Back In Big Horn Sheep Canyon ~ Quick But Good Day Double 28May26

Though foggy in the Springs it was nice past Canon City on the Ark in BHSC. I was slowed a smidge to 10:15am by construction but got a couple of good hours in @ Pinnacle Rock today. The river was off color from recent rains but I caught a half doz fish by noon with 13"-14" browns and 15"-16" rainbows/cutbows. Every fly worked: MHFBPT, oil can Perdigon, red squirmy worm, and rainbow warrior. I tied on the rainbow warrior due to the low visibility. The fish are smaller now here at Pinnacle Rock but at least the fishery is back from the Hayden fire.

Dave's Audiophile Systems' Summaries Update ~ Blodgett Theater Tweaks 27May26

Blodgett Theater ~ Paradigm Reference 5.1.2 Theater... I 'updated' the controller to a 12 yr old Integra DHC 80-6 (cheap from eBay) to get modern discrete decodes like Dolby Atmos and new DTS & THX stuff. The 7 channel Integra Research RDA-7 (clean 150w/ch class AB) still rocks as amp, connected balanced to the controller. The 5.1 array is our original Paradigm Reference '1s' with mains now augmented by Fostex T90 horn super-tweeters. The .2 height speakers are Paradigm Titan Performance versions updated to the task. My main sources for this system are BluRay, Roku Ultra, and a mele Linux JRMC streamer. I re-EQed the mains with the venerable miniDSP 2x4 HD. I hadn't touched this system in a while and these additions are excellent.

Nest GR8 Room Theater ~ Three Unique TABA Designs... The latest audiophile system I've finished is the Nest GR8 Room Theater. This 5.1 system's front and surrounds are all custom built using 4" titanium TangBand W4-1337SDF drivers, so timbre is consistent throughout. The L/R mains are quarter wave transmission line speakers with front firing rectangular bass ports (TABAQs) delivering down to 45Hz in these TL cabinets - amazing; the center channel is a unique dual chamber bass reflex speaker with two rectangular bass ports (TABAD) delivering effortlessly to 70Hz; the surrounds are tiny (2.9L) PicoOnkens using aperiodic rectangular bass ports (TABAOs) smoothly tuned to 78Hz. This array is backed by a classic 400w Velodyne ULD-18 Series II servo subwoofer for the very lows (resonant frequency of 4Hz). The TV monitor (Sony 55" XBR HD) and AV receiver (Denon AV-1912) are serviceable but dated. The 90w/chan receiver does do Dolby Digital+ for discrete though and Dolby ProLogic IIz and other DSP settings derived from PCM 2 channel and all other analog stuff needed. My sources for the Nest GR8 Room are all digital: Roku Ultra, iPod, Denon Blu-Ray, and BT or Apple AirPlay. The recently added speakers are a substantial upgrade from the stock NHT 1s, NHT surrounds, and NHT CC they replaced.

EleFrugalKit ~ High Efficiency Stereo Horns With Low Power Tube Amp... I moved the EleFrugalKit to the lower level. It is built upon the incredible Frugel-Horn Mk3 cabinet design; I built and tweaked this keen design from Scott Lindgren. After rolling and measuring 5 different 4" full range drivers, my favored are Mark Audio Pluvia 7.2HDs. The MAs are smooth and and completely round sounding and deliver down to 45Hz. Driving the transducers is a DRC hand-built Elekit TU-8200R 4 watt tube amp loaded with modern Russian Tung Sol 6550 power tubes (configured SET, not Pentode) and a 1960's NOS Valvo ECC82 pre-amp section. There was a significant roll through of power tubes and driver tubes to get to this optimum. Offering source material is a keen Bluetooth aptX HD receiver called DS200Pro on one input (for phones and other transient wireless stream sources), and a mele Linux computer streaming from JRiver MC networked to my .5TB of flac files spun from my ArchLinux server on the 2nd input. The hardwired source is rendered through a Schiit Modi Multibit 2 "multibit" DAC, the least expensive MB DAC I could find (tested great); the DS200PRO has its own ESS Sabre 24/192KHz delta-sigma DAC. The gear all sits on a suitable mobile stand now and I can get lyrics and band images on a $200 43" OLED monitor. I navigate in theater view with my universal Harmony remote via Flirc, except when doing maintenance on Linux, then I use the Logitech Pop KB & mouse connected via USB Bolt dongle. The stereo only sound is simply fabulous; I trialed external DSP and a subwoofer and ultimately removed these adulterations and just relocated the horns forward and placed damping pillows behind. I did EQ/flatten the system to my house curve, for when streaming FLAC files, via the EQ capability directly in JRMC itself (I measured in REW and auto-generated the PEQ filters, then loaded them my hand into JRMC. It's awesome.

Blodgett Schiit ~ Reference Headphone Kit... The best headphone system in the quiver is my Schiit & Mr Speakers gear in Colo Spgs. This setup, most often featuring closed headphones, does not suffer the incursions into folks' personal space that speaker systems do. My preferred drivers are the awesome Mr Speakers EtherC Flow planar magnetic over ear headphones with balanced cabling. Alternatively, when dynamic driver sounds are warranted, I am stocked with Sennheiser 600HD dynamic open back headphones for this system, also with balanced cabling to the amp. Driving the cans is a hybrid Schiit Mjolinar 2 tube amp. I've evaluated many driver tubes and my favorites are all early 1960s: the Amperex "Holland D Getter" E88CC (fun) and the Telefunken E88CC (clean). Again I selected a multi-bit design (vs delta-sigma) DAC... to me they sound more organic (at least when the resistance ladder is very accurate). Matching the amp in the Schiit line is the Gungnir MB version (updated with Unison USB subsystem). Notable is that I've balanced the system all the way from digital stereo sources to my ears - meaning each channel is driven directly from source to ears via separate  circuits (except for any initial signal processing). We come to the cans from 4 wire XLR connectors and cabling and prior through the amp, via XLR interconnects between amp & DAC, and then back from that, fiber or USB digital stereo sources inbound to the DAC from the macOS Studio. The source, mostly flac files from JRiver MC as bit-perfect streams, or YouTube vids. My headphone system corrects for even tiny abnormalities (non-flat frequency response curves) via Sonarworks directly in the mac via digital signal processing. I used this because I can't do the measurements on headphones myself - I sent my headphones to Lithuania for measurement and they sent me correction curves! This is definitely my reference headset and Kala sleeps soundly.

Nest Music Theater ~ NestMT... 6.1.2 Immersive Sound

Mobile Nirvana ~ Fine Portable Music Gear... It's small and balanced and dynamic.

NestDesk ~ Bamboo Blanda Bowls All Around With Massive Monitor And Planar Magnetics... Condenser mic for podcasts and zoom calls, Black Ice FX10 amp and Denfrips ENYO DAC. The front 6" bowls are built with 4" Fostex FE108NS drivers and they're supported by an 11" Blanda serving bowl subwoofer carrying a 6.5" Tang Band WS-22536 driver driven by an external 100w class AB plate amp. Yeah, that's a bamboo dog bowl holder carrying the sub. The kit is driven by a Black Ice FX10H tube amp updated with Tung-Sol 7189 power tubes and winning the DAC-off was a Denefrips Enyo 15th R2R DAC. I added a cork-backed desk pad (not shown) to absorb some bounced mid-high waves but otherwise this has killer near field sound, with some thump. I didn't scrimp on the monitor either; it's a 42" 4K/HDR LG OLED on a monitor arm. Works for lots of workspace, or killer desktop concerts... that's the amazing Anna Moss on screen. Too, the kit has some nice headphones: Audeze planar magnetics or AKG dynamics when right; a condenser mic is lashed in through a mixer for podcasts and a Logitech camera delivers for Zoom calls. Source material is spewed by my MacStudio YouTube/Music, FlacBox or JRiver MC apps.

Blodgett Family Room ~ Front Array Onkens & Updated Surrounds... The referenced post is about the front array of Onkens but I've now updated the in-ceiling surrounds for this install as well.

You cannot go anywhere @ Blodgett or the Nest without finding stellar audio and fun music. At this point I think my work is done; wait, it never is. Listen intently.

Music Appreciation May26 ~ Just This Week, Somewhat Symmetric 26May26

I'm back from a keen fishing trip with da boyz and 'needed' to clear the queue of my subscriptions' drops. I have ~70 so even a week gone is a bunch of artists, studios, theaters, concerts, etc to review. NP ~ that's how the sausage of human-curated 'bests' is made. My take was offered to the TuneBoyz 1st 2nite but now you enjoy my review of the past week... Happy Memorial Day!

• Here’s KT just days ago with the live loop madness that put her on the map 18yrs ago
  
• NorCal bluegrass from Broken Compass played in my backyard and elsewhere in CO these days
  
• Spawhawk w/ Trampled in MN
• Blues too… big from Samantha
• Whoa… smokin’ Aussie pop rock from Belair Lip Bombers. I need listen to more rock bands
• Stellar channel Western AF, Marina Madden is new and real (I hope)
  

Yeah, killer real Nashville writer with a nice voice and good & clean guitar. Wow ~ let's go Madden. She even has the gumption to charge $10 for a 5 tune EP when usually I can get 10 songs... I paid; it's early days for her. Join support HERE by buying her 1st offer, Code Red.

• Completely amazing vocalists dropping now...
• Sammy Rae... old song new take
• Rozzi... broke my 'live only' rule for this drop

CoWWBoyz Crush The Colorado River Basin ~ It's Haine-aRADo Time 17May26-22May26

The Front Range CoWWBoyz blew off the So Platte as the drain of Antero troubled our vibe and my  campsite in 11 Mile Canyon. I canceled my rez for modest return. We went up-mountain and never rested at the Nest. These 5 days of Haine-a-RADo had many moments and bad decisions.

Day 1 [17May26)] Arriving In Summit & Blue In Town ~ Not Much Now 17May26... I grabbed RH in The Crusher  from DIA and we ripped out I70 to Clear Ck where we donned gear in significant hail. Uh - Tommynocker instead. Then we ripped the tunnel to Summit (ahhh) later and ventured the Blue in town... most fish are gone! I landed a couple of 6" browns instead of greater truths. Uh, let's go local @ Angry James then grab the next CoWWBoy at ORB - Yoho! We sucked fishing but rested well @ alpine, after some tunes and brews.

Day 2 [18May26] Arkansas Headwaters ~ Decent Fish & Big Snow... Greg caught up with us at Kobe. We outfitted for rain and took on 30 min of heavy snow instead. Fine. We all caught a bunch of German browns and a few 'bows on the headwaters of the mighty Arkansas. We headed back to Summit for pizza & pasta dinner at Sauce, capped by an evening of competitive tunes on the Nest Music Theater. 

Day 3 [19May26] Colorado @ Pumphouse ~ There's Something In The Water... We dined well at Mtn Lion before being rerouted through Heeney due to a tractor trailer crash on 9. We finally headed out Trough Rd to the Pumphouse section of the Colorado River on a variable weather day. We headed upstream from Pumphouse to the tail end of the Gore Canyon to begin. Unfortunately I'd forgotten my net and had to hike back down to the car ~ I did not hike back up but went downstream to fish along the campgrounds and boat ramps. Mostly I hiked alone this day as a result of my eff-up. We all caught and lost some nice browns around structures; the best was actually right around the boat ramps. Stones, caddis larva, and BWO nymphs all worked but best were the mayflies. Mr Haine was a particularly adept fisherman on the Colorado and Greg scored with streamers as well. 

Day 4 [20May26] Gore Ck @ Mouth & Dog Pk ~  Some Doubles... After a good Sunshine Cafe breakfast we jumped Vail Pass into Eagle Co to fish the Gore. We also said goodby to Yoho, who left in the AM for a golf match. We started at the mouth with the Eagle River and fished upstream for 3/4 mile. 160cfs flows were high on the Gore for fishing and the willows & wind were a further issue, but we got it done. I did catch a number of fish, including a double on this pass, most on the BHDCEZWD40 ~ everybody caught some. Since we were in the area, we stopped at VBC for a beer a bit of pizza. 

After VBC we headed upstream a bit to the dog park. There were lots of dogs and fishing slowed a bit but still yielded fish. Another good day on the water. But also another day without bigger fish. We hit ORB and ordered take-out from Summit Thai on the way back to the Nest. We said 'see ya' to Greg as he was heading home in the AM. 

Day 5 [21May26] Blue River @ Jurassic Pk & N Of Town ~ The Blue Sucked... We knew it was weak in town at low flows but the same stable 70cfs below Green Mtn Rez dam should be decent. I didn't verify the flows before we left however. Unfortunately water authorities took this day to really ramp flows out of Green Mtn rez, which is already down 40 ft from full. Grrr... the Blue tailwater sucked this day and was gusty and cool. I caught one medium brown on the Perdigon and the descent to the river was tough.

We hiked back to the car to try another section of the Blue north of town... it was not any better there. We had decent nosh back in Silverthorne at the Eclectic. 

Day 6 [22May26] Arkansas River @ Pueblo Tailwater ~ Bigs In The Bag... With the balance of decent fishing spots in Summit Co flowing very low or very high, we packed up early and headed to Pueblo to fish the PT. We simply grabbed Subway breakfast on the way to Nature Center. We were looking too for some bigger fish to fight ~ I found them and caught a 17.5"er, an 19"er, and a 20"er among my bounty. The Perdigon and squirmy worm were most effective. It was much nicer weather than we withstood recently.

This whole week was a great outing with great friends.