My Audio Journey

Post your system set-up here.

Moderator: JackD201

Re: My Audio Journey

Postby rtsyrtsy » Mon Aug 10, 2015 11:33 pm

Praying for your quick recovery, Ding.

A biking buddy and ex-Sky Cable colleague moved to Alberta. Not sure if Edmonton or Calgary. Nagyayaya siya to do this: http://granfondobanff.com. Pareto kayo nun na accountant. Sama ka! Typos bawiin natin lahat sa lamon. :-)

Baka kung matuloy ako dyan, naka Vox Olympian ka na with matching Kondo SET amps!
User avatar
rtsyrtsy
Moderator
 
Posts: 3908
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2003 5:25 am

Re: My Audio Journey

Postby JackD201 » Thu Aug 13, 2015 4:27 pm

Malapit ba Banff sa iyo Ding? My wife and I are planning to go pero baka dalawang taon pa. :)
User avatar
JackD201
Immortal
 
Posts: 10024
Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2004 12:10 am
Location: Bozania

Re: My Audio Journey

Postby dimfer » Thu Aug 13, 2015 6:16 pm

JackD201 wrote:Malapit ba Banff sa iyo Ding? My wife and I are planning to go pero baka dalawang taon pa. :)


medyo malapit Bro, about 450 kms highway drive (kuha ng tatlong oras kung nagmamadali :lol: ). Ganda dyan. Bale Banff to Calgary is about 120 kms scenic drive, then Calgary to Edmonton is 330 kms. pls let me know kung kailan, diretso ka sa amin. mi casa, su casa

in Banff, best hotel yata ang Fairmont
Image

small town ang Banff, pero very popular, parang Baguio ng Western Canada. I don't know if you've done it before, but it is surreal to golf at 25C, beautiful fairways and then when you look around - you will notice you are surrounded by mountains with snowcaps
Image
dimfer
Fanatic
Fanatic
 
Posts: 2428
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:33 pm
Location: Bozania

Re: My Audio Journey

Postby dimfer » Thu Aug 13, 2015 6:23 pm

rtsyrtsy wrote:Praying for your quick recovery, Ding.

A biking buddy and ex-Sky Cable colleague moved to Alberta. Not sure if Edmonton or Calgary. Nagyayaya siya to do this: http://granfondobanff.com. Pareto kayo nun na accountant. Sama ka! Typos bawiin natin lahat sa lamon. :-)

Baka kung matuloy ako dyan, naka Vox Olympian ka na with matching Kondo SET amps!


malamang Calgary yun kung sasali sa Granfondo.. gaganda ng bike routes sa Banff/Calgary - akyat lusong.

malabo ang Vox Olympian Bro, mas mahal pa sa bahay ko yun :D Lotto lang ang pag-asa ko dyan. I heard that combo, it is to die for.
dimfer
Fanatic
Fanatic
 
Posts: 2428
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:33 pm
Location: Bozania

Re: My Audio Journey

Postby JackD201 » Sun Aug 16, 2015 3:39 pm

Wow Ding, ang ganda. Problama timing. Iba yung summer break ng mga bata sa break diyan. :(
User avatar
JackD201
Immortal
 
Posts: 10024
Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2004 12:10 am
Location: Bozania

Re: My Audio Journey

Postby dimfer » Sun Aug 16, 2015 10:17 pm

Ang summer break dyan April - June di ba? Late May, most of the snow is gone and if you're lucky pwede nang mag golf :D while kids are swimming at the wavepool and Esmi is shopping at West Edmonton Mall.
Image

I think maganda na rin sa Banff by that time, most flowering plants are planted on Victoria Day, which is on 3rd weekend of May . If you have time and inclined to drive, another good destination that's not very far from Banff is Waterton Provincial Park. There is a small town inside the provincial park where there are campsites etc. nice to walk around town and see deer lying around in front yards
Image
that structure is the Prince of Wales Hotel, very picturesque.
dimfer
Fanatic
Fanatic
 
Posts: 2428
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:33 pm
Location: Bozania

Re: My Audio Journey

Postby JackD201 » Mon Aug 17, 2015 11:59 am

Pang second honeymoon yan Pare :o
User avatar
JackD201
Immortal
 
Posts: 10024
Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2004 12:10 am
Location: Bozania

Re: My Audio Journey

Postby rtsyrtsy » Mon Aug 17, 2015 5:44 pm

Hmm...good cycling (though motorsiklo kailangan ko kung bundok!), good landscape photography, sounds like a Western Canada itinerary should be planned soon!
By the time I've saved up for that, I can also listen to Ding's Vox Olympian and Kondo amps.
Kulang na lang yung mga foodie recommendations ni ttommy though I'm sure Ding can fill that in easily.
What's not to like? :-)
User avatar
rtsyrtsy
Moderator
 
Posts: 3908
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2003 5:25 am

Re: My Audio Journey

Postby dimfer » Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:38 am

walang problema sa food bro.. while not as diverse as New York or San Francisco - I think Edmonton food scene is alright. If you come in late July, we can go to Taste of Edmonton where there's at least 50 food trucks representing some of Edmonton's best restaurants gathered in front of the city hall. This event goes on for a week. Then on the first weekend of August, there's the Edmonton Heritage Festival. This is cool, done in a park, more than 100 countries/cultures showcase their best food and cultural performers in their respective pavilions. The Philippine pavilion is very popular, although their supplier of pancit bihon is far from the best I've tasted.

one of our fav foodie destination here is Tropika, a Malaysian resto. They serve good KL crab.. you've seen our pictures there in my FB account. or I can take you to our fav lunch destination in Chinatown, called Double Greetings.

Image
far from good looking, but we never felt unsatisfied after coming to this place. Me and my wife come here for lunch about once a month and had been ordering same food combination for the last 10 yrs or so (steamed tilapia special and seafood chow mein with a coke and diet coke for $26).

If you are inclined to cook in your dinner table, we can go to a local hot pot style resto.
dimfer
Fanatic
Fanatic
 
Posts: 2428
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:33 pm
Location: Bozania

Re: My Audio Journey

Postby rtsyrtsy » Wed Aug 19, 2015 1:28 pm

Ding, my unsurprising and final answer is all of the above. :-)

We have relatives in Vancouver, friends in Alaska, and I want my kids to see Seattle. Alberta can be part of the itinerary (friends in Calgary and Edmonton, too). The only remaining problem is will I have enough vacation days to cover the Pacific Northwest in one trip!
User avatar
rtsyrtsy
Moderator
 
Posts: 3908
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2003 5:25 am

Re: My Audio Journey

Postby dimfer » Thu Aug 27, 2015 2:41 am

rtsyrtsy wrote:Ding, my unsurprising and final answer is all of the above. :-)

We have relatives in Vancouver, friends in Alaska, and I want my kids to see Seattle. Alberta can be part of the itinerary (friends in Calgary and Edmonton, too). The only remaining problem is will I have enough vacation days to cover the Pacific Northwest in one trip!


big area to cover, kaya yan sa three weeks.

Kailangan, next year kasali ka na sa Tour of Alberta, or kung gusto mong mas challenging sa ITU Triathlon
dimfer
Fanatic
Fanatic
 
Posts: 2428
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:33 pm
Location: Bozania

Re: My Audio Journey

Postby mullard88 » Thu Aug 27, 2015 6:31 am

Great pictures. Banff is one of my favorite vacation spots.
User avatar
mullard88
Citizen
Citizen
 
Posts: 515
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 8:19 am

Re: My Audio Journey

Postby dimfer » Fri Aug 28, 2015 8:29 pm

mullard88 wrote:Great pictures. Banff is one of my favorite vacation spots.


those are random pictures I picked from the web, not mine :$

but same here, Banff is one of my favorite spots as well. We normally visit the area when we tour out of town guests, but I also enjoy the place when there. There are beautiful lakes within short drive from the townsite. We camped at Lake Minnewanka one summer, having coffee by the lake and watching the sun as it rises early in the morning is a sublime experience.

Banff crowd is usually older tourists mixed with family vacationers during the summer and the hip ski crowd during the winter
dimfer
Fanatic
Fanatic
 
Posts: 2428
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:33 pm
Location: Bozania

Re: My Audio Journey

Postby mullard88 » Fri Aug 28, 2015 9:43 pm

I think you really like Banff to visit so many times. If my memory is correct, your home is in Edmonton. Jasper would be nearer for you.
User avatar
mullard88
Citizen
Citizen
 
Posts: 515
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 8:19 am

Re: My Audio Journey

Postby dimfer » Sat Aug 29, 2015 2:49 am

mullard88 wrote:I think you really like Banff to visit so many times. If my memory is correct, your home is in Edmonton. Jasper would be nearer for you.


you are correct, Jasper in nearer, but the drive to Jasper is a little boring, too many speed traps :D

Jasper, Lake Louise and Banff/Canmore is usually a package deal, we do the loop, but we prefer to stay overnite in Banff. Booking a hotel in Banff can be a challenge when you don't book well in advance though..
dimfer
Fanatic
Fanatic
 
Posts: 2428
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:33 pm
Location: Bozania

Re: My Audio Journey

Postby dimfer » Sun Jan 03, 2016 3:38 pm

20Fifteen

2015 was a roller coaster year for me. I was able to sell my Vr5 Anni to try something else, I was able to secure Magico and of course the fall on Apr 2. I wish I have more than nine lives because at 51, I have used up 2 already :devil: . I feel very lucky to be still alive and with no permanent damage, it took months before I regained my energy level. I did not do much audio related stuff for around six months because my energy level felt so drained when I get home from work, to the point that I had to take a nap right when I get home before I eat dinner. I think I am back to normal now, and actually a little healthier ( I am now down to 201, after staying steady at 215 for more than 5 years)..oops, balik 205 pala, dahil sa walang humpay na kailan nitong mga nagdaang araw. I am looking forward for spring, I hope I could ride my bike more in 2016.

As I was dealing with the physical challenges in April (whiplash, backpain, etc), we had to vacate my wife's store two weeks after the accident - thanks to some loyal friends, we were able to tear down shelves and empty a 4300 sq ft store and move everything temporarily at Belvent in one weekend.. I really had to push my self to my physical limit but we did it.

I promised a friend that I will go with him to Vegas for the Pacquiao - Mayweather fight if it ever goes through, we booked our flights right after the fight was confirmed. My wife was totally against the idea of proceeding with the trip because I was still not feeling well and was insistent that we cancel the trip,but I didn't really want to disappoint my friend Joey, who has never been to Vegas. When we arrived in Vegas, my wife phoned me to tell me that one of my arowanas died (it was sick for a while, I think it ate my pleco).. I told her to fish it out of the aquarium and throw it away. It was a very stressful situation for both of us.. Other than that, me and Joey enjoyed our time in Vegas. We were disappointed that MP's camp lied about the shoulder injury (by claiming that he's in best shape ever up until the weigh-in). The crowd was obviously pro Manny during the fight, but me and Joey were looking at each other and knew he would lose by the mid rounds.

Image
ImageImage
Image

Vegas was buzzing that weekend, a lot of people were wearing FMJ stuff. We walked a good portion of the strip the night before the fight, from 11 pm till past 2 am, Joey said he got high on the second hand marijuana smoke 8) people were partying, having drinks and doing pot out in the open.


We took the opportunity to visit my sister in Phonenix as well. Joey and I left my mom in Phoenix and drove to Vegas 3 days before the fight then drove back to Phoenix the day after.

Image

My brother-in-law is also into cars. pictured above with my mom is his restored 1942 Packard, he also has a 1939 Cadillac parked in the driveway, and a 45' Prevost mobile home (my wife gets a chuckle looking at the picture of my 5'4 brother-in-law driving a big bus :lol: ), he used to own a very nice Chevelle SS, previously owned and rebuilt by a pro racer. This guy can go talking for hours about little things like signal light or door locks. but yeah, those classic cars were very well built, the headlight use crystal glass instead of plastic, the shiny trims are actually polished steel instead of chromed. not my cup of tea, but I like listening to his stories anyway. He did crazy things too, like driving a classic car he bought in Chicago all the way to Arizona instead of having it transported.

On the audio side, the S1 arrived in July. It did not see action right away because it arrived just a few days before we left for a family vacation in Cancun.
This vacation was special because we went with our 2 adult daughters, something we have not done for a while. We went to Excellence Playa Mujeres, a very nice adult only resort. The stay here was much more relaxing than in resorts with small kids running around shrieking or crying. Seeing some ladies taking their top off while suntanning by the pool is a bonus :devil:

Image
shown here is da dimfer, fighting a 20' crocodile in Mexico :rofl:

When the Magico S1 finally got setup, I was pleasantly surprised how capable this little speaker is. Even better when I augmented it with the Von Schweikert Shockwave V15.

Image

The new top of S line, the S7 arrived in October.
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

This thing is a chameleon and reveals changes in the signal path much more than the VR5 did. I originally had it driven with the Lamm M2.2 and I could easily tell the difference in the sound when I switch between my Memory Player 64 and PS Audio Direct Stream DAC (either fed by PS Audio Perfect Wave Transport via I2S or Aurender N100 via Uptone Regen Amber/W4S USB cable). With the MP64, the sound was super neutral but still very dynamic. With the PS Audio stuff, it is a little more colored and warmer. Lot's of bass, even in my big and open room. The sound was a little bit strident in the beginning, the edginess started to smoothened quite a bit past 100 hours.

Image

Switching over to Mang Rod's GM 70 lately revealed the musical side of these speakers. Wow, these new tweeters reveals a lot more information now without drawing attention to itself. The sound is now full of body, with lot's of sparkle and air on top. The presentation is more holographic and the speakers can totally disappear from the room. The tube amps gave the S7 more purity. I ordered it in red (pikit mata na lang sa paint upcharge) with the intention to keep it for a long time. We really like the rich shade of red, very similar to the of Porsche GTS red... and I think I could live with my current setup for a long time.

I have not abandoned my Von Schweikert family, and still intend to bring in their new models once my bank account recover a little bit. I have not heard the reportedly very capable Vr55 yet, and hope to hear them either in the show in Chicago (Axpona) or Maryland (Capital Audio Fest).

Looking back at 2015, it was an extra ordinary year for me. Lot's of changes in my audio stuff, and a lot of happenings and changes personally as well. I always try to live happily, as life can be short.. well, if we could live a long, beautiful and happy life, great..

let me end this report with a beautiful picture taken by our daughter, who is getting deeper and deeper into photography. She did a lot of boudoir but now getting tired of it and branching into something else. This picture was published at Jute fashion magazine's December 2015 issue (more pictures can be seen page 130 & up at Jute site). I think she has come a long way, while Dad remained in grade 1 :$

Image
Last edited by dimfer on Mon Jan 04, 2016 11:05 am, edited 3 times in total.
dimfer
Fanatic
Fanatic
 
Posts: 2428
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:33 pm
Location: Bozania

Re: My Audio Journey

Postby dimfer » Mon Jan 04, 2016 10:50 am

for 2016, I am hoping to improve my HT. Curently looking at an Onkyo Atmos receiver (737) and some smallish HT speakers that I can integrate into my room without distracting the look and performance of my 2 channel.
dimfer
Fanatic
Fanatic
 
Posts: 2428
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:33 pm
Location: Bozania

Re: My Audio Journey

Postby rtsyrtsy » Mon Jan 04, 2016 11:43 am

Ding,

First, thanks for sharing 2015's ups and downs. The good things in life would not be as good without the perspective that the less pleasant stuff give us.

Second, glad that you've recovered and are looking forward to riding. Maybe I get to ride with you this summer? Planning a Canadian West Coast trip--campus tours na rin for my panganay. We're on the same boat. I need to drop 10kgs fast.

Third, fantastic photography by your daughter. Dad is not in Grade 1. Dad just does not have as much time to practice! Pero malamang mahabol mo si Uryelle if you arm yourself with a this SL. :-)

Image

Of course, there are those who will say "it's the Indian, not the pana." I think the SL is built tough enough to bash the heads of those who say that. :rock:

Fourth, thanks for letting us live vicariously through your Audio Journey. I think that if I can afford to re-tube one channel of your amps, I can already consider myself a very successful man financially! For me, just to find the time to listen is a struggle so I'm taking that as a positive na wala akong nadidinig na pagkukulang sa room/system at this point. :-)
User avatar
rtsyrtsy
Moderator
 
Posts: 3908
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2003 5:25 am

Re: My Audio Journey

Postby jadis » Mon Jan 04, 2016 12:39 pm

Nice stuff, Ding. New Year, New speakers. Congrats.
User avatar
jadis
Legend
Legend
 
Posts: 5688
Joined: Thu Jul 01, 2004 8:14 am
Location: Tubeland - The Tube Will Set You Free

Re: My Audio Journey

Postby kabubi » Tue Jan 05, 2016 11:09 am

Always great to hear your stories, Ding.

and i especially love to hear how your homegrown amp still manages to be as good as the branded ones.
time for the preamp!
User avatar
kabubi
Legend
Legend
 
Posts: 5476
Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2005 6:28 pm

PreviousNext

Return to Members' Audio Set-up

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests