Austin's Vinyl Hunt

Last night Colleen and I attended the first Vinyl Hunt at the North Door club in downtown Austin. We were invited by Brian DiFrank of Whetstone Audio; he was one of the main participants and organizers of this brand new LP swap meet event. While the first Vinyl Hunt was somewhat modest in terms of vendors--Brian, who recently obtained a huge vinyl collection for sale in his store, dominated the sales floor--hopefully it will grow into a much larger event as future hunts are organized.

That said, Colleen and I had a great time--despite the DJ in the back who didn't quite understand the meaning of the words "volume restraint" or "high-fidelity sound." We brought along the protoype of an old-fashioned milk/LP crate from our friends at Splintr Design called the Kreyt, and it received plenty of positive comments from the crowd. (One vendor pointed at it and said, "Cool, you brought your own shopping cart!")

I walked away with a few LPs including a great-sounding percussion record from Columbia--Sorcery! by Sabu, a $2 copy of Steely Dan's Gaucho in excellent condition and the soundtrack from A Clockwork Orange, something I'd always wanted. I also managed to score two newly remastered and sealed Ike Turner mono LPs from a Spanish label called Jerome Records. These were remastered by Mike Mariconda and were sold to me by a guy named...Mike Mariconda. He left Barcelona with a few extra copies in his backpacked (he joked that he was paid for his services in LPs) and was selling them at the event. These are archival recordings, which means the sound quality is "historic" at best, but the pressing is beautifully silent and the performances are rare and exciting.

Brian is confident that Vinyl Hunt will grow into something bigger. Austin's the right town for it; the crowd was mostly young people and curiously free of the typical middle-aged record geek (except for me, of course). I didn't have enough notice (or organizational skills) to promote Vinyl Hunt this time, but I'll be sure to let everyone know when the next gathering will be held.

The New Rega RP8: Rega Hootenanny at Whetstone Audio

All I had to do was mention that I was about to hear the new Rega RP8 turntable from Rega at the latest Whetstone Audio Hootenanny and my mail box was suddenly flooded with e-mails. "Let me know what you think!" "I've been waiting to hear this turntable forever and I can't wait for your impressions!" This morning there was even a "Dude, what gives? Let us know what you think already!" Dude, I just woke up. Chillax. It's just a turntable.

Evidently the RP8's appearance at Whetstone was a big deal--we were informed that this was only one of three or four out in the world as of yesterday. Rega UK rep Paul Darwin and US distributor Steve Daniels of Sound Organisation were there to explain the finer design points and then play plenty of music for the sizable crowd. It was probably Brian Di Frank's largest hootenanny to date.

In yesterday's blog, I mentioned that I had some questions about the unique RP8. Here's a quick summary of the answers:

1. The new RP8 will retail for $2995. It will be sold as a package with Rega's Apheta cartridge for $3995--a savings of about $800.

2. The removable outer plinth, which reveals the inner "skeletal" 'table, is designed to support the dust cover. When in place, the outer plinth is completely decoupled from the inner 'table. Paul Darwin reported that "the jury was still out" as to whether there was a sonic difference between the two configurations. He did pass the outer plinth around to the group, and it was exceptionally light. The new material for the plinth weighs slightly more than styrofoam, but it's several times more rigid than the plinths in the current line. It's amazing stuff.

3. The platter is similar to the two-piece glass one found on the current RP6, except that it's made from three concentric pieces. This increases the flywheel effect, which reduced strain on the motor and increases speed stability.

3. While the RP8 replaces the old P7, the venerable P9 has also been removed from the product line. That's because an RP10 is on the way next year. In fact, Paul mentioned that there's a cost-no-object 'table that Rega built solely for research these new designs, and that may or may not make it to the marketplace. There have been rumors of a Rega supertable for some time now, and it was fun to hear Paul confirm this.

4. Someone in the crowd asked how the new RP8 compares to the P9 sonically, and Paul said he didn't want to come out and say that the significantly more affordable RP8 kicks the former flagship "into the weeds." Instead, he urged P9 owners to compare the two 'tables and come to their own conclusions. He also added that despite the fact that the RP8 is the current top-of-the-line, it will eventually be positioned as the entry level model of a premium line of turntables that are very different, in both design and performance, than the traditional RP1, RP3 and RP6. In other words, the difference between the two lines is very distinctive.

So how did it sound already? Well, it's pretty difficult to get a precise feeling for the RP8's performance in a big room full of people. My initial impressions were strong enough for me to say that I want one--or at least I want to spend more time with one in a familiar system. I've owned four Rega turntables in my life, including the P3-24 I currently use as a second 'table, so there's no question I enjoy their products (I have been called a "Rega Fanboy" more than once, most notably from the 1200 Army.) But from my limited time with the RP8, I do suspect this is a major leap forward for Rega designs, and that RP8s will start flying out the doors once dealers get them in (Brian already ordered a few).

The RP8's presentation was clear, strong and forward, with no sense of the leanness you might expect from a 'table with such a lightweight plinth. I suspect it will probably outsell every other Rega 'table model ever made except for the Planar 3 and its variants. You'll be hearing a lot about this turntable in the near future.

New Rega RP8 at Whetstone Audio Hootenanny!

Tomorrow night, Colleen and I will be visiting Whetstone Audio once again during Brian Di Frank's latest Hootenanny. This time, Rega will be up and they're debuting their latest turntable--the striking, surprising new RP8.

As Brian says on the Whetstone website:

"I’m terrible at keeping secrets!! The kind folks at Rega UK and Sound Organisation will be bringing the very first RP8 to the Rega Hootenanny on October 26th at 6pm. Come hear what all the hoopla is about! Drink a beer or few!"

I have a couple of questions for Sound Organization, such as why the RP8 has a detachable plinth and what are the sonic benefits of both set-ups? I've also noticed that the venerable Rega P9 has been removed from the Rega website, so I'll be asking about its future. The RP8 can't really be a replacement--it retails for only $2995 while the P9 is $5000. It sounds like the RP8 will be more of a replacement for the P7, and those rumours about an RP10 are true.

The Rega Hootenanny will be at Whetstone tomorrow, October 26, starting at 6pm. The address is 2401 E. 6th St., Austin. See you there!

Rega RS1 Speakers to Smoke By...

My Texas friends, as well as my Facebook friends, know that I'm part-owners of a liquor store/cigar lounge here in Kyle named Copper House Liquor & Cigars. My audiophile friends, once they discover this, all tend to say the same thing: "You should put a nice little sound system in your cigar room!" Colleen and I have certainly thought of that already, although we decided early NOT to put a turntable in a smoky, sometimes crowded little room.

It all started with one of our Unison Research Simply Italy integrated. It was the first one in the US, the one we used at last year's CES--its American debut. From Vegas, this little amplifier went from dealer to dealer until we heard from one that said, "I think the volume knob is broken...and it's all beat up." What the hell, we said to ourselves, and arranged to have it sent back to Texas. We don't know what happened to it, but it definitely needed some TLC. And with all the scratches and dents in the powder-coated chassis, we knew we couldn't sell it as a demo. So we decided to keep it and use it as the foundation for our cigar room system. So we sent it off to one of our service centers to get a new attenuator and now we await its return to the CCI fold.

The second piece of the puzzle came from Brian DiFrank of Whetstone Audio, our Unison dealer here in Austin. Brian had a pair of Rega RS1 speakers that had a shipping accident or two--just like the Simply Italy. He managed to have all the drivers replaced, but the cabinets were a bit banged up and one of the grills no longer stayed on the speaker. We were actually looking to purchase something affordable from Brian like the new Wharfedale Diamond 10--the cheapest speaker that Colleen and I import costs $1500 per pair--but the Diamond simply wasn't efficient enough for the 12wpc Simply Italy. The Regas, as it turns out, are 90 dB efficient, and are an excellent match for the Unison. Brain sold the RS1s to us for a song.

Once we get the Simply Italy back--probably in the next week or so--we'll get the system going in the cigar lounge. I have a Denon DVD player that actually performs well as a CD player, and I have plenty of old cable sitting around (as most audiophiles do). I'll give you an update when everything is hooked up and playing music!

Another visit to Whetstone...with the PureAudio Vinyl phono preamp

First things first...Colleen Cardas and I just announced that we are now the US distributors of PureAudio of New Zealand. We have been so impressed with the Vinyl phono preamplifier I talked about last night that we jumped at the opportunity to represent this brand in the US. We also set the US retail price of this unit at $4500.

The day before we made the announcement, we brought the Vinyl over to Brian Di Frank at Whetstone Audio, our Austin dealer for Unison Research. Brian had already heard the buzz about PureAudio months ago, and when I posted on Facebook that we had the unit, he immediately responded "I want to hear it!" So we scheduled a visit and put the Vinyl into his showroom system that consisted of a Line Magnetic integrated amplifier, Well-Tempered Amadeus turntable, Dynavector 20X2 cartridge and Harbeth HL5 speakers.

After just a few tunes, Brian was impressed with the performance of the Vinyl. I'm going to give him a few days with it, and then get it back into my system so I can keep breaking in that Transfiguration Phoenix cartridge in time for the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest in October. In the Vinyl's absence, I went back to my old Lehmann Audio Black Cube SE phono pre. (I had to give up my Unison Research Phono One phono preamp for a couple of months so it could be reviewed in TONEAudio.) While the Lehmann is my favorite phono preamp in the $1000 to $1500 range, phono stages such as the Phono One and the Vinyl simply trounce it in terms of texture, 3-D imaging, deep bass response and detail.

Just a few hours after we left the Vinyl at Whetstone, Brian blogged about it on his website. He called it "flippin' great!" We agree. We're so enamored with the Vinyl that we decided to take it to the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest as well, where it will be mated with the Unison Research Giro turntable, Transfiguration Phoenix cartridge, the new Opera Grand Mezza speakers and a Unison Research amplifier TBD (either the Simply Italy or the Sinfonia, or maybe both).

Zuhootenanny!

Last Friday, Colleen and I headed out to Whetstone Audio to attend Brian Di Frank's second hootenanny, which honored Zu. Sean Casey of Zu was there to display many of his amazing high-efficiency speaker models such as the Soul Superfly, Essence and Definition Mk. 4. If you've ever visited a Zu room at a trade show, you know that Sean always brings the coolest music along, and this night was no exception. The Zuhootenanny had more of a rockin' feel--as well as a younger demographic in regards to the attendees--than our event last December, although I did spot a few of the same people as before.

My biggest goal for the evening was to hear the Zu version of the Technics SL-1200, which I've blogged about before, but alas, it was not meant to be due to some unforseen issue during shipment. The turntable in question sat off to the side, still in its box (which looked like any normal everyday SL1200 box). I still hope to check it out one day--if anyone can uncover the hidden potential of the best-selling turntable of all time, it's Zu Audio.

As usual, the Zu speakers were dynamic and punchy, even with relatively low-powered (but superb) amplification from Leben. I can't wait for Brian's next event--these hootenannies are really entertaining, and I always manage to find at least one worthwhile LP to buy every time I visit!

The Whetstone Audio Hootenanny

It's kind of amazing when an idea pops into your head, you plan for it and you execute it--and it's a success. Our idea for a music event in Austin came from humble beginnings. I've been in Texas for more than two years, Colleen Cardas has been here in Austin since early March, Bob and Stacy Clarke of Profundo moved to Round Rock a couple of months ago and Brian Di Frank of Whetstone has been here the whole time. We've joked about building an Austin Hi-fi Empire ever since we all got together, and I think we set a proper foundation last night by hosting our very first Hootenanny at Whetstone Audio.

The idea was simple. The Clarkes represent such stellar brands as Trenner & Friedl, Heed, Transfiguration and VivA, and Colleen and I represent Unison Research and Opera Loudspeakers. What if we each assembled a system in Whetstone Audio and invited everyone in Central Texas to come to Austin, drink some beer, eat some pizza and listen to our best efforts? Although Colleen Cardas Imports and Profundo are technically "competitors" for your high-end audio dollar, we're all good friends and know that there's always room in the marketplace for high-quality music reproduction.

We only had one problem: how many people would show? Although there are a handful of high-end dealers in Austin, this is a music town, and the old audiophile adage that musicians tend to have shitty audio systems (mostly because they're spoiled by the real thing, and partially because many musicians tend to be po') may influence the number of people who would be interested in such an event.

After we all set up our systems and fine tuned them in Whetstone Audio's big yet crowded sales floor (Brian has a ton of great gear on display), we waited for 6pm to arrive with a modicum of nervousness. Brian ordered two Gigantor pizzas and plenty of beer supplied by Jester King Brewery, and the Clarkes brought some amazing wine from their extensive cellar, and we all wondered how much food and drink we would have to take home at the end of the night.

When 6pm arrived, cars started pulling up--much to my surprise. By 7pm, the place was packed. Suddenly, Bob and I were coerced into a stereo war, where he would play one track and I would play one track. Our systems were very different (his was solid state with a lot of power and dynamics, ours was tube-based and airy and delicate), but the crowd was equally thrilled by both types of sound. I will say one thing in the spirit of self-promotion: chicks dig our Giro turntable. There were a handful of women at the event, and every single one of them loved its looks. One even turned to her significant other and said, "We need to get one." Talk about WAF (Wife Acceptance factor).

By the end of the night we were all tired, yet excited and happy. We're even leaving the system at Whetstone for the next week or so because we were too tired to break it all down. (So if you want to come by and check it out, feel free!) We are planning future events at Whetstone, especially since Unison and Opera are introducing so many new products in the coming months--including a music server and a DAC. The Clarkes also want to keep coming to Whetstone. By the way, Brian will be hosting an event next month with Sean Casey of Zu, so check out Whetstone Audio for more details.

Setting up for the Hootenanny

Here are some quick pre-pics of the Hootenanny we held at Whetstone Audio last night. I'll blog about the whole event in a bit, but I thought I'd give you a little insight into what goes into the planning of these events.

Here's a pic of the system as it started to take place. We decided on the Unison Research Giro turntable ($3995) with the matching Unison Research UN1 cartridge ($550), as well as the Unison Research CDE CD player ($3995) as sources. We used the Unison Research Simply Phono phono stage ($1600) and its outboard power supply ($800). It was powered by the incredible Unison Research S6 integrated amplifier ($4895), which is a single-ended (parallel) pure Class A design that creates 30 wpc with EL34s from Tung-Sol. Everything was hooked up to the flagship Opera Callas Grand loudspeakers ($9995 per pair) with Cardas Audio Clear Light cable throughout.

Here's Bob Clarke of Profundo helping out by attaching the feet to the Opera Grand Callas loudspeakers. Bob and Whetstone Audio's Brian Di Frank helped out enormously during setup. Bob had come in earlier in the week and set up his system which included the brand new Trenner & Friedl Pharoah speakers, Heed Audio amplification and a Well-Tempered Amadeus with Dynavector 20X cartridge that was supplied by Brian.

Here's another view of the Callas Grands as they were being prepared. Note that beautiful mahogany veneer on the sides...I think this is the most beautiful wood I've ever seen on a pair of speakers, although the wood grain patterns on the Pharoahs were equally intriguing with their almost Asian appearance.

Even as we were working, Brian still had customers coming in. Here Brian is installing an Ortofon OM-5e cartridge on a customer's old Pioneer turntable. The customer came over and glanced at all the Rega turntables Brian had on display, and I think he talked himself into getting an RP1 turntable down the road. He stopped and admired our Giro turntable and probably said to himself, "One day, one day..."

And here's the system set up and ready to go. I have to admit that I loved hearing the Callas Grands in a much bigger room than mine (which is only about 12' by 14' with 11' ceilings). The rear-firing tweeters on the Operas need plenty of space around them to achieve a truly giant and extended soundstage. By 2pm I had the turntable assembled and the cartridge aligned (the arm on the Giro is exceptionally easy to work with and I had everything dialed in within 20 minutes or so). The system had a full four hours to warm up and play before the first guests started arriving at 6pm.

The Hootenanny Is Tonight!

Our Music Event at Whetstone Audio is tonight! It will run from 6-9pm and we'll have plenty of beer and pizza. We will have our Unison Research Giro turntable on hand--the only one currently in the US--as well as plenty of Opera and Unison Research products. Bob Clarke from Profundo will also be there with gear from Trenner & Friedl (including the new Pharoah speakers) and Heed. Whetsone is located at 2401 E. 6th Street, Austin TX. See you there!

Our Hootenanny gets written up by Stereophile!

Our upcoming Hootenanny at Whetstone Audio on December 2 just got a little press coverage on the Stereophile website. As someone who has subscribed to the magazine since 1985, I find this very exciting--even more so than when they started publishing my letters to the editor back in 1990 or so!

As I write this, we're gearing up for the event. It looks like we'll have two separate systems on display at Whetstone. Bob Clarke will have a system showing off the new Trenner & Friedl Pharoahs (pictured above) backed up by a full system of Heed Audio components. For those of you who follow my blog, you'll know how much I love Heed and how well they match up with Trenner & Friedl loudspeakers.

Colleen and I are still planning out our system. Although we intended on featuring the brand new Unico 50 integrated amplifier, the truth is that we're selling almost every unit we can import. We also have one of the first Unico 50s in the US making the rounds with several reviewers. In other words, we may not have one available, but we will have the extraordinary S6 all-tubed integrated instead. This is one of my absolute favorites in the Unico line (I haven't heard the 50 yet), and I think it's really going to be a huge hit at the event.

We're also going to try to bring my Unison Research Giro turntable to the event. It's the only one currently in the US, and right now it's being reviewed by TONEAudio, so I'm hoping to get it back in time.

The Hootenany will be held at Whetstone Audio here in Austin from 6 to 9pm on December 2. Whetstone is located at 2401 East 6th Street #1001, Austin, TX. The phone number is (512)477-8503. Please come out and meet with me, Colleen Cardas, Bob Clarke and Brian Di Frank. If this event is a success, we'll plan on future events at Whetstone on a regular basis.

Music Night at Whetstone Audio

Along with Colleen Cardas of CCI, Bob Clarke of Profundo and Brian Di Frank of Whetstone Audio, I'm putting on my first music event on December 2. Here is my press release to Stereophile:

"On December 2, 2011, Whetstone Audio in Austin, Texas will host a Music Night featuring product lines from US distributors Profundo (Heed, Transfiguration, VivA and Trenner & Friedl) and Colleen Cardas Imports (Unison Research and Opera Loudspeakers). This event will feature the US premiere of both the new Trenner & Friedl Pharoah loudspeakers and the Unison Research Unico 50 hybrid integrated amplifier.

The event will run from 6pm to 9pm, and food and drink will be served. Whetstone Audio is located at 2401 East 6th St. #1001, Austin, TX 78702. For more information, contact Brian Di Frank of Whetstone Audio at 512-477-8503 or 512-784-8282."

We are all working on making Austin, Texas a true mecca for high-end audio. I've been in Austin for over two years, Colleen has been here since February and Bob Clarke and his wife Stacy just moved here a couple of months ago. Brian, of course, is a Texas native and has run Whetstone for many years. Austin is so well-known for its music scene, and we have some great hi-fi stores here as well. It's about time we pooled our resources together and introduced Texans to some outstanding gear!

I'm hoping we'll have a great turn-out for the event. If it's a success, we'll have more events just like this one. So please show your support by coming on out, indulging in some pizza and beer, and meeting all of us!

For Those of You Who Miss Your Dad's Hi-Fi Console...

...it's back!

Built here in the Austin area by master carpenter Mark Macek, this is being featured by Brian DiFrank at Whetstone Audio. I had a chance to see the "unveiling" after I visited Brian, but I had a previous engagement. I can't wait to see this in person.

As you can see, this one houses a mostly Rega system. Brian discussed slipping a pair of Rega R1s in the speaker compartments, but I'm not sure if they're in the system in the pics.

While these types of consoles traditionally didn't place the speakers far apart enough to create an expansive stereo image, I bet this console would deliver the goods in small rooms or otherwise crowded spaces. The cool factor, at any rate, is through the roof. Even the cloth for the grilles are made from Marshall amp stock!

For more info, check out the Whetstone Audio website.

Kuzma at Whetstone Audio

This weekend I stopped by to visit Brian DiFrank at Whetstone Audio, and in the months since I've last seen him he has added several new product lines. Of these, the most interesting is Kuzma, a Slovenian turntable/tonearm company that makes some of the best-sounding and attractive designs in the world. We had a chance to sit down with the Stogi S/Stabi 'table and arm combination, which used the Zu DL-103 cartridge (another new addition to Whetstone, and the cartridge I use on my Rega P3-24). As you can see from the pics, the Kuzma was mated to Leben tubed amplification, and the speakers were the DeVore Fidelity Gibbon 9s, I speaker I once reviewed and had in my system for several months.

While we talked, Brian kept the volume on the low side, but that didn't keep the sound of the Kuzma from shining through. That's one of the things I love about good tubed amplification--it sounds great, even at low volumes. The Stabi/Stogi sounded solid, warm and relaxed as it coursed through some of Brian's favorite funk tracks. Even with its minimalist, plinth-less design, the Kuzma looks as beautiful as it sounds and is almost jewel-like up close.

You may be wondering about the wooden table the turntable is sitting on; it's certainly gorgeous as well. These are custom-made by a friend of Brian's, and I have to admit that I want one. They're not cheap, but the craftsmanship is extraordinary, and while they are not specifically designed for audio gear they do work well, a serendipitous discovery made by Brian.

If you would like more information about Kuzma or these wooden tables, contact Brian directly at 512-784-8282.

Just Say No to Bad Customer Service

I had to fire someone today.

No, it wasn't an employee, but a vendor. We've had trouble dealing with this particular company; we've made five purchases from them, and four of those purchases required a return visit because the product was defective. Today, when we complained about screw-up #4, the representative argued with us. His argument was this: if we had been doing OUR jobs right, we would have seen their screw-up in advance. I replied by severing our business relationship with them.

Yesterday, I picked up my car from the mechanic. It was a job that should have taken a day to fix, but thanks to a screw-up on their end (the part they bought didn't work), they had my car for almost a week while they sorted everything out. When the bill came, it was full price. When I left the shop, which was out in the boondocks, I was told, "You're kind of low on gas...you should fill it up right away." I got a mile down the road--a country road--when the car ran out of gas. Stranded, I had to walk a mile to get some gas. I severed that business relationship as well.

Over the last few weeks, bad customer service seems to be a growing trend in my life. The problem is, these same people I've dealt with are complaining about how tough times are and that business is not good. Think there's a connection? I do.

Maybe it's because I worked in management for 18 years for companies that always stressed the importance of good customer service. If I didn't make the customer happy, my boss would. Then I'd spend the rest of the day in my boss's office being asked why I didn't take care of the customer. Funny thing was that NONE of these companies complained about business being slow or times being tough. That's because they knew how to deliver GREAT customer service.

My brother Mat, who has been successful in the computer sales/repair business for 14 years, said this to me: "I always insist on giving the best customer service to my clients. I only expect about half as much customer service in return. Everyone's standards are way too low." I've worked with companies who, in tough times, have replaced their "The customer is always right" mantra with sayings such as "Sometimes you have to fire some customers." While the customer may NOT be always right, the trick is never letting them know they aren't right. That's good business, plain and simple.

This idea, of course, translates with uncommon relevance to the high-end audio industry. I've always railed against high-end dealers who cultivate a snobbish attitude toward customers. My famous story is of one audio dealer who once told me not to breathe on one of their turntables. All I wanted to do was get a closer look to see what model it was. I severed that business relationship before it started.

There are plenty of high-end audio dealers who get it. I've always championed dealers such as Gene Rubin of Gene Rubin Audio, Dan Muzquiz of Blackbird Audio Gallery, Brian DiFrank of Whetstone Audio and Peter Selesnick of Venice Audio. These gentlemen ALWAYS bend over backwards to treat their customers with respect, kindness and gratitude. Gene, for example, states on his website that he has been in business since 1979, and he has yet to have a customer service complaint. These are the people who have earned your business.

It comes down to this: just say no to bad customer service. Once you receive bad customer service, sever that business relationship at once. The hi-fi shop proprietor who told me not to breathe on his turntable is no longer in business. Good. He doesn't deserve customers.

In this crappy economy, everyone has low and competitive prices. So give your money to those who deserve it...those who distinguish themselves from their competitors by offering GREAT customer service.

Another visit to Whetstone Audio!

I stopped by Whetstone Audio again today to visit Brian DiFrank and to find out what was new. He had this orange "University of Texas" Rega P3-24 set up with a Dynavector 10X5 cartridge running through the new LFD phono stage. He had a red felt mat on the platter which really matched well with the Dyna. I can imagine how striking this would look if it was one of the red P3-24s.

Brian, a fairly new Harbeth dealer, finally had a pair of the Compact 7-ES3s to demo. For those of you who have never heard this speaker, it is one of the best all-around monitors in the world. I couldn't believe how big and open the Harbeths sounded in Brian's big room. The bass was very impressive for what are basically a medium-sized pair of bookshelf monitors.

Since my brother Mat was with me (his first visit to Whetstone), Brian found the perfect music to audition (see above). We also listened to the new Grinderman album and even the Ohio Players. We were able to crank the volume up on this system to party levels with almost no strain. So much for the idea that British monitors are polite and reserved. The Compact 7s rocked!

I'm going to drop by again after the first of the year and give the new white Rega turntable belt a try. I've talked to a couple of engineers concerning how a mere belt can affect the sound of the Regas so dramatically, and there's some very sound reasons why. For every skeptic who may balk at the idea of a $59 rubber band, there will be others who will find that this is one of the most cost-effective upgrades you can make to your analog rig! I can't wait to give it a try...I've heard it once before and it does make a huge difference. In fact, Brian didn't even have any in stock because they're flying off the shelf. I've had no less than three Rega fans asks me why I haven't bought one already. 

I will, I will!