Who R U?

Dave, Maybe I can help you get there by a "bio update". It has been going on 3 years since I first put in my admittedly "thin" bio. I'm now 35 and my kids are aged 5 and 4. I still have the same gig at an investment firm doing individual and small business retirement planning. My wife STILL thinks I'm crazy with the audio bug and can't understand my need for "bigger, better, faster". Whenever I put a new componenet or cable in I always ask her opinion and she always says "It sounds good" then spoils that remark with the follow-up "but I also thought it sounded good before". She still sits in her chair out of the sweet spot (to the left of the left speaker in fact) and insists that she can hear it "just fine" from there. I seem to go at this hobby in waves and have found I usually tinker with my system in the winter. Not only am I inside more but the lack of humididty seems to improve the sound. Also, living in Dallas, there is less demand for electrical power in the winter and brownouts are very rare, which seems to also impact the overall experience (maybe I AM nuts!). This past year I decided to take the hi-rez plunge and bought an SACD/DVD player. I am very happy with about 80% of the titles I own - the other 20% are no better than their CD counterparts IMO. I guess that just goes to show you can't turn a poor recording into an excellent one by simply adding the latest technology! I'll sign off now and update again in another 3 years:-) Enjoy the music! - Tony

I know what your up to Dave, your trying to be the 500th, sneaky. :o) If its you that wins your getting Barry Manilow or something! lol

All right -- heading for the 500th post. Here goes.

Just a simpel guy -- two only children (one is 28, married and with one child) the other is 4 and one-half and beautiful. Trying to make up for the mistakes I made the first time around in some ways. They're both wonderful though, the eldest is a school teacher.

Anyway -- got the real audio bug in the Army in Germany early 70's. Listened to and bought some interesting stuff. Dumped it off and on and just migrated back into the hobby.

Only started tube-rolling with the current rig (nothing to brag about actually -- deference to my spouse -- however I have hung onto some key pieces that I dearly love.

I'm on track to get the final "replacement" piece for what I once had -- R2R deck -- Revox. That way I can play the stuff I recorded oh so many years ago again. It'll be interesting to hear it through the new stuff.

Oh yeah -- Southern CA is my home, always has been. It's amazing what a little disposable income will put you through these days. I always look to maximize the limitations set on by home arrangements and spousal requirements. Otherwise it would be dedicated room etc. Still, I see, smell and taste the ocean everyday when I wake up because I spent the money on the home in the location not on the available space to do the audio thing.

Still in mid-fi mode by most accoutns but I love what I've got (probably want to do something with speakers soon though).

Fathom7- Simple guy? 2 kids? I don't see how that is possible! Don't kids make everything an adventure? I don't have any and am not planning for any at this time, but I can only imagine life becomes anything but simple. :) In any case its nice to have you "jump start" this thread and let us know a little about you and your system, there are a number of people here on the 'gon who live in the south cali. area. You should try to track some of them down, its always nice to meet others who are local to you who share the same wackiness :^)

I'll work o nthe tracking down thing. Just as a follow-on I just initiated my first round of tube rolling. It's more fun and rewarding than I imagined. I'm two-thirds of the way through and have found the process amazing. The steps I've used include replacing a set of tubes and allowing for burn-in and then critical listening then roll in the next set (not in place of the first). Thus I'm two sets in place with one more to go. Great stuff.

F7