Lots of reasons, I suppose. Last year, about this time, I had a connector failure on my stereo receiver that got me thinking about audio electronics. That has turned into a year long (it will become a multi-year project) to learn and build electronics for my home audio system. Unfortunately, it is a little harder to blog about how good something sounds than it is to take pictures of motorcycles or beautiful countryside, so I've been struggling a little.
The big thing this year was my father and my father's house. About a year and a half past, we moved my father into assisted living after a fall and a hospital stay. Early in 2012, he decided that he wouldn't be moving back to his house and we needed to clean it up and get it ready for sale. That took a lot of time, but was rewarding with memories as we dug through a house that our family had lived in for 50 years.
I've spent as much time as possible with my father, but also gotten to know my sister much better as we shared the work and expertise needed to clean out and fix up the house. I'm happy for the time together with her and all my family. I am also grateful for a family that isn't fighting over things and happy that my father's health remains good, although needing a little help.
I did get a little motorcycle riding in, but less than usual. My main riding miles came on two MSTA rides in W. Virginia and Kentucky, respectively. Those were great fun, but riding with others, you can't stop and take a picture when you want, so I came away with fewer pictures to share.
With Doug's help, I did purchase a new camera body that I am using with my father's old film camera lenses. I still have a lot to learn, but I hope you notice a gradual improvement in the quality of some of my photos.
As for the electronics, I am listening to the amplifier on a board in this first picture as I write this. It was designed by Dario in Italy and is called the Fremen Edition because he loves science fiction. Even just mounted on a board with components temporarily clipped in place, this thing sound amazing. There is more detail and image clarity than any I have heard. In the meantime, I am still auditioning capacitors in key locations. The capacitors alone can change the sound from warm and full to cool and precise. These end up being a personal choice based on your speakers, room, and personal tastes.
The circuit board in the second picture is something that I designed using online software and had made by a prototype board maker. Once finished, it will update a hand wired board for my subwoofer. Overall, I'm learning a lot and having fun, even if it isn't easy to blog about.
I hope your year moved you in the right direction and that next year is even better.
Best wishes to you as well for 2013 and good luck with your new-found hobby. While my ear can discern the difference between an average and a great sound system I have never got to the point where I could consider myself an audiophile let alone think about designing my own circuit boards. But it does sound like fun.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Jac. The nice thing about having a blog is that it's yours and you can write as much as you want or as little. It's a form of self expression and no one gets to tell us how we must do that.
ReplyDelete