It’s been an interesting month. Over a week ago, I was blindsided by the flu, which had me bedridden for several days. On the bright side, Belle and I both had our flu vaccines in the fall, ostensibly lessening the effects of this bug for me and so far, Belle has managed to remain healthy. That, and the fact that this one affected my sinuses and not my stomach, has me feeling grateful. For several days, my routine was to sleep, eat, go to the restroom, and go back to bed. In a way, I felt like I bonded with our Goldendoodle, Liam, whose routine mirrored mine! With my face buried in my pillow so often, I was transported to watching One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest at a theater in the round with my mom when I was in middle school. It felt kind of nutty, but it’s been good to catch up on my rest. Moreover, I am on the mend, which is good, as I will return to work tomorrow!
Oh, and did I mention that we have a new U.S. President sworn into office? We enjoyed watching the pomp and ceremony last night. George W. Bush’s winks and Melania’s hat were topics of conversation, as were the promises and platitudes of better times ahead. We’re hoping Trump can make good on them, but that’s the topic for another discussion!
The weather’s been unusually cold (this morning, it was minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit) forcing the closure of the school district where I teach. Yesterday, on her drive to work, Belle spotted a woman walking in a coat, boots, and a mini skirt, posing a big risk of hypothermia and frostbite, so she asked me to call the police to check on her. This cold weather is no joke!
On the plus side, it’s a good time to stay indoors and play some music! Currently, I am resuming my reviews of several items, including the following:
- ATC SCM40 loudspeakers
- ATC C1 Sub Mk2 subwoofer
- IsoAcoustic Gaia speaker footers
- Isonic Ultrasonic cleaners
- Korf HS-A02 Ceramic Headshell
- GoldRing Ethos SE phono cartridge
Also, a few days ago, the Sonore Signature Rendu SE Deluxe streaming USB source player. It’s supposed to take an Ethernet audio stream and render it optically to a perfect, ultra-low noise USB feed to one’s USB DAC. So far, it’s playing very nicely!
I was pleasantly surprised when Pass Labs became a sponsor of our website and found the ad above with a quote from my recent review of their X150.8 amplifier. Wow! That’s something. Moreover, I purchased their review sample, which now proudly sits in my listening space. That’s a small dream come true for me! For years, I have been an admirer of Pass Lab amplifiers and have been wanting to own one. And now I do! Sigh. Only in America!
Anyways, I need to get working on a project. I wish you all well, happy listening, and safe travels. Stay warm!