February 14, 2011

Listening Journal: Days 10 & 11

16:50 – Paradigm test CD we got from Audio Zoo: The Chuck Israels Quartet. Pretty cool stuff, and it sounds as good, if not better, than it did on the Paradigm Studio 20s. No, it sounds better, but those 20s are damn good speakers.

Oh, and Giles loaned me his Adcom GDA-600 DAC, so I’ll be using that for the next few days – at least until he gets his electrical work finished on his house.

Next, Harry Connick, Jr. Come by Me. Swinging. “Next Door Blues” is cool. It sounds like Harry’s playing a Hammond. Pink Floyd’s A Momentary Lapse of Reason. It has its moments, but definitely missing something (or someone). Moving on to Roger Water’s Amused to Death; it’s no Pros and Cons, but it sounds pretty good.

Tull. Listened to some of Crest of a Knave; “She Said She Was Dancer” and “Jump Start” sounded pretty good. Heavy Horses was ugh. Original Masters had some true gems, like “Thick as a Brick”; wow, that sounded damn good. I used to have that CD, too. I also liked “Bungle in the Jungle” and “Skating Away”; but are off of War Child. I used to have that one, too. Even “Life’s a Long Song” sounded great for a 1971 recording! What the hell happened to Heavy Horses? Maybe I need to get some remastered Tull.

Ended with a bit of Zeppelin and Natalie Merchant. 22:00.

Jolida: 24:30; MA1s: 38:30

                    

12:23 – I called Audible Elegance inquiring (again) about my rDAC. It still hasn’t gotten there. This is so frustrating. At least he agreed to ship it overnight when it does arrive. Maybe Arcam is building me one special? I wish they would hurry.

18:00 – Beginning with Aja. I’m in a Steely Dan mood. Giles called in the middle of the disk and asked for his DAC back. So, I returned it to him and spent a couple of hours helping rearrange his equipment. His Snell C/Vs are sure nice, but I think he needs a larger room.

Got home and ended with a listen through of Everything Must Go @ 23:00.