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About Lugnut -- Patrick Malone

Many of us have come to know Patrick Malone (Lugnut) as a friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and kind individual. He is a frequent and enthusiastic contributor to our analog discussion forum. He has initiated only 17 threads, but responded to 559 threads. I would guess that many, if not most, of us can recall a time when Pat replied with helpful advice to a question we posted or helped us track down a rare recording. I have come to love Pat as a friend, and to respect him as a man, and I suspect many of you share those feelings.

Today I write to share difficult news with you. Pat has been diagnosed with an aggressive stomach cancer. It has yet to be determined whether surgery will even be worth it. If surgery is performed, most or all of the stomach will be removed, and Pat would face a difficult and long post-op period in the hospital. The medical course is still uncertain, but will be determined soon. Whatever is decided, it will not be easy or pleasant.

Something may be planned in the future to assist the family. For now, Pat could use some of the friendship he so often and willingly showed us. You can email Pat at: lugnut50@msn.com. You can also mail cards, letters ... or whatever. You may email me for Pat's mailing address. My email is: pfrumkin1@comcast.net.

I hope to spend a few days with Pat in Idaho or Nebraska (from which he hails) soon. Between this news, my legal work, getting ready for family arriving for the holidays, Audio Intelligent, and trying to make plans to visit Pat, my head is spinning. If you email me and I don't respond, please understand that I am not ignoring you, but rather simply do not have time to reply.

Pat may or may not have time to respond to posts here, to emails, or to cards mailed to him. But he has asked me to convey to each and every one of you that he has cherished your friendship, your comradery, and sharing our common hobby on this great website.

As we prepare for our holiday season celebrations, and look forward to -- as we should -- enjoying this time of year, I ask that you keep Pat and his family in mind ... and softly offer up, in quiet moments in the still of night and early morning, prayers for Pat and his family. God bless.

Warmest regards to all,
Paul Frumkin
paul_frumkin
twl
3,251 posts
 
Hi Pat, you can use my Cotter step-up tranny if you want to.
My system is down now anyway while I'm working on the house.
I'd need to get it back later, though, since I can't play my system without it.

It has 20db gain, is configured for 40ohms load, and is not really re-settable without a major pain in the ass. It's a good load for my Shelter.

But, you are welcome to it, if you need it.
jsujo
348 posts
 
Cool news about the pharma stuff...!!!:-))
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
I'm really in touch with my body and its telling me that this stuff is working. I could bitch about a number of things that are no longer normal but I'm in generally good health and can enjoy every day. I can actually make plans and follow through with them. That may not seem like a big deal to you healthy guys but it is what gives me my life back. Previously if I were invited to do something I'd have to qualify my response with "sure, if I'm feeling good enough". Now I can say, "what time?".
Patrick, you've made my day, week and month! I'm so glad to hear this good news. Personally I hate cigars, so I'm staying away from Boise until you use them up. ;-)

Glad you enjoyed that unscheduled demo of the value of John Chapman's simple and clever design. Why doesn't every stepup have these? I guess people just haven't experienced how critical impedance loading is for an MC running through a stepup. As you heard, the tiniest change can turn a pedestrian sounding setup into real magic.

We learned this partly by dumb luck and partly because Paul is a scientist. I supplied the dumb luck by choosing the BentAudio Mu's. It was simply an, "I don't know what I'm doing so I'll go for flexibility," decision. Paul predicted the sensitivity to impedance adjustment and explained that we could create intermediate values by combining two or more resistors. He was like, "Well duh, doesn't everyone do that?" (You try living with a genius - it ain't all peaches and cream!)

Funny how things large or small can surprise us and work out well sometimes, but I guess you know that.

Here's a suggestion: pick up a set of the K&K stepups (they have a sponsor link on VA). You can buy them in kit form for $250. Solder a pair of speaker binding posts across the secondaries while making the kits. Voila! Same functionality as the Bent's for 1/3 the cost.

Better yet, borrow Twl's Cotter and mod it for him. He'll thank you when he gets it back!

Cheers, buddy. Glad to hear you're feeling better.
lugnut
1,190 posts
 
Geez, you guys are the best. Tom, I'll decline on the kind offer. I have a perfect 901 which I plan on using at some point. Your Cotter would have been plug and play. I really don't want to maybe have Barb sort out things that need to be returned. Doug, the K&K is one I'm considering and it's probably a perfect match for the level of my system. If I do the K&K thing I'll probably call you for some specifics. I don't much care for cigars myself. If you and Paul can somehow make it out this way I'd accomodate any such requests.

I posted my system the other day and was disappointed to see it did not make it to the "new today" forum page. Did I do something wrong? I was hoping that you guys would get to see it since it was only made possible through your help. It is an extension of my personality. It's found in the system link on the home page entitled Lugnut's room.
gregm
3,415 posts
 
Patrick: "keep on truckin, man" is appropriate. With or without a step-up tranny:)!
good fortune, considering the circumstances, continues to rain down on me
To be able to SEE good fortune and look positively at the world, from where you are is a great lesson for all the rest of us. Thank you on behalf of my little family & myself.

On step-up trannies: K&K's lundahl trannies are good. Also, sowter sells them as does diyhifisupply. All are very easy to operate!
Cheers and be well.
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