Genesis Launch Party

[garylkoh]

Everytime we launch another pair of our line-source loudspeakers to the high seas, I invite the members of the Pacific Northwest Audio Society to come and enjoy some music. Not many of us have the space to house a 4-tower line-source loudspeaker, so it's a rare opportunity to spend an afternoon or an evening with such a system. As we normally run the speakers in for at least a week prior to shipping, there's usually a Friday night or a weekend that we can have a party.

Before this pair sails off to Brazil, I'd like to invite Seattle/Bellevue-based WBF members to come and join us. I'm planning on putting the Burmester Top-line electronics on this pair instead of my usual gear. No R2R (unless someone is kind enough to bring a machine) but analog and digital will be available.

Date: Sat, 7th May
Time: 3pm till late

Place:
Genesis shipyard
654 S Lucile St
Seattle, WA 98108
Tel: 206 763 8383

[rsbeck]

Wish I could be there for that -- can't wait to hear the reports!

[garylkoh]

If we have any reports at all, I hope that it will be about the music we heard, the wine that we drank, and the great company and conversation

[garylkoh]

Well, because this is the What's Best Forum.... the gear:

Roksan Xerses 20+ turntable
FM Acoustics 122 Phono Stage
Weiss Minerva DAC
Burmester 089 CD Player
Burmester 088 Preamplifier
Burmester 911 Mk III Power Amplifier
Genesis 2.2 Loudspeaker

[DonH50]

Alas, too far to make the trip... I respectfully suggest that, rather than host such a prestigious event in the confines of such a dank/wet/gloomy locality, you should hold auditions where the air is clear and clean (if a little less dense) and sunshine abounds. That is, to achieve the highest sound, you should place your speakers in a higher place.

BTW, my house sits at 7500' in the CO Rockies. Just saying...

[c1ferrari]

Alas, too far to make the trip... I respectfully suggest that, rather than host such a prestigious event in the confines of such a dank/wet/gloomy locality, you should hold auditions where...sunshine abounds. That is, to achieve the highest sound, you should place your speakers...

IN SAN DIEGO

Thanks, Don -- I couldn't have said it better, myself

Seriously, Gary -- hearty congratulations!

[garylkoh]

Don, Sam, thanks. If I can find a dealer in San Diego or Colorado to host a pair of G2.2's I'll surely launch there

I'll keep a running playlist when we start later in the afternoon.

[mullard88]

Congratulations Gary. Any idea on the room in Brazil where the speaker is headed to and the associated equipment it will be matched with?

[garylkoh]

Thanks Sam. They are going to be replacing a pair of Infinity IRS V's in a very large room. I don't know the details of the electronics, but it might be the AudioPax power amps.

[garylkoh]

I was going to keep a running playlist on Sat, but with all the great music, most of us were too mesmerized to do anything other than keep the CD player, record player and music server fed. So, here's what few notes I took of music brought in, and from my collection. It turned out to be an expensive session for everybody because inevitably, someone brings in something that was a "must have". With all the smart phones present, Amazon and Acoustic Sounds made money that afternoon

Some listening notes:

1) Mantovani and his Orchestra - Operatic Arias: Decca London original pressing.
Even though it was a little noisy with clicks and pops, massed strings on the old London pressing is IMHO incomparable. I was on to side 2 by the time people started streaming in, and no one wanted me to take it off until the side ended.

2) Milt Jackson & Wes Montgomery - Bags meets Wes: 24/96 high-rez download



3) One of our members stopped by on the way to the opera - he was going to be watching The Magic Flute at the Seattle Center that evening, so of course, he brought in a CD to preview. The CD wasn't very good - so I brought out a copy I had on my server.

After all the "oohs" and "ahhs" had died down, I broke the news to everyone that it was an mp3 downloaded from Amazon as part of their "99 Most Essential Opera Classics" collection. Every time I pick up a CD from Amazon, I get a $1 credit towards an mp3 purchase, and every once in a while, Amazon has these amazing deals - I paid 99cents for the 99 tracks.

Checking on Amazon today, the deal has expired, but they will inevitably come back. Don't pooh pooh these, as the quality can be quite amazing.



4) After the Magic Flute on mp3, a change of pace with Sting - The Dream of the Blue Turtles on vinyl.



5) Here's a rare album - Carol Kidd's self titled album on ALOI records - AKH 003. This LP I bought off the hands of Ivor Tiefunbrun at the Linn factory when as a student, we visited on a tour. It was so good, everytime I made a move to take the stylus off, someone would yell "STOP". We ended up playing the entire album. I know that there will be at least Jerry trying to hunt this one down since both Joe and I own a copy each.

6) Another album that we played the entire side on: The Queen - Maxine Sullivan and her Swedish Jazz All Stars - Kenneth Records KS2052. According to the liner notes: "The whole LP was 'in the can' within six hours including breaks! In these times perhaps one had to better add: This is an original recording. The sound you hear really DID take place at the same time - no mixing, cutting or editing, no fooling of the listener!"



..... to be continued