beej

[beej]

I'm hoping I haven't violated any of the site guidelines because I've already posted a couple of times prior to introducing myself. So, if you'll bear with me I shall briefly self-disclose. I am a leading edge baby boomer, married with two grown children and a brand new granddaughter. I'm professionally employed in Connecticut well into my second career. (I'm a military retiree). I am by no means an audiophile but I do enjoy good sound. I've already learned a great deal from this site and I am really impressed not only with the levels of expertise but with everyone's willingness to share their knowledge. The gear I've listed below my signature I purchased new. The receiver, c/d and speakers I purchased in 1977; the turntable in 1981. We've used the gear periodically over the years but not to any great extent. That said, I'm most interested in putting my vintage gear to good and frequent use now. I look forward to frequent visitation here and although at this stage won't be able to contribute a great deal, I'll do my best not to get in the way. Thanks to all those who have clearly worked hard to create and maintain this awesome medium of exchange.

[Holst]

[QUOTE=beej;1274292I'll do my best not to get in the way. [/QUOTE]

It's pretty hard to get in the way around here. Just join in and have fun.

[Urizen]

I am by no means an audiophile but I do enjoy good sound.

:thmbsp:

Welcome to AK!

[Sandy G]

Welcome to AK, pal ! Nice t'have ya ! Kick back, prop yer feets up, & enjoy yerself !

[Scorpion8]

Welcome! Jump right in.

ETA: Great! Another former military dude! Welcome, vet, and thanks for your service!

[Donny]

Welcome to AK and it looks like you have some nice gear already.

[hakaplan]

We've already conversed, but welcome anyway! :thmbsp:

[ozmoid]

Welcome to AK, beej! :music:I am by no means an audiophile but I do enjoy good sound.:thmbsp:

[Vitopanch]

beej,
It is a pleasure meeting you. Welcome to AK and enjoy the crowd.

Vito

[Fedallah]

I am by no means an audiophile but I do enjoy good sound.
You don't need to have $20K speakers and a bottle of magic rocks atop your turntable to enjoy good sound. For me, much of the fun has been finding good bargains. That's not to say I haven't spent more than I originally intended... :scratch2:

[Tapehead47]

Aloha, Beej! Welcome to the best forum ever.

What town/area of Connecticut? Spent a summer there in the early 70's and it was just strikingly beautiful (west, near the NY state line)

[BroonsBane]

Greetings beej, glad you could join us :thmbsp:

[jcmjrt]

Lots of us military retirees around. Welcome aboard.

[BrocLuno]

Ex Army back in the day - march on.

On this site you'll get an eye full to help with your ear(s) full. You got good stuff. Good enough to start wringing out the bargains you'll come across over time.

Right now my wife and I are really enjoying that fact that many folks are dumping their (or their parents) vinyl LPs and they can be had for a song - like $.50 to $1.00 each at the thrift stores.

The first deal with them is to get a good cartridge that will play "below" the surface scratches. I have an Audio Technica Line contact (ML440 I think - not home, on road on business so can't check) that plays right through stuff I never thought possible.

The second deal is to clean the records well after getting them home. They're thrift store platters, don't be too worried about hurting the record. Be a bit more concerned about residual dirt wearing the "needle". I use an old soft terry bath towel on a small table, lay the record on it, spray well with windex, gently run finger pad around in windex to get it in all grooves, roll up another old very soft terry wash cloth and pressing down with serious pressure, go around the record slowly rolling the wiper cloth as I go. You'll be amazed at the brown and yellow gunk that comes up.

Then spin it up and see how it sounds. If pretty clickey, probably still some gritty bits in the grooves. One more pressure wash and you'll be amazed at how good the cheap old vinyl can sound !!! If you get into it, and they are hard to get cuts, you can run them through a good sound card (record to PC HDD) and clean with some sound utilities or a good package like DC6 - the click and pop remover. Then back out to tape, CD, MP3 - or all of the above.

A while back I bought a radio station sudio tape - 10.5 reel - with all of Poco's stuff on it for $9. That's 8 albums all mastered by a pro technician. You can really have some fun foolling around with this stuff.

Right now I'm rebuilding 2 sets of speakers (mine and co-workers), as in replacing some drivers, re-capping the x-overs, etc. All good fun. Pretty cheap and you end up with systems in the shop, bedroom, HT, patio - and to give away !!! More fun !!! LOL, Broc :)

[stereofisher]

My name is Eric and been around awhile. First started with another site and found AK from it. Have not looked back in years. Loads of good stuff here. I am crowding the age of 57. Started playing with electronics in 1961. Anything that made a sound got trashed. My parents were cool about it and left me alone. Got an Eico set in 1964 when Dad got a Console. Mom saw my interest in electronics and want me to get into Ham radio. Maybe because she wanted that I did audio. My goal at that time was to get WABC in New Paltz NY as clearly as possible. My uncles were both into music and decent systems. My Uncle Al got me interested in Fisher he got in 1962. Had it sent by Railway Express from Lafayette Radio in NYC. Came with a Garrard Lab 72?? and Lafayette speakers. He later added a tuner. What a sound that put out.

Could not wait tio get a Fisher. My came in 1967 when the closed out the Fisher 400 receiver. Coupled it to a Dual 1010S and Fisher XP 55 speakers. We were one of the first to get cable in the country. My scout master owned the company. Gave me a big roll of coax and said run as many lines as you want. OH BOY!! We had a very large house. Wired the whole place!!!

Its been a fun ride. Had many systems over the years. Never quite right. Its taken a long time get to having cool systems. Now I have two. In the nineties I thought they were OK. Living alone I was on in the morning and last thing at night. Had three sets. CD's sounded fine. Then came a Dual 1229 in 1999 with a Shure V15 III. Put it with my Pioneer QX 949 ( got it free ) It was in my bedroom. Put a pair of Dynaco A25 (free) and all of sudden CDs did not sound so good. Never got out of LPs but did not get much play time.

There are many fine brands out there. We all have preferences. Got hooked on Pioneer in the early 70's and always come back to them for ampliphication. I have had seperates but like recievers. Must be the damned lights. Had loads of turntables but came back to Duals. Was up to 7 when I moved in with Marilyn. Kepted the 1229 and have a 1009 in the shop system. I got a Pioneer QX 8000 that for some reason blew away my QX 949. Got that 5 years ago and still use it in the livingroom. Run the TV,cassette,the 1229 and CDs and an XM set through it. The speakers are JBL L100's and the Dynaco's. Always kept Marilyns TV ant with rotator in good condition. Loads of good FM here in southern NY. We ever get WMNR out of Conn. Its a NPR station in Monroe Conn. Went on line and their coverage doesn't go must west of Danberry Conn. At 9000 watts we should not get it at all.

My pride and joy is my shop set. Its a minty Pioneer SX 850 receiver. Coupled to my Dual 1009. Found several switch boxes from Marilyn's old system for tape monitors and aux in. Ever with all the inputs the 850 has I always can use more. Got two Teac reel to reels. 1230 and a 2300. The cassette is a Teac 450. I use them to record Riverwalk off XM on Sun night. Have a cheapie Proton DVD for Cd and DVD duties. JBL L100 here too. Small RCA 5 inch monitor. This system is set up so I can work on stuff and test it.

Started doing some repair work this year. Have got a lot of good advise here. Fixed up a cool Pioneer SX 1980 receiver. Cant afford one but the that where I got the 850 receiver bug-again. Had four. This one is the keeper. $120 off Ebay. the owner of the 1980 had his CTF 1000 in and I fixed it up too. Now I want a three head deck. Said I never get a cassette with a DC motor. They have brushes and they wear out. The Teac 450 I discovered does not. That motor is like my Duals. Keep it oiled and it will outlast me!! Got a CTF 9191 and a CTF 850 coming. Marilyn leaves me alone as two more cassette deck blend in with everything else. Won the 9191. Its only a two head deck and will probably sell it. If the 850 is nice I will keep her. Still use cassettes in my truck, a vintage 1996 Ford F150. Use it for work and yards. Keep the driving down due to the cost of gas!!

Oh yeah Marilyns house is wired with her system. Comes from the bedroom. She works out of the house. Workroom,sitting room,dining room and bedroom is tied to her NAD model ???. Its new. OK for new. Does not float my boat.

A sign we are getting old. Been here 15 month and three of her speakers have foam rot. Good thing I did not get rid some of my parts!! Did have to order her a 12 inch sub woofer. Came today.

To you newbies welcome. To Grumpy, keep up the great work. There are a lot of great contributors here. Learned a lot from guys like Echowars,No Transistors, and Vintage TX as well as others. Had to cut down a bit on audio and have started on old GE and Zenith transistor radios. The rule is I use them. My limit is 5 radios. Go over and Marilyn gets crabby. Not really. "Theres a radio in every room." All for the love of the music!! Can be without it for long. Its been a long and satisfying trip in audio. If the rest of my life was this good I'd have nothing to b***h about.

Eric:music:

[stereofisher]

Should not post late at night. How are you ARMY?? Good post Eric. Maybe an admisnstrator can move my post??? Eric

[onepixel]

Hey beej,

Welcome to AK! The company is great here!

Carl

[Tapehead47]

Stereofisher; nice tale of your audio life.

[cableguy]

I am by no means an audiophile but I do enjoy good sound.
Sounds like your in the right place. Welcome aboard....


Bill

[ZebraBlvd]

I'll do my best not to get in the way.

You're darn tootin your not going to, thats my job around here.:D

Welcome to AK beej, enjoy!

[beej]

:thmbsp:Thank you, everyone, for the warm welcome aboard. I'm also USN retired, submariner by history, live in southeastern Connecticut in a setting of beautiful woods, wetlands, seashore and the two largest casinos on the planet.