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Diana Krall

I was in Fort Lauderdale last Thursday and saw/heard Diana Krall.  Second time, first was in Wilkes Barre PA after Wallflower cd, this one after her recent one.  Two quite different concerts, both outstanding.  This one was "jazzy", an upright bass, a drummer, guitarist, fiddle/violinist (and a pianist/vocalist).  5 great musicians on the stage, and a wonderful singer.  She is wonderful live.  Highly recommended, as equipment reviewers often say.  Worth the price of admission.  
rpeluso
minorl
1,015 posts
 

I was in Santa Monica yesterday for a meeting and had a little time to kill afterwards.  So, I went to Optimal Enchantment to talk with Randall.  The equipment and systems that he has in his one room store/listening room are nothing short of amazing.

I just needed a few moments to relax and talk and hear some great music and equipment.  Very top of the line stupidly expensive Basis turntable and tone arm with a stupidly expensive cartridge, into Audio Research REF 10 phono stage and Audio Research REF 10 pre-amp, then into Vandersteen audio model 7 with Vandersteen amps. 

He played Diana Krall live in Paris.  That was absolutely the best live recording I have every heard.  the Engineers and sound recording technicians really knew their stuff.

The worries of the day evaporated and with Diana Krall, Grant Green and Dean Martin playing I was there.

I heard the same system a few months earlier and he used the same setup but with Audio Research REF 250 SE amps.  that system completely disappeared.  I can't say the same with the Vandersteen Amps.

Don't get me wrong, I'll take the Vandersteen model 7's and his amps without hesitation.  They were great.

But, just had to post here that Diana Krall live in Paris is absolutely a great two album set.  I ordered it immediately upon returning home.

If you have a chance to stop in on Randall at his shop in Santa Monica, you won't find a more knowledgeable and likeable person. 

enjoy

frogman
7,409 posts
 
I don’t know anyone here well enough to be singling anyone out; I am not.  This is just a general observation that I started to make in an earlier post and decided it was best to not go there; it certainly doesn’t apply in all cases.  Imo, some audiophile/music lovers do not do a good enough job of separating the “ear-candy” appeal of some recordings from its intrinsic musical value when making an assessment of the recording’s or the artist’s musical merit.  DK’s recordings are generally very well recorded and in a way that appeals to the audiophile’s sensibilities.  Conversely, some artists whose recordings are generally not as “impressive” in the sonics department are sometimes bumped down a notch or two (or more) in spite of being on a considerably higher level of musicality.  
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,700 posts
 

Isn’t Randy and his shop a treat, minorl?! He looks like a completely different person with his hair and beard gone---use to look like a damn hippie, now like a little old man ;-). He has a great sounding room and system, and is as nice a guy as you could know.

I bought a used ARC LS-1 from Randy way back in the early 90’s, and was at his first shop (which had a co-owner) once, when they were having their close-out sale, right around the corner on Pacific Coast Highway, an apartment with a picture window that looked out on the Santa Monica beach. His room at the Hi-Fi shows is always one of the very best sounding, and he brings lots of great music on LP with which to demo his ARC/Vandersteen system.

ps
746 posts
 
There are vast numbers who consume and criticize.  It's easy.

There are small numbers who create.  It's not easy.
schubert
7,386 posts
 
Everybody Creates , it's human nature .
You're right about the not easy part though .
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