Who R U?

What can I possibly say about myself? I'm 35, single and living in New York (Sounds like a personal ad!) An acupuncturist by profession, I'm also a film-maker/photographer with a passion for fine cognac and most especially absinthe. No hang-gliding or parachuting though.Living in New York City is exciting enough! My father loved both music and electronics and I guess you could say I was influenced by his interests as a youngster. I've had the hi-fi bug for 20 years cobbling together mostly mid-fi junk until an older friend of mine took me down to his basement for a listen to his Sota/Conrad-Johnson/Magnepan Tympani rig. Blew my mind!! It's been downhill ever since! I'm currently enjoying my Krell seperates/Linn 'table/Revox B760 tuner/vintage Nakamichi deck and several vintage Reel-to-Reel machines. In addition to collecting vinyl for 20 years, I've recently started collecting R2R tapes (mostly from e-bay). CD's are also welcome as I'm no snob! When it comes to music Jazz is king but my taste is extremely diverse from rock to classical to pop to...well you get the idea! In closing I think I should mention that I have an absolutely beautiful and wonderful girlfriend who is both a teacher and psychologist. I'm also convinced that when it comes to audio-related matters she probably thinks I'm completely insane but has never actually come out and said this. Needless to say it's one of the MANY things I love about her! Audiogon is a great site! Keep 'em comin' folks!!

I'm 31, single, never married, no kids, live in the southeast USA, and work in a photography business. I am not affluent in the least, the way most of you are. I hope to be. I got a bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, but really should have done recording engineering (may still). I used to want to design the body of the "next Porsche", but the Boxster got done by somebody else (Weissach did see my design 4 years before the Boxster was first exhibited, however). My other hobbies include reading science fiction, watching movies, riding dirtbikes and ATV's, doing yardwork, and posting here.........................I have been both hated, and liked by many on this site in the past few months (the AG staff included...guess which category they fall into!). I can be hotheaded, especially when ganged up on...or hounded by closed minded people. I consider my hearing to be excellent. I listen to music often (though not enough to vinyl, of late). I've spent far too much money on vinyl reissues, the smell alone is intoxicating, the sound is even better! Like essentially everyone here, I think my system sounds better than any others I've heard...though I fully realize that I've not heard the several dozen (in the world) TRULY world class systems out there. My audio philosophy is that I want to hear what's on the recording, and not the listening room's contribution. And...Two channels suffice for music, with the out of phase information coming thru fine in a properly set up room (Q Sound, other dsp'ed fake "acoustics", or the real thing, especially in the LSC and Mercury Living Presence, where only 3 close arrayed omni's were used...bear this out). Room decor is of zero importance in any music listening room that I'll ever spend time in. The system will never, EVER be "in service" to interior decoration...even if I marry Sandra Bullock, and she wants it that way...I'd have to divorce her! I've been interested in audio since age 14. I enjoy all types of music, except most rap, and most "pop country" (Alison Krauss is very nice, for instance. I hate Winona, but her sister is killer!) Classic and 80's Rock are my favorite music; Dave Brubeck's "Time Out" is my favorite jazz recording. Charlie Mingus and Bill Evans are also top notch, as you know. I am also a speaker hobbyist, hope to get a manufacturer to "mass" produce at least one of my ideas at some point (I know, "dream on"). I record nature and vehicles/aircraft with a portable DAT, and may market these to the specialty audio consumer at some future time. I enjoy using Napster, and don't feel that it's stealing, any more than listening to FM radio is stealing. If the copyright law were clear on this issue, then it would have been resolved already, perhaps. If the RIAA ever manages to eradicate all free music on the net, then so be it...but I'll enjoy it while I can until then (I feel MPEG 1 Layer 3 is capable of 97% of the performance of the original CD...and that's good enough for me thru a CD-R on my CD player, since the files are free and blanks are cheap)...I do admit that most files are not of this quality, but it's fun to chase the phantom.....................I consider the person who started this thread to be a good friend, and rabid vinyl enthusiast who has been very kind and generous to me ever since I've started using this forum. I hope everyone here gets the enjoyment that I do out of this hobby, at least the listening part.

I am 57, and fell in love with music when I was about 11 years old. I remember the old tube radio we had, and the challenge of trying to tune it for best sound (guess I was a tweak then too). My degree is in fine art, I worked for a number of years after college graduation for LTV Aerospace, illustrating the fuel systems of fighter planes. This was as close to a career in art as I could find at the time. Then, in 1965, to be near music, my other passion, I took a position as salesman for a high end audio store in the Dallas, Ft. Worth area. At least this way I could enjoy music even if it meant being poor. I learned more than I thought possible from an old recording engineer who worked beside me each day. And remarkably, my enthusiasm made me the best salesman the store had ever had. This store and the three that followed, exposed me to almost every brand name audio product ever discussed at this site. And finally, to expand beyond retail audio sales, I accepted an offer to be the factory representative and tech support person for a number of high end audio manufacturers. They included Infinity, Sennheiser, MB of Germany, Ampex, JBL, Crown and Yamaha. My experience grew again, but I tired of the constant road trips to the five states that I covered. During this time I always took my camera, as it had always been another (art) passion. Constantly taking pictures of equipment, people and the scenic views out of my car window, during the long road trips. Then one day, during a sales calls to one of my customers (an audio store in Dallas in 1972), I recognized a fellow graduate from my college. He had stayed with his art career, and was the creative director for a Dallas advertising agency. After reviewing my photography efforts, surprisingly, he hired me on the spot. I worked at his agency until I was stolen away to do photography for Neiman Marcus, and later I earned a photography retainer with Southland Corp. that provided a consistent monthly income with only the requirement to "be available." This allowed me to evolve into a self employed, freelance photographer. I have been self supportive in photography for 26 years and currently do advertising photography for a number of companies, including Interstate Battery (race cars, and product), Exxon/Mobil, Quest Medical, Bank of America, Redman Industries, Southwest Airlines, and others. Did I manage to make photography fit with my passion for audio? Yes, I currently do, or have done the advertising photography for Atmasphere, Audioquest, Purist Audio, PSE, Counterpoint, Soundlab, Essence, Musical Fidelity, Aesthetix, Benz, Basis, Graham, Sound Anchor, McCormack, and others. I have several pages with my images in almost every issue of Absolute Sound and Ultimate Audio each month. I often see equipment (and HEAR it) before the public knows it is becoming available. Add to this, I have somehow managed to keep the same beautiful female married to me since 1972, this, in spite of my absolute passion for this hobby. We have a wonderful son, who is now 14 years old, and musically at least, is following in my footsteps. I also host a group of audiophile friends here in Dallas that meet at my home every Tuesday night for music. This has been every Tuesday, almost without fail, for 23 years! I have learned almost as much from the visitors I share listening with, as I did in the audio "business." These friends include audiophiles who are as varied in their experiences and tastes, as the postings here at Audiogon represent. Our testing and exchanging equipment, sharing software and open comments has allowed me to stay in touch with my hobby in an active way, rather than isolating myself with only my one point of reference. It sometimes helps me in posting my comments, as I see many sides of the issues that come to light here. Best to you all!

My turn. I'm a 44 y/o man who could stand to lose a few pounds. Boy do I fit into a group. I am an orthpedic surgeon specializing in spinal surgery. I have invented a couple of implants which has helped fuel a newfound passion for music and an old one for fast cars. I have spent the past year putting together a new sytem. I originally started with home theater, but have now graduated to a separate but combined system. I have used this site extensively to learn and to buy everything from amps to speakers. My wife puts up with my obsessions very good-naturedly, but my 5 children (aged 3-11) take up a LOT of my time.We are at a lucky time, where the music is good, the equipment is stupendous (compared to my college system of a Sansui amp with a Rega turntable and Advent speakers)and the sources are finally catching up. David

David, maybe you could shed some light on what it takes to put together a good "combined but separate" HT & 2 Channel system. Maybe start another thread. I've wanted to do this, cause the cost of having two good systems plus decent video is getting to be a lot to carry. Thanks, Michael