Thoughts and Non Thoughts

I used to buy a 14-day SIM from T-Mobile when I travel to the US. It provides a US number with practically unlimited calls/texts and data (within the US). Useful when calling US numbers or using phone apps on the go. I did encounter spotty signals for both calls and data, depending on the location. Last September I opted to avail of the Globe roaming service instead - the Roam Surf 399 valid for 24 hours. Then before it expired, I subscribed to the ‘Roam Surf Longer Stay’ for a lower daily rate over a longer period. It comes out to almost the same cost as a US traveller SIM and you don't have to switch mobile numbers or SIMs. This is for data surfing only, not for cellular calls or messages -- but I found it more useful since I use messaging apps (ie, Viber or Messenger) for communicating with both US-based and Philippine contacts. It is also a must-have for mobile apps like Uber, Waze, or for surfing the net. No problems at all with connectivity. At home or in the hotel, one can s...

Lots of reviews praising this little device. To me it’s a real winner. Excellent integration with streaming services like Spotify and Tidal, it has a very user-friendly app. Most of all it sounds great, a giant upgrade from my laptop. Connected via toslink to the MF V-DAC at 24/96 resolution, it plays CD quality or higher. Music on demand the way it was supposed to be -- convenient while sounding great.

  There are many reviews of the VM95 series of Audio-Technica cartridges, many of them positive, even effusive . I have been biased by the description of AT carts as "bright-sounding" hence have avoided them as my system/room tends to be unforgiving of bright playback. Having finally tried the green AT-VM95E elliptical, I must say that this is not a bright cart, actually falling into the warm side of neutral.  Quiet a well-balanced sound. I won't repeat all the reviews, but one thing that impressed me immediately was the relatively quiet background (coming from a Shure M55E with Jico stylus). Compared to the Shure, the AT is less mid-forward and more extended in the higher frequencies. The VM95 cartridge has a practical advantage -- one can easily swap the stylus to any of the other models, from the conical VM95C all the way to microline VM95ML and shibata VM95SH models. It was a matter of seconds to switch to the blue VM95C.  The conical is more rounded at the lower...

  Rega RP3 with Exact cartridge. A modern take on a hundred-year-old technology. NAD 304 integrated amplifier from the '90s. Phono stage is a Schiit Mani, a good match to the Rega Exact. Tannoy 605LE from 30 years ago. Fleetwood Mac "Rumours.” Warm crunchy guitars. Sounds so good on this system. Good music doesn't grow old. Today’s modern audio will one day become vintage. And still sound good.

  The ifi Zen Phono is a phono stage described as "detailed and clean," not to mention "high-end" at a relatively modest price. I paired it with the Denon DL-103 cartridge, a classic conical moving-coil (MC) with a design dating back to the 1960's. The DL-103 is described as warmish, with a rich midrange, dynamic but perhaps lacking extension at the frequency extremes. The ifi Zen Phono and the DL-103 complement each other.  The VPI Scout, a belt-driven turntable with the unipivot JMW-9 arm, lives up to the task of bringing out the dynamics and control from the above combination. The output from the Zen Phono goes to a Cambridge CXA60, which is used as a pre-amp. A Conrad Johnson MV55 power amplifier injects the right amount of tube warmth to the playback.  A pair of LSA2 floorstanders rounds up the system for a full range toe-tapping experience. I also tried the ifi Phono with a MM cart, but it shines best with low output MCs like the DL-103. The other descript...

    Quick answers: 1. The SL1200 and the DV20xl make a good match (compliance, arm weight). 2. Ortofon SH-4 headshell perfect for it. VTF at 2 grams and same anti-skate, arm level. 3. The Jolida JD9 phono stage with gold pin Tungsol 12ax7 gives it that warm analog sound. Impedance at 100 ohms. The DV20xl on the SL1200 is refined, no sibilance, not in-your-face treble but warmish midrange, solid bass, good treble. In other words on the warmer side of neutral. This is perfect for well recorded and good condition vinyl, particularly jazz, light classical, classic rock. For banged-up records, maybe I'll swap it with one of my MM carts.

I recently upgraded the WiFi adapter on my PC to a Realtek 8812BU. Setting it up was a breeze, it's plug and play (Windows 10). However I experienced intermittent speed.  I use a TP-Link Deco-5 mesh WiFi and was getting quite strong WiFi on my other devices.  I finally noticed (via Settings/WiFi/Hardware Properties) that the adapter sometimes shifts to a 2.4 GHz band and that's when it slows down. The simple fix: manually set it to 802.11ac on Device Manager. Then it stays on the 5 GHz band. Now I'm getting the speed I want!