Thursday, March 25, 2004

Honey, have you seen the manual?

Some of the problem, due to: b (see tuesday entry).
Most of the problem, due to: me, being a certifiable idiot.

(Leo, you guessed right): there's a big difference between SACD and SACD Surround Sound.

Duh, D'oh, Damn. I knew this. I had examples of all the various disc formats. But in the heat of the moment... in the rush to hear new itsy bitsy bits... in the autumn of my madness (which in coming won't be long)... I... just... forgot.

I could try to cut myself some slack. I could argue our new living room A/V set-up is not turn-key. Rather, built old-stylee, i.e.: component by component. I could demonstrate how confusing it can be, deciphering the disc packaging and all the format options. But that still wouldn't change how stupid I feel. I mean, I recalibrated the speaker levels and delays, on both the audio receiver and the dvd/sacd deck, I don't know how many times - trying to get more Miles Davis out of the surround rears. When there wasn't any Miles to be had there.

Anywaaaay, a couple of other things I done learnt:

*If you hear an annoying 60 cycle hum, first unplug your tv cable - and see if it goes away - before buying a new power conditioner. Video service cables are really noisy. Instead of buying the conditioner now, buy the terminating bypass filter. Later, you will buy the power conditioner. Just not now.

* If your components have digital audio out as well as stereo and multi channel analog outs, you will ultimately have to hook them all up. To, you know, get all possible options to work. Buy at least 50% more cables than you think necessary.

* On the video side, Component is better than S-Video. This is an important mantra. And like TM, you're never really quite sure you see it.

* Now the search begins for creatively mixed multi-channel discs. I can't take many more listens to Pink Floyd.

* When you turn up a multi-channel system really loud, it's better than turning up a stereo system. It really, really, is.

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