Hopstretch

Yeah. I don't think we'll be trying that again anywhere near bed time. Screaming heebie jeebies all night long. Urgh. Coffee.

Rule 34.

I gave him some Benadryl before bedtime on the nurse's recommendation. He's woken up raving about trash cans and whales four times already.

Warren Zevon -- Warren Zevon I was sitting in the CanJam Hilton Hotel/I was staring in my empty coffee cup/I was thinking that the gypsy wasn't lying/All the salty margaritas in Los Angeles -- I'm gonna drink 'em up!

One thing that was not fun today was my son suddenly manifesting a wicked seasonal allergic reaction, something he has shown no sign of in the past. Eyes just about swollen shut, nose running like a tap etc. etc. The tree pollen is all over everything like gold dust right now, so I guess the cause isn't much of a mystery, but it's just miserable to see him so miserable. No one else in the family has any allergies at all, so I was kind of hoping we'd dodged that bullet. Zyrtec seems to be helping, but I have to say it's a kick in the crotch to make it through the New England winter -- when everyone is constantly sniffling and cranky -- only to now run into exactly the same thing in the longed-for Spring.

Tears For Fears -- The Seeds Of Love

Internet bad or human being bad?

You haven't saved a cent, because I'm going to get you drunk and then sell them to you.

Poor, sad little Staxen.

Well, it's done. I'm keeping it. My wallet is walking like a cowboy. One little wrinkle for those of you who don't read your owner's manuals. The standard warranty is a somewhat risible 90 days, but if -- and only if -- you submit the registration card within 30 days of purchase it bumps up just a smidge to a full five years. All of Ayre's other warranties are also transferable, but the QB-9 manual is silent on this issue.

Well, it's a flexible and extremely tunable DAC at minimum. Then you can add a separate transport and a separate music server if you choose. I think it's a very interesting and potentially mold-breaking product. But how will it sound?

A new source.

Depeche Mode -- Ultra

Caramelized onion marmalade!

Send all your stuff to me from now on and I will. You can thank me later.

Dead Can Dance -- Into The Labyrinth

I am so looking forward to CanJam.

Thanks for the best unexpected belly laugh I've had in a while!

Looks like Audible Elegance are the dealer in your neck of the woods. Maybe they'll let you demo one against the AA. Dat I like read.

$2,500.

There's a very unfunny story behind that picture.

Mike Scott -- Still Burning Silly glasses. Good album!

I think it's just "manualese".

OK a couple of answers to some of the, um, more substantive questions. The rear panel controls do the following, according to Ayre: Listen/Measure -- Selects digital filter algorithms. Listen "produces greater accuracy in the time domain." Measure "produces greater accuracy in the frequency domain" and provides "additional high-frequency energy". Power Mode -- A turns the DAC on when the computer is turned on. When the computer is off or asleep, the DAC enters standby mode. B keeps the DAC in standby mode even when the computer is turned on and only wakes it when it receives data from a music player. Disp On/Off -- Front panel display control. Rsrv A/B -- Reserved for future updates. As for USB-only aspect, I get the impression this was chosen for two main reasons. As an attempt to demonstrate that USB, properly implemented, can be the equal of any other digital audio interface. And to meet a price point well below most of Ayre's other gear. As Hansen put it over on AA: Lil' Knight -- Ayre only sell through their dealer network. It's on their Web site here.

Someone asked for a photo of the back panel. Not all that much to see.