Putting Curtains in the Man-Cave

The era of the vinyl bargain is over.  While we might long for the time when we could get an album for $1-2 each is gone and dead on a wave of technology revival that was both unlikely and astonishing.  While this wave might burn itself out, or go on to be a dominant media again is anyone's guess.  But for the foreseeable future, there won't be the killer Thrift Shop Finds of LP as even the charities realize they can get some real money for their copy of Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits in mint condition (when 10-15 years ago, they'd be lucky to sell it for $1).  But like the Iron Throne in an unnamed overly long and bloody TV show, a new bargain sits proudly, if uneasily:  the CD. Look at this?  Vinyl from $15 (used), MP3 $14, and Lowly CD? $8!  All for your selection on Amazon in this example.  Funny thing, CD.  Was supposed to be "perfect sound forever" and after it's initial teething pains proved it worth by being able to do thi...

We just got back after a trip to Buffalo to demo a set of speakers for our blog - and I have to correct myself from an earlier post.  (And in Winston Smith 1984 style, it has been corrected in the blog as if I was right all along ... we are at war with East Asia, we have always been at war with East Asia ... Eurasia is the enemy.  Eurasia has always been the enemy ... ). When you do any sort of demo ... bring your CD's - that is all you will need. In fact, I'd say if you bring your digital files - even if you arrange things ahead of time - you will spent 30-40 minutes fussing around with various USB ports, and consulting manuals rather than getting down to business.  And likely as not, if it isn't seamless in the first 10 minutes, you will end up deploying your secondary 'chute and using the CD's anyway. Thankfully we brought our CD's - since that's what we do as a "backup." They had a SACD* player, too, that we pressed into service - and...