The Off Topic

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Again, not very “off-topic” … but …

I remain amazed at how many hoops, and the level of nonsense, a large number of well-regarded high-end manufacturers (and their distributors) seem to think we’re willing to jump through in order to give them money.

Here’s a hint …

If I can buy non-coach round-trip tickets to the UK, buy your item there (from stock), spend 4 days there properly vacationing, and have the total be 20% less than ordering just the unit in the US, and not requiring a 1-2 month wait, you’ve lost the plot.

Similarly, if your lead times for the US are the same as a customized Audi or BMW, when you have units in stock in the UK, you’re getting it wrong.

Don’t make it hard to for me to give you my money as I’m at a level where the minuscule differences in measured performance mean I’m probably at the point where I’m differentiating on things other than sound.

Utter nonsense … and making me seriously consider buying a different brand entirely.

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122

Amen Brother.

I can think of many instances where businesses make it hard to give them your money.
From the “Twin Kiss” ice cream/burger shop which makes you wait in TWO lines (one dairy, one meat, and they’re Mennonite, not Jewish Orthodox), to the local K-Mart or Grocery store with one lane open other than scan-it-yourself nonsense.

To simply ordering the esoteric spirit of your dreams online…

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My organization runs a lot of virtual servers globally. We use a wide range of providers, some small, some large, some old school some very much born in the cloud computing era. Without failing, the larger and older the organization, the harder it is to get them to take our money. The best let you put in a credit card number, give you an API and let you go to town. The worst put you through a lengthy sales process involving salesmen, customer “support” people and lawyers.

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I must say that this is usually the other way around!

I have lost track of the number of times that we (as a company) have had to fly someone across from the US to bring us equipment for a project due to the exact reasons you mention above!

I have also found it on many occasions, when buying bass related equipment, to be cheaper to buy a product made in Germany from the US at nearly 40% less than I can get it from Germany direct.

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125

Jealous? Enraged? Just a signed photo of President Trump alongside Jerry Seinfeld, Bob Dole, and Regis Philbin in the White House…
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image
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…Sub Shop in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Note: Their 1/2 sized sub is 8-10" long and larger than most “large” sub sandwiches. They cost about $7.50 to $9.00, or $15+ for “full.” “Half” means half a long loaf of bread.

Note: The Jersey Mike’s chain makes a 95% accurate copy of these sandwiches. The original has denser and chewier bread.

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126

And today is the day that my primary DAC decides that one phase of the left balanced output should no longer function.

Took me a while to figure it out, as the amps it was driving will function on one phase, just at -3 dB (since half the offset is missing and references to GND instead). So the image shifted right, just enough to be annoying.

I’ll blame all the heavy cabling, DBS boxes, and mass-switching around of gear of the past few weeks. Still annoying though … and I guess we’ll see how Chord’s US warranty service is …

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127

That is no bueno! I had an odd problem where my left channel on my Focal Elegia at work wasn’t working…not gonna lie was a little freaked out initially did a bunch of troubleshooting… turned out some how midi/sound settings had been shifted to one side on my MacBook…once figured out everything was fine… but it has randomly happened a couple times since…odd bug in the OS maybe?

Yup end of a long day rambling Tyler again…sorry for the “I’m relating” (kind of) wall o text…one day I’ll get enough rest for a full days worth of brain power :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

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I’ve never seen that happen … but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t!

I wish that was my issue, but it’s not. Stuck the scope on it, and the - connection is dead. If it wasn’t still under warranty, and so pricey, I’d just open it up and fix what I am sure is simply a failed/marginal solder joint (often big connectors are installed and soldered by hand). As it is, warranty-return it is.

Still, I’m going to run the Hugo 2 off the M-Scaler, since it can take the full-rate output and see how that does in this rig. It’ll mean going unbalanced to the amps, but otherwise will be an interesting comparison.

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129

Cosmic rays. That’s what I always blame. Who’s to disagree?

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As long as they give me super powers I don’t mind…=)

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Darth-El?

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I did too … until …

Just look what they did to Donny Osmond …

Well … how else do you explain all those teeth?

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I’ll take a suit that gives super powers also… from, you know, aliens :space_invader:

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134

Random nonsense …

Order two, VERY similar, things from Amazon on Tuesday. One coming from the US (via Prime “2nd-day”), one coming from Hong Kong (via DHL “we’re-not-even-suggesting-it’ll-be-this-month”).

The one from Hong Kong is here, and in use, already.

The one from the US only just hit Seattle.

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My favorite is when things ship from the west coast and take 5 days to get to me in Seattle. I’m including WA as a location that a package has come from and this happening also…

Still bogles my brain how that is possible.

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I blame Uber and Lyft drivers moonlighting as Amazon delivery services.

That said, pretty much anytime I am in Seattle I blame Uber and Lyft drivers for, well, whatever is inconveniencing me at that moment.

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So do the taxi drivers here :smile:

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138

Dont worry Torq. I’m working on a quicker solution for the future.

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139

On another note …

The big problem I find, at least when there are no compelling audio-pieces hanging around to be listened to/lusted after, is that my other hobbies start getting attention.

My wine-related passions are currently (overly) well supplied, so that’s a purely consumption-based pursuit at the moment. No acquisitions pending. No space, even in storage, even if they were.

Knives are covered for now, with a couple custom pieces pending.

Cameras are a bit of a slow point at the moment (the Sony stuff is going gangbusters, but Leica is a bit slow just now).

This leaves … horology.

I’ve been collecting/trading and building, watches for 30 years. My tool-watch collection was, I thought, complete, until Rolex announced the currently-unobtanium GMT Master II Pepsi (126710). That’s a least a couple of years away, due to me being slow out of the starting-blocks. And then I ran across a red-line 126600 (Sea-Dweller), that is probably a this-year-availability thing. So that was two to add to a previously-complete collection.

Then Tudor showed off their Black-Bay GMT, which is a bit retro, but rather classy, and a lot easier to obtain, even if it’s not going to sate my lust for the GMT Master II.

So … I decided “sod this, I’ll just build one”.

Now, I should say that I will not personally wear, buy, nor like/approve of/endorse knock-offs, fakes or “homage” watches that are really just exercises in “how close can we fake the real thing without actually using the brand name and logo” affairs.

(There are plenty of true “homage” pieces that have their own identity, are fine pieces in their own-right, and aren’t borderline copies of the GMT Master I/II, those are all cool with me … be they Seiko, Tag, Omega, Tudor or lesser known brands …).

But I did think it’d be fun to see how close to the GMT Master II I could get, without spending a fortune, and while avoiding any fake “Rolex” branding, with as many “correct” details as possible.

And this is the result:

Hodge%20Podge
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This build deliberately avoids any specific branding. And it uses a bracelet configuration that is not offered by Rolex for this watch in steel. Both in an effort to avoid it looking like an intentional fake.

But … for about $250 all in (including shipping), pieced together from raw parts (e.g. bezel, dial, hands) and several dismembered “donor” watches … along with copious hand-finangling …

  • Swiss ETA 2893-2 automatic, 4 Hz/28,800 vph, 21 jewel movement, with quick-set date/24-hour hand capability and 50-hour power-reserve.
  • Solid-link Oyster-style 316L bracelet.
  • Embossed, anodized, aluminum over white ceramic bezel.
  • Sterile dial, with custom (self) printed “GMT” and “Automatic”.
  • Hand over-painted lume (Luminova equivalent).
  • Sapphire crystal w/ date magnifier.
  • Custom-printed date-ring (offset font, for further disambiguation).
  • “Mercedes” hand-set.

Current regulation alternating about 16 hours on the wrist and 8 face down on the nightstand, is about +4/-3 seconds a day.

Holler if you want an actual watch thread …

*My “tool” watches are all actually USED. I wear a Navitimer when I am flying, a Submariner or Sea Master M300 Chrono when diving, a Sea Master America’s Cup when racing sailboats (even if it is just a Tuesday-night “Duck Dodge”), a Breitling “Emergency” when way off the grid and so on. Point being, these watches are expected to earn their keep, not just look pretty.

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If you’re looking for more wallet lightening hobbies, you’re invited to fly out and I’ll introduce you to my classic car restorer. His work for deep pocket clients has done well at Amelia Island and Pebble Beach. He was working on a Hudson Superleggera when I was up there this week. One of 26 ever made

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