PNWAS Presents Steve McCormack

garylkoh

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Many members of the Pacific Northwest Audio Society still remember the magical evening of music we had two years ago when Steve McCormack presented his Virtual Reality Engine-1 preamp to the club and pretty much blew everyone away. By the end of the meeting, some members were proposing to spend entire treasury of the club to buy the VRE-1 from Steve! Good thing that cooler heads prevailed..... but we still long for that magical moment again.

Here's another chance for those who missed that first meeting, or those at that first meeting who still miss that magic. Steve is bringing his latest version, the VRE-1C for yet another presentation. This is the first time ever that a remote-controlled version of a preamp sounds better than the manual version using a stepped, discrete-resistor attenuator. Steve will tell us how he managed to do it at the Pacific Northwest Audio Society meeting, Thursday, March 8th.

In case you don't know who Steve McCormack is, he was the founder of McCormack Audio (since sold to Conrad Johnson), founded the Mod Squad, invented Tiptoes, and recorded and engineered some of the most sought after Direct Disc LPs ever made with M&K Real Time.

We will be playing a selection of rare music, including the legendary direct discs 'For Duke' and 'Fatha Hines' that Steve was involved in.

Pacific Northwest Audio Society
7:30pm Thursday, March 8th 2012
Mercer Island Congregational Church (basement)
4545 Island Crest Way
Mercer Island, WA 98040​

Visitors and guests are always welcome.
 

Johnny Vinyl

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For us unlucky sods who aren't able to attend your meetings and witness new product introductions and such, would it be possible to videotape a short segment of Steve's presentation?
 

garylkoh

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Sep 6, 2010
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For us unlucky sods who aren't able to attend your meetings and witness new product introductions and such, would it be possible to videotape a short segment of Steve's presentation?

I'll see what we can do.... can't think of any members who would even own a video camera, but it won't hurt to ask. Might become the start of something new - to put all our meetings on Youtube :)
 

Wasatch

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Feb 17, 2012
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Cool. Wish we had something like that here in Utah.
 

Bruce B

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Apr 25, 2010
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I'll see what we can do.... can't think of any members who would even own a video camera, but it won't hurt to ask. Might become the start of something new - to put all our meetings on Youtube :)

This is what we try to do with our AES meetings.
 

Johnny Vinyl

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
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I'll see what we can do.... can't think of any members who would even own a video camera, but it won't hurt to ask. Might become the start of something new - to put all our meetings on Youtube :)

Invite Peter B and see if he's interested?
 

Johnny Vinyl

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
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It will be done. One of our members is a professional cameraman and has volunteered to do it. Yeah!!

Sweet! Looking forward to seeing the video!
 

garylkoh

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Sep 6, 2010
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Just a week away - it is looking like a vinyl-heavy affair. If I can wrestle my Roksan back from Winston, I'll bring that. If not, may be we will be using the club's turntable. Other equipment besides the star of the show - the
SMc Audio VRE-1C
:

  1. Club's loudspeakers Genesis 7.2f
  2. Genesis Anniversary Monoblock amplifiers
  3. M2Tech Young DAC
  4. Genesis Music Server (latest version)
  5. Burmester Ph100 Phono Stage (or Genesis prototype)
  6. Roksan Xerses 20+ with Roksan Artemiz arm

Now, if only Ki or Bruce can be persuaded to bring a portable R2R and tapes........ :D
 

garylkoh

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Sep 6, 2010
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If you're in the Pacific Northwest, this is an event not to be missed. Rare chance to listen to rare vinyl including:

1) Pristine copies of M&K Realtime Direct to Disc LPs including For Duke and Fatha Hines from Joe's collection
2) FIM test pressings from Winston Ma of yet un-released FIM LPs
3) Test pressings/first pressings/radio station promos from my collection

I'll also be giving away a test pressing as a door prize. I'll decide which one after we play some of them at the meeting.
 

garylkoh

WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Sep 6, 2010
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I think that we all had a nice time. It was a VERY vinyl-heavy meeting.

Steve brought along his pristine copies of:



http://www.popsike.com/php/quicksearch.php?searchtext=for+duke&x=0&y=0



http://www.popsike.com/php/quicksearch.php?searchtext=fatha+hines&x=26&y=9

and



http://www.popsike.com/php/quicksearch.php?searchtext=flamenco+fever&x=18&y=5

Now I know what people mean when they say that Flamenco Fever is probably the most dynamic music ever pressed.
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
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  1. Club's loudspeakers Genesis 7.2f
  2. Genesis Anniversary Monoblock amplifiers
  3. M2Tech Young DAC
  4. Genesis Music Server (latest version)
  5. Burmester Ph100 Phono Stage (or Genesis prototype)
  6. Roksan Xerses 20+ with Roksan Artemiz arm

Hi Gary, Is the Genesis Latest Server you mention above available for purchase? i did not see it on your websites. I would appreciate knowing more about it as a consumer...i have looked at your posts about creating a server, but i am not interested in doing this myself. thanks! happy to speak offline.

Lloyd
 

mep

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Apr 20, 2010
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I listened to "For Duke" last night and it's always an amazing experience.
 

puroagave

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"Now I know what people mean when they say that Flamenco Fever is probably the most dynamic music ever pressed."


its good, huh :)
 

garylkoh

WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Sep 6, 2010
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Seattle, WA
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We spun a LOT of vinyl that night - and ended way past our usual bedtime. I can't remember all of it, but it included:



Vinyl Test pressing of the FIM Autumn in Seattle (not released yet):



Master Edition of:



Suite Espanola (45rpm)



Dusty in Memphis (45rpm test pressing):



Shelby Lynne - Just a Little Loving (200gm test pressing):



Hopefully, somebody else who was there also took notes......
 

Johnny Vinyl

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 16, 2010
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Urgh! First video I've ever posted to YouTube. I'll ask Cal to edit it down. Steve spoke for nearly an hour.

Thanks for doing this Gary!I'm looking forward to viewing it after the edit!
 

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