Just arrived: IMF TLS-80s!

I'm really excited to have these iconic British transmission line monitors in house.

Just Arrived: Pioneer SX-950

Just Arrived. Angstrom RPS Monitors. They look a lot like Tangents.

Using Audax drivers, not KEF, these appear to be beautifully made 'knockoffs' of the TM1 cabinets. The woofer is the same Audax as in the RS6, with the same Audax tweeter as the RS8 (but with rectangular faceplate). Essentially, a TM1 with Audax drivers.

Altec 604-8G photos

Recently Arrived. Mission 770 mkIIs in mahogany.

Three years ago, I called it 'tiger ebony'. I never thought I'd find another pair like this, but here they are, sounding fantastic. When the Altecs arrived in the winter, I listened to nothing else for months. When The Energy Reference Connoissseurs showed up, the Altecs moved out, and I've enjoyed a number of smaller speakers. I hadn't heard 770s in over a year, and am reminded of all that I love about them.

Arrived on the weekend, just refoamed...JBL L60Ts.

Just Arrived JBL L20Ts.

Just Arrived.

  I hope your Labour Day weekend is great so far. This weekend a stunningly good Marantz 1120 arrived, a pair of Celestion SL6s, a pair of SL6is, and a pair of Mission 737R cabinets with crossovers that I'm going to fill with some very special (and appropriate) Mission drivers that I've been saving (for years :) for just such an occasion.

The Roots played Toronto last night

In my 40 plus year concert going career (some day I'll tell you about some of the music I've been fortunate to see in some incredible settings), I haven't seen better musicianship or showmanship, or greater generosity. They were awesome.

Hi. I hope you're having a great summer.

I am.
I just got a beautiful pair of Energy 22 Reference Connoisseurs, in rosewood. I moved the Altec 604-8Gs out for only the second time since they arrived (I've been listening to them compulsively) in February.  I connected the Arcam Delta 60, and was pretty impressed last night, Today I switched to the Sansui AU-8500, and am very, very happy.

These speakers are giving me more pleasure than I could imagine.

First time in 30 years.

   It would have been cooler if I'd written about it when it happened two and a half weeks ago, but it still makes me happy. I was walking downtown, saw a beautiful  poster for the (then) forthcoming second Alabama Shakes album. It was being released in 4 days. When I hit Bloor Street, I went to Kops Records, just to browse (right), and saw a crate full of new copies of Sound & Color. I asked, and they were happy to sell me one.
  On my way home, I realized that it's the first new release I've bought on vinyl in about 30 years. I'd hoped that the band was making a new album, but didn't know, before I saw that poster, that it was imminent. There was only 15 minutes between finding out that a band I care about was releasing new music, and having it in my hands. If I'd been paying close attention, like I did 30 years ago, I would've been excited for months. Life is different, but the thrill of opening the shrink wrap and putting on side one of a brand new lp, dropping the needle and hearing brand new music from a band you love never gets tired.

The Altec 604-8Gs are rocking!

  The new diaphragms arrived from Great Plains Audio this morning. Fernando at The Speaker Shop installed them a few hours ago, and I just got them all back together and into their cabinets. I don't want to rush to any conclusions, and am looking forward to spending a lot of time with them, but my initial impression is WOW.

Altec 604-8G update.

All that's needed is one replacement diaphragm! I'll replace both. Apparently Great Plains Audio in Oklahoma City make the best, with Altec's original tooling. YeeHaw!

The drivers and crossovers are in excellent physical shape. The cabinets are professionally made, but not by Altec. They're practically the size of refrigerators! One sounds awesome, the other will play through the woofer or tweeter, but not simultaneously, and never when using the bottom connectors (one set of leads connected to the top drives the tweeter, the other, also connected through the top connectors, drives the woofer. I'm sure the solution is simple, but I'll troubleshoot it tomorrow. These are legendary systems, and I can't wait to hear them.

Mcintosh speaker & equalizer update.

  I've never had any Mcintosh gear before this, and was quite excited. I set up the ML-1Cs, put the equalizer in the tape loop of my trusty Arcam Delta 60, with attenuation set at the recommended -6db (apparently to avoid overloading the tape monitor circuit). The sound was really disappointing…dull, sluggish, compressed. I was stunned. I took everything apart, went back to enjoying the Hanson Zylberberg Monitors.
  Two weeks later, I had some time to experiment. I put the Macs back, brought in my wonderful Sansui AU-8500, and because the amp has removable pre out/main in jumpers, put the equalizer between the preamp and power amp, with no attenuation (also as recommended). Now I heard music! These are very nice speakers, full range, with pretty good detail. The softly glowing equalizer on top of the big Sansui, and the late sixties modern vibe of the speakers make the Seventies Stereo listening room feel like Don Draper's place.

Just arrived.

There will be lots to talk about.

Plenty of information here. 

  Happy New Year. I'm going to try to post far more often than I have in a while.
 & DECADES BEYOND refers to gear made after the seventies that embodies the spirit and seeks musical truth. The Hanson Zylberberg monitors that left before Christmas and just arrived back, are a perfect example…late seventies form factor (see Meridian M2s), solid, heavy, meticulous cabinetry, excellent drivers, beautiful music, fantastic bass.