What are you listening to right now?

[tmazz]

Hi all.
Believe me or not, but my very first vinyl when I was 15 years old
(Wooooo that's a long time ago, how about 57 years)
was Laurindo Almeida a gift from my godmother and that
was the start of me loving guitar playing...

Guy 13

One of my better sounding audiophile LPs is a Direct to Disc album that Laurindo did for Crystal Clear Records called Virtuoso Guitar.

It can be found for very reasonable prices ( under $10 US) on Discogs.

If you don't have this you should definitely grab a copy when you see it.

https://www.discogs.com/Laurindo-Almeida-Virtuoso-Guitar/release/1670776

(Just a warning, it is cut at 45 RPM, so if you have a TT that plays at 33 only, you're out of luck on this one)

There is a budget CD pressing of this album floating around out there on the Laserlight label. But while the music is still good, the SQ is nowhere near that of the D2D LP.

[tmazz]

Meredith & I kick-started the holiday season by by going to see the local stop on the Mannheim Steamroller 35th Anniversary Christmas Tour.



As usual, the Steamroller put together a very enjoyable show. 

Interestingly, the screen behind the stage was not projection but rather about a  30 x 60 ft LED panel.  And it was as clear as a projected 35mm movie. Large screen panels have come a long way since the early diamond vision screens, with pixels the size of 60 watt light bulbs. The first one of those I ever saw was in Shea Stadium. The screen was behind the center field wall and you could still see the pixels when sitting behind home plate over 400 ft away!

[Guy 13]

Meredith & I kick-started the holiday season by by going to see the local stop on the Mannheim Steamroller 35th Anniversary Christmas Tour.



As usual, the Steamroller put together a very enjoyable show. 

Interestingly, the screen behind the stage was not projection but rather about a  30 x 60 ft LED panel.  And it was as clear as a projected 35mm movie. Large screen panels have come a long way since the early diamond vision screens, with pixels the size of 60 watt light bulbs. The first one of those I ever saw was in Shea Stadium. The screen was behind the center field wall and you could still see the pixels when sitting behind home plate over 400 ft away!

Thanks tmazz.
I have two albums from '' Steamroller ''
I love their music.
I wonder where I could get samples of their albums ? ? ?


Guy 13

[Nick B]

Meredith & I kick-started the holiday season by by going to see the local stop on the Mannheim Steamroller 35th Anniversary Christmas Tour.



As usual, the Steamroller put together a very enjoyable show. 

Interestingly, the screen behind the stage was not projection but rather about a  30 x 60 ft LED panel.  And it was as clear as a projected 35mm movie. Large screen panels have come a long way since the early diamond vision screens, with pixels the size of 60 watt light bulbs. The first one of those I ever saw was in Shea Stadium. The screen was behind the center field wall and you could still see the pixels when sitting behind home plate over 400 ft away!

Thanks, Tom. I own 4 of their CDs and saved 3 or 4 from Tidal last night. As to technology, your comment reminded me of a work acquaintance who proudly showed me his projection TV. It was one of the first models, very expensive, with a very bad picture. That was the late 70s or early 80s. It's great we have such excellent products nowadays for often reasonable prices.
Nick

[tmazz]

It's great we have such excellent products nowadays for often reasonable prices.
Nick

So true. I bought my first HD Flat Screen about 12 years ago. It is  a 40" Sony that I paid just under $1200 for as a B stock unit at the Sony Outlet store. Today a 4K Smart TV that size can be had for under $300.  (And I said it "is" a Sony because that set is still running in my HT setup as the main TV in our house. It is killing me that it still works because I would love for it to die so I had an excuse to upgrade to a larger 4K unit.  )

[tmazz]

Lots of holiday music playing since the weekend as we continue to bake and decorate the house.........

Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Christmas Eve and Other Stories



Lava CD

[tmazz]

Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Christmas Attic



Lava CD

[tmazz]

Erich Kunzel/Cincinnati Pops: Christmastime is Here



Telarc CD

[tmazz]

Various Telarc Jazz Artists: Santa's Bag: An All-Star Jazz Christmas



Telarc Jazz CD

[Guy 13]

It's great we have such excellent products nowadays for often reasonable prices.
Nick

So true. I bought my first HD Flat Screen about 12 years ago. It is  a 40" Sony that I paid just under $1200 for as a B stock unit at the Sony Outlet store. Today a 4K Smart TV that size can be had for under $300.  (And I said it "is" a Sony because that set is still running in my HT setup as the main TV in our house. It is killing me that it still works because I would love for it to die so I had an excuse to upgrade to a larger 4K unit.  )

Hi tmazz and all.
This might sound unrealistic,
but any products should last a MINIMUM of 20 years
and spare parts and repairs should also be available for 20 years MINIMUM !
My Sony mini receiver CD player  and Cambridge mini sub
are 17 years old and still going strong.

Guy 13

[tmazz]

Martha Stewart Living Music: Jazz for the Holidays



Epic Legacy CD

Before you laugh, I pulled this one out of the quarter bin in an "Oh, what the heck" moment, and it turned out to be a nice disc. Good sound, quality artists and a nice selection of music.

Details here:

https://www.amazon.com/Living-Holiday-Collection-Jazz-Holidays/dp/B000B8GTEM

[tmazz]

It's great we have such excellent products nowadays for often reasonable prices.
Nick

So true. I bought my first HD Flat Screen about 12 years ago. It is  a 40" Sony that I paid just under $1200 for as a B stock unit at the Sony Outlet store. Today a 4K Smart TV that size can be had for under $300.  (And I said it "is" a Sony because that set is still running in my HT setup as the main TV in our house. It is killing me that it still works because I would love for it to die so I had an excuse to upgrade to a larger 4K unit.  )

Hi tmazz and all.
This might sound unrealistic,
but any products should last a MINIMUM of 20 years
and spare parts and repairs should also be available for 20 years MINIMUM !
My Sony mini receiver CD player  and Cambridge mini sub
are 17 years old and still going strong.

Guy 13

Guy don't get me wrong, I am not surprised nor upset that it is still running. It is just that a part of me would love to get a 55 inch 4K set, but I have a hard time justifying that given that my current set runs perfectly fine.

And I am right with you about long term ownership. I am still running the same ARC preamp and VPI TT that I bought in 1988.

[tmazz]

John  Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together



Laserlight CD

When Sesame Street and the Muppets first hit the scene, my mother was just finishing up a degree in early Childhood education. As such we spent a lot of time with Sesame Street on the TV in our house as she was very interested in keeping up with what was at that time some very cutting edge advances in education.

So I was saddened to hear that Carol Spinney, the puppeteer and voice actor who brought us Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch passed away last weekend at age 92. He brought a lot of joy to a lot of children over his long career with Jim Henson and the Muppets.

[Nick B]

Am listening to all the different recordings available on TIDAL of
"Fanfare for the Common Man" by Aaron Copland

The Fritz Carreras handle the bass beautifully, especially since it's only a 7" Scan Speak
Revelator woofer.

[Nick B]

"Guitar" by Michael Luckner. I'm unable to find a proper link on this. Beautifully recorded 🎶🎶