BAASnotes.com – Bay Area Audiophile Society

A Touch of (Audiophile) Class

I received an interesting email today from the founder of CDbaby. It’s worth sharing.

Enjoy:

———————-

Hi Bob -

Way back in 2006-2008, you bought some CDs from my store, CD Baby. (SERENITY OF LIFE: Absolution, E.S. POSTHUMUS: Unearthed, and 13 others.  Remember?)

So you might be interested in my new free projects to help musicians:

MusicThoughts: inspiring quotes about music
http://musicthoughts.com/c/QiPaA

MuckWork: assistants to do your dirty work
http://muckwork.com/c/QiPaA

Derek Sivers: my personal site, with articles
http://sivers.org/c/QiPaA

SongTest: a free, open song contest
http://songtest.com/c/QiPaA

They're all free, open-source, and non-commercial (except MuckWork), so I'm not emailing you for any business reason.

But since we've emailed in the past, I thought I should let you know what's new.

I sold CD Baby two years ago, so this is the last time you'll hear from me, unless you reply back or click those links.

Though if you do reply, please let me know what's going on with you (really!), in case I can help in any way, and to keep this from being a one-sided conversation.    

Thanks!

--
Derek Sivers  derek@sivers.org  http://sivers.org/c/QiPaA

P.S.  Why I sold CD Baby and where the money went: http://sivers.org/trust

Silverman to Return to Beethoven Sonatas

Audio High will bring pianist Robert Silverman back to the Bay Area, this time for an eight-concert series of the entire cycle of Beethoven piano sonatas (32 in all).

These events will be open to the public and all proceeds will benefit the Elf Foundation. Dates are Sept 9th & 16th and Nov 11th & 18th, 2010; Feb 3rd & 10th and Apr 7th & 14th, 2011.

Audio High will be recording and producing a CD set of all 32 sonatas with Mr. Silverman that will also contribute to the Elf Foundation’s Rooms of Magic program. The recordings will also likely be offered in a high-resolution format. (Yah!)

BAAS was treated to Silverman’s masterful playing in a private session last year.

More information will be available at www.audiohigh.org (note the .org).

World’s Best Audiophile Video – from Greece, of course

If you haven’t seen this, now’s the time:

Audiophile Music Buying circa 2010

“I just want to play music (Part II):

Audiophile System Sales circa 2010 Video

This cool vid via Paul McGowan and Jason:

Win Analog Event this Saturday

To “tune up” our auditioning muscles for the Cal Audio Show, we have a great event coming up on Saturday, July 17th at Win Analog in Milpitas (at 355 Fairview Way).

What we’ll see and hear:

Blue Coast “BAAS Session III” Coming June 26th!

Matt & Jenna at Blue Coast BAAS Event II

Great news: BAAS members and their guests have been invited to another “insider” recording session at Blue Coast Records.

The recording artists include Jane Selkye and Chris Kee (think “Blue Coast Collection”). Yeah!

In addition to the recording session itself, two other special events will be featured:

Invitations are being sent today.

Bob

Lotus Group “Granada” and SMc Audio “VRE-1″ Impress Audio Group

BAAS members ventured up to lovely Marin County for a day of music played on a truly ‘reference-quality’ system.

Hosted in the lab of Sausalito Audio, we were treated to a stunning example of open-baffle speaker design and engineering. For most members, this was an introduction to this unique speaker architecture. The use of a custom DSP-based crossover/EQ device was also a first for BAAS. The words that I heard from members re the Granada’s included “accurate,” “articulate,” and “balanced.”

Of course, significant credit for the sound must go to the SMc VRE-1 preamplifier. A signature piece from SMc, this solid state design was found by members to be crisp, dynamic, and color-free.

But as good as the music and equipment was, an equal highlight was the chance for BAAS members to interact with the system’s designers:

• Joe Cohen – CEO of importer/distributor Lotus Group, Joe set the vision for the Granada speakers – from the uber-high-end Feastrex drivers to the provocative open baffle form factor.

• Steve McCormack – CEO of SMc and designer of the VRE-1, the fruits of Steve’s skills have enhanced amplification in many a listening room. We expect power amps and a phono amp from SMc in the future.

• Manny LaCarrubba – CEO of Sausalito Audio and chief architect of the Granada. Many audiophiles will recognize Manny as the design talent behind several highly successful Bang & Olafsen audio products.

On behalf of BAAS – Thanks, guys, for some great listening!

Bob

New Audiophile Web Site Launches

There’s yet-another-audiophile-website up and running – the e-zine HIFI ZINE.

And the first issue looks good: an interview with the colorful Albert Von Schweickert, a DSP article, DIY stuff, reviews, and more.

A pretty impressive debut IMO…enjoy!

Proof that high-end audio and an infant are not incompatible

Thanks, Aaron!

Loudspeaker Burn-in: Fact or Fiction?

Our audiophile colleagues in Spain have taken an interesting approach to the question – they asked the manufacturers.

Here’s what top builders said.

Punch line: about 100 hours…give or take 100 hours!

(Check out Audioholics for another viewpoint.)

Fremer Laments HiFi as ‘Object of Scorn’

Today’s NY Times features a survey piece on the state of high fidelity.

Centerstage is the market movement from high-fidelity home systems to mobile lofi devices.

Key stat: The hifi market, now $1B annually, has shrunk to half of where it was 10 years ago.

Michael Fremer offers some insights as well.

Jaton Debuts REAL ‘DIY’ Speaker at BAAS Event

Last Saturday, high-end manufacturer Jaton hosted Bay Area Audiophile Society members at their Fremont facility.

The highlight for most was the very-cool REAL DIY (some would say ‘kit’) loudspeaker. A relatively petite floorstander, the vented boxes produced big, full-range sound in an acoustically-challenged room.

The highlight for three members might have been the substantial door prizes – three speaker systems.

The lunch was great too.

Thanks, Jaton!

Colors of Noise: Visualizing Electronica

Beautiful, evocative, and trippy, this vid takes you on an entertaining journey rendered by two German artists.

If you can’t take electronica, try this one instead. Far more sedate.

Or this one for something in between.

Cool stuff.

Downloads available here.

(Lehmann’s other videos are also notable, for reasons other than music.)

Music@Menlo to Kick Off 2010 Summer Festival

If you love chamber music, let me recommend a local festival put on by Music@Menlo in – where else – Atherton (near Menlo Park!). This Merc article provides a nice preview.

Great music, performed well. And sometimes much better than “well.”

If you don’t believe me, try a couple of their well-produced CD’s (available on the web site).

Good listening!

Lang Lang Plays iPad at SF Davies Hall

Virtuoso pianist Lang Lang stunned SF’s Davies by whipping out an iPad and playing “Flight of the Bumblebees.” Video here.

The software powering the performance was Magic Piano from Smule.

I wish I had been there…makes me want an iPad too!

Bob

Must-see Movie for Vinyl-lovers

“To Have and to Hold” – as in LP (not book) – is an upcoming documentary film about the hold that vinyl has over music-lovers everywhere.

The film is still in production, but you can get a taste of it from this “teaser” video.

Great stuff. This film should build on Fremer’s work, raising awareness and entertaining all at once.

Keith Richard’s Exile

An engaging Guardian article provides the backstory on the Stones masterpiece – “Exile on Main Street.”

The self-imposed exile to France, conducted to evade Britain’s putative 93% income tax, provided the backdrop for drunken debauchery, in-fighting, and raw rock & roll.

The article presages an upcoming re-release of “Exile.”

{Thanks, Aaron}

Nature’s Well-tempered Joke on Music

Ever wondered what “well-tempered” – as in claviers and turntables, not steel – really means?

This lengthy but well-written Slate article takes you through it.

In the process, you’ll learn about Bach’s motives and methods for WTC, instrument tuners’ dilemmas, and a special musical construct named “the wolf.” Music excerpts help motivate the text.

A little geeky, but fun nonetheless.

California Audio Show (CAS) Exhibitors List

The list is up – and it’s growing.

I think the show is already at critical mass – and worthy of a visit.

July 30 – August 1 in Emeryville.

Bob