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This website along with trade marks Graham Slee and HiFi System Components are owned by Cadman Enterprises Ltd


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Graham Slee View Drop Down
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    Posted: 17 Apr 2008 at 7:29am
The community reached 100 yesterday, I didn't Wink

Thanks by the way, for the birthday congratulations. I once said if I'd not made it by 53, I'd pack the whole thing in and get a job stacking shelves down the Tesco supermarket. Well, glutton for punishment I must be because I'm still here, battling on with design and development work that today takes an age because of the invisible changes.

These invisible changes include the proliferation of radio frequency devices (what do you call a series of hexagonal cell-phone transmitter groupings? Answer: 666...!), RoHS (the removal of [alleged] hazardous substances which were needed to make electronic components function properly), and numerous energy saving directives (lots of spurious emissions just beyond the audio spectrum that wreak havoc with audio gear), to name but a few.

Criticized left right and centre, our equipment still picks up a good review now and then, and by comparison with pre-RoHS reviewers equipment, that is often bandwidth limited, hence suffering few ills of this new era, I would have thought we should now be picking up a knighthood for our perseverance in RoHS and EMC compliant wideband audio.

The number of reviewers (or is it their editors?) who completely miss the point I've been trying to make these past 10 years, beggars belief. Review articles seldom make much more than 500 words and sail straight past the important features of a design. Skim reading is the order of the day, and thus little knowledge is passed on, nor gleaned by the reader. However, it is written in an ancient book I own that all these things shall come to pass...

Therefore I decided some 97 days ago, to launch this community with the hope that the "common man" (or woman) could communicate at a higher level than it is within the limitations of modern journalism - and guys! You're certainly doing that!

97 days which have brought 97 new members! Add 97 to the three company administration ones: "gspaudio", John C, and me, and we have 100!

Every member a welcome one, I hope you all feel part of the community? And I truly hope we can make a difference, and more people can really begin to enjoy the music.
That none should be able to buy or sell without a smartphone and the knowledge in how to use apps
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Apr 2008 at 7:36am
Hear, Hear ! Wink
 
Adrian.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tg [RIP] Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Apr 2008 at 7:54am
If it is any consolation, a similar sized operation here in Aus, a well respected maker of quality valve amplifiers, have just closed their order books and operation, not due to the pressures you face, but due, I believe, to the rapid appreciation of the $AUD damaging their profitability in their main market, the USA and to the onslaught of cheap products from PRC removing a deal of the already small and not really viable home market.
Those of us who are enjoying the fruits of your labours are, I am sure, grateful for your perserverance.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Graham Slee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Apr 2008 at 8:22am
I know you are tg, thanks.

As dvv says, true audio lies on the fringes of the industry. The only way true audio can survive is by it also having marketing abilities. It is a shame that I and others like me can't just concentrate on the sound. But quite a lot of the blame can be laid on the Hi-Fi press and their failure to support audio on the fringes. But they did it once for their mates! And they're still doing it for their, now rich, mates! (But that's just my own personal opinion) They have completely failed to continue the support they started out to do as can easily be seen from magazines full of rich companies products. That's my "beef" and will continue to be so until they change. And you never know, if they did, they just might find they sold more magazines...
That none should be able to buy or sell without a smartphone and the knowledge in how to use apps
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Apr 2008 at 9:47am
The UK used to be well known for it's small dedicated hi-fi manufacturers, who concentrated on quality of sound , but when I wanted to purchase some new speakers last year ( after several years of no research ) I was surprised to find that most of these famous names are now owned by PRC, and 1 company in particular !!!!Cry
 
Same in other areas of manufacturing, where is our engineering backbone? It seems the UK is now owned by Japan, India and PRCConfused And our wonderful politicians have welcomed itAngry
 
If these wonderful politicians had supported our engineering industry the same way they support banks, building societies, estate agents and surveyors, perhaps we wouldn't be in the dung heap we areAngry
 
I saw Tesco was singing about the thousands of new jobs they are creating. Question, what do these jobs produce?
 
Rant over, keep up the good work Graham.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Graham Slee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Apr 2008 at 10:37pm
Rant over? Adrian, never!

We have to keep being a thorn in their sides - and by jove they deserve it!

When you and I were younger we had a chance - there were apprenticeships!

What is there for todays young? Sod ALL!!!!

If todays young fail university they're on the scrap heap, period!

The idiot Brown just cut their throats with his removal of the 10% tax rate!

How do you climb the ladder as a single youngster on what Tesco shelf stacking pays?

Even worse now! The greedy fat controller Brown, luxurating in American hospitality while the young pay more for his 10 years of cock-ups, and the lot who were in before the incredible duo! And the lot before them..., etc

Where has all the love gone?

Monty Python forecast today in their early 70s "Bicycle Repair Man" sketch and its following rant by John Cleese, but the Bible has much more to say on that very same subject! And so has Bowie in the words of "Slow Burn" which follow...

(these lyrics differ to those published on lyrics sites - these are what he actually sings)

"Here shall we live in this terrible town
But the price for our eyes
shall squeeze them tight like a fist
And the walls shall have eyes
And the doors shall have ears
But we'll dance in the dark
And they'll play with our lives

I guess they'll burn
Leading us on and on and on
I guess they'll burn
Turning us round and round and round
Hark who are we
So small in times such as these
Slow Burn
Slow Burn

Oh, these are the days
These are the strangest of all
These are the nights
These are the darkest to fall
But who knows?
Echoes in tenement halls
Who knows?
Though the years spare them all (he sings something slightly different that I can't make out)

I guess they'll burn
Leading us on and on and on
I guess they'll burn
Turning us round and round
and upside down
There's fear overhead
There's fear overground
Slow Burn
Slow Burn
I guess they'll burn
Leading us on and on and on
I guess they'll burn
Turning us round and round and round
And here are we
At the center of it all
Slow Burn
Slow Burn
Slow Burn"

Broken%20Heart

(edited today at 22:58 to add link)


Edited by Graham Slee - 17 Apr 2008 at 10:52pm
That none should be able to buy or sell without a smartphone and the knowledge in how to use apps
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ManuelC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jun 2008 at 4:41pm
 
And it seems to be like that all over the place, from Tibet to South Africa.
I remember how difficult things were in the middle eighties (last century, you see) when I went round looking for a job, but it did't get better.
More media has meant less information (check your Orwells, check your Huxleys) less information was turned into distorted knowledge, while less jobs has meant fear and fear turns into less you (check your Adam Smiths, check Burgess' and Kubrik's A Clockwork Orange). The kids are alright?...
 
"Hospitaller: I put no stock in religion. By the word religion I have seen the lunacy of fanatics of every denomination be called the will of god. I have seen too much religion in the eyes of too many murderers. Holiness is in right action, and courage on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves, and goodness. What god desires is here
[points to head]
Hospitaller: and here
[points to heart]
Hospitaller: and what you decide to do every day, you will be a good man - or not."
 
(from Ridley Scott's Kindom of Heaven... although the Templars did get a lot of excessive beating on that flick)


Edited by ManuelC - 25 Jun 2008 at 4:42pm
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