When people ask me what I would like to do if I were not a software engineer I usually reply that I would like to work in Cat's shelter. I would like to be surrounded with hundreds Cat's who will even walk across me like I am a piece of furniture - what could be better!!! Sure the sad reality of Cats shelter is that they put Cats to sleep as that would make me very much impossible to work their. There is another job that I would like to do if I don't need to fulfill the pragmatism of adult life and would not need money. I was idolizing about it in past and told and even proposed to number people about it but it all was juts mouth running. However, yesterday talking with Yoshi and listening to what he was saying kind of refreshed my juvenile fantasies about my “would be a second job”.

Read the Yoshi article “Have You Been To "Naru"?”

http://www.sakurasystems.com/jazzcafe.html

The article describes a culture of public places where people go not just to eat, or not to listen the “elevator music” as a background of their bar’s smalltalk but rather the establishments where people enter and spending time with the only purpose: to be engaged in listening experiences. I think if a similar culture of “Classical Music Café” would materialize I would gladly work or run such a place.

I envision it in a way very much similar to some of the best FM programming from WHRB. A program with selected recordings is built, scheduled, announced and the menu and liquor list is adjusted according to the scheduled musical program. The food and drinks, along with any other house services are fixed and executed only when it is allowed or necessary, also they are executed in a “special fashion” (I will not go in details). Dining/listening room is filled with sixty-seventy people who pay just an admission price. A good playback installation is built and the play the performances prefaces with is a short, artfully crafted and anecdotes-stuffed introduction.

I fund that spending time as a “vendor” a place like would be very gratifying and very much fulfill some of my internal interests..

It looks like what I was writhing above:

"Coffee houses and lounges in cities like Portland, Ore., are featuring vinyl record listening sessions. Stores like Urban Outfitters are selling portable record players. Last fall Amazon.com started a vinyl-only section. Vinyl record pressing plants are ramping up production, and some musicians are selling albums primarily on vinyl, including coupons for MP3 downloads of the songs for portability's sake."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080711/ap_en_mu/vinyl_revival

Joe,

I have written somewhere else that based upon what you have posted at this site I recognize as you are in fact a quite superficial observer and in some case you do not even understand what the subject is all about. I did not call those Korean folks dilettantes, but I do call your reaction what they do very much as dilettante reaction. The fun parts is that you most likely know it yourself but you in the “special business” and the dilettantism is almost a requirement in your cheerleading mind-frame …

This is a musical section of my site and I would not argue the strategic and tactical blinders Mr. Yong Hwang made in his audio installation. I do admire what he does for the idea of audio café and this is why I posted it in this forum. Audio-wise I do not find what Mr. Hwang is stimulating. If you definition of audio is staying and drooling in front of a shopping window then it is not how I feel.

Perhaps if you make more intellectual efforts than it is necessary to write articles for another Ali G audio publication then you would recognize what I meant by saying “those type of people”.

Joe,

you know that after reading your posts “around here” I have an attitude toward to you judgment and in my view all that you do here (perhaps not only here) is just capitalizing opportunity to put Silbatone and Penderecki (I have no idea what he has to do with anything)  into a Googleable query. I think you get the inspiration who much credit I extend to you commentaries. It is not what my mind-set but it is your accomplishment. When a Third Reich officer saw Guernica for a first time he asked Picasso it he did it. Picasso replied “No, you did it”.  The same is with your credibility in my eyes about your view on audio. I sincerely feel that you do not understand what the conversation is all about. You for whatever reason defend the Korean guys, even those no one assault them. You are screaming about the WE even though it does not look like I care. You are trying to convince someone in something but I have no idea what and who.

Audio is not about a competition whos playback is better but a self-education about the things that you are blind in my view. So, I truly do not know how to react on your posts: from one point of view you use “interesting” words but if to look the meaning of what you says than I feel kind of “nothingness”. Probably you need a different level of audiences…. In fact I know that you have them.

In the end I would like to replay to your allegation about "THOSE KIND" of people.  I know that you do not “get”, which is fine… The “those kind of people” is multi-faced and relatively deep meaning - you do not get even the immediate implication …. I will give you a hint, think yourself if you wish… Do you remember the Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s story about the people who grow a garden with one million roses? Good luck…

Any Google hits this site gets from my post is a gift from me to The Home of the Cat.
Can't imagine anybody searching "Silbatone & Penderecki"..a rather odd combination of terms stemming out of a unique event.

Or how about "Silbatone & Penderecki & WECO"??

I find it quite strange to view the world as a web of potential Google hits, but any hits will go straight to Romy's account, as deserved.

We have had this conversation before and I believe that what some might see as "empty" in my approach is the space I leave for the unique experience of listening to audio and space for others to arrive at their own conclusions.

Listening is really never exactly the same, but when I describe these experiences, they become similar on the page, fitting into slots.  I always felt weird talking about how systems sound and I am ever more hesitant to do so. Beyond the easy ones, like Corian slant front box with 6" woofer and titanium dome tweeter, generalized notions and scientific predictions block my way to what I am looking for, which is something new or something that will move me beyond what I think I already know.

Same with manifestos and listening analysis programs...what if you want something you have not discovered yet? What if it comes from a speaker you thought was stupid and misinformed?

For example, Jean Hiraga had some fantastic Altec coaxes at the Munich show. I played with 604s and 605s a lot and could never get them to work. Hiraga had them singing. When I saw his speakers I kind of chuckled but the first tune changed my mind fast. They were fantastic for Altec coaxials, and extremely good regardless of what they were.  I wanted to go back and learn more but sadly the room caught on fire overnight and they were gone the next day

This kind of surprise, unexpected learning experience is what I am looking for in life and in audio. If somebody makes 604s work for music, when I failed so miserably,  I need to learn from that accomplishment.

Penderecki/Silbatone/WECO is a social example of the kind of strange but evocative juxtaposition that life hands us to ponder for a few minutes before the next wacky experience comes along. Try to grab something from the passing opportunity.

I have numerous agendas, but the least of these is equipment sales.  Silbatone is already selling as much as they can comfortably make. The company is not set up as a for-profit business, but as a creative outlet and avocational venture.  The goal is to possibly break even someday, but that might take some years. In any case,  I don't expect anybody here to buy.

Actually, I would be the first to argue that buying anything audio in the Silbatone price range is insane, unless you have truly excess resources, as some few have.  In fact, I argue for DIY as the educated choice at any price level.  I personally would rather use my own homebuilt stuff over anything of manufactured high-end nature, because that is the big fun for me.  I could not figure out how to spend Silbatone money on a system if I won the budget on a game show.

My foremost agenda, I like to celebrate and promote creative pairings of people and technology to do interesting and rewarding things with music listening and equipment.  Romy the Cat Home fits within  this broad area of concern, although a bit prone to tunnel vision. I don't always like the sound from some"interesting"  projects, but as long as they are having a good time with the creative process, that is cool with me. The world is not only about what "I" like.

Secondly, I like to share my experiences, like hanging out at Camerata or listening to some of those big WE systems. This was quite an interesting and educational experience for me, and and I thought I would share some pics with other people who might agree that these are interesting attempts at system design. Who else can I tell about it? My wife? This is a forum so I'm sharing info, such as to initially identify the pictured system and add some relevant comments about the accomplishment.

I have heard a lot of audio gear of various levels of performance. My perception that WE gear accesses another realm of music listening continually surprises me, even though I have been playing with WE odds and ends for 25 years, starting with a pair of 755As in the early 80s. The complete theater systems are remarkably engaging and frankly blew my socks off.

Behind the constant, tedious drone of me talking up WE theater speakers, maybe there is  good reason for the enthusiasm.  In short, I am arguing to keep an open mind until (and if ever) you actually hear some,  because otherwise it is nothing but speculating out the ass. 

Also, I am selling the idea of listening before critique. And I am still encouraging people, as I always have as an audio persona, to try something different, especially if it clashes with common sense and received practices, because that is where fun and discoveries lurk.  

So, in view of this agenda, one can see how dismissive comments about "those kind of people," certain kinds of never-heard equipment,  the old Romy lines "you don't get it" or Your 're not there yet" and so on appear to me as precisely the kind of head in the sand, self-focused ignorance I am out stumping against.  Without relevant experience and direct knowledge, I don't see where the authority for these speculative, self-aggrandizing positions arises.

The smart people in any field, and certainly the happiest ones, are those who realize that there is too much to learn for one lifetime.  Note how those who believe they already have the answer, spend their lives fighting off "challengers" and progressively boxing themselves into a corner and eventually become ignored, crazy, and out of touch.

So, I say "Listen!"  Hiraga's Altecs, WECO, Silbatone, Feastrex in a back horn made out of frozen porkchops, whatever... maybe you can learn something where you least expect it.

That is my core agenda.  I never made more than nickels and dimes from audio and doubt that I ever will, but I have learned a little bit and had good times.

Have fun,

Joe Roberts

I kind of feel that I am in a middle of a conference where different architects and different home builders collaborate how to build houses in order felines feel good in there. They what to build home that would inspire Cats in there to feel very secure and comfortable and at the same time to feel natural, reminding them Namibian savannahas, Tanzania’s serengeti, South Africa’s grasslands or American prairies. Then Joe the Builder shows up and suggests that he knows about homes, cats and how it all works together. When he asked to tell something about the subject he says that any house has a roof and last week he saw a house with a wonderful naked blond sitting on the top of the roof. Everyone appreciate the story about the naked blond, even though no one has idea how Cat’s habits and homes contraction relate to it but Joe the Builder keeps taking about her leg and breasts…

Anyhow, the Little Prince still lost himself among the garden with 1.000.000 roses…

Well, it is nothing about trashing. The problem that I see is that you, Joe, do not recognize the architecture solutions that those allegorical house builders implemented in order to satisfy the Cat and get attracted only with the easiness of that blond. In fact, it is apparent that for you her pubic hair is the answer to the architecture challenge how to build a house for felines.

What the Camerata people built sentiency deserve appreciation as the playback-cafe notion that is why I posted the link – I was writhing about this idea and proposing it to some people long before I knew that it already exist in Korea.  In fact I would love to “work” in such place and not necessary in audio department. However, applauding to what the Camerata did as a “Classical Music Café” I very much not happy to see what they did audio-wise. I know that for you – the windows shopping listener – a pile of  audio gear is an opportunity to make a pictures but it is not where I see excitement. 

The warehouse arrangement of Camerata inhalation is in fact does not attract but annoys me. I generally feel that having a multiple playbacks is a “sigh”, of cause people do alloyed to “collect” the things but it has nothing to do with audio.  Do the Camerata built any specific “loaded” sound in there or they just keep the visitors as the hostages of random sound of their “accumulation hobby? I am not the person who would answer but with my experience I see many signs that give me some ideas. If I see a multi-wave installation with 3-4 JBLs that are not only not aligned but randomly dumped god know where then I would call it idiocy. Do you think if it is not JBL but Western Electric then I need to kiss them into the asses as you do?

I think if you stop to parent that any of your readers are fucking idiots  and remember that  sound from playback is not the equipment but the people/actions behind equipment then you will stop to stress this Western Electric paranoia. You are not the only one who heard Western Electric, and BTW you are not the only one who provide a feedback about the Camerata sound. Since I posted the link above I got 4 emails from people who visited Camerata and shred with me their observations. The most indicative was a guy who claims that during his visit they run horribly sounding Linn speaker, charging admission as it was the “fool bloom WE systems”. In that room it would be hardly make any difference anyhow….

Still, it is funny that you feel some kind of exclusively and behave like a overly-impressible newcomer.  You are not the only person who heard something in not the only person who know people who stupidly inversed a lot of money into this shit. I hope that your with your Western Electric experiences learned something that you feel is important for you. Frankly from all numerous posts you made on this subjects I did not found them educational or making me to think. No smiles or rolling eyes sings - just what it is.

Joe Roberts wrote:

… in any way promotes growth of knowledge and understanding…

Joe Roberts wrote:

… You dismissed both the people and the gear …

The interesting is that with a good local FM classical stations and a VERY good program director the historic listing event are alley three.  The audio-café is the same thing but there one can cash out the liquor license and a good cooking. The whole notion of café-style listening sessions might be even a lucrative business, at least for beginning what the idea might be presented to public as a “kinky” novelty. It might use the NPR model as well, I would not mind to sponsor them.

A few years back when some events lead me to an old dying guy with a full storage of thousands 15ips master dubs I was playing in my mind with a concept of having as a public establishment when the reels might be exposed to public. Interesting that it made me to think at that time what kind sound system this cafe would need to power a 2-4 thousands sq feet. It was very much not what Camerata does as Camerata more strikes me as very unfriendly space fully dedicated to a celebration of audio kitsch.

In an audio cafe I would look for a different level of sociable unity between playback and listening whole. Most likely I would hide and declared playback with plants and painted decorations. The Camerata feels like school auditorium, and even on this chip video it sounds horribly reverberating, this flat wall was a ”brilliant” solution, but as we know the WE wavers do not reflect… Anyhow, I more invasion the “right” design for an audio-café as garden with small “random” table then a cafeteria.

I wonder if the classical audio-café as a notion exists in today’s America.

Reggie, let to be clear that I use definition of kitsch in reference to audio installation. The Camerata as a cultural event is out of my criticism; in fact I applauded to what they did. The Camerata video did not bring me to the idea of perceiving the Camerata as kitsch, but what Joe showed up and posted those pictures with multi-layered of conflicting accumulation of speakers, amplifier … or better let call it “items” then was disappointed. Surely those “warehouse inhalation” is educational to study the audio archeology and somebody like Cogent‘s Steve Schell would have a multiple orgasm right there. However, for the people with applied interest in audio Results what I saw on the pictures appears too ridicules to take it serious. Who the hell need to dean a racing care with multiple steering wheels even though the each steering wheel change the car direction is different way? Does the fact the a designer put in a car 213 steering wheels means that he just do not know how to make the car to operate properly only with one wheel?  No, no, no, apparently the people who “could buy Romy the Cat with loose pocket money” have a different driving doctrine….

Another few point I would like to make. I did not mean the liquor license literally but used it allegorically. However, in what you say I said I see some inspiration in this direction. If the Classical Café Americana would exist then it might be fun to serve food in therewith accordance to the music was played. Do you know what kind soup comes along with the late Beethoven quartets? What king cake would be a better mach to Brahms played by Japanese orchestras? Or perhaps how to brew the real coffee that might be serves with Schubert's earlier lied performed during WW2? I am sure the guests would not mind to pay more juts for the opportunity to experience the selection of the “interesting cuisine”.

I have many ideas; some of them too advanced or too moronic what might be done in there but at all serve-serving entertaining and would hardly see any practical rendering.  Oh, yes, one more thing – there is no such a thing as “Russian food”…