CECE
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The programing and content on FM is MORE unbearable.....commericals commercials endless mind numbing crap on FM. When FM was new in the 60's, it was great, it is unlistenable now. Sirius is the way to go. What "artifacts" are you refering too? I think you are imgaining stuff based on just reading how the system works? Like it matters in a car or casual listening like on a "table radio"....programing it matters

RGibran
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Quote:
Kal Rubinson has a little tabletop gadget that, apparently, completely overachieves its design parameters. Anything that does that is cool, whether we can afford it or not.

Can't argue with that! Apples' products come to mind.

I

Kal Rubinson
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Kal, can you elaborate on "remarkable"....the article really didn't make it clear. No measurments to let the reader see how "remarkable" it is. It's an FM radio....it doesn't even have Sirius....this is the 21st century....it's obsolete ya know. No SACD.

In my application, which is as the sound system for a TV (not a home theater), it provides better voice clarity and tonal accuracy than anything else I have used with it. It also has suprisingly effortless bass extension and levels, both of which exceed my needs. Occasionally, when the TV broadcast audio is suitable (e.g., NUMB3RS on CBS), it even does a good job with spatial effects. All of this in a very small and attractive package. I do not use it for a music system although I have popped in a random CD and DVD.

Kal

bjh
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Quote:
The programing and content on FM is MORE unbearable.....commericals commercials endless mind numbing crap on FM. When FM was new in the 60's, it was great, it is unlistenable now. Sirius is the way to go. What "artifacts" are you refering too? I think you are imgaining stuff based on just reading how the system works? Like it matters in a car or casual listening like on a "table radio"....programing it matters

As usual you make the mistake of generalizing from your own miserable existence. I personally enjoy listening to JazzFM91 in Toronto, a 24/7 jazz station with just 4 minutes advertising per hour (additional funding direct from user support, no state funding). Those Ads are mostly delivered as a block at the top of the hour so one can hop over to one of the excellent classical channels to avoid if desired.

There's also a very interesting programming out of Ryerson University (I trust you know what that is, a university?), lot of jazz but pretty eclectic generally (world, etc.)

The English CBC Radio 2 is a pretty good Classical station but is starting to provide good jazz as well. They also broadcast a lot of live events covering the whole country.

The French CBC radio channel is more interesting still, very adventurous, never know what you'll hear on that one (and if you don't speak French likely won't be able to identify half of it after the fact).

Elk
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I think you are imgaining stuff based on just reading how the system works?


Imagining?

You really are claiming that you cannot hear the serious problems with satellite radio?

Scary.

Kal Rubinson
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Quote:

Quote:
I think you are imgaining stuff based on just reading how the system works?


Imagining?

You really are claiming that you cannot hear the serious problems with satellite radio?

Scary.

I have heard it only at CES demos but it never enticed me to consider adopting it.

Kal

Jim Tavegia
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Clearly, to me, satellite radio is convenient and does solve the problem of station changing while traveling long distances, which I used to do daily. I did not buy it for the car and use it vary occasionally at home due to "high sound quality".

We have 2 stations here in metro Atl, one jazz and the local pbs, who put out a very good signals and when using a Winegard FM only outdoor antenna, Serius cannot even begin to touch them quality wise.

Serius and MP3 are about being convenient more than high quality. The wide variey of programming is a big plus in their favor. For audiophiles it is just not where we want to be most of the time when given the choice. If most of what you would use it for is talk radio, then it is more than acceptable.

To me it just doesn't sound as good as a refurbished Sony 5 disc carousel now available off the Sony site for $39.00. That would be money better spend spinning your silver discs. And there is no monthly fee.

Just my thoughts.

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I have a MAgnum Dynalab "etude" FM tuner with a dedicated FM yagi in my attic, whoopie, i get high quality piss poor programing in super fidelity....Sirius is in my car and computer, programing baby.....International national, 120+ channels, no FM radio can compete. Unless you like limited programing, endless blather from commericals..... You peopel make comments about my lack of understanding about fidlety etc....what a bunch of .....And i even had a Meridian FM tuner that i got rid of, cus teh Etude sounded much better...duh, how bout' DAT ollie, that was some years ago....duh...what do i know, nutin'....Meridian was horrible ergonomics, way pricey, sorry I pissed money on it, the Etude is a much better unit, ergonomically and fidelity wise, so what....programing on FM is crap....some local college stations of course have better fidelty, no compression like comercial shit stations, but teh college stations have some really shit programing, and unlistenable crap....classical music is not my desire, I wan't music for the living,.I don't listen to stuff that makess me fall alseep. FM is gonna go the way of AM, it's a dead industry, look at CBS, and any other large companies owning FM stations, Clear Channel is beat, good, they deserve to fold...they bought up all the stations, and now most are worthless....FM is like a paper map from Rand McNally, in a GPS world!!! do you still actually use a friggin paper map? you gotta be daft.....Garmin baby...don't leave home without it....it get's me everywhere with no stress or strain, finds anything I'm looking for hungry, need gas....21st century, get in it!! FM radio...it's gone

CECE
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"Sirius problems? I listen in my car....what problems? I listen on a computer, what problems, are you for real? If I want the highest fidelity, I listen at home SACD/DVD-A.....what problems? Are most of you nuerotic? There certainly is no FM station that can justify a $3,000 clock radio, and let's see teh specs on the tuner section etc...cus' I bet you will be in for a big let down after spednign that kind of money...My Etuce was extreme but not like the red plastic clock radio....mortals, don't listen to $3,000 clock radios, did you get it at one of them discounted deals, that ain't spoke about?

CECE
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http://www.musicdirect.com/products/images.php?i=-1&p=33808&h=74285 $3,000 clock radios need this ya know.....

bifcake
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I don't quite get the desire to listen to a high fidelity FM signal on a clock radio vs. MP3's on a computer or a car radio. To me, it's the same. Low fidelity streams on low fidelity equipment.

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Oh, man.

There's a great ad on the Blogs here.

Lookie what three grand could also buy you:

Nice Little set of goodies for three large.

Were they really 6K retail?

Here's a link to the Stereophile review of that product:

Kalman Rubinson's Excellent Review

Now, can I hold on until payday next month? What a cool toy!

Elk
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"Sirius problems? I listen in my car....what problems? I listen on a computer, what problems, are you for real? If I want the highest fidelity, I listen at home SACD/DVD-A.....


So you don't hear the odd frequency response nor the artifacts of satellite radio, correct?

And you simultaneously claim that you can hear that SACD is vastly superior to CD?

Jim Tavegia
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When is Stereophile going to hire a whole team of psychiatrists? That is who should be monitoring this forum somedays! Really. You would think I would learn to stay away.

mrlowry
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Elk-

You must admit this DOES explain a lot.

tomjtx
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Now Jim, don't stay away, your posts have been missed.

tomjtx
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DUP, you are truly deranged

CECE
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It's listening to a radio, do you get all upset when teh FM flutters, or has some of it's own issues? I'm DRIVING my car, which is the main thing I do in a car, to get somewehre, what isseus about a car radio? Now I'm sure as you drive you are making sure the radio is just pristine, cus' it really matters, it's a car radio....And when it's not in teh car it's on computer speakers well there are more drivers in my computers speakers than JanV hi fi world, maybe I don't care to worry about "artifacts" in what's playing on a radio, or internet....You are so concerned about "artifacts" in a car radio, it's like worrying about if you have your MPINGO discs aligned properly in a live concert!!! Talk about deranged.....weirder and weirder. How bout FM "artifacts"? Like zero anything ya want to listen to in the first place. And when teh FM signal is no more when ya drive out of it's area, that's more than an artifact, that's so 20th century....Sirius, it's now the 21st century, join it. Scott Muney is long gone WNEW-FM does what now?

roadster
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Quote:
I don't quite get the desire to listen to a high fidelity FM signal on a clock radio ...

I couldn't agree with you more. At 4 a.m. I can barely see and hear so what good is a $3k clock radio going to do for me. Besides, as I fumble around in the dark to shut the damn thing off it is frequently knocked to the floor...not a big deal when it's a $19.99 unit.

Just this week, instead of spending 3 grand on a radio I took that money, added a couple hundred, and bought a whole new system (pre/power amp, cdp, planars & a sub). A much better investment, for me anyway. (Thanks AlexO, mrlowry & others for your input.)

bifcake
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Quote:

Just this week, instead of spending 3 grand on a radio I took that money, added a couple hundred, and bought a whole new system (pre/power amp, cdp, planars & a sub). A much better investment, for me anyway. (Thanks AlexO, mrlowry & others for your input.)

Nice! Congrats! That's a real system instead of the repackaged and relabeled $5 radio you can pick up in Chinatown.

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Whadja get?

Elk
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It's listening to a radio, do you get all upset when the FM flutters, or has some of it's own issues?

I get "upset" over few things. However, if I have multipath interference I do address the reception. FM can sound very good and I am fortunate to have three excellent public radio stations; classical, news and alt-rock, etc.


Quote:
I'm DRIVING my car, which is the main thing I do in a car, to get somewhere, what issues about a car radio?


I don't listen to music while driving. Driving is an end to itself for those of us that enjoy performance cars and driving.

If I did listen to music in a car I would not be able to stomach satellite radio however.

Each of your points side-step the actual issue however: that satellite radio is heavily compromised. I have the same difficulties listening to satellite radio as I do listening to low bit-rate MP3's.

Of course if the artifacts of satellite radio do not bother you and are not distracting, there is nothing wrong with enjoying satellite.

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DUP,

Having now witnessed you examine this topic for just about every conceivable angle I'm now fully convinced (not that there was much doubt) that you are... A Bitch for All Seasons!

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Quote:

Quote:



Quote:

(excerpt)
I don't listen to music while driving. Driving is an end to itself for those of us that enjoy performance cars and driving.

Understood. But most people likely do most driving for functional reasons (work, family, groceries, etc). I would hate to do without music while doing most of my driving. Betcha even Andretti or Earnhardt may listen to some tunes while they cruise to the bank, the family reunion, the school play, or the 7-11.

CECE
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I didn't say i enjoy driving at all, after 1 million+ miles over teh years, the "privilage" is a burden, but a necesity if i want to eat and buy new stuff....how anyone can discount Sirus due to it's "artifacts" what ever teh hell that means, and thinks FM radio is a panacea of fidelity in a CAR!!! is too hoity toity for me, you are such a purist, such a world i can't deal with. If listening to 20 minutes of inane , without "artifacts"..keep listening, flutter flutter, as you drive out of teh range, but then I travel larger distances, maybe you travel nowhere..Sirus is the only thing to listen too, since I got Sirus a few years back, I can't listen to FM, with all it's non artifacts, such pristine fidelity, are you nutz? FM is overly compressed to increae it's range, it's crap programing on any station there is.....what a bafoon...

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I didn't say i enjoy driving at all, after 1 million+ miles over teh years, the "privilage" is a burden, but a necesity if i want to eat and buy new stuff....how anyone can discount Sirus due to it's "artifacts" what ever teh hell that means, and thinks FM radio is a panacea of fidelity in a CAR!!! is too hoity toity for me, you are such a purist, such a world i can't deal with. If listening to 20 minutes of inane , without "artifacts"..keep listening, flutter flutter, as you drive out of teh range, but then I travel larger distances, maybe you travel nowhere..Sirus is the only thing to listen too, since I got Sirus a few years back, I can't listen to FM, with all it's non artifacts, such pristine fidelity, are you nutz? FM is overly compressed to increae it's range, it's crap programing on any station there is.....what a bafoon...

"Bafoon"? (sic btw, no big surprise that!)

What did BillB say to deserve being called a "bafoon" (sic)?

You're not just a demented simpleton, you're a rude demented simpleton.

Now you apologize to BillB right now. Just to be perfectly clear I'm not asking, I telling you to do it, ya follow? ... dumb ass.

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Thanks, bjh. Actually dup was being undeservedly rude to Elk, not me, but we'll all get our turn in the barrel eventually.

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Quote:
I didn't say i enjoy driving at all, after 1 million+ miles over teh years, the "privilage" is a burden, but a necesity if i want to eat and buy new stuff....how anyone can discount Sirus due to it's "artifacts" what ever teh hell that means, and thinks FM radio is a panacea of fidelity in a CAR!!! is too hoity toity for me, you are such a purist, such a world i can't deal with. If listening to 20 minutes of inane , without "artifacts"..keep listening, flutter flutter, as you drive out of teh range, but then I travel larger distances, maybe you travel nowhere..Sirus is the only thing to listen too, since I got Sirus a few years back, I can't listen to FM, with all it's non artifacts, such pristine fidelity, are you nutz? FM is overly compressed to increae it's range, it's crap programing on any station there is.....what a bafoon...

DUP,

I've looked back a few pages to see if ELK said anything so offensive to merit being called a "bafoon".

ELK is one of our more polite members and I think you owe him an apology.

You usually refrain from personal insults so I assume you will want to rectify this instance.

linden518
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LOL.. I can't believe DUP tried to call Elk a 'buffoon' but even failed to spell it correctly. That's just pure, effortless comedy. Kind of demonstrates who the real buffoon is, by definition. Who knows, maybe 'bafoon' is a distant-cousin instrument of bassoon... eh, Elk? You know Mozart's 'Bafoon' Concerto in B-flat, right?

CECE
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I sincerly eppoligize for calling someone a Ba(u)f(f)oon, but then I was called "deranged" which is a medical conditon, and I don't think one should practice medicine without a license, and that would be diagnosing a condition, without even hearing or seeing said subject. Dr. Linn Igor someone once said, if you ain't heard(seen) then you have no opinion...but then how does the elections function anyway. Oh they really don't. So I sincerely appoligze for any baffunery. Now let's get back to the real issue. WHY is a clock radio being placed in teh pages of StereoPhile, when the always "lack of space" excuse is used when somethings don't get reveiwed, but then lack of space, how come the May issue is so thin, no ads, so there should be lotsa space for reviews of real stuff, please, let's not go Better Home and Gardens, with this kind of stuff. Next I'l sure Fremer will be extolling the virtues of decorator record cleaner bottles, how the labels somehow improve the cleaning abiltys of Aunt Rose vinyl cleaner and rinse. Meridian is gonna be teh next KLH, Sanyo, AR, Fisher, a brand ya used to know, that ueed to make hi fi, now their name is attached to kitchen appliances and accessorys. The Meridian blender, and coffee maker. Bad choice to do this reveiw..baaaaaaad. Especially when it really does look like a fluff piece, no real tests etc....more like a subtle ad for some goofy in my opinion, without hearing or seeing of course over priced way over priced table toy. Wonder if BLOSE will have the Bugatti limited edition wave radio/sonic toothbrush soon?

tomjtx
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LOL,
DUP, I meant "deranged" as a compliment but I apologize anyway

Editor
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Quote:
Now let's get back to the real issue. WHY is a clock radio being placed in teh pages of StereoPhile, when the always "lack of space" excuse is used when somethings don't get reveiwed...

Because the Meridian F80 is rather more than a "clock radio": it is a serious attempt at producing a satisfying one-box system. I was astonished by how well it performed when I first heard it at a Show; it is a legitimate high-end product worthy of review coverage, in my opinion.


Quote:
how come the May issue is so thin, no ads, so there should be lotsa space for reviews of real stuff...

As I explained in another posting this morning, we decide the size of each issue of Stereophile by matching each page of advertising with one of editorial content. (The matching is approximate because it is also uneconomic to change the size of an issue in steps of less than 8 pages.) The May-thru-September issues are always smaller than October-thru-April.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

Elk
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You know Mozart's 'Bafoon' Concerto in B-flat, right?


Yes, the clown...er..crown of the orchestra.

Speaking of radios, the Tivoli Model One is $100.00+, is mono, pretty limited frequency response, manual tuning with no memory; most would find it ridiculously overpriced with its limited feature set.

Yet, I adore mine. It is absolutely wonderful and well worth the money to me. I also believe it is entitled to hifi attention. Overpriced to some is a desirable buy to another.

(As a side note, I am surprised that some took umbrage to my sharing that I don't listen to music while driving. This doesn't mean that you cannot or that you are somehow less of a person because you do. It means only that I have no interest in a low-rez source for my cars. Again, if you like satellite radio - go for it!)

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Quote:

As I explained in another posting this morning, we decide the size of each issue of Stereophile by matching each page of advertising with one of editorial content. (The matching is approximate because it is also uneconomic to change the size of an issue in steps of less than 8 pages.) The May-thru-September issues are always smaller than October-thru-April.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

Tis' a seasonal thing....

Now get outside and look for the bikini's! Or..the lack of them.

Elk
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OK naysayers - go find one of these silly expensive things and listen to it.

I finally heard one. The Meridian F80 system has incredible sound. Seriously.

It is also a delight to operate.

Whether it is "worth" the asking price is up to each person to decide. Is it worth getting your girlfriend a $5,000.00 ring for her birthday merely because it makes her deliriously happy? It is to me.

And yes, I want a Meridian F80. I won't get one as I have more amusing uses for $3k. But I could otherwise talk myself into one.

Kal is right. This thing is amazing.

KBK
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OK naysayers - go find one of these silly expensive things and listen to it.

I finally heard one. The Meridian F80 system has incredible sound. Seriously.

It is also a delight to operate.

Whether it is "worth" the asking price is up to each person to decide. Is it worth getting your girlfriend a $5,000.00 ring for her birthday merely because it makes her deliriously happy? It is to me.

And yes, I want a Meridian F80. I won't get one as I have more amusing uses for $3k. But I could otherwise talk myself into one.

Kal is right. This thing is amazing.

I'll buy you an extra tivoli in any color you want. Heck, I'll even modify it and paint it for you. Then spend the rest of the $2900 on a Brembo BBK for my old and creaky M5, please.

On a more serious note, I'll have to remember to look out for the Meridian unit to get a listen.

bifcake
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Elk,

You're insane. $3k for a table radio? That's your idea of hi-fi? For $3k, you can put a system together that's going to run circles around all consumer systems, much less a friggin' table radio! What is this world coming to?

Elk
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I didn't state that it does a better job than a carefully chosen $3k system. Sheesh.

It is, however, an astounding feat of engineering. I like my Tivoli Radio One - but a Radio One is nothing like this thing.

Go listen to one and then report back.

If you haven't heard it you don't have an opinion.

(KBK, be careful with your brake caliper choices. Brembos have done a lot of down marketing and are offering a lot of junk now along with some excellent pieces. There are better options out there. Think Wilwood, etc.)

KBK
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At the factory, we have access to a new paint pigment, very neat stuff. It is part of what creates the most expensive coating in the building. This is what the world is coming to:

Elk
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WOW!

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WOW!

To do a car body with this coating, you have to go to an electrostatic (particle alignment-powder coating type of methodology) spray type situation instead of a simple cup gun spray bomb job...but that is the resultant effect. A true high quality mirror. Extremely high levels of wide spectrum reflectivity, overall, considering the money..and the things you can now do with it - as possibilities that are out there.

At the factory, there are 'series' of pricing levels and tiers for the coatings.

This one skipped over 'series 10',as in the artist's painting world there is no 'series 10' paint pricing levels..it tops out at 'series 9'.

It was expensive enough that we felt it warranted the Spinal Tap reference, and we went to 'Series 11' on the pricing tier front.

Not many artists will get the joke, but hey, it's sitting there, waiting to be a gut-buster of a laugh for the few that will get it.

For example, that meridian MIGHT be able to be coated with this stuff..but there is a basic problem with powder coating plastics. The chassis would have to be metal of some sort.

Conductivity... or at least a serious dielectric charge consideration, and it must be even across the surface, which can be tricky to do with plastics. This exact coating is used to create mirrors on plastic sheet substrates, so it's not impossible. Just difficult to master as painting techniques go. One would have to invest time and effort.

But youse digs chrome..there yah goes.

Oh yes, at sundown, due to reflections, it can make a car practically invisible. Imagine that car flashing through the street lights, etc, in the city, on a dark night. Freaky.

struts
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I just got back from a week's business trip in the Middle East and I have to say I was truly amazed at some of the things they are finding to spend their money on with oil at $125 a barrel! Rather than only buying amps that go to 11, these guys are commissioning the design of amps that go to 12!!

That Audi has one particularly practical aspect though (at least for its occupants - anybody unfortunate enough to look at it and catch a reflection of the sun is likely to get free laser eye surgery), as anybody who has spent any time out there can testify. I thought of it when I saw a black(!) Porsche GT baking in the 45 C (113 F) heat. I asked my local colleage how anybody could be so deranged as to get a black car in that kind of heat. "Heat?" he asked, "What heat? This is pleasantly cool, in the summer it can get over 75 C (167 F)!" Apparently any car left out in direct sunlight in that kind of heat basically melts (at least the plastic does). I am told even the kids stop playing football at those kind of temperatures.

Go figure!

rvance
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Quote:
At the factory, we have access to a new paint pigment, very neat stuff. It is part of what creates the most expensive coating in the building. This is what the world is coming to:

That car's probably painted with MirraChrome (Google it) made by a company called Alsa. It's shot normally and clearcoated. Looks just like chrome without the expense (although the Arabian connection means it COULD be silverplated, but I doubt it.)

KBK
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Thanks for the info. I need to re-finish my BMW rims,and they aren't chrome, as they are known as 'shadow chrome', so I have to add a large particle graphite to the mix, and use a black undercoat.

I also need it to be a solvent based mix, unlike our water based products. This, just in the case of the rims. So the Mirrachrome will likely fit the bill.

As for 'first surface mirror' creation, some sort of particle alignment is necessary, and powder coating is one way to get it. This gives the most perfect mirror surface you can get to, with these sorts of paints and pigments.

The fun part is when you start adding in transparent pigments, like Transparent Pyrrole Red Light.

http://www.fineartstore.com/Catalog/tabid/365/List/1/CategoryID/796/Level/a/Default.aspx

This gets you to a colour that looks like blood, even in the drying and mass tone like drying blood.....but with a deep chrome effect, if you can imagine. An actual 'blood chrome'.

gkc
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Joined: Feb 24 2006 - 11:51am

Freshclip, the comparison is obviously not fair. The Bling H2O comes with a rather special, er, docking station. If I get that with the water, $455 (a full tank if you drive a Hummer) is a bargain. Where do I sign up?

I have heard this clock radio. It sounds like a clock radio. But, if you peg the volume control, it will sound like a clock radio at louder volumes than any other clock radio. What an achievement.

I may buy one for my bathroom. But only if the $455 babe with the Bling H2O will shower with me. This is called "product placement," in modern lingo, I believe. C'mon, Mr. Meridian, give me a deal. I'll show you "product placement."

DUP, do not take the above as a sign that I agree with you. Anybody who would pay 16 large for a pair of Wurlitzers and actually brag about it in public, on the one hand, and curse others for paying too much for high fidelity music gear, on the other, is a first-class hypocrite. Physician, heal thyself. Don't get me started on the Audio by Van Alstine crap...

Still, this table radio, for 3 large, goes only to fools, if they refuse to hold out for the babe with the bottled water resting atop her ass. It sounds like a big clock radio, but a clock radio nonetheless. The bling H2O babe is a better deal...

rvance
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Last seen: 10 years 7 months ago
Joined: Sep 8 2007 - 9:58am


Quote:
Speaking of radios, the Tivoli Model One is $100.00+, is mono, pretty limited frequency response, manual tuning with no memory; most would find it ridiculously overpriced with its limited feature set.

Yet, I adore mine. It is absolutely wonderful and well worth the money to me. I also believe it is entitled to hifi attention. Overpriced to some is a desirable buy to another.

My wife wanted one of those horrible under-cabinet kitchen radio/cd players. I talked her out of it and showed her how much one would protrude into her counter space (plus they sound awful). I bought the white Tivoli and think it does a great job. Especially nice playing classical or Sat. morning NPR while cooking or cleaning the kitchen- I can even plug my iPod into the back of it. I love it. She wonders what's the big deal and why did I spend a hundred on it. Oh well.

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