Richard Gray Power Conditioning products..huge thumbs up

I am a big skeptic with most things audiophilia, but being a sound recording/mastering engineer, I am firm believer in power conditioning products. I have had several over the years, but in all my experiences, none have hit me quite as hard as Richard Gray's.

AudioRefinement Integrated Amp

Greetings, I purchased an AudioRefinement Integrated Amp (called the Complete) several years back (from a Seattle dealer) after reading a positive review. AudioRefinement is part of the YBA French parent company. In fact, the integrated amp was supposed to be similar to the acclaimed YBA Integre. The amp is mostly sweet and unassuming. I set it up last week (after 2 years in the box) and much to my dismay, smoke came from 2 inside locations. The amp has not even been used 200 hours. I need to get it repaired.

Top ... Songs to Close Albums

All this heavy discussion going on about specs and DBTs, and quantum physics has me itching for some software discussion. In that spirit:

What are your top songs to close out an album?

I'll start (in no particular order):

1) A Day in the Life (Sgt. Peppers)
2) Echoes (Meddle)
3) Hurt (Downward Sprial - juvenile, I know)
4) Desolation Row (Highway 61 Revisited)
5) Flightless Bird, American Mouth (The Shepherd's Dog - Iron & Wine)

Margot & the Nuclear So and So's

New "indie rock" (whatever that means nowadays) band, that is more specifically like "chamber indie" like, say, the Decemberists. Anyone heard them?

I picked up their album "Animal!" because it is only released on Vinyl (okay, downloadable too). Apparently, there was disagreement with their label on what cut of their album to release, so there are two versions "Animal!" (artist's choice) and "Not Animal!" (label's choice). 5 of the 12 songs are the same. I have never heard of this happening before. Anyone?

Does the (in)stability of a manufacturers product line influence your purchases?

For many years I have patronized manufacturers that have exhibited a stable product line and also one that has a logical progression in its offerings.

Many manufacturers seem to offer new or evolved products every 3 or 6 months. I cant remember how many times I have read a review where the manufacturer states that the reason for the Mark II version is that they

Any Bhangra aficionados?

I find something very compelling in good Bhangra, but it is a style of music where I don't yet have my feet.

Anybody here really dig and have some favorites lists they can share?

I'll get my act together and list my favorites to compare...tomorrow.

Tonight has been too full of 2001 Les Dix and Alaap and Labh Janjua to remember anyone else.

At the risk of sounding ethnocentric, you could have fooled me into ordering some Alaap with naan and a side of Labh Janjua and I wouldn't have known better when I was a young buck.

Home brew record cleaning rituals/techniques?

Aloha,

I used to say, "Necessity is the mother of strange bedfellows."

Now, it's the mother of home brewed record cleaning.

Any of y'all invent your own fluids?

I been trying to the last few days and have come up with Buddha's Fluids V1.0.

Thusfar, I have arrived at:

10 Oz distilled water.

6 Oz. 91% Isopropyl alcohol.

3 drops Cascade Crystal Clear (sheeting agent.)

1 big drop (thick drop?) Sun Light "Oxi Action" dishwasher liquid.

"Micro Fiber" towels and round cleaning pads from Auto Zone.

JA/Harbeth Review

First, after looking at the in-room response of the Harbeths at JA's Brooklyn home I was surprised that he was not raving about their sound. I can understand the issues at AD's home, even with the Audio Notes. but AD loves his Audio Notes, as JA did. Even taking that into account, the photos show the stand heights for both seem approx. the same, but the Audio Notes woofer is considerably higher, more removed from the floor boundary.

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