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| Jim Smith replies Even Tolstoy eventually ran out of things to say. And here I'm about to inject another two cents after that long "War and Peace" interview. But hey, may I mention just 3 more things? Hopefully your readers will find them informative: (1) Music I always delight in introducing visitors to new music and performers. And almost always, a visitor will have several recordings that I simply have to have. But there's one class of music I've ignored completely. Too 'ethnic.' Too inaccessible (songs rarely in English, strange rhythmic patterns, weirder instruments). Whenever I've seen reviews of 'world music', I'd skip rigt past 'em. Do you find yourself agreeing? Are you at best ambivalent about it yourself? Then we need to talk... After listening to a few of my tunes, Srajan whipped out his CDs. I took one look. Oh no. Don't tell me I'll have to listen to that crap for the next hour or so. I mentally exercised every available scenario. None with plausible escapes. I was trapped! It also looked as though that was the only kind of music he'd brought. As Charlie Brown would say: 'AARGHH!' OK, I was prejudiced. The only people listening to this stuff were wannabe Eastern mystics. Or at least their groupies. That left me out. After we got the EPS Power Cords issue sorted out, something happened. We'd be listening to one of his CDs. A cut would end and I'd be gone. Checked out. Missing in action. I had assumed this 'superficial' music didn't carry any emotional charge - or at least none I'd understand. But it sure had its way with me. Was it the sort of ascending circular sound supported by powerful rhythmic pulses? [Tulku A Universe to Come - Editor.] Whatever. It could be rather intoxicating. I was sitting in the seat well to the right of center. I can guarantee any latent audiophiles that it didn't have all that much to with soundstage! Thinking about that experience, which continued to resonate inwardly for the next day or so, I tried to analyze what was so compelling about this genre of music (or at least, the samples that Srajan played). Then I received a follow-up package in the mail. Apparently Srajan wasn't content to upset my safe little musical world just once. This time he sent the ultimate weapon. And somehow, it got through the USPS screening. |
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| It's a CD. The group? Barrio Chino. Titled "Mediterranean Nostra". From a sub-genre called 'French world-beat fusion with Mediterranean/African influences'. OK, I'll just put it on and sample a few cuts - at least I can tell him I listened to it. After the first two songs, Pam comes in and sits down. Mind you, I had the door to my music room closed tightly. She was at the other end of the house. But the message of this music somehow wafted through the vents. Its siren call had pulled her in. Next thing we know, it's 14 cuts later and the CD ends with a rousing flourish. We look at each other dumbfounded, sheepish grins on our faces. What in the heck had just happened? |
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Discussing it in hushed tones, this is what we both agreed on: (1)This was about the most intense performance we'd ever heard/experienced. Certainly the most intense recorded performance. I felt like I'd just been run over by a truck. But then I'd jump back up, totally exhilarated, wanting to get back in front of the same truck again. OK - if that sounds weird, let's see YOU describe it! (2)These musicians are AWESOME. Their timing, their prowess, their sheer joy in being able to play this music communicates with a vengeance. (3)I don't think I've heard any recorded American music (or European classical or jazz, for that matter) that has musicians literally throwing themselves at this elevated level of music-making. (4)Painting an aural landscape, these guys move around the Mediterranean. One moment we're in Southern Spain, then southeastern France. Then over to Italy, followed by a brief sojourn in what sounds like Greece. Then somewhere in French Morocco. And more. But what's truly uncanny? is These folks make you feel that they are totally at home in all of these musical landscapes. (5)You also think that these musicians would probably be bored playing 'our' music. You know this because you can FEEL their intensity. And their exhilaration. (6)You know how most of your CDs are OK, but a few cuts are pretty good? Barrio Chino doesn't know how to slack off. Whether the presentation is slow and lush, lively or energetic, each cut is an awesome experience in itself. (7)How did these guys get a recording engineer and a mastering house to produce such a technically proficient recording ('audiophile approved' sound), without causing the message to be diluted? Why can't we get this level of sound from our major labels if this obscure label can do it? |
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Going back to about 1969, I've owned (and built) lots of tube amps. In 1976, I was Customer Service Manager for ARC. At that time, our service department was exclusively vacuum tube-based - that's all we made. So I experienced a large number of early ARC products, observing tube life and generally working on service questions with dealers and consumers. Somewhere along the line, we developed a "useful tube life" number for each of the tubes in our products. Like most of us, I basically believed that number ("x hours" of good performance). |
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And I've tended to believe it about our AUDIOPAX amps and other amps and tube products where the manufacturer gives a service life expectancy estimate. About six months ago I re-tubed my Viva Linea preamplifier (the original tubes had been in use for over a year). 6c45pi for the line stage, and NOS JAN 5u4GB for the power supply rectifiers. The good folks at Viva did not give me an estimated lifespan. But they did say that both sets of tubes were being operated VERY conservatively. So my guess would have been maybe 1.5 - 2 years. I'd been in Atlanta most of the time the past few months as Casey McKee was traveling on our behalf. And that was part of the problem. And I know you know the part that's coming, but it'll do you good to hear it again. I promise! Anyway, after Srajan had messed up my mind with his music, he went back to New Mexico. And -- as time allowed -- I'd spend what time I could listening to music. But something wasn't right. I'm used to live music, in fact I run the live mix for a group at least once a week. And now, the energy and life, that "reach out and grab you" presentation was noticeably more anemic than the live sound. That had NOT been so dramatically different before. To get to the point (I know, I know), I managed to get it all back, probably better than I'd heard in my system in a while. But I had to leave town for about 10 days to notice that I had a problem! And I couldn't realize it needed to be fixed until I heard it. We've all heard about the creeping deterioration of tubes. It's the mantra that our SS brethren certainly like to espouse. I'd like to change that description to "creepy" deterioration of tubes. Because it's creepy how subtle the effect is when you use your system every day as I do. Just when will you notice it? Since on any given day, it's essentially as good as it was the day before, or even last week. I've always believed (and said) that a great vacuum tube component needs to deteriorate a lot before a SS component will be competitive. So why worry? Be happy! Actually, that's not always true these days (SS vs. tubes), but you know what I mean. Anyway, because I got away long enough from the ever-so-slight "creepy" daily deterioration, when I came back I could notice that -- while good -- some of the magic was gone. Since I had bought into the long tube life theory, I went down several rabbit trails (ok, you have to be Southern - or Art Dudley). Finally it occurred to me to try the line level tubes. Wow! The music lit up the room! Still, I didn't think it quite met my memories of rhythmic drive and dynamic contrasts. So I replaced the rectifier tubes. That did it! What I've used all this space up to say is simply this: When a guy who's been around the block allows his system to start going south (sorry, couldn't resist it), then others can too. Here's my suggestion - unless you have one of those big ARC or CAT or whatever amps that use a zillion tubes, why not just slip in a new set? Just to see if you've slid down further than you thought? In fact, even if you've got one of those monsters, you're gonna have to retube your big amp one day anyway. Go ahead and purchase that replacement set for a rainy day. And don't accept someone else's notion of what's good enough for service life. Try this idea and see where you are for yourself. Hey, you can only enhance your musical experience! Also, don't be pennywise. The expense to retube most of our amps/preamps is really a very tiny percentage in the scheme of maintaining your system for peak proficiency and maximum musical impact. I'm not saying that you should retube every six months. I am saying that by having a spare set around, you can periodically check the condition of your system's musical engine. If you've ever raced, or driven competitively, you know the effect of a new set of plugs. Don't you want your system running on all cylinders? (3) AUDIOPAX & Eduardo de Lima Srajan, we never really discussed Eduardo de Lima! At this point, folks are just beginning to discover who he is and what AUDIOPAX is doing. Your interviews for Soundstage! and 6moons, as well as the Model 88 test report for EnjoyTheMusic, have provided a rewarding glimpse into this man's achievements. As we've discussed, I've been privileged to be associated with a number of the most respected audio designers. So I've seen the good, the bad, and the - well, you get my drift. I just wanted to say that Eduardo de Lima is the living and breathing epitome of what we dream audio designers should be like. He has no preconceived notions. Everything is open to consideration. He seems incapable of being negative. Everything leads to more possibilities. He's constantly got at least 4 or 5 programs/inventions/projects running in his head. I couldn't even keep my Pentium 4 PC running with that many programs open! Also, he should have been a cowboy. Remember that old tune from a western - "Don't fence me in"? Well, Eduardo is not to be stereotyped (no pun). During the last few months of his preamplifier design project, at any one time he might be simultaneously looking at triodes, simulated triodes, transformers, or -- dare I say it -- even solid-state! He doesn't care what anyone thinks or has said before - he only cares about the end result. Eduardo is likely to upset some precariously balanced audio designers' apple carts. That's why he'll definitely be on the "Most Wanted" list by the Audio Police. The same guy who found a way to make a virtual "perfect triode" while using the KT88 - the guy who eschews big output transformers - the guy who could come up with Timbre Lock - he's about to do it again with a preamp and a new amp. Without giving anything away, I'd just suggest keeping your eyes and ears open around January. We hope to see you at CES. It's only a month away. But don't even mention the "i word" (interview)! Best, Jim Smith |
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Avantgarde-USA website
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