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The Next Level

What I am about to write is going to sound familiar to a lot of you in AudiogonLand. Let me first set the stage.

My wife and I both had another stressful, crazy work week under our belt and we settled in for a quiet, ‘ lock the doors and chill out with a great steak, a bottle of Bordeaux, and just kick back and enjoy the music ‘ night. Everything seemed excellent. Filet mignon wrapped in bacon, steamed asparagus lightly pan fried with bacon and garlic, then lightly covered with a dash of fresh Parmesan grated cheese accompanied with a nice bottle of a very smooth bottle of French Bordeux that didn’t cost us an arm and a leg. Great conversion and we were both laughing and enjoying each other. Wonderful night.

We were listening to my newly reconfigured tube system in the basement listening room. As favorite pieces played, we occasionally closed our eyes and caught each other smiling and swaying with the rhythm of the music. It was the first time that we had both sat down to listen to the new combination of tubes and cables that we had recently purchased.

Then we put on Beth Orton’s Pass in Time and entered the next level…

Moving 3 dimensional sounds shot at us from all angles. This was much more than sound stage… we were IN THE MUSIC. I have never experienced anything like this with music in my life. Beth’s lyrics were very beautiful and her band was extremely hypnotic. I wanted to grab and hug the beautiful sounds that were totally filling our room. The pluck of guitar strings was right in front of me, the hidden texture of so many of the electronic effects revealed itself to me in the most crisp, clear, gentle, touchable, growing, moving …. words fail me now. We were on an indescribably pleasant trip for about 45 minutes.

I thought I had a great system before last night. I enjoyed it every day and never got tired of it. I always seem to be analyzing where I could make the next improvement. I have finally evolved to a new level where all I could do was let the music come and take me away and I was no longer in control, and I loved every minute of it.

Does anyone else have that memory of realizing that your system was everything and more than you had ever hoped for? For me, it was very punch in the nose obvious. I’d like to hear of anyone else that can remember reaching their next level.
128x128mattzack2
martykl
3,578 posts
 
Mattzack,

Since Bill had a wine suggestion (Burgundy vs. Bordeaux, not bad advice with your beef - and, BTW, it needn't be La Tache), and Schipo handled the protein (No bacon...No bacon? What's life without Bacon?!), I'll handle the veggies. Asparagus is tough on wine. Next time, you might want to consider green beans, instead.

Marty

PS If you must eat asparagus with wine, try it cold as a salad course with lemon vinaigrette and chopped tomato. You can pair it with some Austrian Gruner Veltliner - not perfect, but one of the few wines asparagus won't reduce to mush.

PPS The Beatles' Savoy Truffle might be a good soundtrack for your next listening session with the little woman.

PPPS The Cambridge Audio DacMagic is a very fine, low cost USB DAC.

I continue to enjoy this thread. Simple pleasures. Simplicity, it appears, may indeed be the key to happiness in the dining room, the listening room, and...errr, maybe on Marco's pedestal as well.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,534 posts
 
Nice story.

That's the chick from Portishead, right? Gotta check that one out.
jax2
3,031 posts
 
That's the chick from Portishead, right? Gotta check that one out.

Nope, you are thinking of Beth Gibbons. This is Beth Orton, who appears in the concert/documentary film of Leonard Cohen (I'm Your Man), as well as on the soundtrack, covering Cohen's, "Sisters of Mercy".

I haven't heard her new CD, but I particularly like the earlier ones, "Central Reservation" and "Trailer Park".

PS I like a good Zin with my steak. I'd point to Dasche Cellars (look for the monkey on the whale)...that or any Zin by Ridge. pass on the French...buy local!
mattzack2's avatar
mattzack2 OP
175 posts
 
No bacon tonight, but my wife did buy more at the grocery store this afternoon... so it's not over with the nitrates for a little while longer.

So I went shopping too. I found some nice Grosch beer with those fancy swing top caps. I bought a six pack of Peroni, a twelve pack of Miller Lites, and for dinner a nice bottle of Chateau Roquefort, another Bordeaux. Next time I'll try one of the suggestions you guys gave me.

More beef tonight, but kabobs this time. And she is making brussel sprouts fried in olive oil with garlic and more of the nice parmesan cheese on them.

A friend came over to hear my new setup and even though he said he had to leave in a hurry, he ended up listening to the Beth Orton CD and one of his favorite CDs which was loaded with a lot of love music. My wife said it was too much love for her.

So, I had to get back down in the basement and listen to more tunes and read all these crazy replies. This is great stuff. Lots of fun being here. I haven't written this much in years, but it really feels comfortable here.... maybe it's all the wine and beer. Will nitrates do that ?

I have to recommend Beth Orton again to anyone who wants to experience something really amazing on their system.

Happy listening !
jax2
3,031 posts
 
BACON!
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