In my time on the coast in Devon for a few months I learned to love this part of GB (or say the world). On weekends either surfing there or driving to London, listen to some Jazz or going to one of the big city clubs.
Devon is so lovely, I hiked there with friends I made, spent time on the beach and it was the first time I saw and tried a mountainbike (so some time ago).
I envied the people there for the beautiful nature they live in, mountainous and close to the see. You feel the need to drive a convertible or motorbike there on the winding coast roads (as long as the weather fits).
The people there go on holiday to Scotland, because they say it’s even more beautiful in the mountains. Ok they usually also make holiday in France, but that’s another story.
History lesson: Bonnie Prince Charlie, the ‘Young Chevalier’, wasn’t Scottish he was Italian. He was born and raised in Rome, the privileged grandson of James VII of Scotland. Basically, he arrived in Scotland stirred up a big pot of schitt, then fled back home like a coward. As for a bromance get-together, well, I hope the two of you have a wonderful time!
That part of history of Scottish and English affairs was taught to our foreign student class at Stevenson College, Edinburgh by the Scottish history teacher.
When I read the posts up here that history lesson crossed my mind.
Very interesting article about a network of hydro-electric power stations.
If you Google “power from the glens” you can catch a PDF document that is a really good read. A good read for this weekend.
Hopefully COVID 19 is soon over, I’d love to visit these sites that have become part of nature and due to the pure natural resources preserve that nature as well.
Thanks, that is a good statement. I look forward to receive the NAD C658 and M33.
The delivery time is through the roof, my dealer says he has:
4 orders for the M33 and more for the C658, NAD can not catch up with the manufacturing, so apparently there are many audio enthousiasts that do like the idea of affordable, compact, energy efficient, comfortable and high audio quality integrated units
Covid 19 hampers supplies
as container transportation costs from China quadrupled
some parts are sourced from the UK, since the so called “Brexit-agreement” EU-UK border / trading bureaucracy and tariffs seem to contribute to more economic damage for the citizens and businesses on both sides of the North Sea, as if Covid 19 wouldn’t hurt already enough
The NAD M33 is not cheap (£4,000 UK) but packed with the latest technology, including 200w Purifi amplifiers, Airplay2, HD Bluetooth and Dirac. And of course you get BluOs, which I thought is a superb operating system. Stereophile considered it a match for some serious separate amplification, concluding:
The only clear conclusion is that the M33’s Purifi technology is fully competitive that used in more expensive, separate power amps. Class-D without any ifs or buts.
As you say, the difficulty is getting hold of one.
I don’t suppose it is a product aimed at audiophiles, but people prepared to spend a bit of cash for a really good family music system.
Always puts me in mind of a sitar without the drones, and interesting sound for sure.
Pots and pans made me smile!
I am without doubt an “awkward eater” and I do not travel well (a trip abroad would likely require a weeks bed rest to recover from the outward journey so indeed not a lot of point!).
Tea and cheese sandwiches for me
I have decided that “post-pandemic”, “social distancing” is something I am going to stick to! So any get togethers will have to follow the rules
My son travels to Scotland once or twice a year (proper north scotland) - he was supposed to be best man at a wedding up there in January - I’ve threatened to cadge a lift up there a couple of times, but I don’t think he wants his old man’s company
Don’t know what proper north Scotland is, but on our first trip we took my Metro 1.0 along the north coast of Sutherland, there are some wonderful beaches there. You’d love it, no one for miles.
Nairn I think, so not quite John o’ Groats, but not far off.
The solitude sounds good
I should probably do it next year (Air B’n’B or some such), I’d go in the summer, but I’m told midges are a problem when it’s warm (I’ve been eaten alive in Snowdonia rather too many times by the little blighters!)
Nairn is middling, not up north. Nice area, Cawdor Castle is near there. Also Culloden, site of the end of the Jacobite Rebellion (Bonnie Prince Charlie and all that).
I think if you support a family and willing to fork out the money for a C658 + M33 + cables + speakers you’ll also classify as an audiophile or even a lunatic by the standards of those having not such budget at all or spending it on something else that makes them happy.
Considered by the standards of this forum I am happy to consider myself an audio enthusiast indeed.
Trying to find out what’s best I thoroughly enjoy many of the Audiophile’s posts on this forum. Including those of Brodric the man from Australia.
I do consider you have reference systems that sound better than the NAD system described up here, everybody should thoroughly enjoy the system they own.
I agree on what the part Michael Fremer said about analog vs. digital in the beginning of his monologue which came down on something like, whether it’s better or not, the best is whatever sounds best to you. Clearly analog sounds best to him, I enjoy both digital and analog.
The Power Regenerator part at the end was off topic and came across like a subjective commercial rather than an objective consideration. Subjective, because none of the audience gets regenerators sent without charge for trial, North Americans get return policies, but those required initial buying commitments and probably payments, that is different.
OK, maybe a little off topic. We read reviewers like Michael Fremer, Herb Reichert or Steve Guttenberg and value their opinions as if it was the bible. But their sound room leave very little to be desired. Herb has a stand that is made of angle iron, Steve has Pass labs amp sitting on the floor and Michael’s room looks like an episode of Hoarders. Who knows, the sound maybe fantastic but really? Do they not practice what they preach? What happened to equipment isolations, space behind and to the side of the speakers. Don’t get me wrong, I like these guys and this is not a criticism.
My place is a mess, but I still can tell how new DS software sounds. I know I can have better sound quality by putting things away, not having a table between me and the system, etc. but that would get in the way of getting work done.
I think people need to be comfortable to listen at their best. Comfort isn’t always tweaking, room treating, etc. for everyone.
My setup currently looks like it was done by a teenage boy with unlimited funds. If I were a reviewer cycling in gear on a weekly and/or monthly basis I think it would be a lot worse. I don’t think you can be a reviewer and have a perfect sonic temple at the same time. It’s hard for me just doing the monthly new gear adds.
