Sherwood

Jesus Christ, how many smilies do you need, Grawk?

Leave it to Grawk to turn a Ayre preamplifier thread into a Pico/Predator debate. I did some digging, and the McCormack pre is completely different than the Firstwatt. The McCormack even has a +6 dB gain, which is really hardly passive at all. Next time I make an assumption labelled as such I'll be sure to use smilies.

Especially considering that full price ($650 on ebay) has an extra 25% knocked off ATM.

If Steve McCormack's design is anything like Nelson Pass' (and why wouldn't it be) it uses active autoformers to match input and output impedances, but the rest of the circuitry is passive. Firstwatt has that pre, and recently released a DIY kit with the JFETS for like $50. Regarding the KX-R, it was rather the toast of the show. Impressive, considering the issue of Stereophile hadn't come out yet, and the deep pockets were just carrying their "recommended components" issues. Insofar as I can describe the sound of a preamp in various setups, I would say it was extremely transparent. Soundstage is difficult to capture in a hotel room, but every room I heard the Ayre in had far better than average depth, width and height. That's understandable with the Vandersteens, but I heard the Ayre in the Lansche / Continuum labs room, too, and that room took best of show in my book. Timbre was dead accurate, noisefloor was absolutely zero, and the size of the image was phenomenal. If you're in the market, you should really go for a listen.

Their mojo comes from the input signal, which should be plenty of mojo to drive a linestage. That being said, I also heard the KX-R at RMAF, and the system it was in (Ayre and Vandersteen) was breathtaking. The demo guy was a real asshole, too, but in the fun "don't torture me with your boring chamber music grandpa" kind of way which I always enjoy.

I read the article. I have a difficult time believing that any active linestage cuold be more transparent than an excellent passive linestage, and breathtaking transparency is what's in play here. I'm not well versed enough to have a truly technical discussion of the product, though, as some of the measurements and theories were over my head.

It takes hours for moms to bite all the hair off my balls. Who has the time?

Since we're clearly beyond redemption, I prefer "plasma shaving". I also have a razor milled in the depths of space from the Bose-Einstein condensate. Traditional forms of matter offer an inferior shave.

Knowing that you just ordered a dustcover, I think it would look fantastic if you windowpaned one yourself. Build a wooden frame with slats and use sheets of acrylic in between them. I suppose the weight could be an issue, but I'm not an expert at anything. I don't doubt that the custom cover will look great, but I wonder if it is majestic enough...

Whoa whoa whoa... How did we actually start discussing shaving?

Well, we can't all be Nordic bread Barons, Birgir...

well then the better question is: what did you get?

Thanks, that's all the review I need

That thing costs more than a hooker, even on A'Gon. For that money, I expect more satisfaction than a hooker.

Remote=FTMFW x a billion. I absolutely love remote. I had a pretty easy setup before with front row, but remote shames it. I finally, finally feel good about having a computer at the helm of my audio ship now. Now I just need a decent source...

Oh shit, then I shouldn't have sent that invite to TFarney? It was wrapped around a brick.

The market for "giants" over 2k is pretty negligible. I'm assuming all the giant killers now just square off against each other throwing stones far too high in the air.

Part of the feel of the Colorado festivals is that the performers stay in camp, and after hours they play old standards really informally. People kinda swap in and out on instruments. There are also instrument clinics with many of the performers. I'm hardly in the league of nickel creek, so I'd embarass myself on stage, but it was really an honor to sit in with them on a few tunes. That aspect of the planet bluegrass stuff is really a lot of what makes it so monumental -- sitting down and talking with the musicians over a breakfast burrito at 2am... I'd pay pretty good money to see Bonnie Prince, Elvis, OR Iron&wine. All three for free is something else.

Aw snap! Iron and Wine, Bonnie Prince Billy, Gogol Bordello, Elvis Costello, The Gourds... that really is phenomenal.

That is indeed a phenomenal bluegrass festival, you are to be congratulated. Feast your eyes, however, on planet bluegrass. Next year will be Bela Fleck's 28th, and Del McRoury's 33rd consecutive years at Telluride. I played standup bass with Nickel Creek (though not on stage) two years ago. It's an effing event. Also, MC Hammer?

I'm pretty sure Castle Rock, CO's Jazz festival would be nothing but David Sanborn cd's played on high school gym's PA system followed by a rousing Nickelback concert, so I'm glad someone is taking advantage of fantastic jazz. Wish I was out there with you. I'm betting you can't hold a candle to our bluegrass, though

It's pointless to go with the Slazenger unless you have a ball machine.

Ah, yes, Peter Gunn... That's the dude who wanted 2 grand to build a giant wooden box for my beloved Maggies. I'd rather not support his $100 CD habit.

No! How has this thread been derailed by debate! Portable is teh sux. I listen to bare wire out of a tennis ball.