Paging E-Stat. STAT!

[topspeed]

OK, let's hear it.

How was Sea Cliff?

[E-Stat]

OK, let's hear it.

How was Sea Cliff?

Travels to Seacliff always leave me amazed, enthused, recharged, and a bit lighter of wallet (once I buy all the new music I hear). Harry's energy level seemed to be in overdrive this trip as well with John and me both there. Early Saturday evening, we had dinner at Harry's favorite sushi restaurant (the whole staff knows him) and then settled in for some power listening back at the ranch. As amazing as the system is, it is his music collection that is simply wonderful.

We listened to vinyl primarily and compared a Kuzma turntable / Air bearing tonearm with Myabi cartridge to an interesting VPI hybrid: the Scoutmaster using TNT motor, SDS speed controller, and the periphery clamp with Dynavector XV1 cartridge. Harry Weisfeld had brought the Scoutmaster over a while back and wondered how it would sound using the massive TNT double motor/flywheel assembly from the HR-X that Harry already had. He said that Weisfeld was dumbfounded with how good the Scoutmaster sounded in that configuration. It did. Anyway, both sounded excellent although the VPI really excelled on the bottom end and seemed to have a more solid image. With the Alon Grand Exotica bass towers, you are well aware of low end! At first, the Kuzma also sounded a bit brash at the top. Was that due to the captive wire on the Kuzma vs. Valhalla on the VPI? Although the Kuzma was a pretty "fresh" demo, Harry asked for me to check all the contacts and clean if necessary. Indeed, the connectors benefitted from a bit of Pro-Gold with some evidence visible on the cloth. That change was immediately audible. The rest of his current system consisted of Basis battery powered phono, Conrad-Johnson ART II preamp, and four ASL Hurricane power amps driving the main towers and the woofers, and Valhalla cabling throughout. We listened to the Lector CDP just a little bit (the Burmesters just sat there in all their gorgeous chrome plated glory). I brought a copy of the Lord of the Rings soundtrack and wanted to take a listen. One reason is that the ASO and Chorus will be presenting a concert of LOTR music in June and I wanted to hear it on this system first. I also heard a Telarc collection of some new ASO stuff including Higdon's City Scape Concerto and Brittain's Sea Song. Jennifer Higdon has become my favorite new composer (and HP gave me a copy of it).

It seemed to be mostly a Classic Records night. He had quite a collection of Tony Hawkins' excellent 45 RPM single sided remasterings of all sorts of tasty pieces: Dorati Firebird on Mercury, Reiner Pictures at an Exhibition on RCA Living Stereo, Munch Ravel Concerto in G on RCA, Schory Music for Bang, Baroom, and Harp, Songs for the Aubergne with soloist Netalia Davrath, and more. It is amazing how dimensional those old recordings can sound with a revived mastering and that system. One of HP's secrets to minimizing wear is that he typically gets three copies of every recording. He mentioned that Hawkins has been to Seacliff and commented that he never heard his recordings like that before. That is easy for me to believe. I just want all those incredible recordings.

Record after record revealed layers of detail I'm not accustomed to. The system is so remarkably open sounding as to defy description. Yes, Virginia a $300k system does sound different than most others! I would not characterize it as sounding like tubes nor solid state although there are some of each used. The Firebird and Ravel in particular were simply holographic in their ability to recreate a large space. There were a couple of bands on the Bang, Baroom, and Harp album that really showed off the amazing transient and resolution capabilities of the system with it's wide range of percussive instruments. Early on, Harry had said that he wanted to crash fairly early but that was not to be. He kept pulling out more records to hear until after midnight. He did play a few pop tunes, like an old America song from the 70's. While it sounded very clear, the soundstage kinda collapsed. I finally heard the Dusty Springfield "Look of Love" cut he is so fond of. Indeed, that recording is so clean and captures the expressive nature of her voice. The high frequencies are to die for.

Now, I just need to put together my Classic Records order and see what the cost of the VPI periphery clamp is. This trip is probably going to cost me about $500 in new stuff to get!

rw

[topspeed]

Sounds like it was fun! I'd just read about the Lector in TAS and it sounds like a interesting piece (loved the galoshes jab). It's funny, don't you think we should always be challenging our perceptions of reality, not just in audio, but in all aspect of life? Our short time here would be so much more interesting!

BTW, I should have told you to have some Unagi for me!

[mtrycraft]

Yes, Virginia a $300k system does sound different than most others! rw

Or not as you had no way of compariong, right. You just hope it does due to cost. Or, it could sound different. Certainly he has different speakers and room.

[E-Stat]

Or not as you had no way of compariong, right. You just hope it does due to cost. Or, it could sound different. Certainly he has different speakers and room.

You simply have no idea. Really you don't.

rw

[mtrycraft]

You simply have no idea. Really you don't.

rw

You are too gullible to step back and evaluate rationally.

[hifitommy]

You are too gullible to step back and evaluate rationally.

you just dont have the experience nor expertise to comment here. youre not ignorant of a lot of things, just this subject it seems, dont make yourseof look stupid.

had you been privy to these sessions, you may turn compeletely around. but you werent, nor likely to be. and probably dont want to be. if only you could be part of something this revealing, you could put your intelligence to useful work.

please understand that there are audio systems and recordings that can transport you to the original venue, including its space, tonality, and presence that you have yet to experience. some of these people relating these experiences have been there at the actual recording sessions and some are part of making these recordings come alive.

[E-Stat]

You are too gullible to step back and evaluate rationally.

Heh heh. I guess that is all you can say because it is so far outside your experience.

It really is that good. Don't take my word for it, though. Ask Harry Weisfeld. Ask Bob Carver. Ask Luke Manley. Ask Carl Marchisotto. Ask Tony Hawkins. Ask Arnie Nudell. Ask Jud Barber. Ask Ole Lund Christensen. The list goes on...

rw

[hifitommy]

Or not as you had no way of compariong, right. You just hope it does due to cost. Or, it could sound different. Certainly he has different speakers and room.

you are really WAAAAAY out of your league here. just shut the fugue up.

[mtrycraft]

you are really WAAAAAY out of your league here. just shut the fugue up.

Ah, your way or the highway? Are you the top dictator now?

[pctower]

Or not as you had no way of compariong, right. You just hope it does due to cost. Or, it could sound different. Certainly he has different speakers and room.

You really have decided to take up permanent residence in the ozone layer. One may argue in good faith about the ability to diferentiate between cables, but when one is exposed to systems such as this, it is undebiable that they have entered a new dimension in sensory experience.

I don't believe any rationale human being could be exposed to such a system and disagree. I have never had the honor of visiting Seaclift, but I have been fortunate enough to hear special, high-quality systems.

For you, there is no differentiating or judgment in audio that is not subject to numerical verification. You truly must never have heard a really good high end system. You reduce the hobby to a sterile wasteland in which human experience, judgment and differentiation are held hostage to a view of the limits of human subjective experiences that removes all experiantial value to life.

You no doubt enjoy expressing this barren approach to life, but one can only wonder how much more you would enjoy exposing yourself to the wonderful experiences that are open to those who don't require numerical confirmation for ever life experience.

[Pat D]

You really have decided to take up permanent residence in the ozone layer. One may argue in good faith about the ability to diferentiate between cables, but when one is exposed to systems such as this, it is undebiable that they have entered a new dimension in sensory experience.

I don't believe any rationale human being could be exposed to such a system and disagree. I have never had the honor of visiting Seaclift, but I have been fortunate enough to hear special, high-quality systems.

For you, there is no differentiating or judgment in audio that is not subject to numerical verification. You truly must never have heard a really good high end system. You reduce the hobby to a sterile wasteland in which human experience, judgment and differentiation are held hostage to a view of the limits of human subjective experiences that removes all experiantial value to life.

You no doubt enjoy expressing this barren approach to life, but one can only wonder how much more you would enjoy exposing yourself to the wonderful experiences that are open to those who don't require numerical confirmation for ever life experience.

Oh Phil, you have no idea what experiences mtry has had nor what his listening skills are! You go bonkers when someone makes personal attacks on you. This one makes you a first class hypocrite.

[hifitommy]

seems to be entirely absent Pat. mtry hides behind the supposed anonymity of experience and system. its obvious that he is devoid of both. he is also not foreign to administering personal attacks, without basis i must point out.

i actually know someone that does not enjoy eating. he only does so because its necessary and that reminds me a lot of mtry. you and he are the hypocrites here. systems such as what reisides in sea cliff and some that i have personally heard myself are exceedingly involving because of the amount of detail and presence exuded.

yes, rooms and equipment are different, VERY much so.

[pctower]

Oh Phil, you have no idea what experiences mtry has had nor what his listening skills are! You go bonkers when someone makes personal attacks on you. This one makes you a first class hypocrite.

Mytrcrafts has never said anything about his experience, so we can only judge from his posts. You seem to want to sound mysterious as if you are really in the "know". But that just doesn't get it. Be honest. Either admit you have no direct knowledge of his experience or come clean and tell us exactly what you know.

My comments were based on my observations of his posts and I stand by my comments.

You have repeatedly demonstrated how extremely biased you are - accordingly I discount much of what you have to say.

[mtrycraft]

For you, there is no differentiating or judgment in audio that is not subject to numerical verification. You truly must never have heard a really good high end system. You reduce the hobby to a sterile wasteland in which human experience, judgment and differentiation are held hostage to a view of the limits of human subjective experiences that removes all experiantial value to life.

You no doubt enjoy expressing this barren approach to life, but one can only wonder how much more you would enjoy exposing yourself to the wonderful experiences that are open to those who don't require numerical confirmation for ever life experience.

Come now, where did I request a numerical expression of this system? Why can't I find that insistance?

Or, is it that you and they just don't like being questiond, taken to task? You just prefer a blinde obediance to your faith, it seems.

You don't question anything, it seems; maybe you do but it is so elusive. They, on the other hand would let everything fall into their belief system.
I question.

[pctower]

Come now, where did I request a numerical expression of this system? Why can't I find that insistance?

Or, is it that you and they just don't like being questiond, taken to task? You just prefer a blinde obediance to your faith, it seems.

You don't question anything, it seems; maybe you do but it is so elusive. They, on the other hand would let everything fall into their belief system.
I question.

I could care less about your questioning, other than it has become unbelievably predictable and boring. Your comments about "belief" systems are wholly irrelevant and unresponsive to any point I was making. Typical mudslinging.

You are the one who has demonstrated beyond question a blind adherence to faith in an extrenely shallow and unquestioning form of "science".