As others see us

[Big and Bashful]

What? You're a batchelor again? is that why we no longer see anything from Sapphire? or have I done my usual and read the situation completely wrong?

My SL662 speakers will never look perfect again, the hessian cloth fronts were a climbing wall for my kittens (now 10 year old cats) I just count my lucky stars that their claws never found the speaker diaphragms! ( that looks wrong but I can't think how to spell it any less wrongly!)

I need to find a loose cloth which is completely cat proof to repair the fronts, as well as replace the upper front cover frame thingies which both broke when cats managed to pull them off the speakers, at least the squarkers and tweeters bot have their own mesh covers to protect them.

If you now have full control over your front room, Ebay is a good occasional source of classic hi-fi components, I have seen people selling amps such as my original Rotel RA1412 for considerable sums. I still have mine but have switched back to the more modern pre and bridged power amps, I also had to admit that the newer set-up sounds even better than the RA1412, I just have to be cautious as the newer amps have the power to destroy the speakers if I get carried away. Less likely as I don't drink like I used to!

[crfriend]

What? You're a batchelor again? is that why we no longer see anything from Sapphire? or have I done my usual and read the situation completely wrong?

You've not read it wrong; I'm on my own again. However, I'm enjoined from saying much about it at the moment.

[Big and Bashful]

Understood.

[Sinned]

B&B & Carl, I have been refraining from asking but have sufficient tact to know that Carl will open up when he is ready. Things are probably sill a bit raw emotionally. Coming out of a relationship especially when not amicable can be very painful. Carl, whilst I cannot fully understand what you are going through I can at least be empathetic and give you the space and time to recover. MOH keeps mooting about pushing her too far over wearing skirts and trying to talk to her about it so maybe one day I will be in your position although I really and sincerely hope not. Although I would probably never admit it to her until it would be possibly too late the skirts come second to her but I would give them up kicking and screaming.

[skirted_in_SF]

Remember Bang & Olufson? very pretty, very expensive and sounded sort of ok? Whatever happened to them?

Still alive and kicking. In fact, they have a retail store here in SF for people who have too much money. I never could figure out how they asked as much as they did for their products.

[dillon]

I love old analog audio. I always lusted for Macintosh pre and power amps, and Dahlquist speakers. I currently have Carver pre and power with Polk Audio speakers. Also have an old Yamaha pre/power pair with 40 year old Advents, but don't have it set up at present since I need another tuner and other inputs. I also need a good turntable and cartridge. Even have a pair of Bose mini bookshelf speakers. I'd like to find an old digital delay processor for the set-up and use both pairs. I know I'm showing my age, but, after all, the human ear is also analog!

[Kirbstone]

I'm not at all up to speed with lo-fi or hi-fi makes, but in our one 'party' room we have a 1924 Thorens Leophone wind-up 78rpm machine with a seriously large brass horn and a handy sock nearby to act as volume control. It gets played briefly at parties!
Not far away is a 1982 Transcriptor Hydraulic Reference turntable with an SME arm & Shure cartridge, beside which are the usual CD player, double Cassette player, Tuner &c all hooked up to my Denon serious amp. & Bose speakers. The vinyls that get played are mostly new, as old ones tend to have flaws.

Uses range from background soft-classical for bridge evenings to full-blown loud dance rock & roll for a room-full of up to 30 party-revellers. The system is equally good for both. Not many feet away, of course is the stool in front of which stands a Grand Piano, which in truth can be the noisiest of the lot! In the Summer time I can throw the french doors open and the sound is heard all over the garden.

That's it for the duration & I'm not acquiring anything else anytime soon.

Tom

[straightfairy]

I believe (but not 100%) that the writer of the article is Bill Bryson, who has been all over the UK over many years.

Bose and B&O are both still going quite strong.
B&O always had the reputation for decent (but well off excellent) sound for fairly eye watering prices for people who value the physical appearance of the kit at least as much, if not more, as the sonic aspects. That visual appearance needs a particular style of black/white/chrome decor to blend in seamlessly.
Bose seems to have majored on the big impressive sound from visually tiny kit, again for hefty prices. They used to have sugar-bag-sized satellite speakers and sub-woofers hidden behind sofas for people that hate to see signs of hi-fi or wires.

I suppose both brands have their followers, but if your priority is sound rather than visual appearance there are many brands out there that will wipe the floor with both Bose and B&O for similar money.

[skirtyscot]

Ah, Straightfairy, welcome back! I thought you'd left us. What news?