chuckhawks

It's about to get wordy up in here... Not sure why this happened, but I guess I already trust this space(?) Haven't really shared my story much, but here goes (believe it or not, and abbreviated version...):

Started with my first album purchase (Richard Hayman's Genuine Electric Latin Love Machine) in 1969 at the age of 6. Started off with Electronica before it was even a thing LOL. Still love all forms of electronic music to this day. Always an music and audio nerd I began repairing gear and running live show sound for bands when I was in Junior High School (what they call 'Middle School these days) and by the time I was in High School (majored in electronics engineering) I was engineering & producing for many bands in studios and live arenas. Later, I graduated from Full Sail University for the Recording Arts to gain contacts and cred. Even later I went back to school for Computer Science (figured I'd learn to program synths as the digital age was in its infancy) and, while continuing my engineering/production career, started a parallel career in Information Technology. That way I could afford the gear I wanted, as eng/production doesn't make that much in general LOL (gotta depend on points if you can negotiate 'em, and that's producer only...)

Anyway, I've been a staff engineer/producer as well as freelance over the decades in all types of music. Did a lot of work in the southeast in rock, jazz and classical. My college job was being the "high-end guy" for Tech HiFi, in charge of all the high-end systems and presentation rooms. After, I was a partner in the esoteric consumer audio design company Audible Perfection in the early to mid 1980s. We made preamps, amps and speakers that rivaled the ultra high-end names (MLAS, Krell, McIntosh, Audio Research, Rogers, etc. etc.) I've since owned/run a couple of media production companies to as late as 2021, doing commercial audio and video productions, etc.

My progression through the home audio world started back when I was in my early teens, saving every penny I could to purchase what was then "high-end" to the average Joe but mid-fi to those who acutally knew/could afford real gear. As I got older, I progressed through Audible Perfection gear (of course), Mark Levinson, Thorens, Tandberg (still have a 3104A that was made specially for the Cincinatti Philharmonic Orchestra - with XLR I/O), Watkins Engineering, Oracle (actually purchased my Oracle Alex II that I still have today from Bill Watkins Sr. back in the day!), but eventually wanted to be able to go home and listen to mixes without band members or other producers saying 'turn me/this up' and sold a lot of my nice home gear to purchase pro-level gear, setting up a private studio in my home. To fund my Genelec 1032A/1094A system, I had to part ways with a Levinson 20.5 & Watkins WE-1A system that I still miss to this day. While colored, it was VERY musical and easy to listen to that system, and the imaging was to die for (actually gave the Genelecs a run for their money in imaging.) I pined for accuracy and authenticity, like I had in most studios in which I worked, and I wanted the best. Nothing beats Genelec for sheer accuracy and revelation. That's why they became the Yamaha NS-10s of the late 20th/21st century I suppose.

As I've aged and slowed down my engagement in the pro A/V industry, I've found myself looking to go back to consumer gear. While it's not generally as accurate, it can be more forgiving and pleasing to listen to. Especially for me, as when I can hear all the flaws and blemishes in a production, I start analyzing it and thinking about how I'd do things differently - even/especially if it's stuff I did originally. I wanted to get back to something that was more romantic for me. I still have one first (S/N 2) pair of Audible Perfection RSW speakers we made back in the day. We worked with Bill Watkins on the crossover design and parts when we created them, and they sound amazing. BUT - I never put a decorative outer cabinet on them, so they are pretty ugly to look at, and there's been evolution in loudspeakers since then. I still have some old Celestions, some KRKs, etc. but it's time for something new and different. Seriously looking at Watkins Gen 4s, and have been impressed with how BIll Jr. has progressed them since they first came out. Auditions have always been good, with the understanding that they improve with time as well. Like the RSWs, WE-1As, Rogers LS3/5As, original Fostex LS series studio monitors, and others - they perform a flawless disappearing act.

Opportunities led me to Arizona, where I figure I'm staying. The last company for which I have worked is based in California, and I'm just not interested in moving there. The company scuttled the entire division for which I worked and unless I took a position in Cali, I would be orphaned in AZ; and that's OK. My wife and I love it here. There is a real issue though: The houses here are all about tile floors. Great for looks and maintenance but boy, every room is a reverb chamber! LOL And my listening space has been significantly downsized.

So these days, I have work to do to the space to make it truely listenable. I get to scratch that techie itch. ;-)
The convenience of high quality digital streaming has made it easy for my broad musical tastes (I have no taste, I like pretty much everything) to be quenched relatively quickly but there is no replacement for stuff that was originally recorded in analog being played on vinyl. While I've paired my collection down over several moves/relo's, I still have aroung 900 albums in my collection. Still got the old Oracle (need to replace a zener diode to get it spinning again though) and a Sota Sapphire with an upgraded ET2 air-bearing linear arm to spin the records. As I join this forum, I am now in the stage of selling the remaining pro audio/video gear I have to retire from that world, and create a new space for my next stage in life - to just sit, listen and enjoy without any responsibility to anyone but to stop a listening session to spend time with the wife.

And there ya have it. My rambling TLR story LOL