live in Calgary Alberta. At 47 im right in the thick of bulding my systems. I schedule flight crew for canadain airlines and have been doing so for too long. Some of my best memories of my teens are listening to my best friend's father's stereo on friday nights. Great big Tannoys,lancasters I think, powered tubes of some sort. Ever since I longed for a system of my own. I shopped for years but could not afford what my ears said I deserved. I had lousy stuff until 1990 when I moved from Montreal to here and my roommate reintroduced me to hifi. The first system was the little maggies with rotel 40w a side. The early cd players weren't so good but I concentrated building a cd collection. I just loved the maggies and could not figure why everyone in the office didn't have these. Well I got married shortly after and we had 2 girls right away. I was sure glad I had the stuff I did because the money for upgrades disappeared. Believe it or not I sold the maggies when my first girl was 2 because we live in a samll house and she was tipping them over. I bought some bookshelf kefs and thought I was happy. Well my life was too busy too know better. For the next 6 years every pennie went to building my wife's buisness, an ad agency, so guess what I listened to. I still built up the cd s , though,to well over 400 and thats not including all the trade ins. Let me digress here to my Cds. In 1990 when I started I had not a single title. So when I started my collection I felt I had to have all the oldies I liked growing up. It didn't click that I might not really lile that stuff any more. Also there seemed to be lots of changes going on in my life and the discs I bought the year before weren't really getting played any more. So every time my tastes expanded or changed another 50 or so cd's would find there way home. Sometimes they were hidden in the sock drawer. Anyways the buisness is now 17 employees and does pretty well. So guess whos playing catch up. My speakers were first with Paradigms ref studio 80s v2 I chose these over the 100s because of a more 2 way like sound. Then I bought a Anthem mca 2 for power. The Anthem Pre 2 is on order. I also bought a pricey paradign /dennon home theatre system. The plan is when we move to a bigger house in the spring then home theater will go downstais for the kids along with the studo 80s and mca 2. I think then I'll match the pre 2 with an amp 2 and perhaps maggies 1.6qr or the Oskar speakers with the Heil tweters that have been talked about so much in UHF magazine. Living in Canada we are restricted with the currency difference of late. I dont think most of you relize a 1,000 dollar us product on this site costs us 1550 canadian. I mention this because if you live close to the border near a major center you can save a fortune buying canadian made hifi with US bucks. My local dealer sells lots to customers from montana who drive up. Its a lot cheaper than buying the same product in the US because usually a importer or distributor lays a margin on the product.This works especially for who live close to montreal ,toronto or vancouver where there is a big hifi following. My current musical tates are classical,latin jazz and i have a big collection of acapella I just love the harmonie of voices by them selves. I also like mowtown but try to find a quality recording. Latest cd to come home is Armandos fire by Oscar Lopez on the Narada world lable. Pet peve is audio reviewers who use the word bloom in their decsriptions.Bloom is what happens in my garden in springtime not what grows out of my tweeters. A note to all of you who, like me, have a spouse who does not share your passion. It works if you encourage her to have her hobbie and you invest equal amounts. My wife has horses. Thanks to all of you who do post your thoughts and expertise here. I' learning a ton. Cheers steve

Swampwalker/ref a capella recordings. Here are some of my favs. The Persuasions, Live In The Whispering Gallery. Recorded live april 10 1988 in the whispering gallery of grand central terminal. The label is HNCD 1988 and I believe is a one off from Hamer'n Nails records,Tortla BVI. Take 6 Titled Take 6 on reprise 9 25670-2. This is on the spiritual side but the recording's superb . Its six voices harmonized as good as it gets. The best of Ladysmith Black Mambazo On Shanachie 43098. These sang on the background of Graceland and have gone on from there. Most of the tracks are in their native language so dont expect to follow the lyrics, but very very musical. Ther are four Nylons Cds . The first one size fits all is Roadrunner RR34-9926. but in the U.S.might be on a different lable. This is on HP's/of absolute sound/ super list or whatever he calls it. Also on Roadrunner RR34-9856 is Seamless. They then swiched to Attic Records and did Happy Together ACD1233, my favorite, and then Rockapella Acd1254 Regardless of label all the Nylons stuff is great, the last two have better material. All my discs are stored Alphabetical by artist and I tend to file a few that are not a capella on that shelf. The gregorian chants and choral are there as well as two by Bobbie Mcferrin. Just a note of a superb choral I lucked upon . This is a great choir making recordings to pay the way but found an amazing Producer and engineer to but the music on dics. On Erato Disques from Paris is Agnus Dei on Erato 2-14634 This is the Choir of New College Oxford directed by Edward Higginbottom. They have a few out but this is the one to get. Although its not a capella I have on my favorites shelf YoYo Ma/Bobie Mcferrin / Hush. Sony Masterworks SK 48177. Well recorded and really neat music. also Bobbie McFerrin with a disc called circle songs. This is all vocals but doing somthing very different. A definate listen before you buy. A lot of this is a long way from bluegrass but different types of music can be fun and who says we have to listen to them every day. cheers steve

Rackon , Not a big deal, really, this way I get to ride too. In fact some days I couldn't tell you which gives me more satsfaction. But wait I hear the stereo warming up... cheers steve