What have you been working on in 2020?


New system? Getting into DIY? New bands?

I’d love to know what you’ve been doing that is audio-related this year. Dare I hope some of you have gotten soldering guns? Heat guns? Cables or caps?
For me, I’ve gotten into Roon and the Pi 4. Finally set up my combined 2-ch/HT set up with a new HT processor, and done a little blogging on Roon and subwoofers.  Last night I took my Pi 4 apart and added tiny little heat sinks to the RAM, USB and Ethernet chips.
erik_squires
I relentlessly video my violin playing in a quest to to get fully at ease in front of the camera.  I sit at the piano and patiently tackle Scott Joplin and Frederic Chopin.  I scour my way through Primephonic and Qobuz in a quest to hear every recorded performance of pieces that push my emotional buttons.  As for the stereo itself?  Apart from minor tweaks in speaker placement (I'll move a speaker a couple of degrees inward, then outward, then put 'em parallel), I just sit there and enjoy.
Forgot to add above - sold off my headphone system due to lack of use: Ray Samuels Raptor HP amp, Beyerdynamic & AKG phones, Mood Audio HP cables, Sieveking HP stands
Truly, I hadn’t thought I had purchased or done much this year, then, per this thread, went and checked. Dang, how time flys and you forget what you have done....

Bought by Belles 400A amp at the first of the year
Sold by beloved B&K 125.2 amp
Purchased and installed both absorption and diffusion panels
Bought a hospital grade power tap
Repaired one of my acoustic couplers on my Vandy 2CE Sigs
Bought an additional used sub to match my existing, set them up stereo
Bought my Parasound ZPre3 pre-amp (should have done that sooner)
Bought a cork mat to try on my acrylic platter
Bought an LPS for my Schiit Mani
Purchased 8 Viprapod Cones for my Belles and ZPre3
Bought a pair of Sennheiser head phones, which I never use
Bought some dense foam blocks to create dampers for my subs ports
Bought some isolation feet pads for my Vandy 2CE Sigs
Just bought a Record Doctor VI vacuum cleaner, yet to arrive
Bought a pair of Mogami RCA cables to try out
Bought a new azimuth protractor and gauge
Bought a bunch....a bunch...of vinyl thus far
Bought a bunch of outer sleeves for my albums
Have bought some CD’s, but focusing on vinyl
Have bought some cassettes, most of which I’m thrilled with the SQ

I think that’s it, thus far......




I’ve been "working on" listening to a lot of music. I’m not tearing my gear apart and stuffing it with duct tape and baling wire to make it sound better. Since March music is on 12 hrs per day and it’s offsetting a bit of the darkness created by the pandemic. Music is good for the soul - meditative and fun.