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Posts Tagged ‘Analog Apartment’

Build it out of wood

Posted in music, neat-O gang, tagged , , , , , , , , on May 19, 2010| 7 Comments »

Yesterday I was hard at work (or uhhh hard at watching Zone Sound tech Russ) fixing my Kenwood amplifier and Hitachi Turntable.

I am happy to report that the Kenwood sounds much better after cleaning the contacts and we eliminated a ton of the scratchy sounds it was having.  The record player needs a more substantial make-over.  I am thinking a new motor.

For now I have an old Numark of Boitano’s.  Same one as Jess!  It spins the platter at 33 1/3 so it’ll do.

Got me thinking it might be time to find a more substantial piece for the home.

Coral has a lot of reno ideas for our house, so stealing away the cash at a big expensive player right now might not work.  But I have been researching tons and I might be able to MAKE a good machine for a decent cost.  I could be a do-it-yourself kit and with my brother CJ’s help, make it look very pretty like this maybe?

The company that makes these beasts is called Audiowood.  I think they are woodworkers (like my bro) that buy kits, and then assemble.

I think they look bad ass indeed.

As for the guts of a record player.  A couple that look promising are Rega out of the UK and Scheu Analog out of Germany.

I’ll need to do some more research to find the best cost vs. quality and have at it.

***

I went to Ditch Records today to buy the new Band of Horses.  I know it has gotten terrible reviews, but I don’t care.  I still want to have a listen myself.

Sadly they were all sold out of Infinite Arms.

Talking to the guys I asked them what record players they sell and the owner Jeremy (yup same name as me!) said basically used and cheap.  That is what people ask for. Zoinks… got me thinking about an article I read yesterday on Analog Apartment.  They are interviewing the owner of a record store in some hipster neighbourhood of NYC:

To someone just getting started with vinyl, any words of wisdom?

Get a good turntable. So many of my customers say to me, “Where can I get a cheap record player?” I don’t get that. The whole point of vinyl is superior sound quality, so it defeats the purpose if you buy a crap record player. I know times are tough now, but save your pennies, search online, and get a good turntable and needle. (…)  Building a record collection is a wonderful, exciting thing. Have fun.

From what I’ve learned… doing it right and to the best of your ability the first time, always pays off.

If its the home reno’s from Young House Love blog, or building a turntable, I’ll want to do better than I’ve done thus far in my life.

***

In other news…

The Veneto Lounge is celebrating one year of not going out of business!  Huzzah!  On Wednesday, May 26th there will be a party starting at 6PM.

Their award winning tapas will be circulating the room for free, cocktails will be featured and after my show on the Zone, I’ll be selecting and presenting the music.

Birthday cake?  You know it!

Go with yourself.

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Analog YEAH!

Posted in history 101, life or something like it, music, tagged , , , on May 18, 2010| Leave a Comment »

I was reading Alan Cross’ website yesterday and he found a great article with a very poignant quote.

“I remember the first record I ever bought. Do you remember your first download?” – The Young Person’s Guide to Vinyl

I remember the first three records I bought, on Compact Disc, with my own money, that earned working for the man.

The summer of 1996 I got a job working at a Subway.  At the time my music collection could be considered anemic. I had some tapes, some CDs I had acquired, that was about it.  To hear “good” music I would hang out at friend’s houses or rocked the radio.  When I got steady work at Subway I was making the most money I had ever earned in my life… some pay-cheques were over $100!

My first pay-cheque I dumped in my Leo Young Savers account and headed off to Lougheed Mall.  I found the Music World and plunked down close to $80 for three records.

01) Alice in Chains – Alice in Chains
02) Metallica – …And Justice for All
03) Seven Mary Three – American Standard

Of the three albums, I don’t really listen to any of them front to back anymore and maybe only Alice in Chains is a band I still regularly enjoy.  But back in 1996, they all got heavy play… and though I was late to the party when it came to collecting music, I played a serious game of catch-up, and now I have more CDs than I know what to do with.

It only makes sense that my obsession is drifting over to collecting vinyl records, which admittedly I don’t have a ton of.

I did find a couple blogs I am enjoying these days.

Analog Apartment
Fuck Yeah Vinyl

Go with yourself.

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A Well Respected Man

Posted in life or something like it, tagged , , on April 12, 2010| 3 Comments »

OK, this might be just finally too nerdy (even for me) but I do kinda want it.  Diesel’s Turntable Bed Sheets! ahhhhhhhhh!

If its super high tread count Egyptian cotton, then maybe Coral will let me have it?

Crystal and Linda came by the Veneto on the weekend, and we got to talking about bed sheets and how it is important to have good sheets.  I told them it didn’t really matter for me, I’m married.  I get what I get.

When I was single and young, I was just happy to have a bed that was off the ground.  I figure its a trade up… but now I am 30, and maybe it’s time to revert back to novelty bed sheets.

(actually, that whole analog apartment blog is pretty groovy)

***
I wore a tie to work today and my sweater vest.  Today was picture day at the Zone.  Jason’s wife Lilly Louise came over, set up shop and snapped away. I’m uhhh, how do you say? not photogenic, so it was an awkward ordeal for me, but Louise did her best I am looking forward to what the final pictures might look like.

I do dress up sometimes… mostly when I DJ at the lounge.  Maybe I should dress up more?  Dave Sawchuk was trying to tell me some philosophy the other day.

He was talking to a friend and going over the things that make him happy or feel good that he can control.  one of the things Dave mentioned was that he likes when he “looks good.”

The buddy said, “well that’s easy, then when you wake up to go to work, put on a tie, dress up.”

I like being on vacation and I love the desert, so I am trying to think of ways to live like I’m on holiday.  All I got so far is to put a palm of some degree on my deck, and build a swim up bar in the bath tub.

If Coral could start wearing a bikini top around the apartment, bonus.

Go with yourself.

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