Describe Your Last System Demo of your System

My youngest Daughter is getting married in July in CO. By talking to her fiance I discovered his Dad was a music junkie taking him to about a hundred concerts.

So i set the new in-laws to come over before New Years while they were in to TX. We chatted over some appetizers and wine. We went from chit chat about football to music. Then I suggested they take the sweet spot full wine glass. Then I spent the next four hours blowing their mind. Every piece of jazz to rock and roll based on earlier conversation. I laid everything from Pink Floyd, miles Davis to Muddy Waters, to Daft Punk to Yello

My favorite comment. Was BB King live at Cook County Jail. The fiancée Dad is dumbfounded saying it is so good. He wished he was there because it was so incredible the tone and timbre, At least until I explained to the HS principal that means he would be in prison.

I talked to the future Son in Law about his Dad’s experience. He said his Dad got wine Drunk but could only talk about the Speakers for the next three days. His Dad kept telling me I need to set my system up at the wedding reception in CO. Not going to happen. But nice blowing someone’s mind about music reproduction.

At least when the in laws are in town for the holiday. We can share something in common

I am going to set up my daughter and her fiancé with one of my cast off earlier McIntosh systems in their new apartment. Thank you Roger Russell XR5 speakers for returning me to HiFi and this forum to spur me on to further tweaking with PS Audio gear and cables that take great sound beyond stupendous!

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Great story! I haven’t had too many folks over due to our current environment. Fortunately most of my family plays instruments (I’m a drummer) so I can use them for quick yes/no on tone etc, but finally had a chance to have an audiophile friend over late last year for a listening session - he had not heard my system in several years. He is much further along in his journey and regularly listens to systems with far greater investment/cost.

When finished, he provided critical input (as he always does) - while there are areas he suggested on ways to add some air & tighten bass, he said I have a “haunting midrange” that was among the best he’s ever heard. So I took that as a very high complement, and it also reflects heavily on the equipment synergy. I’m hoping to have him, and others, back over this year.

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My last Demo was at the Arizona Audio Video Club’s Sept. DIY Club Event. Comments like “I can imagine Nat puffing on a cigarette while he sang” and “not enough Bass” (I brought a pair of 1000W ICE Amps - just in case :joy:) were made. I ran the Open Baffles Fullrange. The H-Frame Subs kicked out enough Bass with just the Orchard Audio Ultra Amplifier on its own. The ICE Amps were never connected.

Then another Club who had a wicked setup which was a mix of new and old lent me a pair of fully restored minty McIntosh MC30’s to try out on the top half of my rig while the Orchards ran the stacked H- Frame Woofers on both sides. Lots of fun that day and the Mac’s were with me for another month a home !

My Rig that day (with the Mac’s “Jerry Rigged” into my setup. BTW….all SACD/DSD files in my room on that day via my Sony with I2S Adapters going into the DSSr.

My friend (blue shirt) with the MC30’s setup with restored Dynaco A25’s, low wattage Williams Amplifiers, and a PS Audio Stellar SGCD/Preamp.

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Nicely taken photos, Joe…

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Mid range is hard to do well. I am sure you will iron the baas out. So many good tools available to make that happen.

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I have thought of biamping. The MC901 would be my dream. Since less cabling to deal with and build in crossover I need something healthy to tackle the tube top end.

Perhaps a MC3500 and a good crossover.

So cool your friend lent you the equipment!

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We had two couples over for dinner back before Omicron. Afterwards the two husbands expressed an interest in going downstairs to the listening room. I played them the 6th take version of “Magic Bus” that’s on the “super deluxe” Who Sellout. They seemed to enjoy it a lot. :wink:

https://open.qobuz.com/track/113576078

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I belong to a local hifi nerds group and so I’ve demoed my system a lot.
But the one meaningful (for me) demo that I did was for a friend’s 12 year old high-functioning autistic daughter, who has fallen madly in love with music. She is learning piano and violin. She was moved to tears by Bach’ solo cello suites–Starker. And that moved her mom to tears. Felt nice.

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Having a high functioning autistic daughter and knowing how obsessed and genius experts they become in subjects they like. That is a special share. Hopefully that girl can turn her passion towards a life long dream.

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She’s getting a lot of encouragement and guidance. And her good nature and drive are inspiring.

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I never have that happen, no one ever really cares. Maybe my system sucks…. People, dig my music outside on the deck much more. It’s way less a thing. A couple cocktails, nice night, killer music during good conversation and the dancing eventually starts (we are never shy about dancing), then they notice good sound.

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Thanks man ! I love hanging out with DIY’er’s. Guys like John (@joma0711) and my friends here in the Phoenix/Tucson area are really nice people to hang out with and of course share a Dram or two :slightly_smiling_face::tumbler_glass::tumbler_glass::tumbler_glass:.

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Thank you kindly - Tinkering is great fun - I’m back to fiddling about with preamp building again this month :slight_smile:

As for demos., well no, no one I know locally is particularly interested in the craziness of HiFi, unlike in the 80s and early 90s when it was all the rage, but I’m happy with my own ears!

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