As *spoon* as Arch comes back from vacation Hepcat will still be Hepcat. 8 8

[Hepcat]

But now of course I'm eyeing the Thorens TD350 turntable:

 

 

Then of course I should finally spring for this handsome Nitty Gritty Mini Pro record cleaning machine:

 

 

[frozentundraguy]

But now of course I'm eyeing the Thorens TD350 turntable:

 

 

Then of course I should finally spring for this handsome Nitty Gritty Mini Pro record cleaning machine:

 

 

 

The name Nitty Gritty Mini Pro record cleaner really fits for the device function.

 

Do you have extensive vinyl and or CD colletion?

 

 

[Hepcat]

I have over 500 LPs and nearly 200 CDs:

 

 

 

The speaker you see in the second picture is one of my two Monitor Audio Silver RS8 speakers:

 

 

I was helping a buddy audition some speakers four years ago and I was knocked out by the lush, rich, lustrous sound they delivered, especially in comparison to more expensive speakers!

 

Edited January 19, 2012 by Hepcat

[frozentundraguy]

Nice speakers and awesome record and CD collection. (thumbs u

 

I took a whirlwind tour this morning, and found I have over 300 albums. Between my wife and I we have over 200 CD's, she's bought the bulk of those.

 

I did have this album until recently. I recall hearing this group playing a few times in the 70's.

 

 

 

Edited January 22, 2012 by frozentundraguy

[Hepcat]

That's an obscure one alright.

 

Here are scans of a couple of sheets of my jersey cards from the 2003-04 Pacific Titanium hockey card set:

 

 

 

 

The last four Giguere cards are patch parallels.

 

 

 

 

The last three Miller cards are patch parallels.

 

Here as well are some of my 2004 Pacific CFL jersey cards:

 

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2012 by Hepcat

[generic user]

Dear Mr. Hepcat:

 

Do you get royalties from the sale of these costumes?

 

Thank You,

A Concerned Boardie

[Hepcat]

No. Those are unlicenced/unauthorized!

 

Edited January 24, 2012 by Hepcat

[frozentundraguy]

Hepcat,

 

Those cards are sharp. (thumbs u I used to collect sport cards, but quit collecting back in about 1992.

 

Below are a few remants from my collection that I accumulated in the late 80's and early 90'.

 

From left to right and top to bottom.

 

1961 Topps card #311. Yanks win game 6 against the Pirates 12 to 0.

 

1967 RBI Leaders on 1968 Topps card #4. Yaz had 121. Killebrew had 113

Robinson had 94.

 

1961 Whitey Ford card # 160 - lifetime era of 2.70 at that point

 

1968 Rocky Colavito card # 99

 

1969 Rod Carew card #510

 

reprint of 1953 Mickey Mantle Rookie card - Topps archive set.

 

1973 Topps Willy Mays card # 305 - 654 homers on back

 

1962 Topps Ed Matthews card #30

 

 

 

 

[Hepcat]

Hepcat,

 

I used to collect sport cards, but quit collecting back in about 1992.

 

Below are a few remants from my collection that I accumulated in the late 80's and early 90'.

 

From left to right and top to bottom.

 

1961 Topps card #311. Yanks win game 6 against the Pirates 12 to 0.

 

I was all for the Pirates in 1960 because all the big kids in the school yard were Yankee fans.

 

 

[frozentundraguy]

Hepcat,

 

I used to collect sport cards, but quit collecting back in about 1992.

 

Below are a few remants from my collection that I accumulated in the late 80's and early 90'.

 

From left to right and top to bottom.

 

1961 Topps card #311. Yanks win game 6 against the Pirates 12 to 0.

 

I was all for the Pirates in 1960 because all the big kids in the school yard were Yankee fans.

 

 

I should have obtained the card for game 7 for the 60 world series. Despite the shellacking in game 6 the Pirates went on to win the World Series. Thinking of those 60 Pirates, brings up memories of Roberto Clemente effortlessly gliding to make catches in the outfield.

 

More on Roberto from Wiki.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_Clemente

 

Early in the 1960 season, Clemente led the league, batting an average of .353 and scoring Runs Batted In (RBIs) in twenty-five out of twenty-seven games. Roberto's batting average stayed above the .300 mark throughout the course of the campaign. In August, he was inactive for five games as a result of an injury on his chin; he received this injury when his head impacted a concrete wall while he was trying to catch a hard line hit that reached the park's outer wall. Following this accident, he was transported to a local hospital, where the doctors stitched his chin; this prohibited him from playing until the injury was healed. The Pirates compiled a 95–59 record during the regular season, winning the National League pennant, and defeated the New York Yankees in a seven-game World Series. Clemente batted .310 in the series, hitting safely at least once in every game. His .314 batting average, 16 home runs, and defense during the course of the season earned him his first participation in the All-Star game.

[Hepcat]

Thinking of those 60 Pirates, brings up memories of Roberto Clemente effortlessly gliding to make catches in the outfield.

 

Roberto Clemente is one of my all-time favourite baseball players.

 

 

Edited February 6, 2012 by Hepcat

[Hepcat]

And speaking of records, here's a piece I wrote up a couple of years ago on choosing and operating a turntable:

 

1. You can throw thousands$ on a more expensive amplifier or CD player and not be able to discern the difference in a blind listening test, but spending more on a turntable/cartridge combo after a bit of research/thought will yield big time dividends. This also means that you're not going to get decent reproduction if you cheap out when buying your turntable though.

 

2. Having said that, decent reasonably priced turntables are made these days by companies such as Pro-Ject, Music Hall, Thorens and Dual. These Pro-Ject Debut III turntables are a particularly popular choice for people who want a decent turntable without spending too much money:

 

 

This website provides a very decent overview on turntable pricing:

 

Needle Doctor

 

3. If, however, you find your budget stretched, I'd suggest you get a completely refurbished Dual turntable from this fellow:

 

Fix My Dual

 

They just don't build turntables of the quality of the old Duals anymore unless you're willing to spend $3500 or more and you can get a completely refurbished old Dual for less than $300. I mean most of the turntables you see these days have bases made from bakelite or some other cheap polymer. Among the old Duals, I like the belt-drive 601 and 1249 models myself but others may disagree.

 

Another plus associated with vintage Dual, Garrard, Thorens, etc. turntables is that they included both a speed selector dial and an auto return feature, something you don't find in the Rega, Pro-Ject or Music Hall turntables these days. Believe it or not, but they now want you to lift the platter and move the belt yourself to change speeds! And don't fall asleep in your armchair while listening. Your needle will still be tracking in the out grooves of your record when you wake several hours later if you have a Rega, Pro-Ject or Music Hall turntable. Dual turntables and the Thorens TD-240 turntable are among the very few turntables with these very practical features these days.

 

4. I'd suggest the following to anyone looking for a new turntable:

 

A) Make sure it's a belt-drive model. While the phrase "direct drive" sounds great, keep in mind that the last thing you'd want to do is couple a motor directly to the platter. The way vinyl technology works is that the grooves of the record make the stylus vibrate. These vibrations are converted into electrical energy by the cartridge. But have you ever encountered a motor that does not itself vibrate? The last thing you want is for the stylus to be picking up your turntable motor's vibrations i.e. rumble.

 

Since the devil is in the details though, the execution of a concept is typically every bit as important as the design. As a result, some very good direct drive turntables were marketed in the 1970's, including the Dual 721 ("Silence is golden.") and some Technics models.

 

B) A suspended sub-chassis. This helps to isolate your platter from ambient vibrations coming from your speakers. If your platter isn't properly isolated, you'll get feedback in the form of a loud hum. Feedback will drive you nuts, believe me.

 

That's why I'm leery of Rega turntables. They don't incorporate a suspended sub-chassis and I've heard of users plagued with feedback problems.

 

C) Weight, the heavier the better. The heavier the platter, the more will its own inertia help it to maintain an even speed in the face of minuscule variations in motor speed thus reducing "wow" and "flutter". The more solid and heavier the plinth, the "deader" and less susceptible will be your turntable to picking up ancillary vibrations.

 

5. A good cartridge is about as important as the turntable itself. I like the Ortofon 2M series of cartridges which may be the best moving magnet cartridges produced today. I have an Ortofon 2M Black but that's a $670 model. The Red, Blue and Bronze models are available for $100, $200 and $390 respectively.

 

There are those who extoll the merits of generally more expensive moving coil cartridges but those usually require replacing the whole cartridge when the stylus wears out! As a result, I admit I haven't even given the moving coils a test listen.

 

Once again, the Needle Doctor website provides a good overview of cartridge pricing.

 

6. I'd suggest you order your cartridge from your friendly local stereo shop instead of getting it online though. Your neighbourhood stereo shop should not only be able to match online prices but as part of the service they supply the shop should precisely set up your turntable with your new cartridge for ideal tracking. I can't overstress the importance of setting up your turntable with precision. They're not plug and play gadgets like CD players but a good turntable/cartridge combo provides far richer sound reproduction than any digital source.

 

Moreover, if you don't support your local stereo shop today, it might not be around when you actually need it for something like servicing your equipment tomorrow.

 

7. If your amplifier does not have a dedicated phono input, you will also need a phono linestage also known as a phono preamplifier. A decent one will cost at least $139. Don't cheap out and buy one of the carded $29 ones that a record store might offer to a newbie. A phono linestage is not just a connection. One of its prime functions is to add back the bass that has been lost as a result of being compressed into a record's narrow grooves! Pro-Ject, Graham Slee, Thorens, Creek, many audio component manufacturers make very good ones.

 

8. Don't put your turntable on top of one of your speakers! Remember what I said about not wanting your stylus to pick up ancillary vibrations? Rumble, feedback, etc? Speakers of course vibrate. Placing your turntable on a solid dresser full of clothing or a bookcase loaded with books and records would probably prevent your turntable from picking up ambient vibrations being transferred up from the floor. You might want to check that the surface on which you put the turntable is level so that you get even tracking. A level can be picked up for $1.50 at the hardware store.

 

Another thing I'd suggest is putting hardwood carving boards/butcher blocks under both your new turntable and your speakers. This also helps prevent ambient vibrations from your speakers from being transferred to your turntable by means of the floor and muddying the sound you get.

 

9. Always remove the dust cover completely to play a record. The reason is that the dust cover itself picks up sound vibrations and then carries these back down to the platter on which your record is revolving - which is something you definitely do not want. You'll hear the improvement immediately. Taking off the dust cover makes a very obvious difference to the sound you get from your records.

 

10. Clean/wash your records. Good commercial solutions and systems are available including the Nitty Gritty record cleaning machines. All the money you've spent on a better turntable will be wasted if your records have a dirty film covering them from years of smoking or just being left lying around so that dust can settle upon them.

 

11. I'd be reluctant to pay the premium price of newly issued vinyl these days. Almost everything recorded since the early nineties has been recorded digitally anyway so vinyl pressings of these recordings theoretically shouldn't provide the additional magic or warmth for which analog recordings are famous. Reissues of older recordings on 180 gram vinyl are most often very, very good, however.

 

Edited February 8, 2012 by Hepcat

[frozentundraguy]

Hepcat,

 

Great information on the turntables. I know I have played a few albums recently due to these discussions. (thumbs u

[frozentundraguy]

Time for a "Humor" break.

 

I was just thinking, it sure is a good thing that TV's Beverly Hillbillies

hailed from Missouri. (per the Wiki article)

Here's a peek at how it might have played out, had they hailed from northern backwoods Minnesota.

 

The 54 second introduction from the TV show:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnXfRstZntE

 

 

 

 

Let me tell you a funnny story about a farmer named Fred

He lived out on the back 40 in a little red shed.

Then one day while out plowing in the field

He discovered a way to dramatically increase his yield.

 

He was cussing and a grinning while trudging behind his mule

when he tripped over a branch with an awful funny feel.

He dusted himself off and got up on his steed

he discovered he'd found some mighty potent w**d.

 

Ol Fred was puzzled and his head felt mighty tight

Then it hit him fair and square , and he called his friend Buzz Yearly Light

But ol Buzz was sleeping out in a skid row slum.

"Now aint just great", Fred muttered to his little ol Hon.

 

 

But the very next moring ol Fred had a new thought.

Why he'd grow that stuff and see how much it brought.

But he soon realized that he need some expert advice,

because the backwoods locals wouldnt be that wise.

 

He got on the phone and he called Cheez and Wong

He knew these two, why they wouldn't steer him wrong.

"Hey man yuh gotta git yourself an ice cream truck

take that stuff out on the road with a little bit of luck".

 

"Oh and by the way yuh gotta get out of your backwoods lair

there aint no market that's worth no million there".

"So pack up yer stuff and head for Hollywood and Vine

you'll make so much money your pool will fill with wine".

 

 

 

"Well by golly thats for me and my Hon"

so he packed his truck and they took their little son.

But when Fred arrived in that traffic laden golden land

he wondered how he'd drive with a beer in each hand?

 

Fred and family they turned their truck around

"how much fun will it be if we cant hear a single sound?,

"Why those shacks in Californy they cost ten thousand grand"

and that's the kind of money, I just dont understand.

 

 

[Hepcat]

Cool! Did you write that yourself?

 

[frozentundraguy]

Cool! Did you write that yourself?

 

 

Yes, I have to take the credit , or the blame. for that tall tale.

 

 

[Not*Sure*]

Heya Hepcat! My mom sent me an old photo album and here is a picture of my Dad's first "Plummerville" train set up around 1980ish..This was before he put in the mountains (you can see the white forms of the mountain range on the back end of the second sheet of wood this pic was in progress) he has probably broken down and rebuilt it every 3-4 yrs since then..shame really he tosses out the entire thing and starts from scratch.

 

I think after this one he built the one with the "Cape Canaveral" style town with a space center and rocket..now he is working on an HO scale old fashioned town with a mountain that the train goes through and a tressle bridge..Then he did a few Nscale sets and now he is back to HO on his 2or third since switching back..he hasn't done much since my brother passed away in Nov but I am hoping he starts back again soon.

 

He has a lot of carnival stuff for an N scale set..I am dying to get him to make a small layout for the great grandkids..but I am not sure he is up to doing the N scale anymore. Someone gave him a ton of cool amusement park rides tilt a whirl..one of those "tunnel of love" rides..a ferris wheel..one of the old time "social mixer" rides, swinging chairs..funhouse..etc..they look so cool..I think it would be awesome with a small circus type train..may be a set up with a lot of people and some "sideshow" panels on one side and maybe a cordoned off area with an elephant ride..maybe a tent like for a circus..I think it would be neato..

 

I saw an album the other day that made me think of ya..I cannot remember the title but it had "ratfink" style art and it was a comedy/parody type album from the early 70's..but it was not an artist I recognized..I probably should have gotten it anyway..my husband bought some Donald Duck albums and stuff ..

 

anyway..

[Not*Sure*]

My mom sent me several photo albums and in with them was a surprise I also got some very old pictures from a distant aunt from part of the family that has "written me off" I cannot believe the petty vindictive old farts..they CUT all the pics of my deceased granddad out of all the pictures and took out all the pics of my dad/grandad from that side of the family..

 

wackadoos..I mean it is bad enough the screwed me out of any money(from estates in the millions..

 

but to not give me a single picture of either of them "Because you are adopted we do not consider you "family" and have decided against including you in our family history here are some of your pictures from childhood we found in your father's possesions" I don't know when my mom got the album but I can see why she never gave it to me or mentioned it before..

 

Anyway, there are heaps of pictures of me opening presents at Christmas,birthdays etc..I had some keen toys..

 

Unfortunately, I had really stupid hair as a kid and well I just won't post them

 

BUT it did help me decide against cutting my hair ..looking at pics of myself with bangs..short haircuts..dorothy hamill hair ..and pixies..etc..I decided that I will continue my over 30 yr tradition of NOT getting my hair cut..

 

it's the uncut..(although I do trim it if it get's past my calves or at any point I step on it)

 

Pics of myself with Megos ..Super heros,Star Trek, playsets...batmobile..Wonder Woman..and all those Star Wars toys...makes me really..

 

wish my mom hadn't given them away..

 

In one pic I have a NIB barbie I know retails for about $700 NIB..why did I open it oh yeah I played with it ..duh..

[Hepcat]

...shame really he tosses out the entire thing and starts from scratch.

 

That's a shame indeed. It sounds like to him the thrill is in the building. Pity your father doesn't have more room so that he could just keep building for years and years.

 

 

He has a lot of carnival stuff for an N scale set..I am dying to get him to make a small layout for the great grandkids..but I am not sure he is up to doing the N scale anymore. Someone gave him a ton of cool amusement park rides tilt a whirl..one of those "tunnel of love" rides..a ferris wheel..one of the old time "social mixer" rides, swinging chairs..funhouse..etc..they look so cool..I think it would be awesome with a small circus type train..may be a set up with a lot of people and some "sideshow" panels on one side and maybe a cordoned off area with an elephant ride..maybe a tent like for a circus..I think it would be neato.

 

A carnival incorporating an amusement park would be absolutely awesome for the great grandkids!.

 

 

... got some very old pictures from a distant aunt from part of the family that has "written me off" I cannot believe the petty vindictive old farts..they CUT all the pics ... but to not give me a single picture of either of them "Because you are adopted we do not consider you "family" and have decided against including you in our family history.... wackadoos....

 

Wackadoos is right!

 

 

Anyway, there are heaps of pictures of me opening presents at Christmas,birthdays etc..I had some keen toys.... Pics of myself with Megos ..Super heros,Star Trek, playsets...batmobile..Wonder Woman..and all those Star Wars toys....

 

Unfortunately, I had really stupid hair as a kid and well I just won't post them.

 

What?!!! We don't care about your hair; we want to see the pics!

 

 

 

Edited February 13, 2012 by Hepcat

[Not*Sure*]

dang pixie cuts..dang dorothy hamill hair..

 

and then there is the 1970's embarassing "at home perm fros"

 

my Mom liked to torture me..I think that is why one day I said "Never cutting it again..no stylist..no salon..no no"

 

That and an unfortunate cut given to me by Paul Mitchell at a style show once

 

My hair was waist length and his handler people convinced me to let him cut my hair onstage at a show..which resulted in my having three colored..hair so effed I had to get a crew to even it out ..

 

have only been in a salon like twice since then..

 

I just don't like pictures of me unless I am looking cute..

 

(which explains lack of my picture in any highschool /school yearbook ever..)

 

I will hide behind my husband..menus..hold up a grandkid..etc..

 

unless I look good for the pic..

 

it aint happening