Incredibly ridiculous...

The most eye-catching and most talked about room of TAVES 2016.
By Richard H. Mak for Part Time Audiophile.

The system is nothing short of an all out assault (prices in $CAD):

Goldmund Eidos 17 Universal Player: $17,799
Goldmund Mimesis 20H DAC (top of the line): $88,999
TIDAL Presencio Preamplifier with Phono Stage: $92,000
Goldmund Telos 1000+ Monoblock: $147,998
CMS QXK with Black Platinum Rack: $26,000
CMS MAXXUM AMP STAND: $7,450
CMS MAXXUM AMP STAND: $7,450
TIDAL Sunray Loudspeakers: $180,000
TIDAL LPX Active Crossover: $20,000
Thales TTT-Compact II Turntable: $12,500
Thales Simplicity II Tonearm: $18,000
Total Price (excluding Cables): $618,196
ZenSati Seraphim Speaker Cables & Interconnects: $200,000 approx.
Total System Price: $818,196

Yeah, I was thinking about picking up a bargain rack ($26,000) and a couple amp stands ($7,500 each) myself... too bad I missed TAVES 16!

Rick

Hmm, just over $818,000... I have no clue how it sounds but it is ugly! If I'm going to shell out nearly a million dollars on a system, it better be gorgeous! Just sayin'.

The Cobe:

If we put a dress and black fishnet stockings on her, would you feel more comfortable? ha-ha

Death By Banjo, Playing With Emotion, and Musical Divorce
Mr. P.C. By MR. P.C.
October 27, 2016
Dear Mr. P.C.:

I just played a gig with a bad banjo player. I spent a lot of time learning the music, and the gig went fine. My problem is that now I can't get that music out of my head. It's killing me! What am I supposed to do?

—Troubled in Tallahassee

Dear Troubled:

Unfortunately, offensive music in your head can only be displaced by music that's more offensive—that's how the banjo music got in there to begin with. So if you really want to get rid of it you could always listen to bagpipes or kazoos, but at some point you'll have to ask yourself: "Could I face death with this as my final soundtrack?"

For now, a better question is this: How and why, in the course of evolution, did humans develop a predilection toward filling their heads with painful music? The answer: If their heads were instead filled with beautiful sounds, humans would become complacent, content to sit idly and enjoy their internal concerti. Bad music motivates humans to take action, even if their march forward is just a desperate attempt to escape, their heads ringing with escalating sounds insufferable.

It's a bleak commentary on existence—mankind forever in motion, running from increasingly torturous music that finally proves inescapable. Unfortunately, that's the formula for progress; on the brighter side, death becomes something no longer to be feared.

Just say, "NO" to anything with a "Banjo"...

Dear Troubled,

It could be worse. What if it was multi banjo jazz, played on an infinitely repeating loop, and every time you tried to turn it off, it got louder??? Think about it...



Rick