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poison lips by vitalic
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music
HIFI review magazine: original opinions on the Bose 901 back in 1968
original bose 901s – not the greatest audiophile sound for the money, but surely interesting to look at with its horizontal approach and beautiful cabinetry.
in the light of the new hyped-up kith + bose collab reissues of this classic speaker we thought we’d share a bit of its history, as i myself once considered buying a pair, almost a decade ago, but instead opted for a pair of magnepans instead… but here it is non-the-less… “there may be no singular product in modern audio history that has generated more accolades, derision, or pure controversy than the bose 901 loudspeaker. introduced in 1968 by a then four-year-old concern named after its MIT-educated founder, the 901 neither looked, nor sounded, like any speaker that had come before it. with its pentagonal cabinet that faced eight of its nine identical 4-inch, full-range drivers at the reflecting wall behind the speaker, its designer amar bose sought to have it mimic the way we hear in concert halls and imbue its sound with a giant soundstage and spatial realism that was unsurpassed.
amar bose and his 901’s in a clear cabinet
copy of bose 901 series III owners manual
beyond any success of its spatial trickery, the 901 had its issues — the combination of its small cabinet and unusual dispersion pattern required equalization at both ends of the frequency spectrum, and it was (not surprisingly) room and placement sensitive. some sophisticated audiophiles bemoaned a perceived lack of detail and veiled quality to its sound. j. gordon holt, founding editor of our high-end sister publication stereophile, noted in a 1971 commentary that the 901 “produces a more realistic semblance of natural ambience than any other speaker system, but we would characterize it as unexceptional in all other respects.” my own mentor, harry pearson, jr., told me in the early 1980s that he bought a pair of first-generation 901s after reading the positive reviews in the mainstream audio press and was so disappointed that it prompted him to found the absolute sound as an alternative voice.
you are looking at he BACK of the speaker here
in the legend and mythology of the bose 901, the review we’ve reprinted here, written by julian hirsch for hifi stereo review’s september 1968 issue, looms large. it has been suggested by some observers that few factors beyond bose’s own advertising contributed more to the speaker’s huge commercial success. while the review retained hirsch’s usual dispassionate and professorial voice, it was certainly as close to a rave as he ever got. in 1998, when sr celebrated its 40th anniversary and hirsch was asked to reflect on the most noteworthy products he’d encountered, he cited the 901 right alongside such classics as the original shure v15 cartridge, the marantz 10b tuner, and the dynaco a-25 bookshelf speaker. back in ’68, the 901 review appeared without fanfare and was mixed among the several featured each issue in hirsch’s “technical talk” department, which always began with a brief essay (not reproduced here), followed up by a handful of product tests.”
above sound dispersion and positioning – positioning the 901s, which fire backwards, in a standard room can be challenging as the 12-inch gap necessary between the apex of the speaker and the wall places the front of the speaker about 30 inches from the wall. you need to be sure to have a room that can accommodate that. over all a great consumer level speaker system, with some proper positioning and staging however in my opinion “too much electronics” to make this a true pure sound audiophile unit
original hifi stereo review magazine review from 1968
“depending on one’s viewpoint, the bose 901 speaker system might be considered a revolutionary approach to sound reproduction, or simply a workable combination of well-established (and sometimes deprecated) techniques. the bose 901 enclosures house nine small, specially designed drivers that have 4-inch cones and powerful magnetic structures. eight of the drivers are angled to the rear, while the ninth is mounted on the front of the enclosure facing the listening area. this arrangement is intended to achieve approximately the same ratio of direct to reflected sound that exists in the concert hall…” to see the rest of the review by julian hirsch, in the 1968 issue of hifi stereo review magazine, click on the link. by ss
Japan’s Hidden Listening Bars are coming to New York
a dive into japan’s hidden listening bars
sponsored by resident advisor
shelter bar an audiophile venue on the quiet outskirts of tokyo japan – all blues bar new york city
resident advisor exploring japan’s rich culture of listening bars and audiophile venues. it’s a culture rooted in the joy of discovering music, and listening to that music in the best possible environment—that means precision-made speakers, amps, turntables and mixers. tucked away in basements, back-alleys and high-rise buildings, these bars come in different shapes and sizes, but they are united by their pursuit of quality, with owners endlessly fine-tuning their audio setups to create an enriching experience for anyone who visits. these are wonderful settings for people to share their love of music, serving as a “third place”—somewhere to unwind in between their time at work and home. though they’re the result of long-standing traditions, listening bars offer a glimpse into progressive japan, one of the world’s most vibrant places for music discovery. by dd
Straight To You : interviews and documentary on nick cave and the bad seeds
“…most people learn to deal with life and relationships… the artists doesn’t, because he is unable to spend the time to do that…”
“my personal life tends to remain in a state of chaos – and i never seems to have the time to put it all together…”
“i understand people more, before i was incredibly naive, i would fall in love at the drop of a hat, or give myself fully to people… i now know the way of the world these days”
this was the first ever authorized nick cave documentary directed by nanni jacobson
nick cave with iggy pop
above – nick cave and anita lane. the film spans nick caves career from birthday party onwards.
above – a young brad pitt and nick cave in and early film : johnny suede
nick in berlin
this docu was broadcasted on tv stations in various countries (germany, australia, israel, switzerland, austria, italy)
nick cave straight to you documentary – if not available here click here
the macabre crooner documented here with his favorite outfits and gorgeous lyrics, the highs and lows of life are all captured here… some nice insights on an intimate level with nick cave. nick reveals how he has finally aged and knows the world a bit better, burned by love, still unable to manage his personal life, and disappointed by the outcome of his rehab, he still finds himself in his depths of darkness, but he feel he has now a good grasp on life and is finally a well-adjusted citizen of sorts. the footage is not beautifully shot but the substance and insights are all there. recommended for any nick cave fan. by xy
two tone britain documentary: rock against racism, black and white hate turned into jamaican influence british made rockin beat
less rasta more rude-boy – margaret thatcher’s england fueled the fire behind the two tone ska back in 1979 – with a distinctive look and an original sound
anti racists, all inclusive, with a jamaican influenced british made beat
“two tone britain (2004) – ska 2tone documentary” if not available click here
the two-tone music genre and movement originated in the late 1970s in coventry, england, when young musicians combined reggae, ska, and rocksteady with punk and new wave. the term “two-tone” was coined by jerry dammers, the keyboard player for the specials, one of the most prominent bands in the two-tone movement. the name represented the racial unity and harmony that came from black and white musicians working together. by dd
new york stray cats live in germany rockpalast
westdeutscher rundfunk rockpalast
having just seen these boys in NY on their farewell tour we felt this was an apt post.
“every era has its heroes and every scene has its legends. the 80s had the stray cats and today they are the indisputable icons of neo-rockabilly. when the us trio stormed the top of the charts in their adopted country of england, punk still reigned in the united kingdom. but brian setzer, slim jim phantom and lee rocker brought that certain something that the mohawked men also had: a feeling for danger and rebellion. impressive footage of this time include two performances in germany: one in 1981 in cologne and one in 1983 at the loreley which were recorded by wdr.
these are genuine recordings that make the trio’s fascination still accessible today. both concerts will be released for the first time in a good quality and with a superb sound on dvd and cd. the stray cats can come to live at home just as they were at their best: young, raw and wild! brian setzer, today an “older statesman” of rockabilly and a platinum holder with his successful brian setzer orchestra, works passionately but was perfectly groomed as he struck the strings on the stage of the cologne satory halls.
he was a “rebel without a cause,” similar to the young james dean. but this guitarist has a desire: he wants to bring rock n’ roll back to life. he wants to play his guitar as eddie cochran did. no question that he has succeeded; he is still loved for this today and this is whyhe is the first guitarist after the legendary chet atkins to have his own signature gretsch model which he plays exclusively. the stray cats aren’t only made up of setzter with his phenomenal guitar playing and his “crooning”. lee rocker and slim jim phantom are responsible for their special sound, too: phantom’s simple drumming became an example for rockabilly drummers worldwide and his wild screams in the songs belong to stray cats exactly as brian setzer’s licks and lee rocker’s clattering bass do. he treated his instrument like a lover which he hugged or like monkeybars on which he did gymnastics.
the bad boy attitude was internalized by the “street cats.” both concerts also underline how rapidly stray cats’ career progressed. between both recordings were filled worlds. in 1981 they were rockers and by 1983 they had become known as tender teddy boys in part of the scene. and internally not everything was at its best, leading the band to a break up one year later. there is nothing to feel about the current performance on the rhine. the band rocked the mixed audience as usual and were even honored by their discoverer dave edmund. next to stray cats were acts such as u2, joe cocker and steve miller. the influence stray cats had on music and fashion is in hindsight unmistakable.
where would psychobilly legends such as meteors or demented are go!, who were founded as a counter movement to rockabilly, be today? would the sound of the 50s still be so popular today if the stray cats had not brought it back to life in the 80s? and what would bands such as duran duran or culture club have carried if the us trio had not established creepers, snake and tigers patterns, or knee-long coats? today we enjoy classics such as “stray cat strut,” “runaway boy,” “rumble in brighton,” and “rock this town” like they will never be heard live again with two concert recordings for eternity.” by uh
monoblock or monolith: the massive pass labs aleph II monoblock amplifier
so iconic – the only thing it can be compared to is the monolith
circa 1997 – these are perhaps one of the top 10 best solid state mosfet amps money can buy – they are just under 12″x12″x11″ and weigh just under 60lbs each. each monoblock is rated for a power output of 100W into 8 ohms and 200W into 4 ohms, surely enough for any domestic use. amazing sounding as nelson pass said “one of my favorite sounds i’ve ever made”.
the steel heat sinks on all four sides of each amp disperse the incredible heat – as these babies run very hot!! you literally can fry an egg on top after a few hours of listening. that is not an exaggeration.
pass aleph IIs are absolutely neutral, no coloration can be perceived. the sound is full, round, stable, and deep. the bass is very good, maybe promoting articulation and detail… almost a to a raw violence, but for my tastes i cannot imagine anything better. it has neutrality, or should i say naturality, and precision… you are led to forget about the amplifier, to undervalue it, but as soon as you listen back to another one, you realize how superior this one really is…
beautiful from any angle
effectively, i feel it’s pretty strange to see such characteristics married to a sonority that, while being vaguely tube-like, has mostly a heritage of the positive aspects of solid state, plus that little something, so difficult to articulate, that always distinguish a solid state gear from a valved one – i’d be tempted to call it grain, but i’d be wrong, because we can’t hear any grain here, and the sound watermark is perfect… even female voices are rendered with excellent homogeneity and flow, that can be compared to those coming from a tube gear – yet, distinct from it, in some ways. maybe the definitive difference is in the control and the precision, both better than what can be found in the classic tube world.
pass laboratories aleph II monoblock amplifier owners manual
almost 60 pounds (27kg) each – the front view of the aleph II mono block
don’t even think of trying to lift these amps without some thick gloves and at least one burly friend. there’s no way to avoid gripping the heatsink fins, which feel like dull knives on bare flesh. at 130 lbs each, these are certainly not “one-person” amps.
balanced outputs + 5 way binding post – back of the aleph II mono block
i love these amps and i will probably keep them to the day i die and then pass it one to another care taker. thank you nelson for creating these beautiful monsters. by uh
Brioni x Metallica – lars ulrich
brioni x metallicas lars ulrich
war without end
no remorse no repent
we don’t care what it meant
another day another death
another sorrow another breath
no remorse no repent
3 architecture students and 1 guitar player : pompeii, pink, echoes, oysters, waters
“chit chat with oysters” – december 1971 (studio europa sonor, paris, france) – pink floyd with big thanks to adrian maben and cinémathèque française for this release!
there was a time when not all lyrics meddled around some lame-ass persons idea of being hot and sexy, either writing about their dick or their fat ass. don’t get me wrong was just listening to doja “i keep it juicy juicy, she keep that booty booty… he like it thick he like it fat” all good fun but i mean its kindda comical really isn’t it? i cant help but giggle at myself and how shallow and primal we have become. its all just dicks and ass and food and money.
then i was watching this pink floyd documentary and the song echoes came on… went something like…
strangers passing in the streetby chance, two separate glances meetand I am you and what I see is meand do i take you by the handand lead you through the landand help me understand the best i can?
i guess that’s what you get when you put a guitar player and 3 architecture students to make music. good times. more of that please. by ar
live at the techno club: they don’t make em like they used to
“amazing someone had the brains to document this…”
nitzer ebb – live at technoclub, frankfurt germany on the belief tour 1989
tracks: [01]. intro (T.W.A.) [02]. without belief [03]. warsaw ghetto [04]. violent playground [05]. my heart [06]. blood money [07]. for fun [08]. hearts and minds [09]. getting closer [10]. captivate [11]. join in the chant [12]. drive [13]. shame [14]. let your body learn [15]. control i’m here [16]. murderous [17]. blood money (encore) by ac
ivan smagghe : lot radio stage at making time
franco ivan smagghe full set = solid….
steady agit-bot all the way through. this aint no death-disco. press play and get some shit done… recording from lot radios booth at “making time” festival, fort mifflin, philadelphia… about “lot radio“ new yorks finest : lot radio is an independent, non-profit, online radio-station live-streaming 24/7 from a reclaimed shipping container on an empty lot in new york. “we got a great deal on the rent”. by nk
peace now: some words of wisdom from charles mingus
charles mingus at a peace rally circa 1967
charles mingus – don’t let it happen here
“…one day they came and they took the communists, and i said nothing because i was not a communist.
then one day they came and they took the people of the Jewish faith, and i said nothing because i had no faith.
then one day they came and took the unionists, and i said nothing because i was not a unionist.
they burned the Catholic churches one day, and i said nothing because i was a protestant.
one day they came and they took me, and i could say nothing because i was as guilty as they were of genocide, destroying the rights of any man to live…”
some great words by charles mingus, genuine people should follow them regardless of the parties – follow them when they effects the jews and follow them when they effects the palestinians. cease fire now, free the hostages, stop the illegal settlements, demand a just peace, there is no humane alternative – by xy
