It’s Only Rock’n'Roll (But I Like It)

…my ears were recently pulverised by the Stones at Oracle Arena in Oakland, CA. Mick, Keith, Ronnie & Charlie put on a great show! …

…and like it you must!

I would like to invite everyone to check out (Like) my new pitch perfect audio Facebook page!

It will provide a venue where I can engage customers in a more casual manner than the very specific posts on this site.   Follow us on Facebook for quick posts on equipment, music, behind the scenes store stuff, helpful info, photos and so on.  Basically, I will post on FB when a particular topic does not quite fit within the context of this site.  Additionally, I will ‘reprint’ random posts from this site, on my FB page.

Additionally, it will be an easy way to interact directly with me besides using email or phone.  Of course, you must have a Facebook account to join my Facebook feed.

…A time to build up, a time to break down…

I’ve commenced packing and my move date to my new studio space is set for late June. As mentioned in my prior post, it’s officially time to bid farewell to the city by the sea. With the help of some extraordinarily helpful friends(and enthusiastic customers), Tom and Ricky, we dug deep packing records last weekend. Thanks guys!

However, there is a lot more for me to do.  I’ve given it a lot of thought to slimming down the load prior to my move – especially the delicate equipment – and it makes sense considering the distance they otherwise must travel.

There is a time and a place for a sale and, since I intentionally never had one in all the years I’ve been in business, the time is right… so here we go…

Announcing our first ever STUDIO SALE on Friday May 31st and Saturday June 1st, from 12 noon ~ 8pm each day at the San Francisco  showroom – 300 Brannan Street – Suite 209.  Basically, most items not bolted down will be available for cash and carry.  Do not miss this opportunity – there will not be another one like it !  However, some select items will not be for sale.

What is for sale:

Select demonstration equipment (loudspeakers, preamps, amps, integrated amps, turntables,dacs), discontinued demonstration equipment, audio furniture, lighting/showroom decor, accessories, cables, vintage turntables, vintage drivers, vintage tube tuners, vintage tone-arms, phono cartridges, assorted misc. trade-in items, parts, knick-knacks, goodies and so forth. Inquire for more info!

I will not email a price list, so please don’t ask.  But feel free to call with questions regarding what will be available on these two days, anytime prior to the sale, so you can be prepared. Let me re-iterate.  Cash and Carry.  All items must be picked up within these two days.  Additionally, I have to mention, I’m not giving stuff away.  I’m not desperate for the sale, I can take it or leave it.  So please don’t come expecting ‘free’ stuff.

Again, please feel free to call and discuss items available.  There will be no demonstrations during the sale.

Not in the market for any cool stuff?  Feel free to swing by anyway and say hello and hang out. Perhaps partake in the abundant liqueur reserves from my Greenhaus™ event.

Terms:

• Select items only.
• No demonstrations.
  
• First come, first served.
• All sales final, no returns.
• Cash and carry means just that.
• Payment accepted: Cash.  No checks. No Credit Cards. No Paypal.
• Demo equipment, where applicable, will come with warranty/support.
• Most items do not include packing/boxes.  Some do.  Please inquire.

My move date is set for the end of June, so clearing out some items would be helpful.

[Please check back on this post for occasional updates.]

Digital Duality

Introducing the Line Magnetic LM-502CA Digital to Analog Converter!

This ambitious DAC design is perfect for those of us not willing to leap into the abyss of expensive, complicated digital processing gear on the market.

I combed through the specs, and tallied up a few key design parameters..

• Sample rate 32bit, 44.1kHz through 192kHz, displayed on front panel
• Asynchronous technology for ultra-low jitter/distortion
• Top of the line ESS Sabre 9016 DAC
• Tube rectified analog circuits utilizing the 6z4 full wave rectifier tube
• Dual output stages –  Tube (12au7 dual triode) output and Solid-State output stage. Cool!
• Utilizes XMOS USB 2.0 receiving and decoding audio technology for your computer based music source
• Flexible installation with 5 input choices – AES/EBU, BNC, USB, Optical and Coaxial
• Dual transformer design – Toroidal type handles digital circuits and EI for Analogue circuits

The LM-502CA is one sweet DAC.  Paired with the LM-518  and DeVore O/96 Loudspeakers, I enjoyed a spacious and startlingly realistic musical presence.  More importantly, music is well grounded and has depth, scale and presence.  Timing cues, flow and the tension in the music (for me, the way the music unravels in a realistic way) –  an important trait in vinyl playback –  is a welcome addition.  A palpable sense of texture and tonal color creates a naturalness that is not typically seen at this price point.  Fantastic !

Inquire for pricing and availability.

 

Celluloid Heroes

I have been eager to announce some exciting news, and considering the deal is done and ink dried, here we go!

Pitch Perfect Audio is relocating to Southern California.  This heavy-duty move will take place within 3~ months, and I am anticipating a sure-footed transition (knock on wood).

My new studio will be located at 6161 Santa Monica Boulevard, in the heart of downtown Hollywood (click for higher res photo).  A great location – east of Vine St., a few blocks south of Sunset and Hollywood Boulevards.  The musical vibe illuminated  from within the iconic Capitol Records building, a few blocks up, is tangible.  Additionally, I’m 10 minutes from Downtown Los Angeles and a short drive from LAX (Los Angeles Airport).  Like my current San Francisco location, I conscientiously worked at finding a spot that is a breeze to commute to – a hub for travel - not to mention being steeped in cultural/artistic history.

…current studio…

For new customers, a short bio:  I’m a transplanted New Yorker and have been in San Francisco 7~ years.  I commenced operations in 2006, working from my initial home based shop, offering audio products the Bay Area craved.  The list is long of so many wonderful people I have welcomed into my home (and honestly, some certifiable lunatics) during this initial phase.  Five years ago, I moved to a larger, dedicated studio space in which I currently inhabit.  It’s been a great location and I’ve made some killer sounds through the years.  Admittedly, I feel a bit of the blues regarding my move, but time marches on.  However, my new location will provide my business – and more importantly, my family – further stability.

I plan to make the new location as legendary as my San Francisco studio (or maniacal audio workshop, depending on time of day you visited). [smile] A grand opening party will ensue and Greenhaus™ events will be more prolific than ever now that my direction is focused.  The new studio will be very cool – It’s located in a building that was used as a Hollywood prop house, back in the day.

Many of you have become good friends and I expect a mandatory visit every now and then!

I will continue the one on one service I am known and aspire to refine certain aspects of the business.  Besides being at the store demonstrating cool music systems, I am on the road a lot and I  will regularly be visiting Northern California/San Francisco/Bay Area (and beyond) to continue to assist those customers that require my support.  Although I am in a different zip code,  I am still here for you.

I will continue being your resource for all things Shindo, Leben, Line Magnetic, EMT, DeVore Fidelity, etc.  A lot of top quality products will be on display as always.  I’ll post photos of the new space in due time.  Stay tuned, more to come…

* UPDATE: Please note, we will be available via email and phone during the upcoming move.  Demonstrations, however, will not be possible starting mid to late June until we settle into the new studio.

Orange Aid

Line Magnetic Audio to the rescue!  Looking a tad more orange than gold, but undeniably handsome, the new Line Magnetic Gold Series integrated amps hit the price and performance sweet spot.  The Gold Series sit between the popular Silver Series (check this link as well) and the Classic Series (755i loudspeaker system, associated components, Western Electric reproductions and other cool ear making it’s way to pitch perfect – stay tuned).

Two amplifiers are in the Gold Series line: LM-518 (22wpc single ended) and LM-501 (100wpc utilizing the KT120 tube).  Additionally, LM makes a great DAC, the LM-502CA (more info soon).  Like all LM products, the Gold Series is built to a level that sets the bar beyond reach of other products at these price points.  These amps get the pitch perfect audio sonic stamp of approval.

Check out the vibe of the LM-518:

Like the extraordinary LM-218, the LM-518 utilizes the 845 triode, originally developed by RCA in the early 1930′s as a radio transmitter tube.  The circuit maintains the popular 218′s high degree of sonic attributes – effortless dynamics and musicality – but LM designers have finessed the design with a 5AR4 tube rectified power supply and a few select internal component upgrades. Additionally, a dedicated preamp input allows you to augment the setup with a preamp.  Tubes that complete the circuit consist of a 12ax7 input tube and a 6P3P driving the 845′s.  Like all LM integrated amps a volume remote control rounds out the setup.  (By the way, I should mention – the two top Silver Series integrated models, the gorgeous sounding LM-210 (300B) and awesome LM-219 (845), also feature a preamp input option.)

Inquire for pricing.

8 Miles High

Check out Rene’s handsome hifi system.  The core components consist of a Shindo Monbrison, Shindo Haut-Brion and DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/96 Loudspeakers.  Shindo Interconnects and Auditorium 23 Speaker Wire tie it all together.  Sweet analog sound is provided by a DPS turntable,  Allaerts phono cartridge and A23 Step Up Transformer.  Digital is handled by a headless mac mini (easily controlled with desktop screen sharing function of mac OSX) and a Weiss Dac2.

Of course, this is all moot without a quality stand holding it all together. Check out the beautiful custom BOX Furniture Co. Heavy Double Width 2 shelf component stand.  The finish of the Anigre wonderfully compliments the speakers and decor.

Ironclad Performance

What else can be said of finest Step Up Transformers(SUT) available?  The Auditorium 23 Hommage series are key ingredients within the context of the best vinyl playback setups. Designed exclusively by Auditorium 23 the Hommage T1 and T2 weave an effortless flow of music from your Ortofon SPU and EMT series of cartridges, respectively.

Basically, a SUT steps up voltage of a moving coil cartridge for maximum cartridge and phono stage performance.  An SUT physically resides between the tone-arm cable and input of the phono preamp.

Much like a camera lens, a step up transformer is a passive device – meaning it doesn’t require a source of energy (ie. a/c from the wall) to operate.  It receives the voltage of your moving coil cartridge and amplifies the signal.  It does this through the means of a primary coil (less windings, thus low impedance, on input side) and secondary coil (more windings, thus higher impedance and higher voltage on the output side).  Both these windings are wrapped around, typically, an iron-core. The amount of overall gain and desired impedance characteristics are the result of these turn ratios of these coil windings.

Yes, it is the most expensive way to amplify a moving coil cartridge – many manufacturers tend to use transistors in their phono preamplifiers which cost mere pennies.  Transformers can cost a thousand time what a typical transistors costs to manufacturer.  However, sonically there is no better way to couple a moving coil cartridge to your phono preamplifier.  This transformative ability is not subtle – music playback will step up several notches in regards to realistic scale, spatial resolution, dynamics and foundation.

Inquire about which version is the right fit for your system..