Saturday, April 11, 2026

Altec 755C + Super Tweeters - Altec 3000H, Realistic 40-1375 and Peerless MT225

L > R: Peerless MT225, Altec 3000H and Realistic 40-1375

Although I prefer listening to my Altec 755As neat like a double shot of fine aged single malt or scotch, for certain well-recorded music, I hanker for richer harmonic overtones from the better spec'd Altec 755Cs.

Saturday, March 21, 2026

Western Electric 131A/133A Inspired Amp - Mono

 

While I was relishing a pair of Altec 32C horns in the attic during the late aughts, unbeknownst to me, my stateside audio comrades, Dave V. and Joe Roberts, were praising the same horn's virtues in audio forums. When these veteran audio hobbyists consider the Western Electric 124 one of the finest-sounding amps they've ever heard, I listen. 

See Dave's (aka Salectric) WE124 amp project and WECo 133A clone thread started by another early 32 horn adherent (@gilmorneau) at Hifi Haven.

Sunday, February 15, 2026

Bonsai SE Amps: 6BQ5 & 6V6 in Triode


It's been an unusually bitter cold winter. Typically, I could build a chassis or do simple woodworking in the garage but the frigid temperatures this season were prohibitive. So I postponed a stereo amp project and decided to revisit the 5687 and WE396A. These are tubes which have a loyal following but failed to excite me musically in the past.

Sunday, January 4, 2026

Welcome 2026!

A few days before Christmas, I received greetings from two audio buddies, J-Rob and Gary B., with the above caption taken from Part 2 of Shared Dreams article by another friend, Devon T. of OJAS published by MJ Audio Technology in Substack. Perhaps this glitch is one of the reasons why we are being cautioned about AI.😉 

Saturday, December 20, 2025

🎄HAPPY HOLIDAYS + 2025 Redux!🎄

 

Not much has changed in the man cave since my last update. At any rate, here's a mini-tour to a tune celebrating the holiday season by the Vince Guaraldi Trio.

Saturday, December 6, 2025

Ceramic Phono Cartridges: Sonotone 9TA + Sony VX-23P

Last summer, I attended a gathering of audio DIYers and my friend Mark S. brought his neatly refurbished Rek O Kut B12GH with a 12" Jelco tonearm sporting an unusual but very familiar-looking phono cartridge. 

Saturday, November 1, 2025

November Hi-Fi Show 2025

 

To my Manila-based readers - it's that time of the year again!

Lots of LP/CD vendors and an abundance of rooms filled with turntables, digital players/streamers, DACs, solid-state and vacuum tube amps, speakers + a special section for DIYers. 

As always, entrance is FREE! 

Mark your calendars!


Visit Instagram for FAQs and a listing of this year's exhibitors!

Past show pictures are on Facebook and videos on YouTube 

An invitation from the organizer...

I was there between 2008-2016 and always had a great time! 😊

🍻 ENJOY!🍻