Honda 5.1 Frankenstein 2023

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UPDATE: Judgment Day
I was encouraged to make a surround mix of a 40 year ditty demo, so I obliged. Seemed OK on the main 5,1 office system but I am prepared to change this up soon (another story). So for the true test, I grabbed the laptop and headed for the Civic. When I rolled the windows down, they moved very SLOWLY. I knew I was in trouble!

This battery had so much abuse for so long it was not down to 1 day of service, not holding a charge overnight. Okay, it's time. Today is that day. I buy these batteries (house brand made by Interstate) at Tractor Supply because it's 2 minutes from my house. When I searched T51-R it came up as none in stock?! Rats. I learn that IB51-R is in stock and virtually the same dimensions and specs. $10 more, okay you got me.

I installed the IB51-R and the car started better than ever. I thought I heard the Civic reply "I haven't had this many cranking amps since I don't know when."

 

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Blissful journey yesterday; was sent to the store to get BBQ sauce for grilling as we'd run out. Get two bottles she said, just as I was replying with the same thought. Then the journey through the countryside begins in earnest. I start a little earlier now as it gets cooler at dusk these days....

After the last trip's malfunction - FOOBAR got confused and couldn't read from USB drive, forcing me back to mystery 5.1 FLAC assortment which was great, but no record as the playlist was whack. Deleted old playlist and added a fresh one and it worked perfectly once again.

Upmix review diary of Sept 13th, 2023:

Manfred Mann’s Earth Band - Martha’s Madman
Blow Up Hollywood - It's Not Me
Riverside - Reality Dream I (live)
Blow Up Hollywood - John C Lilly
Elbow - New York Morning
Snarky Puppy - Tarova
Levin Minnemann Rudess - The Tort (Ver. 2xb-74)
Esquivel - Street Scene
Jeff Buckley - Grace
Happy the Man - I Forgot to Push It
John Pizzarelli - It Could Happen to You
Esquivel - Snowfall
Joe Satriani - Big Bad Moon
Jan Hammer Group - I Sing
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Don't Be Denied (live 1974)

 

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Sweet ride afternoon to cusp of evening time. Tactile is my theme; from the just right volume interval clicks on the ASUS interface big volume knob I reach for and it responds in such a pleasing manner. The tactile feel of all the air rushing through the old car is just so comfortable...

I don't have to look at anything to adjust the volume; plus, it somehow coaxes more output from my mostly 20 year old amps. The sub and sub amp are the newest. Have a pair of Proton DPD amps on the bench that may power the next iteration in Spring 2024.

With new battery I believe the D/A converters in the ASUS box/app sound smoother. I debated on mentioning this earlier as I couldn't decide if they were *just* different. Sweeter job now.

Plug & Play: The new car battery has reduced the hassle ratio by 99-44/100% making it PNP. The laptop is practically PNP now. I open lid to start the first track; the reason I raise it is to reach the spacebar as the pause button. I did check the audio device sound properties to see if they stuck; it had skidded back to 10/10/10/10/10/10 values. I boosted the center to 16 and the LFE to 14 yesterday and they held today. (can only check when in the car; with USB interface attached)

Journey hashtags: #SurroundFLAC, #Holographic, #fun, #newoemexhaust, #CambridgeSoundworks, #Tannoy, #Pioneer, #Advent, #Jensen, #perfectbreeze, #relazed

I started on Edgar Winter and let it play while I pumped gas, when it didn't jump to something totally different, I knew it was in sequential playback. Switched to random tracks still somehow blessed with four Edgar Winter - Entrance tracks that all sounded so rich with bass of authority,

Edgar Winter - Winter's Dream: Entrance
Edgar Winter - Where Have You Gone
Blow Up Hollywood - It's Not Me (Reprise)
Eddie Jobson - Who My Friends...
Strawbs - When the Spirit Moves
Edgar Winter - [Tobacco Road
Blow Up Hollywood - Floating
Edgar Winter - Hung Up
Joan Armatrading - Willow
Edgar Winter - Jimmy's Gospel
Jellyfish - The King Is Half-Undressed
Joan Armatrading - At the Hop
Blow Up Hollywood - Born (Live)
Joan Armatrading - Reach Out
Days Between Stations - No Cause for Alarm (Overture)
Jellyfish - Calling Sarah
Mike Rutherford - Romani
The Larry Coryell Organ Trio - Full Moon Over Istanbul
Beck - Cycle
Dixie Dregs - Punk Sandwich
Strawbs - Where Do You Go (When You Need a Hole to Crawl In)
Strawbs - Don't Try to Change Me

 

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Another fun late afternoon drive - rather a long figure 8 perhaps. I'm remembering to plug in lighter 12v cable for laptop for when I get past an hour's playback time. Runs down a little sooner with the 2TB drive powered off USB port. Today's embarrassment of riches:

Riverside - Lost (live)
The Who - Water (Odds n Sods)
Blow Up Hollywood - Being There
Levin Minnemann Rudess - Descent
Gentle Giant - Edge of Twilight
Love - Singing Cowboy (unedited version)
David Sylvian & Robert Fripp - Brightness Falls
Crosby, Stills & Nash - Shadow Captain
Blow Up Hollywood - John C Lilly
Levin Minnemann Rudess - The Tort (Ver. 2xb-74)
Blow Up Hollywood - Descend
Randall Bramblett - Pot Hole on Main Street
Strawbs - Lemon Pie
Jeff Buckley - So Real
Brand X - Don’t Make Waves
Jeff Buckley - Grace
Caravan - Be All Right / Chance of a Lifetime

Yes I have every Blow Up Hollywood album on here.

 

[jefe1]

Yea for Strawbs.

 

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Getting in what are likely the last few good evening drives with windows down and sunroof open:

Rick Miller - The Garden of Forking Paths
Joe Satriani - The Mystical Potato Head Groove Thing
Jellyfish - Bedspring Kiss
Randall Bramblett - Garbage Man
Blow Up Hollywood - Kitty Kite
Led Zeppelin - Ten Years Gone
Love - I'm With You
Mallard - Green Coyote
Blow Up Hollywood - Blond (Live)
The Chills - Strange Case
Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah
Tool - Jambi
Joe Walsh - Days Gone Bye

I'm removing Physical Graffiti and Smoker You Drink; the former because it doesn't sound good and the latter because there is a very decent quad mix I love. Just had to try 24 bit files out.

 

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I tried with HOTH but zilch; maybe I copied the stereo Physical Graffiti files instead of the surround ones. Anyhow this come up today on the local highways; some interesting segues within:

Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
Van der Graaf Generator - Go
Strawbs - Changes Arrange Us
Riverside - Guardian Anger
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Suite: Judy Blue Eyes [live 1974]
Love - Robert Montgomery (alternate vocal)
Brian Eno - Julie With…
Love - Robert Montgomery
Max Taylor - The Living And The Dead
Kayak - Still Try to Write a Book
Edgar Winter - Jump Right Out
Ginger Baker Trio - I Lu Kron
Levin Minnemann Rudess - Dom
Bryan Ferry - Lost
Blow Up Hollywood - Nck
Tool - Die Eier von Satan
Joan Armatrading - Warm Love

 

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Great Fall weather continues; taking new routes in my area. Upmix reviews continue:

Blow Up Hollywood - Kite
Jan Hammer Group - Just for Fun
Kayak - Said No Word
David Sancious - Crystal Image
Levin Minnemann Rudess - Free Radicals
John Pizzarelli - Can't Take You Nowhere
Mallard - One Day Once
Eric Johnson & Mike Stern - Red House
Blow Up Hollywood - Heaven or Hell
Blow Up Hollywood - Ascension
John Pizzarelli - Zoot Walked In / Morning Fun

 

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Steve of Blow Up Hollywood is a friend, so that is why I did all their albums. I used to bug him about dragging out the multi-tracks to do proper surround mixes. I gave a set of fan-made DTS CDs of their albums the first time we met in 2010 this week. (Saw them play in NYC in 2006 @ Crash Mansion in the Bowery)

Penteo has created what I would call a holophonic perch where the song elements shine in a very special way. Once I become Jedi on a couple processing moves, I can make these even better!

Blow Up Hollywood - Beyond the Stars
Brian Eno - Spider and I
Randall Bramblett - Fine
Blow Up Hollywood - Nde
Gentle Giant - Pantagruel's Nativity
King Crimson - Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Part II [USA live]
Edgar Winter - Winter's Dream: Entrance
Beck - Country Down
The Chills - There Is No Harm in Trying
Steve Hackett - The Chamber of 32 Doors
Blow Up Hollywood - For John (Live)
Jeff Buckley - So Real
John Pizzarelli - Lady Be Good

PS Had to check my settings when I first started as my sound field had collapsed to fronts /center /sub only. Checked ASUS device and my settings were still holding. Put my hand on a rear Tannoy speaker and felt no cone excursion at all. Turns out it was just a 1/8" mini from ASUS box to rear channel amps. Whew! Faith restored.

 

[jefe1]

Would love to go for a ride with you and your song lists. Ever think of starting a Lyft service?

 

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Alas, the Laptop and ASUS box hog the passenger seat and Tannoy monitors take up the back seat.
EDIT: Nobody rides in this car except me so the lunar module décor fits the scene.

 

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Great photos along the playback trail yesterday (a hybrid of the north & south loops). I manually started with Spiral Architect as nothing had randomly played from that album and I was curious. Not much there with the standard process, would take expert coaxing to get something. Kind of what I expected actually. Was really wowed by The Enid with orchestral rock hitting me from all sides! BOC with Great Sun Jester opened up nice, liked the tune better than I recall. This came from that little re-issue label that pressed CDs in black to look like vinyl. Richer than the old budget CBS disc.

Black Sabbath - Spiral Architect
Steve Hackett - Dancing With the Moonlit Knight [Genesis Revisited]
The Enid - Heaven's Gate
Blue Öyster Cult - The Great Sun Jester
Strawbs - Lemon Pie
Elbow - My Sad Captains
Jellyfish - Baby’s Coming Back
Eddie Jobson - Transporter II
Blow Up Hollywood - Pulse
Tool - Cesaro Summability
Esquivel - Street of Dreams
Blow Up Hollywood - It's Not Me
Love - Alone Again Or

 

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LONG playlist this time out - had to go into The City (Nashville) to pickup a used Definitive Technology SC2000 Super Cube subwoofer. This is to go with the 5 Mackie M8 near field monitors I'm setting up today. (story elsewhere soon) Here we got Love tracks from 3 different albums, old and recent Strawbs, a couple David Sancious tracks, a couple CSNY live 1974 tracks (left me cold on release, really warmed to it here), a couple Eddie Jobson tracks, the Neil Young Daniel Lanois noise collaboration I love. Okay back to work on the man cave audio changeovers underway.

Blue Öyster Cult - The Vigil
Blow Up Hollywood - Jck
Love - Andmoreagain
Kayak - Royal Bed Bouncer
Blow Up Hollywood - Desert Rose (Live)
Love - August
Strawbs - When the Spirit Moves
Mallard - Road to Morocco
John Pizzarelli - Can't Take You Nowhere
Love - She Comes in Colors
Bryan Ferry - Loop De Li
Max Taylor - The Ruins O Babylon
Eric Johnson - East Wes
The Aristocrats with Primuz Orchestra - Jack's Back
Joan Armatrading - Mama Mercy
Levin Minnemann Rudess - Ignorant Elephant
Dixie Dregs - Patchwork
David Sancious - Come On If You Feel Up to It...(And Get Down)
Eddie Jobson - Resident
Happy the Man - The Moon, I Sing
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Traces (live 1974)
Edgar Winter - Jimmy's Gospel
Love - Seven & Seven Is
Jan Hammer Group - Honey 5379
Love - Robert Montgomery
Eddie Jobson - Who My Friends...
Jan Hammer Group - Window of Love
Edgar Winter - Back in the Blues
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Immigration Man (live 1974)
Tool - Die Eier Von Satan
Levin Minnemann Rudess - The Tort (Ver. 2xb-74)
Strawbs - Where Do You Go (When You Need a Hole to Crawl In)
David Sancious - Dixie: March of the Conditioned Souls/Civil War of the Souls
The Chills - Sanctuary
Neil Young - Walk With Me

 

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Weekend: shakedown 5 nearfield monitors + sub for mixing. Have started to resolve ACID 5.1 projects not playing as they did before with same interface box into AVR analogs. Whew. I'll get there. AVR to Atmos AVR - Everything torn apart? Check. And then I HAD to go out for a putt as I call it. Some dandy first time heard results:

Cat Stevens - Wild World
Steve Hackett - A Tower Struck Down
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra - Promises: Movement 5
Joe Satriani - The Feeling
Ginger Baker Trio - When We Go
The Who - [Odds & Sods] My Way
Rush - Halo Effect
The Larry Coryell Organ Trio - Full Moon Over Istanbul
Rush - Seven Cities of Gold
Mallard - Reign of Pain
Blow Up Hollywood - Heavy (Live)
Joan Armatrading - Reach Out
The Chills - There Is No Point in Trying
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Helpless [CSNY 1974]

 

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SERVICE INTERRUPTION - Full Stop

Just after I pulled in after the previous adventure on Sunday, the front channels disappeared altogether. It seems the 25 year old Advent PA 450 4 channel amp > 3 channel amp > now 0 channel amp was done. I’ll look at it soon I say.

Monday I make the spontaneous decision to get COVID booster and flu shots late in the day. I hop in the Civic, plug in the Frankenstein to the USB and DC, only to hear everything coming from behind me. That’s right my amps dead. Turn it all off, put it all on the floor. This will be a silent contemplative drive to get shots.

One injection in each arm, I start the thinking drive, taking the long way home. Some familiar and some aha moments cataloged. Dark when I got home.

Tuesday feeling “off” I muddle through work day. Eventually I feel like looking at the amp to find any simple failures. Wiring and fuses are okay. “It’s dead Jim.” What about the Proton amps? I got one spliced into the system and recovered the L/R front channels. The 2nd Proton D275 amp never came on so I stopped.

Amp shopping now and looking at 5/6 channel amps to handle with fewer amps.

While I wait for some kind of amp to show up (and the colder weather moves in, I’m shifting attention to a Denon AVR-X4300h that arrived a few days ago. Getting setup for 5.1.4 Atmos in the office / mancave.

 

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Back from the ashes - the Pyle 6 channel amp seems to have changed things for the better. The fronts are set to full range instead of what must've been High Pass only. Much fuller sound and some tweaks will be in order for a while. The 2 year old Jensen sub amp seems well suited to stay. A proper wiring job due but pleasing nonetheless.

A joyous set was heard on this almost last taste of autumn outdoors in the open air.

The Chills - The Male Monster From the Id
Beck - Cycle
The Aristocrats With Primuz Chamber Orchestra - Through The Flower
Tool - Intermission
Neil Young - Rumblin’
Jerry Douglas Band - Cavebop
Eric Johnson - Cliffs of Dover
Strawbs - When the Spirit Moves
Jerry Douglas Band - Go Ahead and Leave
Cat Stevens - Wild World
Strawbs - Autumn
Joe Satriani - The Forgotten, Part 2
David Sancious - Come On If You Feel Up to It...(And Get Down)
King Crimson - Fracture
Snarky Puppy - Beep Box
Dixie Dregs - Hereafter
Larry Coryell Organ Trio - Come Rain or Come Shine

 

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Seems I need to rebalance system channels with this new amp. I've lowered the center as I believe it's the 5/6 channels bridged. Had to bring up the right front as it was sounding left + center heavy. Getting ready to be out of town for a couple weeks of work travel, will try to squeeze a couple more road tests before I go. The Beck tracks are manual selections then random kicks in.

OCT 24th
Beck - Blackbird Chain
Tool - Vicarious
Van der Graaf Generator - Pilgrims
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young [live 1974] - Almost Cut My Hair
Joan Armatrading - Get in the Sun
Strawbs - Changes Arrange Us
The Enid - Chaldean Crossing (2009 revision)
Rick Miller - Midnight
Jeff Buckley - Eternal Life
Blow Up Hollywood - Kite
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - [live 1974] Suite: Judy Blue Eyes

OCT 25th
Beck - Waking Light
Dixie Dregs - Free Fall
Love - She Comes in Colors (Stereo Mix)
Eddie Jobson - Prelude
Eric Johnson - Nothing Can Keep Me From You
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - [live 1974] Johnny's Garden
Tool - Rosetta Stoned

 

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Nice sunny day yesterday, nabbed some great sunset photos in some new places. Need to spend more time adjusting amp settings (mostly in trunk) to get it dialed in. Seems like I have more options now. The Pyle amp includes a direct Bluetooth connection as well. Nice touch!

Brand X - Wal to Wal
Levin Minnemann Rudess - The Verdict
Dixie Dregs - Long Slow Distance
Blow Up Hollywood - Gloaming Reprise
Jellyfish - That Is Why
Gentle Giant - Schooldays
The Who - Glow Girl
Mike Rutherford - Cats and Rats (in This Neighbourhood)
Jeff Buckley - Lover, You Should've Come Over
Brian Eno - Energy Fools the Magician
Manfred Mann’s Earth Band - California (single mix)

Cloudy today so I'll stay in and work on audio projects. Maybe one more drive this weekend before I leave on business travel.

 

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Plug & Play - Civic starts up 15 days later! Simple things. Yay.
Quick reunion ride this short afternoon, even cutting out at 4pm. Everything working pretty good.

Blow Up Hollywood - Descend
John Pizzarelli - Best Man
Max Taylor - Cheshire Tree Reprise
John Pizzarelli - Candy
Randall Bramblett - Plan B
Blow Up Hollywood - Weight
Beck - Phase
The Chills - Water Wolves

 

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Since I was on the road two weeks for work and I put on a training class on Saturday, I gave myself permission to knock off early yesterday. This is going to happen more with these short winter days!

It's more fun when I can get in a good long playlist and see which upmix tracks float to the surface and impress with some nice clear separation. Pretty diverse selection this time around. Must tell my dear friend Steve how much I'm enjoying these Blow Up Hollywood album upmixes.

Echolyn, Elbow and Esquivel all stand out for different reasons. I'm going to add some fresh albums soon that I plan to process over the holidays.

Eric Johnson - Steve's Boogie
Blow Up Hollywood - Up (Live)
The Chills - Ocean Ocean
Blow Up Hollywood - Fake
Blow Up Hollywood - Oceans
Echolyn - Island
Levin Minnemann Rudess - Free Radicals
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - [CSNY 1974] Old Man
Esquivel - Street Scene
Jeff Buckley - So Real
Edgar Winter - Rise to Fall
John Pizzarelli - Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You
Joan Armatrading - Warm Love
Jan Hammer Group - Window of Love
David Sylvian & Robert Fripp - Darshan (The Road to Graceland)
Levin Minnemann Rudess - Orbiter
Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Strawbs - Ghosts
Jellyfish - She Still Loves Him
Steve Hackett - Camino Royale
Blow Up Hollywood - [bonus] Choking
Edgar Winter - Re-entrance
Esquivel - Dancing in the Dark
John Pizzarelli - Zoot Walked In / Morning Fun
Kayak - Woe and Alas
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - [CSNY 1974] Wooden Ships
Blow Up Hollywood - Blue
The Enid - Anthropy + One And The Many
Elbow - Charge