Audio Girl appreciation thread

[Rae]

Here's to Audio Girl, who I apparently don't have to lure back to the board. Yr enthusiasm about yr favorite records is always welcome and yr openmindedness about new recs is refreshing. You also brought a greater sense of community to this board with yr candid posts about yr personal life and yr supportive replies to others when they followed suit. And hey, I sorta feel like you made it safe for women to post on this board... can't remember many who predate you. In any case, You Are Appreciated!

~Rae

[Jim Clark]

You're spot on Rae.

You wanna know what else I like about her? She's got a bit of gearhead streak in her. Gotta love a gal that spends time in the stereo shop because she wants to.

jc

[Swish]

...months at a time, sorta like that other female hoser from the Canadian NW. You just never know when they will show up like a wedding crasher, have some fun, and then fade away into some black hole of something. As I recall, they both arrived a RR with a fairly mainstream taste in music, but got turned around pretty quickly.

Swish Baby

[Audio Girl]

Oh, my gosh, Rae and JC...you both just gave me the best gift I could have ever hoped for on Mother's Day! I am truly touched. Although I have not participated here in a long time, this board has a special place in my heart. I believe it was my first foray (sp?) into participating online in music/audio forums. If I recall correctly, either Stone or Davey conversed with my husband by email and the rest is history (and that was in 2000).

Rae, I may have divulged too much about myself on this board at times but you guys (and girls) have been such a support to me during life's curve balls, particularly my son's deployments to Iraq, that it felt like having a conversation with very close friends. Rae, your Mom is a lucky woman, raised you well, which is so evident in the kind and sensitive manner in which you approach this forum. Your recs are stellar, and I always enjoy reading your reviews and concert recaps.

JC, yes, my name is Audio Girl and I am an audio equipment addict and self-professed "gearhead". I need to begin a 12-step program for gearheads immediately. :-) I love almost everything about the industry: the well-designed and well-supported equipment that is abundant at most every price point; seeing a small manufacturer's success when they devote their love of music to the design, manufacture, sales, and support of gear that takes the listener to another level of musical enjoyment; the underground vinyl/analog revitalization that appears to be gaining momentum (particularly in the last two years); the research, the demos, the thrill of negotiating the deal, even when the purchase never becomes an actual event (for a variety of reasons); and taking my personal system up a notch when a new/demo/used equipment acquisition does take place.

Having said that, I could sell it all tomorrow and return to the Yamaha receiver, speakers and Dual turntable which began this sickness in 1977 (thanks, John and Albert), and be just as satisfied. My company occasionally looks like it might begin layoffs; if impacted, I will sell it all and be just fine. Give me some earbuds and my Ipod or boombox...just let me hear music. :-)

About 6 months ago, I went into a local dealer's and was astounded at the music I was hearing in a system that they had setup in an open area of the store. Stunning, mind boggling and engaging music. Mind you, this system was not in an acoustically-treated room with perfect dimensions, where everything is setup to perfection. I also didn't particularly care for the music/LP which was playing (or so I thought based on snippets heard on the internet). Finally, I asked the salesman what the equipment was that was reproducing such a musical performance. It was a Rega Planar 3 turntable, a small Rega integrated and a pair of small floorstanding speakers (Spendors which can be had for less than $1000 used or $1300 demo), with inexpensive cabling. The point of all this: the system sounded better than many $30,000+ systems I have heard in dealer showrooms, and was so much more engaging. I loved this experience because it reminded me that a synergistic system is what it is all about, regardless of the costs.

Thanks again, Rae and Jim. Also, thanks to RR and its members for seven wonderful years of new (or old) music introductions, musical debate, and friendships that cannot be duplicated elsewhere on the net. The journey has been memorable, and I look forward to participating more in the future.

Ag

[Audio Girl]

...months at a time, sorta like that other female hoser from the Canadian NW. You just never know when they will show up like a wedding crasher, have some fun, and then fade away into some black hole of something. As I recall, they both arrived a RR with a fairly mainstream taste in music, but got turned around pretty quickly.

Swish Baby


Hi Swisheroo:

You are right, I have kinda been like a bad pimple that you just can't get rid of, eh? :-) Mainstream is putting it lightly. You all transformed me to the point that the employees at the used CD store and our local vinyl emporium have FINALLY quit asking me if my purchases are for my son. :-) Now, the dude at the used CD store comments on my eclectic tastes and will yell out to new employees in the store to come look at my latest acquisitions (kinda embarrassing). ("Can you believe she is older than my Mom and likes __________(fill in the blank) ????")

Anyway, if its okay with you, Swish Baby, I plan to visit more. I just hope I can reciprocate with worthy introductions to new musical artists or releases. If not, I will at least try to bring some humor.

Hope all is well,

Ag

[Swish]

Hi Swisheroo:

You are right, I have kinda been like a bad pimple that you just can't get rid of, eh? :-) Mainstream is putting it lightly. You all transformed me to the point that the employees at the used CD store and our local vinyl emporium have FINALLY quit asking me if my purchases are for my son. :-) Now, the dude at the used CD store comments on my eclectic tastes and will yell out to new employees in the store to come look at my latest acquisitions (kinda embarrassing). ("Can you believe she is older than my Mom and likes __________(fill in the blank) ????")

Anyway, if its okay with you, Swish Baby, I plan to visit more. I just hope I can reciprocate with worthy introductions to new musical artists or releases. If not, I will at least try to bring some humor.

Hope all is well,

Ag

New job is just ok so far, but new granddaughter is awesome! I was away this week and had no access to RR, hence my late response.

As for your taste in music when you first arrived, I recall needling you pretty good about your favorite music DVDs (the Eagles or something), but you're sure come full circle. When my daughter was about 15 (she's now 28), she hollered something like "I wish my parents listened to normal music like all my friends' parents!" I was probably playing Built to Spill or something like that at the time. It was only a few years later that she started borrowing my cds, and she hasn't stopped. She really likes the Shins and the Decemberists, among others.

Anyway, good to see you back on the board, now let's see if you can stick around for a bit!

Grandpa Swish

[3-LockBox]

About 6 months ago, I went into a local dealer's and was astounded at the music I was hearing in a system that they had setup in an open area of the store.

Them dealers can afford good systems, if they pay for them that is.






;)

[Audio Girl]

New job is just ok so far, but new granddaughter is awesome! I was away this week and had no access to RR, hence my late response.

As for your taste in music when you first arrived, I recall needling you pretty good about your favorite music DVDs (the Eagles or something), but you're sure come full circle. When my daughter was about 15 (she's now 28), she hollered something like "I wish my parents listened to normal music like all my friends' parents!" I was probably playing Built to Spill or something like that at the time. It was only a few years later that she started borrowing my cds, and she hasn't stopped. She really likes the Shins and the Decemberists, among others.

Anyway, good to see you back on the board, now let's see if you can stick around for a bit!

Grandpa Swish


Hi Gramps,

LOL! I laughed when I saw your comment about the Eagles DVD; if I recall correctly, I got, shall we say, just a little defensive about your teasing. hehehehe. I hope your new job improves very soon...you deserve it! Mine is extremely up and down...the once entrepreneurial atmosphere is rapidly changing to a big corporation mentality and it's just not quite as much fun anymore but it is better than the alternative, at least I think it is.

Tell me more about the Grandbaby...if you feel comfortable. That's a pretty cool statement about your daughter's taste in music. Ole' Dad had quite an impact. Wish I could claim the same; my son still prefers mainstream music. Such a disappointment! :-)

Right now, thanks to Rae, I am overdosing on Amy Winehouse music. I purchased the CD, and am awaiting the import LP. What a wonderful effort!

Your fan,
Ag

[Audio Girl]

Them dealers can afford good systems, if they pay for them that is.






;)


Hi 3 Locker:

How are ya? I hear what you are saying. However, that system was a demo which the dealer was selling for less that $2,000 (speakers, integrated amp with built-in phono stage, turntable, cartridge). And it sounded like a system that would cost over $10k.

Speaking of gear, my latest foray is an introduction into true high-end cables. I am fortunate enough to be friends with a dealer for Purist Audio cables. I have borrowed a pair of his Venustas speaker cables, a pair of balanced interconnect cables, as well as a pair of the Venustas SE cables for my phono preamp. All I can say is: WOW! Now, I gotta come up with the scratch.

Hope all is well,
Ag