How do you "flex" or show nuance of your music system for visitors?

Tangram · Nov 25, 2025

PeterA said:
I actually do not play anything specific. I usually simply ask my visitors what they want to hear. I let them decide.

I do the same. They are more likely to be familiar with recordings they choose. Plus, familiar music tends to get guests “into it” more quickly. As the evening goes on I’ll ask “do you like…” That said, I do occasionally have guests who are happy to let me DJ for them, in which case I have a few “go to” records:

Steely Dan: Aja and Goucho
Dexter Gordon: One Flight Up
Rush: Moving Pictures
Cameo: Word Up
Tony Allen and Hugh Masekela: Rejoice
Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense
Tony Williams: Angel Street

MylesBAstor · Nov 25, 2025

PeterA said:
I actually do not play anything specific. I usually simply ask my visitors what they want to hear. I let them decide.

Actually one is not mtually exclusive of the other. Visitors generally listen to more than 5 pieces of music.

I think the objective of the thread was to have fun.

PeterA · Nov 25, 2025

MylesBAstor said:
Actually one is not mtually exclusive of the other. Visitors generally listen to more than 5 pieces of music.

I think the objective of the thread was to have fun.

I agree. Just explaining my process. Some visitors bring their own music and I tell them to play whatever they want. Other visitors, ask me to just pick records for them. I give the choice to the visitor because he’s the guest. I want him to have fun.

I remember when I visited you, you pulled out some very nice records exposing me to some excellent new music as well as played DJ spinning stuff that you thought promoted your system’s character. We had a good time. Both of our systems have changed a lot since that visit.

tony22 · Nov 25, 2025

MylesBAstor said:
word of warning: don’t get the new Craft LP. It’s a pale facsimile of the original LP sounding washed out, stereo and lacking the airiness the original.

Thanks Myles. Good to know, but surprising given that Kevin Gray did the work.

MylesBAstor · Nov 25, 2025

tony22 said:
Thanks Myles. Good to know, but surprising given that Kevin Gray did the work.

Even Michaelangelo ruined a few pieces of marble. It also may have nothing to do with Kevin but the condition of the tape, too. Paul Stubblebine said when TTP was making their running masters 15 years ago that the master tape was on its last legs. So they may not have even used the original master. Dunno but there are clearly other things going on here. And you’re welcome to come over to hear the same comparisons that I did.

There’s no sense of space and instruments are 2D.

tony22 · Nov 25, 2025

MylesBAstor said:
Even Michaelangelo ruined a few pieces of marble. It also may have nothing to do with Kevin but the condition of the tape, too. Paul Stubblebine said when TTP was making their running masters 15 years ago that the master tape was on its last legs. So they may not have even used the original master. Dunno but there are clearly other things going on here. And you’re welcome to come over to hear the same comparisons that I did. There’s no sense of space and instruments are 2D.

Thanks! Aren’t you still in the NY/NJ metro area, though? I moved away when I retired. Now in sunny (read: hot as he!!

) Florida.

italia · Nov 25, 2025

My system is in the basement (cave) and no one ever goes down there except me. I used to ask visitors if they wanted to hear my 'stereo', but I don't bother anymore. So no one has actually heard my system except me in the last 10 or so years. LOL

MarkusBarkus · Nov 25, 2025

...sounds perfect to me!

Dre_J · Nov 25, 2025

Tangram said:
... That said, I do occasionally have guests who are happy to let me DJ for them, in which case I have a few “go to” records:

Steely Dan: Aja and Goucho
Dexter Gordon: One Flight Up
Rush: Moving Pictures
Cameo: Word Up
Tony Allen and Hugh Masekela: Rejoice
Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense
Tony Williams: Angel Street

Thanks for responding in the spirit of the thread and sharing some music. Good choices.

Dre

jazdoc · Nov 25, 2025

Tangram said:
I do the same. They are more likely to be familiar with recordings they choose. Plus, familiar music tends to get guests “into it” more quickly. As the evening goes on I’ll ask “do you like…” That said, I do occasionally have guests who are happy to let me DJ for them, in which case I have a few “go to” records:

Steely Dan: Aja and Goucho
Dexter Gordon: One Flight Up
Rush: Moving Pictures
Cameo: Word Up
Tony Allen and Hugh Masekela: Rejoice
Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense
Tony Williams: Angel Street

"Word Up" is a fabulous demo track

Zuman · Nov 26, 2025

I have a playlist of tracks stored locally on my Pachanko server that I know very well. They're enjoyable to listen to, and they also help me readily identify changes in my system or listening conditions. They also do an excellent job of demonstrating to non-audiophiles what a good two-channel system is capable of.
Here are the first ten:
-Anna Lee (Buddy Guy, Blues Singer)
-Fever (Ray Charles with Natalie Cole, Genius Loves Company)
-Queen Mary (Francine Thirteen, Queen Mary)
-Blues in 'F' (Bill Evans Trio, Live at Shelly's Manne Hole)
-Prairie Wedding (Mark Knopfler, Sailing to Philadelphia)
-Better Git It In Your Soul (Charles Mingus, Ah Um)
-Take Five (Dave Brubeck Quartet, Time Out)
-He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother (Donny Hathaway, These Songs for You - Live)
-Tin Pan Alley (Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, Couldn't Stand the Weather)
-I'm Your Captain (Grand Funk Railroad, Closer to Home).

Dre_J · Dec 3, 2025

Zuman said:
I have a playlist of tracks stored locally on my Pachanko server that I know very well. They're enjoyable to listen to, and they also help me readily identify changes in my system or listening conditions. They also do an excellent job of demonstrating to non-audiophiles what a good two-channel system is capable of.
Here are the first ten:
-Anna Lee (Buddy Guy, Blues Singer)
-Fever (Ray Charles with Natalie Cole, Genius Loves Company)
-Queen Mary (Francine Thirteen, Queen Mary)
-Blues in 'F' (Bill Evans Trio, Live at Shelly's Manne Hole)
-Prairie Wedding (Mark Knopfler, Sailing to Philadelphia)
-Better Git It In Your Soul (Charles Mingus, Ah Um)
-Take Five (Dave Brubeck Quartet, Time Out)
-He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother (Donny Hathaway, These Songs for You - Live)
-Tin Pan Alley (Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, Couldn't Stand the Weather)
-I'm Your Captain (Grand Funk Railroad, Closer to Home).

Thanks for posting. There is a lot of good music on your list above. Many of them I've played before and others I'll check out like Knopfler's track.

Dre

Dre_J · Dec 3, 2025

MylesBAstor said:
OK I’ll play again 11 years later.

Tough choices having a sizeable LP and tape collection and constantly shopping for and (re) discovering new LPs on the shelves.

But here goes my top five dressed to impress.

Fink: Low Swing Sessions, Horch House/Low Swing Records, 15 ips tape; (alternatively, Low Swing Records, 45 rpm LP)

Charlie Byrd: Self titled, D2D Crystal Clear Records, 45 rpm LP

Beethoven: Violin Concerto in D, RCA Living Stereo, LSC 1992, Munch/BSO and Heifetz (violin), either the Classic Records 45 rpm reissue or original SD LP (very early, experimental stereo, 2-track recording done in 1957 (?)) at Boston Symphony Hall

Amemiya: Summer Prayer, RCA RVC 2154, 45 (very rare) or 33 rpm LP

Now where’s things get interesting and I can’t make a decision on numero cinco.

So here’s my choices:

#1 Bill Evans: Waltz for Debby, Tape Project/Riverside 15 ips tape or Analogue Productions 45 rpm LP; word of warning: don’t get the new Craft LP. It’s a pale facsimile of the original LP sounding washed out, stereo and lacking the airiness the original.

#2 George Duke: Feel, (Frank Zappa appears on two tracks), Horch House/MPs 15 ips tape or recent MPS LP reissue

Or #3 Dimeola, McLaughlin, de Lucia: Saturday Night in SF, Horch House, 15 ips tape (it’s all analog unlike the Impex reissue)

Thanks Myles.

You triggered my realization that I've never listed any tapes. 12 years ago, there was a reason for that. today, with 11 tape decks and "some" tapes, I should list a few. Stay tuned...

Dre

MylesBAstor · Dec 3, 2025

Dre_J said:
Thanks Myles.

You triggered my realization that I've never listed any tapes. 12 years ago, there was a reason for that. today, with 11 tape decks and "some" tapes, I should list a few. Stay tuned...

Dre

I just ordered a 15 ips tape copy of Beethoven’sViolin Concerto in D (LSC 1992) from Horch House. Fingers crossed.

Dre_J · Dec 7, 2025

MylesBAstor said:
I just ordered a 15 ips tape copy of Beethoven’sViolin Concerto in D (LSC 1992) from Horch House. Fingers crossed.

Should be fun. I hope it is a good one on tape.

Dre

Dre_J · Dec 7, 2025

Dre_J said:
Thanks Myles.

You triggered my realization that I've never listed any tapes. 12 years ago, there was a reason for that. today, with 11 tape decks and "some" tapes, I should list a few. Stay tuned...

Dre

Alright. Here we go. I started looking through my tape collection and there are too many to list since most of them sound great.

Therefore, I'll just list some and two of them will have a sample of the music recorded with my Android phone earlier this year or almost 5 years ago.

In any event, here they are:

Sonny Boy Williamson - Keep It To Ourselves [Analog Productions Ultra Tape]
-This is an excellent Blues recording and performance

Audiophile Analog Collection - Volume 2 [2xHD Fusion Tapes]
-This is an outstanding all analog mostly stereo/two microphone recordings with only two songs multi mic'd

Frederic Rosselet [Yarlung Records]
- The Bach movements are great and the Ligeti is stellar

Leopold Stokowski - Rhapsodies [Analog Productions Ultra Tape]
- Great music and orchestration
- Direct Video link here: Otari MTR 10 @15ips Stokowski Rhapsody - YouTube
- Embedded video Link here:

Hans Theessink - Hard Road Blues [Horch House]
- Hans at his best
- Direct Video Link here: Analog Tape 15IPS - Hans Theessink, One Kind Favour, Horch House - YouTube
- Embedded video Link here:

Dre

Recordsguy · Dec 9, 2025

Well, I won't call it flexing but I know some folks who aren't into music the way that I am[collecting] so when they visit and ask for a tune, they are always surprised when I most times have I in the collection.

Dre_J · Thursday at 8:44 AM

Recordsguy said:
Well, I won't call it flexing but I know some folks who aren't into music the way that I am[collecting] so when they visit and ask for a tune, they are always surprised when I most times have I in the collection.

Thanks for posting. It sounds like you have a good-sized collection of music.

Do you have any albums you'd like to share that, perhaps, always impresses or are a "hit" with visitors sonically or musically?

Dre

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How do you "flex" or show nuance of your music system for visitors?

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