Recent content by JamesB

just for the record, I am more interested to find out if there would be anyone who would be able to crack even just a 70% success rate, the award for winning just makes it more interesting like a friendly bet, as there is something at stake. Not many people are willing to put their money where...

Seriously though, I do not understand the push back on this challenge. Challenger simply decided to put his money where his mouth is at no cost to those who accepts the challenge, heck he'll even host it and provide drinks and snacks, why push back on that? It's not like those marketing...

the person or persons who get it all right, not only gets a cash prize at 0 risk (to my understanding), but also gets bragging rights, huge boost to his audiophile reputation if not unquestionable authority, anointed "the one" with the golden ears and probably embarks on a audiophile tour to all...

This thread is entertaining and has awaken me from hibernation 😁🍿

1st off, in terms of the forum's perceived downward trend, I believe some of the challenges are insurmountable such as technology and preference for source of information.  If indeed there is a downward trend of activity/participation, note that Hi-Fi itself has always been a niche market and...

:vsad: haven't been active here for a good while now, but the wife just broke the news of Guillaume's passing.  I even thought it was someone else as she mispronounced his name, but sadly confirmed after logging in here. Last time I saw him was at the Maggie's event more than a year ago.  I...

Somewhat agree, yet we participated in it  :whistler: :facepalm: :BWAHAHAH: The thing is, we all have that magic number (the max price we are willing to pay) for every product, and I think the OP is trying to reconcile his with what he is seeing out there.

If we're talking 2nd hand it's possible, but I would respectfully disagree if we're talking brand new at full retail.  Maybe a good system yes,  but an excellent one?!?  - I'm not sure about that.  R50k doesn't really buy you much nowadays, been there done that.  That was my budget 2 to 3 years...

:BWAHAHAH: but that's the thing, unless you're part of a forum like this, you wouldn't know where all the Hi-Fi audio shops are.  Last time I was in CT was more than 3 years ago and had I known that achim's place existed or that of the other stores, I would have definitely set aside a day or 2...

Slightly off topic, but in line with Sir Agaton Sax's line of thinking... There are loads of wine tours in CT, perhaps a Hi-Fi tour?  Picture this, you get off the plane at CT's airport and picked up in a van with high end car audio gear and brought to a Hi-Fi themed B&B or guest house, where...

Agree, especially if someone else does it for me, otherwise just too lazy to go through it .  What I do instead, is using a proper Cognac glass (wine glass will suffice, or something with a slightly rounded out bottom), is to let the body of the glass rest on my palm and continuously swirl it...

Checked the cupboard and it's indeed brandy, pot-still at that and at 65% alcohol. Not smooth or anyway refined at all, and closest I can describe it is "pleasantly rough/harsh", sorts of reminds you that you are ALIVE and a MAN among men. Found this gem at a bottle store in a small town on a...

where's the like button when you need it.  Agree 1001%

Before South Africa introduced me to wine, Cognac was my drink of choice.  Last year, a friend introduced me to single malt whiskey, so now I enjoy all 3 and would honestly not be able to say which of the 3 I would prefer if I had to drink only 1. Strangely enough though, for some reason I can...

I've seen cheap alcohol mentioned a couple of times, so let me share this... I worked in Finland for a couple of years almost 2 decades ago and it always amused/baffled me that every time I went to the bar with friends (we were still young lads back then), my Finnish friends would get drunk...