The Muse Newsletter
A monthly celebration of music, gear and events for the audiophile community
| The KFOG/Pete Taylor Record Collection (and how you can own a piece of it)
By Leslie Lundin
Beautiful things come from beautiful partnerships. This is the story of the Pete Taylor/KFOG Collection. Recognizing the synergy between our two organizations, the Audiophile Foundation partnered with The California Historic Radio Society (CHRS) in late 2023 to promote our events. CHRS was gracious enough to allow us to use their fabulous facility for our very first record sale. In promoting the event, their listing to the CHRS membership yielded a very surprising outcome, something we hope will put smiles on the faces of Bay Area music, vinyl, and radio lovers.
March 1, 1963, Pete Taylor was hired as the first KFOG program & operations manager and head disc jockey. In his own words “KFOG started with my own personal record collection. As record distributors gained trust in what we were doing, the KFOG library grew”.
We will be playing and selling what we feel are the premier records from the collection at the upcoming September 14 Micheal Fremer event at CHRS (see registration links below). If you are an attendee, you will have the first opportunity to take home a piece of Bay Area history.
|  | The Nipper Award
By David Hicks
Okay, I’ve invented the Nipper award for designating “The Best Sounding System” I’ve ever heard. You should feel free to appoint your own Nipper award to whatever system you’d like to anoint as the best you have ever heard. I chose the name “Nipper” after my goldfish’s name, though most people will assume the name derives from the dog RCA used in their advertising campaign as hearing “His Masters Voice.” I chose my Goldfish’s name to avoid any copyright infringement.
Choosing the best sounding system at a show, dealers, or at someone’s home is a bit like choosing the Best Actor at the Academy Awards. You can say you preferred the performance of one actor over another, but they were both playing different characters in different movies, with different scripts and directors, so what you are really giving the “Best Actor” award for is a combination of multiple things, including your own bias (or the Academy’s) for an actor’s physical appearance, personality, or political, ethnic, or religious identifiers, as well as the character in the movie, etc., etc. But what about the variables when we, or someone else, choose a Best Sounding Audio System?
| A Beginners Guide and Other Thoughts on Audio - Epilogue: Fuses
By Roger Modjeski and Anthony Chipelo
Last month’s Roger’s Corner represented the last chapter of Roger’s audio book, “A Beginners Guide and Other Thoughts on Audio.” While there are no more book chapters, there are a lot more thoughts and content from Roger on all topics audio. So, in the coming months, Roger’s Corner will continue to periodically appear in The Muse. In the very first edition of Roger’s Corner where it was announced the book chapters would be published, we kicked off with a letter to the editor Roger wrote to John Atkinson of Stereophile. So, for this edition of Roger’s Corner, I thought we should conclude the book with another letter to the editor Roger wrote to John Atkinson, this one on the topic of fuses.
|  | Wax Heads Game
By David Hicks
I would like to bring your attention to an interactive online experience being created by Patattie Games that you can try out for free on the Steam platform. If you are unfamiliar with Steam, well, maybe you shouldn’t be calling yourself a gamer. Briefly, Steam is a video game digital distribution service and storefront managed by Valve. It was launched as a software client in September 2003 to provide game updates automatically for Valve's games and expanded to distributing third-party titles in late 2005.
At this time, the Wax Heads game is only available in a demo version with no specified release date for the official version. The description of the experience bills it as, “A cosy-punk slice-of-life narrative sim about managing a struggling record store. Chat to quirky customers with unique tastes, explore a handcrafted record collection, fall in love with bands (and their drama!), or just slack off with your colleagues – all to restore the groove!”
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Upcoming Foundation Events
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A Virtual Meeting with J.R. Boisclair of WAM Engineering: Audio Myths
Saturday, August 10th
3:00 PM to 4:30 PM PST
J.R. Boisclair will be giving a zoom talk on "Audio Myths".
J.R. will talk about myths related to acoustics and bass propagation as well as myths related to discoveries in vinyl playback optimization.
This is a free event to Foundation members and the public. Registration is required and the link to the Zoom meeting will be provided in your registration confirmation email.
|  | Fremer is back and he’s Mad!
Saturday, September 14, 2024
Morning Session 10AM-1PM
Afternoon Session 3PM-6PM
California Historic Radio Society
2152 Central Avenue, Alameda, CA
Mad about vinyl that is… It’s been a few years since Michael’s last visit, so we have a lot to catch up on. Micheal is currently the editor of The Tracking Angle and editor at large at The Absolute Sound. He has been a champion of vinyl since the beginning of time. He is one of the world’s foremost experts on analog playback. Fremer has also been a professional comedian, a voice actor (Animalympics, Felix the Cat: The Movie), and supervised the Academy Award-nominated soundtrack to Tron.
He can now add record producer to his CV. He and co-producer Robin Wyatt have released Rufus Reid Presents Caelan Cardello. He’s now working on his second album. This album is in collaboration with Patrick Leanard called “It All Comes Down to Mood” featuring Tony Levin on bass, with Jethro Tull’s Martin Barre on guitar & Ian Anderson on flute. It’s mixed by Kevin Killen (U2 etc.). Patrick co- produced “Amused to Death” with Roger Waters. Michael will be bringing a pre-release copy to play for us.
Michael is famous for his candor and is open to any and all questions. He always brings some special sonic treats and unique and eye-opening stories.
This is a not to be missed event. Sign up now for a morning or afternoon session.
|  | A Live In-Person One Day DIY Workshop: Using an oscillo(scope) and signal generator
Sat 9/21/2024, 10am - 3pm with a one hour lunch break
San Jose (near First St and Tasman)
Capacity: up to 12 people
Cost: $30 class members, $40 non-members + cost of instruments (about $120)
Contact: Ori K Mizrahi-Shalom
Email: orishlo@gmail.com
This is a condensed one day class for the DIY-minded person that wishes to have a better technical understanding of his/her system components.
It is also a good introduction to using lab instruments if you would like to start building kits or modifying your equipment. Test equipment is also important if you are a casual "tube roller". You can easily check if there are nasty distortion products or symmetrical gain between channels.
Listening to your equipment is always the last "test", but it helps to know that you are close to target and the techniques you'll learn would allow you to verify that.
We will have a "group buy" of a basic two-channel scope and a signal generator, estimated around $120 (extra cost). Participants will own these instruments.
If you have suitable equipment already, please contact Ori K Mizrahi-Shalom before you enroll in the class.
Workshop Topics
- Introduction to a signal generator and scope (short recap)
- Conducting routine checks: preamp gain, clipping
- Probing a solid-state (transistors) amplifier circuit
- Biasing stereo tube amp to balance channel gains
- Checking amplifier frequency and phase responses at moderate output levels
- Using FFT to check distortion products
If time permits, we will diagnose a faulty tube preamp and hopefully fix it during this session.
IMPORTANT: Registration must close by 8/24, to have sufficient time to place a "group buy" order for the required equipment.
Register Now
|  | Audiophile Foundation presents Kevin Deal Talks Toooobs, Testing, and Testers
Saturday Nov 2. 1-3pm
Kevin Deal of Upscale Audio fame is an acclaimed expert on all things tubes. He will be discussing what tube testing can and cannot tell you, the importance of various testing measurements and review the different types of tube testers available.
This is a free event to Foundation members and the public. Registration is required. A Zoom meeting link will be provided in your registration confirmation email.
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Watch this space for upcoming Mid-Week Virtual Events
|  | | Jason Stoddard of Schiit Audio
On July 20, 2024, we had the pleasure of having Jason Stoddard of Schiit Audio join us on a Zoom call. In this video, Jason discusses a wide variety of topics, from Manufacturing in the USA to what's wrong with TOSlink to his life before Schiit. Check out the video for an informative and enjoyable conversation with Jason Stoddard.
|  | Your Favorite HiFi Tweaks
Audiophile tweaks can range from inexpensive to "are you kidding me" expensive. The real question is do they work?
Our members share various tweaks, and try to answer that question in this Mid-Week Virtual Series: Your Favorite HiFi Tweaks video.
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Rise of the Synthesizer: How an Electronics Whiz Kid Gave the 1980s Its Signature Sound
Source: www.collectorsweekly.com
Sent by Steve Schaffer
"In the summer of 1970, after popping into a pub for a pint, rock keyboardist Keith Emerson sat down at his enormous Moog modular synthesizer in London’s legendary Advision recording studio and noodled a few improvised notes. His goal was to add some electronic punch to the end of a mostly acoustic-guitar number called “Lucky Man,” written by his singer-guitarist bandmate, Greg Lake."
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Audiophile Foundation
Website Highlights
| Five Things to Know About Our Website
This month we talk about five things you may, or may not, have noticed about our website. You can read all the details by checking out the full post on our Members' Help Blog.
1. Search (News/Articles, Blogs, Forum)
2. Fly-out Menu
3. Recent Forum Changes
4. New Zendesk Help Facility
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Buy and Sell Locally Forum
Check out these tasty listings that have been added over the past few months:
And don't forget to set your favorite forums to notify you of new content by clicking on the "My Forum Preferences" button.
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- Pioneer RT-707, RT-701, and RT-909 for sale
- Michael Fremer owned Sonics Amerigo for $1700
- Audience Adept Response AR6-T
- Denafrips Pontus II DAC, $1000
- Siegfried Linkwitz personal LX521.4 speakers for sale: $1,250
- Martin logan montis electrostatic speakers (mint) $4750
- FREE! 100s of classical vocal LPs
- BEL 1001 Amplifier MkIIIA PARTS ONLY RIGHT CHANNEL NO SOUND Asking $300.00
- Evolution Acoustics MicroOne Monitors with AMT tweeters
- Ascend Acoustics Speakers for Home Theater $2950 OBO Rating 8/10
- Complete System: Wilson, ARC, AMG
- Vandersteen 2ce for $450 in San Jose
- Gustard X26 Pro DAC Full-Balanced MQA ES9038PRO - $1050
- DarTZeel cth8550 mk2
- EtherREGEN, Gustard Audio C16 Clock, U18 DDC, SR Master Fuse and bonuses
- Rega P3 TT, upgraded to P6+ level
- Technics RS-1520 J-Corder Mac Edition
- Quad S-5 floorstanding speakers
- Silverline Audio SR17 Supreme
- Parasound Zamp v.3 $199
- Marantz PM-17 Integrated Amplifier $650 obo.
- Bowers and Wilkins B&W P6 Floor standing Speakers $650 obo
- Marantz SR8500 with faulty temperature sensor
- Parasound HINT 6 integrated amplifier
- Magnepan 3.7I for sale cheap--$3500
- Vintage LUXMAN MQ 68C Custom Tube Amplifier
- Magnepan 3.7 Speakers
- Kimber Orchid Illuminations AES/EBU cable
- Merrill Audio 118 monoblock pair
- Pair of Canary Audio M80 300B SET monoblock amplifiers
- Reference 3A MM de Capo BE Monitor speakers
- P S audio perfect wave AC-12 power cable
- Townshend Audio Seismic Sink 19 x 16 $300
- Wanted: martin Logan montis.
- Vintage JBL sovereign C60 S8R pair
- Pass Labs Aleph 3 for $1k in San Jose
- OPPO Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Player UDP-205
- Bryston BDP-1 D/A Converter BDP Digital Player
- Bryston BDA-1 D/A Converter
- Arcam FMJ C30 Pre Amp
- Arcam FMJ P38 Power Amp - Silver
| AM/FM Radio is King! Wait... What?
Sent by jazzfan
In a Q1 - Q4 2023 study by Edison Research, 36% of listeners in the U.S. aged 13+ listened to AM/FM Radio. Streaming Music came in second with 20%, followed by YouTube with 14%, Podcasts with 11%, and SiriusXM with 8%, making up the top five audio sources for daily listening time.
AM/FM radio is number one. Who knew?
| Pacific Audio Fest 2024
Sep. 6-8, 2024 at the Doubletree Hilton Sea-Tac Washington
NEWS FLASH: Audiophile Foundation members receive $10 off the ticket price. Sign in and see the Members' Help Blog for instructions on how to receive your discount.
Also for 2024 is an after hours live music event for ALL attendees (see below). This year will be very special and free food will be provided on both Friday and Saturday nights.
PAF 2024 discount Doubletree-Hilton hotel reservations are open! Visit the PAF website and use the reservation discount link to book your stay.
|  |  | Capital Audiofest 2024
Nov. 8-10, 2024 at the Hilton Hotel, Rockville, MD
The Capital Audiofest - the East Coast Audio Show. CAF started out in 2010 as a very casual show and has evolved into a well-organized and well-attended event that most everyone in the audio industry knows about.
CAF is recognized as a fun, friendly and family-oriented show, where you often see families strolling from room to room listening to music, auditioning gear and browsing the multiple bins of vinyl records, CDs and accessories in the Atrium Marketplace. In the evenings we have live music in the bar and special live performers in the Theater, and local distillers offering tastings.
| Music Theory in 16 Minutes
Sent by jazzfan
It's August and it's back to school.
"Join composer Guy Michelmore as he explains the essentials of music theory in just 16 minutes! What is an octave? How do you make scales? What are intervals? What's the difference between major and minor? What is the circle of fifths?! All explained in less time that it takes to make and drink a fresh cup of tea."
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Music Picks
Our monthly feature where our members can share their favorite old or new music selections.
"One who knows the secret of sound, knows the secret of the whole universe".
- Hazrat Inayat Khan
| Frank Sinatra's Robin & The Seven Hoods
(Score from the motion picture, LP, Reprise, 1964; CD, DCC, 2000)
By Dave Hjortland
Releases in 1964, The movie Robin and the 7 Hoods was produced by Frank Sinatra, and starred himself, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, and Sammy Davis Jr. (Peter Falk was also on board and attempted – and failed – to sing.) The storyline is... well, mildly entertaining, but this isn’t a movie review. Let me just explain that what we have here are four of the greatest male musical entertainers of the previous century, all of which were arguably at or reasonably near the height of their vocal powers. And the orchestration was done by Nelson Riddle, who was INarguably one of the greatest band leaders of that rapidly receding century. So with this cast what could go wrong?
|  | Willie Nelson - The Border
Willie’s 75th album!
By David Hicks
I last saw Willie Nelson live at the Fillmore in 2003. Willie was old then, but now I am about as old as Willie was then, and he is even older now, obviously. And yet, Trigger, his guitar, is still his musical partner, even though Trigger has looked as if it was ready to disintegrate at any moment for as long as I can remember. But Willie's performance, especially his guitar playing, and his signature vocal delivery stands out in my memory today.
If you have not seen Willie Nelson play live, you may be running out of time. Unlike Keith Richards, Willie, at age 91, is not likely to be around for another 30 years. But, Willie’s newest album, The Border, is his 75th album, so you have a lot of recorded material you can play through if your schedule does not permit you to attend one of his upcoming concerts, or like me, you would like to go and see him (again) but his shows are sold out. Yes, Willie is still touring.
This newest album, The Border, which is also the title track, surprised me.
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The Foundation Needs Your Help
We need volunteers to help with the running of this awesome organization. Your help can be in the form of becoming a board member or helping with specific tasks. Some key areas where we need help include getting out our newsletter every month as well as:
- Website support - content input, site maintenance, membership management, etc.
- Newsletter and communications support - content development and input
- Board Positions - are you interested in becoming a Foundation Board Member?
- Other support - let us know where your interests lie and we can find a niche for you
If you can spare a few hours, or even a few days a month as a volunteer, your time will have an impact. If you would like more information about any of the volunteer opportunities available, click the button below to send a note to Volunteer Services to discuss joining our team.
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Suggestions or Submissions?
Our Leadership Team wants to hear from you! If you have something written up about some music you'd like to share, or piece of equipment you're fond of, or an idea for a presenter or event, just send it to contact@audiophilefoundation.org.
The Muse Publication Team
Editor-in-Chief: Leslie Lundin
Editor: Larry Deniston
Editor: David Hicks
Editor: Larry Gee
Editor: John Hughes
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