New member with a paw in the air...

[Jose Jimenez]

Hello from Indiana!

I figured I would join and share in the fun of a great hobby. I really enjoy the music but I have to admit that I was bit by the audiophile bug some 40 years ago. My on/off love affair with a Marantz Model 15 Amplifier in the early 70's helped steer me into the profession I am in as an electrical engineer. Originally from Chicago, I was affiliated with a local McIntosh dealer and Superscope Elmhurst for repairs. The 70's were a great time for the audio industry. During this period I met and spoke with Joseph Tushinsky (Superscope) and Ken Rotner when Ken was Marantz's national sales manager at Marantz. They personally would want to know how equipment was holding up in the field and what types of failures were being seen. Although Frank and Gordon never exhibited Mcintosh at CES in those days, you could sometimes find them and speak with them at the Conrad Hilton or they would personally stop by the Chicagoland dealers making it special for sure. They would like to take the dealers out for diner during this time.

I still tinker with these items today and at this moment I have one half of a 15 completed and really am enjoying the results. (hint, hint) I love modifications and theory. I also love to advise on repairs or currently available transistor replacements for aging equipment. Even though there are some units that I will leave alone, many are like a good book and as long as you own them I believe you can write in the pages if you wish. Some circuits just lend themselves to tinkering. I would like to chat about design, semiconductor devices and the like.

At any given time I listen through Marantz, McIntosh, Dynaco, H.H. Scott, Vandersteen, JBL, Klipsch, Thorens, SME, Signet and many other pieces of equipment collected over the years.

I have a call sign available to those who still belive in a great freedom, support amateur radio and would like to chew on the air.

Hello again to you all.

[Hyfi]

Hello and welcome.

My brother used to build the Dynaco, Heathkits, and Hafler gear on the kitchen table when I was little. First receiver was an integrated Heathkit.

[poppachubby]

Welcome, look forward to benefitting from your experience, particularily in the DIY area. I have been considering a Bottlehead Seduction...

[nightflier]

Welcome.

So what gear are you listening to now? And what kind of music do you listen to?

[Mr Peabody]

Welcome Jose to AR. Sorry, I am not the tinkering kind

[Jose Jimenez]

Nightflier, I am sorry I did not get back to you sonner. Busy weekend and just watched the Colts beat the Jets.

Right now my son is enjoying a Mac 2105 with and Arcam 73 cd. There is a C34V Mac preamp in there, but I am really thinking of hooking up the cd player directly to the amp. Speakers are Vandersteen. My teenage son really enjoys the classic rock, I enjoy it too! But I reallly like jazz from the late 50's and up. Jimmy Smith, Lee Morgan, Miles, Getz, Brubeck never sounded better.

I am really starting to enjoy all the cd's and have to say that many are better than even the best pressings over the years. I really enjoy the Henry Mancini releases coming out of the orient.

[Mr Peabody]

Are you a Vandie fan or did you just stumble onto a good deal?

[Jose Jimenez]

I would say that I am a Vandie fan. The longest I had any speaker in the food chain was a pair of Linn Isobariks. They were ok but still missing someting. Then I migrated to some Klipsch when listening to old Capitol releases and Verve jazz. Even Old Columbia records sounded good. Then I played around with some Scan-Speak drivers in some really good enclosures I had around and realized that speakers had some further than I thought. I heard sound that was exciting, just like a day back in Evanston, Il at Audio Consultants when I heard a pair of Quads in 1972. I chose the Vandersteens after listening to a number of fine Canadian made speakers, Maggies, and Thiel.

I call the Vanderteens my mashed potato and gravy speaker. (did I spell potato correctly?)
They make music fun again.

[JoeE SP9]

Welcome aboard Jose. Mashed potato's and gravy indeed. Where's the beef?

[Jose Jimenez]

Yes. Good beef can be found in Chicago. But who stole the kiska?

[nightflier]

Wow, yes, a very warm welcome, indeed. Enjoy the show.

[atomicAdam]

Even though there are some units that I will leave alone, many are like a good book and as long as you own them I believe you can write in the pages if you wish.

This is the DYI quote of the year. Period, I know it is early 2010, but I challenge anyone to find a more poetic DYI quote this year. I'll give up a pair of BJC ICs if you can find one I think is better.