Hello all

[al3700]

This is my first post so just saying Hi.

My system:):
Rega Planar 3 turntable with Project phono preamp, Micromega stage 2 CDP, Yaqin MC100b running Electro Harmonics matched quad KT88`s biased @ 600mV, cryo`d EH 12ax7`s & EH 6sn7`s (I run the amp through a Variac to drop the voltage to 210v) QED Qunex 2 interconnects & Rogers LS7t speakers.
I am building a preamp using Raytheon JAN6418 valves.

One thing puzzles me:scratch:. I have a Shek D1 NOS DAC which sounds great with my old Pioneer PD S-703 but doesn`t work with my Micromega. When I plug it in via the coax socket all I get is an error message on the CDP display I have tried the prescribed method of opening the CD tray and pressing button 2 but all I get is an error message:confused:.

Has anyone got any ideas? I am going mad trying to figure it out:steam:

Cheers
Alan

[Spectral Morn]

Hi Alan


Welcome to AOS enjoy the forum.

What kind of music do you like?


Regards D S D L

[Marco]

Hi Alan,

Welcome to AoS! Where are you from? :)

As this is simply the welcome area of the forum, please post your query under a new thread in the Digital Impression section, where I'm sure that someone will be able to help you out :cool:

Marco.

[al3700]

Thanks for the welcome guys.
Neil
I like all sorts of music but mainly rock. I saw Wishbone Ash on Friday last time I saw them was 30 years ago.
Alan

[al3700]

Marco

Thanks. I live in a little village called Sheepy Parva (Warwickshire) I think I will like this forum you seem to be a friendly bunch.

[Themis]

Welcome to the AoS forums, Alan. :)

(your CDP is faulty probably)

[Spectral Morn]

Thanks for the welcome guys.
Neil
I like all sorts of music but mainly rock. I saw Wishbone Ash on Friday last time I saw them was 30 years ago.
Alan


Nice, I like the Ash, but have never seen them live...your a fortunate chap.

Who else do you like ?


Regards D S D L

[The Grand Wazoo]

How did Wishbone Ash compare over the intervening period?
I've seen them 3 or 4 times, but not since the 'Twin Barrels Burning' tour in the 80's - I felt they were covering ground not really suited to them, so I called it a day on their subsequent releases.

[Alex_UK]

I think I will like this forum you seem to be a friendly bunch.

Welcome Al - yep, that's us (mostly!) - enjoy the forum and good luck with your CDP/DAC issue - no help from me I'm afraid.

[Stratmangler]

Hi Al

Welcome to the madhouse !

I have a theory about your CDP/DAC problem. The transport end is French, n'est pas ?

I think that instead of handshaking with the DAC the conversation is going on something like this ..........

[King Arthur music]
[clop clop clop]
ARTHUR: Halt!
[horn]
Hallo!
[pause]
Hallo!
FRENCH GUARD: Allo! Who is eet?
ARTHUR: It is King Arthur, and these are my Knights of the Round Table. Who's
castle is this?
FRENCH GUARD: This is the castle of my master Guy de Loimbard.
ARTHUR: Go and tell your master that we have been charged by God with a sacred
quest. If he will give us food and shelter for the night he can join us in
our quest for the Holy Grail.
FRENCH GUARD: Well, I'll ask him, but I don't think he'll be very keen. Uh,
he's already got one, you see?
ARTHUR: What?
GALAHAD: He says they've already got one!
ARTHUR: Are you sure he's got one?
FRENCH GUARD: Oh, yes, it's very nice-a. (I told him we already got one.)
ARTHUR: Well, u-- um, can we come up and have a look?
FRENCH GUARD: Of course not! You are English types-a!
ARTHUR: Well, what are you then?
FRENCH GUARD: I'm French! Why do think I have this outrageous accent, you
silly king-a?!
GALAHAD: What are you doing in England?
FRENCH GUARD: Mind your own business!
ARTHUR: If you will not show us the Grail, we shall take your castle by force!
FRENCH GUARD: You don't frighten us, English pig-dogs! Go and boil your
bottom, sons of a silly person. I blow my nose at you, so-called Arthur
King, you and all your silly English k-nnnnniggets. Thpppppt! Thppt!
Thppt!
GALAHAD: What a strange person.
ARTHUR: Now look here, my good man--
FRENCH GUARD: I don't wanna talk to you no more, you empty headed animal food
trough wiper! I fart in your general direction! You mother was a hamster
and your father smelt of elderberries!
GALAHAD: Is there someone else up there we could talk to?
FRENCH GUARD: No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time-a!
[sniff]
ARTHUR: Now, this is your last chance. I've been more than reasonable.
FRENCH GUARD: (Fetchez la vache.)
OTHER FRENCH GUARD: Quoi?
FRENCH GUARD: (Fetchez la vache!)
[mooo]
ARTHUR: If you do not agree to my commands, then I shall--
[twong]
[mooooooo]
Jesus Christ!
KNIGHTS: Christ!
[thud]
Ah! Ohh!
ARTHUR: Right! Charge!
KNIGHTS: Charge!
[mayhem]
FRENCH GUARD: Hey, this one is for your mother! There you go.
[mayhem]
FRENCH GUARD: And this one's for your dad!
ARTHUR: Run away!
KNIGHTS: Run away!
FRENCH GUARD: Thppppt!
FRENCH GUARDS: [taunting]
LAUNCELOT: Fiends! I'll tear them apart!
ARTHUR: No, no. No, no.
BEDEVERE: Sir! I have a plan, sir.

[later]

[wind]
[saw saw saw saw saw saw saw saw saw saw saw saw saw saw saw saw]
[clunk]
[bang]
[rewr!]
[squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak]
[rrrr rrrr rrrr]
[drilllll]
[sawwwww]
[clunk]
[crash]
[clang]
[squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak...]
[creak]
FRENCH GUARDS: [whispering] C'est un lapin, lapin de bois. Quoi? Un cadeau.
What? A present. Oh, un cadeau. Oui, oui. Hurry. What? Let's go. Oh.
On y va. Bon magne. Over here...
[squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak...]
[clllank]
ARTHUR: What happens now?
BEDEVERE: Well, now, uh, Launcelot, Galahad, and I, uh, wait until nightfall,
and then leap out of the rabbit, taking the French, uh, by surprise. Not
only by surprise, but totally unarmed!
ARTHUR: Who leaps out?
BEDEVERE: U-- u-- uh, Launcelot, Galahad, and I. Uh, leap out of the rabbit,
uh, and uh...
ARTHUR: Ohh.
BEDEVERE: Oh. Um, l-- look, i-- i-- if we built this large wooden badger--
[clank]
[twong]
ARTHUR: Run away!
KNIGHTS: Run away! Run away! Run away! Run away! Run away! Run away!
Run away!
[CRASH]
FRENCH GUARDS: Oh, haw haw haw haw! Haw! Haw haw heh...


Chris;)

[Alex_UK]

Now you're just being silly Chris - we all know it's the wrong kind of swallow carrying the coconut that is the problem!

(very good, made me laugh - but now I have to push the pram-a-lot!)

[electric beach]

Hi Alan,

Have you modified the Yaqin, apart from the valves? I ran mine for a year in stock form, really, really happy. Then I bought a preamp and used the inputs on the Yaqin front panel but didn't get the improvement level that I expected. Anthony TD made modifications for me to convert from an integrated into a dual-mono power amp, stripping out the internal preamp, controls, etc. He told me that the inputs were not actually bypassing this internal preamp, merely reducing the signal level before running through it.
Now I got the improvements I was expecting. The sound had the same sonic signatures as the stock Yaqin but became a class act; I liken it to James Bond changing from casual jeans and shirt into his dinner suit - still James, but...

Just a thought if you're considering that preamp build...

[Macca]

Hi Alan,

I liken it to James Bond changing from casual jeans and shirt into his dinner suit - still James, but...



Is this a candidate for 'best HI-Fi metaphor ever'...?

[al3700]

Nice, I like the Ash, but have never seen them live...your a fortunate chap.

Who else do you like ?


Regards D S D L

Benny Carter, (great sax player) Fripp and Eno, Phil Manzanera:smoking: (you can probably tell I liked Roxy Music in the 70`s), ELP, Black Sabbath (the early Ozy years), Any Baroque classical music, Tchaikovsky . . . . . . . . Quite eclectic realy.

What about you?

[al3700]

How did Wishbone Ash compare over the intervening period?
I've seen them 3 or 4 times, but not since the 'Twin Barrels Burning' tour in the 80's - I felt they were covering ground not really suited to them, so I called it a day on their subsequent releases.

Only Andy Powel left of the original band but Spam Spence (Raw to the bone 1985 bass and vocals) made a surprise entrance and sang Cell of fame, fantastic voice, Wishbone Ash sound just as good as I remember them from 1973 (last time I saw them live) really together and tight. It was really a tribute to their early years with much stuff from Pilgrimage:), Argus etc.

Cheers
Alan

[al3700]

Hi Al

Welcome to the madhouse !

I have a theory about your CDP/DAC problem. The transport end is French, n'est pas ?

I think that instead of handshaking with the DAC the conversation is going on something like this ..........

[King Arthur music]
[clop clop clop]
ARTHUR: Halt!
[horn]
Hallo!
[pause]
Hallo!
FRENCH GUARD: Allo! Who is eet?
ARTHUR: It is King Arthur, and these are my Knights of the Round Table. Who's
castle is this?
FRENCH GUARD: This is the castle of my master Guy de Loimbard.
ARTHUR: Go and tell your master that we have been charged by God with a sacred
quest. If he will give us food and shelter for the night he can join us in
our quest for the Holy Grail.
FRENCH GUARD: Well, I'll ask him, but I don't think he'll be very keen. Uh,
he's already got one, you see?
ARTHUR: What?
GALAHAD: He says they've already got one!
ARTHUR: Are you sure he's got one?
FRENCH GUARD: Oh, yes, it's very nice-a. (I told him we already got one.)
ARTHUR: Well, u-- um, can we come up and have a look?
FRENCH GUARD: Of course not! You are English types-a!
ARTHUR: Well, what are you then?
FRENCH GUARD: I'm French! Why do think I have this outrageous accent, you
silly king-a?!
GALAHAD: What are you doing in England?
FRENCH GUARD: Mind your own business!
ARTHUR: If you will not show us the Grail, we shall take your castle by force!
FRENCH GUARD: You don't frighten us, English pig-dogs! Go and boil your
bottom, sons of a silly person. I blow my nose at you, so-called Arthur
King, you and all your silly English k-nnnnniggets. Thpppppt! Thppt!
Thppt!
GALAHAD: What a strange person.
ARTHUR: Now look here, my good man--
FRENCH GUARD: I don't wanna talk to you no more, you empty headed animal food
trough wiper! I fart in your general direction! You mother was a hamster
and your father smelt of elderberries!
GALAHAD: Is there someone else up there we could talk to?
FRENCH GUARD: No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time-a!
[sniff]
ARTHUR: Now, this is your last chance. I've been more than reasonable.
FRENCH GUARD: (Fetchez la vache.)
OTHER FRENCH GUARD: Quoi?
FRENCH GUARD: (Fetchez la vache!)
[mooo]
ARTHUR: If you do not agree to my commands, then I shall--
[twong]
[mooooooo]
Jesus Christ!
KNIGHTS: Christ!
[thud]
Ah! Ohh!
ARTHUR: Right! Charge!
KNIGHTS: Charge!
[mayhem]
FRENCH GUARD: Hey, this one is for your mother! There you go.
[mayhem]
FRENCH GUARD: And this one's for your dad!
ARTHUR: Run away!
KNIGHTS: Run away!
FRENCH GUARD: Thppppt!
FRENCH GUARDS: [taunting]
LAUNCELOT: Fiends! I'll tear them apart!
ARTHUR: No, no. No, no.
BEDEVERE: Sir! I have a plan, sir.

[later]

[wind]
[saw saw saw saw saw saw saw saw saw saw saw saw saw saw saw saw]
[clunk]
[bang]
[rewr!]
[squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak]
[rrrr rrrr rrrr]
[drilllll]
[sawwwww]
[clunk]
[crash]
[clang]
[squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak...]
[creak]
FRENCH GUARDS: [whispering] C'est un lapin, lapin de bois. Quoi? Un cadeau.
What? A present. Oh, un cadeau. Oui, oui. Hurry. What? Let's go. Oh.
On y va. Bon magne. Over here...
[squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak...]
[clllank]
ARTHUR: What happens now?
BEDEVERE: Well, now, uh, Launcelot, Galahad, and I, uh, wait until nightfall,
and then leap out of the rabbit, taking the French, uh, by surprise. Not
only by surprise, but totally unarmed!
ARTHUR: Who leaps out?
BEDEVERE: U-- u-- uh, Launcelot, Galahad, and I. Uh, leap out of the rabbit,
uh, and uh...
ARTHUR: Ohh.
BEDEVERE: Oh. Um, l-- look, i-- i-- if we built this large wooden badger--
[clank]
[twong]
ARTHUR: Run away!
KNIGHTS: Run away! Run away! Run away! Run away! Run away! Run away!
Run away!
[CRASH]
FRENCH GUARDS: Oh, haw haw haw haw! Haw! Haw haw heh...


Chris;)

:lolsign: A Python fan eh? I am definitely in the right place.

Cheers
Alan

[Spectral Morn]

Benny Carter, (great sax player) Fripp and Eno, Phil Manzanera:smoking: (you can probably tell I liked Roxy Music in the 70`s), ELP, Black Sabbath (the early Ozy years), Any Baroque classical music, Tchaikovsky . . . . . . . . Quite eclectic realy.

What about you?

Its probably easier to say what I don't like.

Country, Death/speed/black/thrash metal, Opera.

I love Dance, Melodic Rock, Prog Rock, Electronica, female singer song writer stuff, and lots more beside.


Enjoy the forum.


Regards D S D L

[al3700]

Hi Alan,

Have you modified the Yaqin, apart from the valves? I ran mine for a year in stock form, really, really happy. Then I bought a preamp and used the inputs on the Yaqin front panel but didn't get the improvement level that I expected. Anthony TD made modifications for me to convert from an integrated into a dual-mono power amp, stripping out the internal preamp, controls, etc. He told me that the inputs were not actually bypassing this internal preamp, merely reducing the signal level before running through it.
Now I got the improvements I was expecting. The sound had the same sonic signatures as the stock Yaqin but became a class act; I liken it to James Bond changing from casual jeans and shirt into his dinner suit - still James, but...

Just a thought if you're considering that preamp build...

hmmmm . . . . sounds expensive:(! I have been after a valve amp for years but never able to justify the megabucks for a new(ish) Brit. one so the thought of shelling out £1500 to have my £300 Chinese amp sorted is a little tough to chew on, espacially when it sounds so good now:)

[Barry]

Benny Carter, (great sax player) Fripp and Eno, Phil Manzanera:smoking: (you can probably tell I liked Roxy Music in the 70`s), ELP, Black Sabbath (the early Ozy years), Any Baroque classical music, Tchaikovsky . . . . . . . . Quite eclectic realy.

What about you?

Hello Al,

A belated welcome to AoS from me as well.

As to my tastes in music - well, I'll say what I said in my introductory post to AoS: it's absurdly wide, basically everything, apart from country and western, big-band jazz, rap, and mindless heavy metal (does that include thrash?).

I find the lyrics to country and western songs maudlin and sentimental, although I do like Johnny Cash and early Linda Ronstadt. Probably a contradiction there. I also like Appelachian folk music: Earl Scruggs and that sort of stuff (i.e. without words).

Big-band jazz does little for me. I love the Duke Ellington/Billy Stayhorn compositions, but only when performed by small ensembles.

I understand and appreciate the skill and technique of rap music, however it does absolutely nothing for me. I like the work of Benjamin Zephaniah, but do not posses any of his poetry on record.

Heavy metal again does little for me, despite flirting with Deep Purple in the late sixties; I never bought any of their stuff. Too much Tutonic 'Sturm und Drang'.

Don't know what is meant by Death, Speed, Black - but suspect that I wouldn't like that either.

Regards

Regards

[al3700]

Hello Al,

A belated welcome to AoS from me as well.

As to my tastes in music - well, I'll say what I said in my introductory post to AoS: it's absurdly wide, basically everything, apart from country and western, big-band jazz, rap, and mindless heavy metal (does that include thrash?).

I find the lyrics to country and western songs maudlin and sentimental, although I do like Johnny Cash and early Linda Ronstadt. Probably a contradiction there. I also like Appelachian folk music: Earl Scruggs and that sort of stuff (i.e. without words).

Big-band jazz does little for me. I love the Duke Ellington/Billy Stayhorn compositions, but only when performed by small ensembles.

I understand and appreciate the skill and technique of rap music, however it does absolutely nothing for me. I like the work of Benjamin Zephaniah, but do not posses any of his poetry on record.

Heavy metal again does little for me, despite flirting with Deep Purple in the late sixties; I never bought any of their stuff. Too much Tutonic 'Sturm und Drang'.

Don't know what is meant by Death, Speed, Black - but suspect that I wouldn't like that either.

Regards

Regards

Hi Barry

I know what you mean about rap, doesn`t do it for me either, I must say that I will listen to anything ONCE but since I have got my system sounding reasonable I play much more syuff with the female voice (Alison Krauss) and jazz sax.

Cheers

[Barry]

Hi there,

Do you prefer to be called Alan or Al? I like to try to get these things right.

Agree with you about jazz sax - any performers in particular?

Regards (just the one this time - I have just come back from the pub!)

[al3700]

Hi there,

Do you prefer to be called Alan or Al? I like to try to get these things right.

Agree with you about jazz sax - any performers in particular?

Regards (just the one this time - I have just come back from the pub!)

I prefer Al. I need to change my sig but I`ve just got back from t`pub as well:cool: so I might leave that til tomorrow.

I like most swing. Anything melodic and musical. Not keen on the Charlie Parker school.

Cheers

[Barry]

I prefer Al. I need to change my sig but I`ve just got back from t`pub as well:cool: so I might leave that til tomorrow.

I like most swing. Anything melodic and musical. Not keen on the Charlie Parker school.

Cheers

Al it is then.

I'll chat to you about Charlie Parker later, and give you the titles of some of his more accessible works that I (and perhaps you might) like.

Regards

[al3700]

Al it is then.

I'll chat to you about Charlie Parker later, and give you the titles of some of his more accessible works that I (and perhaps you might) like.

Regards

Excellent. I`ll look forward to that.

Cheers
Al

[Barry]

Hello Al,

I said I would come up with a list of some Charlie Parker recordings that are the 'acceptable and accessable face of be-bop', which you might like to try.

First of all anything from the Savoy sessions is good to listen too. Then there is:

Blue Bird (with Miles Davis),

Blue Train (1957, Blue Note DMM remaster BST 81577),

Giant Steps (1959, Atlantic SD 1331, 1960, re-released as Atlantic ALT 50 239, (P) 1979),

The Massey Hall Concert (1953 with Charles Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell and Max Roach - what a line up!) (Charlie Parker Records CP-501, 1981).

There are over 900 entries on Amazon, so a lot are still available on CD but under different titles.

Parker at different stages in his career played with both Miles Davis and Thelonius Monk, so check out:

Miles Davis 'Kind of Blue' (Columbia CK 64935, 1997) Not the best selling jazz record for nothing!

Pop into your local library and see what Charlie Parker they have. If you can work your way up to 'Cosmic Music' and survive, write back and explain to me what it's all about.

Regards

[The Grand Wazoo]

Blue Train (1957, Blue Note DMM remaster BST 81577),

Giant Steps (1959, Atlantic SD 1331, 1960, re-released as Atlantic ALT 50 239, (P) 1979),


Barry, surely these are John Coltrane albums?

[Barry]

Lord, I must have had a major 'senior moment' to get my wires so badly crossed like that! My only excuse is that I had just been playing some John Coltrane when I wrote the post. Either that or blame the wine!

Sorry Al, I'll start again.

Charlie Parker :

Anything of the 'Savoy' sessions is worth hearing (though the recording quality is sometimes poor),

'The Massey Hall Concert' (also modestly known as 'The Greatest Jazz Concert Ever') (LP: Charlie Parker Records CP-501, 1981. Also available on CD: Fantasy DEB-124),

and

'The Complete Legendary Rockland Place Concert' (Jazz Classics JZCL 5014, 2CD), contains virtually all of Parker's classic compositions.

That should be enough to get you started Al.

Again apologies for the muddle up!

Regards

[The Grand Wazoo]

Al,
You might just like the Coltrane albums too - they're pretty essential!

[Barry]

Hi Al,

I neglected to mention that Charlie Parker's 'Bluebird' can be obtained on the budget CD label Hallmark: Hallmark 311312.

You may find a bewildering number of Charlie Parker titles with "Bird" in them. This is because "Bird" was a nickname given to Charlie Parker by his contemporaries.

Regards