jwei

Responses from jwei

Post “Three Blind Mice” Japanese Jazz
Three Blind Mice are great jazz performances and great recordings. I am also a fan of Yuko Mabuchi who has moved to California and performs around the U.S. Like the OP, I have developed a taste for some Korean music. Though my preferences are fa... 
How do you stop house guest from damaging your speakers?
I would preface their entry into an audio room with "This stuff is fairly fragile like in a china shop, so please don't touch it.  You wouldn't want to have to pay for repair or replacement." I got a chuckle out of this: Jeff Koons 'balloon do... 
How long do speakers last?
If the drivers have foam surrounds, there's a chance the foam will deteriorate and fall apart in 15-20 years.  They can sometimes be refoamed depending on availability of appropriate replacement foam surrounds. I don't know if the VR33s have driv... 
Made in USA
I have mainly US. Wilson, Pass, Thiel, VPI, Graham Engineering, Manley, McIntosh, Mark Levinson, Sunfire, Rane, Cardas, and Tice for US. Koetsu, Nakamichi, SAE, and Sony for Japan. Bryston for Canada. Oppo, Red Rose Music, REL, Carver, and Aud... 
Show off!
I play vinyl -- For male vocal, Hugh Masekela's "Hope" album, especially the Stimela cut. For female vocal, Rebecca Pidgeon's "The Raven" album, especially the Spanish Harlem cut. And for jazz instrumental, "Bill Evans at the Montreux Jazz Fest... 
What CDs to buy
For well-recorded jazz try the Three Blind Mice (aka TBM) Japanese label. Pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto is artful on "Midnight Sugar" (TBM-XR-0023) and "Misty" (TBM-XR-0030). Also for jazz, I like "Jazz at the Pawnshop" for its immersive you-are-ther... 
UPS. Friend Or Foe?
I had Audio Classics refurb my MR 78 a while back. First I bought their dedicated shipping box, then I packed it properly and left it with local UPS to ship insured. Audio Classics said it arrived with a broken glass faceplate.  But insurance co... 
The Forgotten
How about Bob Carver?  Innovative but controversial. Phase Linear Carver Corp Sunfire Bob Carver LLC  
VPI dust cover
Vinh Vu of Gingko Audio did a great job customizing a dustcover for my modified VPI TNT HRX. He’s a real gentleman and does high quality work. In NJ. https://www.ginkgoaudio.com/dustcovers/  
What's your favorite lyric from a song?
Steely Dan's "Do It Again" -- get knocked down, get up, do it again -- my theme song.   In the mornin' you go gunnin' for the man who stole your water And you fire 'til he is done in but they catch you at the border And the mourners are all sin... 
Innovative Autio in NYC just hung up on me
I've had the best service at Brooks Berdan Monrovia SoCal.  Great listening session.  
Ultimate stereo nightmare
Is your problem with the right channel not working true for all sources or just one? If it's all sources, then your issue is somewhere with your amp/preamp.  LIke if you moved your amp to change speaker cables, maybe your right channel interconne... 
Starting from Basically Scratch. Help me power some Wilson Watt Puppys
I am driving a pair of WATT/Puppy 6's in my home theater system with a pair of Bryston 7B ST monoblocks, rated 500 W at 8 ohms with a high current configuration of 800 W at 4 ohms or lower. The W/P 6 can be a difficult load with an impedance dip ... 
How long does it take a decent quality speaker to "wear out"?
I had to have the foam surrounds of my WATT/Puppy Puppies replaced after about 20 years. Long time ago, I blew out the midrange of a Rectilinear III Highboy doing stereo wars in a dorm.  Duh.  
Where did you buy your first audio gear?
Small hifi storefront on Valley Road in South Orange, New Jersey.  Don't remember the name.  Became a pet store a few years later. I walked past this store every day going to high school.  The window display fascinated me.  I saved up my lunch mo...