BEST AUDIOPHILE GIFTS -- $1 to $1,000!

[@darrellross8609]

Dear Steve, You are my Hero, for promoting the SoundArtist LS3/5a's. I am truly grateful to have my pair. Best, D.

[@gogo-fk1lu]

Your time is a gift and is free of charge. To an audiophile friend, they mean the most if you listen to his hi-fi composition... and of course give him a little praise... pure victory.😊

[@keplermission]

Well anybody looking for a bargain stereo receiver needs to look at You Tube's Realistic STA-100 videos.

[@garryhammond3117]

Thanks Steve - It's always great to watch your content! - Cheers!

[@keplermission]

Well ... I've got a question for Steve. I was looking at his Mo-Fi Studio Silver you know moving coil cartridge but I was looking at the head shell and it looked to be plastic and just so happens there are these alloy metal ones we are able to get now. But experience with treble horn throats say we're better with plastic because, alloy rings. So did Steve ever try these alloy head shells? Did they ring? Maybe plastic is better, what is the best head shell material or paint-on treatment? Activated carbon, I can't find it as a damping paint.

[@AI_177]

THANK YOU SO MUCH for David Chesky's Jazz In The New Harmonic. Can't stop listening. It's the best thing since ....maybe since Party Down.

[@stimpy1226]

Caravanserai is my all-time Santana favorite of Carlos’s recordings.

[@keplermission]

I had a listen to Caravanserai because in Los Angeles you know, Santana was really BIG with buyers of Radio Shack ... Realistic brand Audio. These guys were very clever and it's always interesting to learn just what moneyed people are listening to but you know, if it was something they were smoking that made it sound special, I never did find out just what the substance was that gave Carlos that 'Eureka' sound.

[@53mgateley]

Have you listened to Welcome? Very similar vibe. I love both.

[@chrish.4067]

Interesting. Thank you Steve. Happy Holidays to all❤

[@elonmuskrat2830]

When I was a young child and I sat on the knee of Santy Claus, I told him my biggest dream gifts would be an Audiophiliac T-shirt, and a phone call with Herb Reichert. For some reason, Santy Claus started laughing uncontrollably when I told him what my biggest dream gifts were.

[@kev7383]

great topic ! I just started listening to that Santana album also its great!

[@keplermission]

Well ... I looked up Santana on Google and uh ... it said he is American but, we all know he was born in Mexico, right? So the Wiki page never said when he was granted U.S. nationality but fans on here might know and could tell us all?

[@kev7383]

@keplermission born July 20, 1947, Autlán de Navarro, Mexico

[@peterlarkin762]

Gifting and being gifted records is really hard to beat. And support your local record shops folks! Edit: There's a Taschen book called HiFi: The history of hi end audio design. A really cool audiophile present!

[@mikemack5283]

Hey Steve, Does your copy of Santana's Caravanserai album have a noticeable thump at the beginning, where the crickets are? I just got my copy, and it does. A lot of people on Discogs mention hearing the same thing-one person even went through five copies, all with the thump. Otherwise, the pressing sounds amazing. I'm just curious if this issue is common to all versions.

[@thomassaner2478]

Thanks for sharing. Just found an old stereo file 9 x 5 1/2 old magazines are still s good present.!

[@Dirtweed]

Love this video. I see a few things I want to get

[@dougdavis8986]

Have you listened to any of the Octave Records recordings from PS Audio? Good stuff

[@tylerpanteleeff8581]

Another great gift idea for the audiophile and music lover in your life... earmuff style hearing protection to protect their ears from hearing loss, tinnitis, etc that can occur when using power tools, mowers, etc. Also a good quality set of ear plugs for protection at loud music concerts.

[@octothorpe12]

I love colour and 'loud' clothing, and I purchased from Ashanti Fields when you first shared her work. I love them! Sizing can be a bit inconsistent, but she's very responsive to questions.

[@michaelwinhall6774]

Do the sizes run too big or too small?

[@kurtsnyder1164]

Give your audiophile 1,000$ every Christmas and in 50 years he can buy his first pair of midfi speakers!

[@jacobpaternostro9109]

Curious how the Ray 6SN7 reserves sound vs nice NOS tubes. Currently running Sylvania VT231 6SN7s on my Aero and they sound really really nice.

[@bizyz]

maybe the entry level cd player from nad.

[@lhommedieu5489]

Got a pair of as new B 652‘s on craigslist ($25)for the kitchen. Had to “modify” the cabinet doors to get them to project properly. Late night design decisions….😎

[@stimpy1226]

Chesky needs to bring back CDs. So many other companies who have given up on them right now returning to selling them.

[@robertrohwer6965]

Agreed!

[@MrsGoutfire]

Which Ray tubes were you using? There are 3 levels, Core, Select & Reserve, at strikingly different price points.

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

The boxes are shown in the video

[@josefbuckland]

Audiophiles Guide, Paul from PS Audio has the next book out on his series in giving that as a gift to fellow enthusiast.

[@keplermission]

Wow ... PS Audio, speaking of which, I have another question for Steve. I've got these speakers that do 22Hz lowest note and they're hi-end and I have these other ... Japanese ... Realistic 12 inch woofers. You want to hear these Realistic 12 inch woofers, they're like Tannoy 18 inch Dual Concentric, the room shakes but in either case, how about detail in the low frequencies? It's very difficult to know if you've got a detailed low end and the best stuff connected to the speaker. Wow! Help us out Steve!

[@epos79]

Sera una noche LP link does not work, sold out??

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

I don't think so please check again

[@DaveG60134]

Really miss your daily show during Covid.

[@adamnocon9432]

Good recommendation Steve, Sound Artist speakers not available now. Can you review the Dayton OPAL1 Bookshelf Speaker, thanks!

[@bamhamer]

PLEASE REVIEW THE AUDIO FIRST DESIGNS FIDELIA!!!

[@markrigg6623]

The best gift for an audiophile is an understanding of psychology 😂

[@7029100]

What? No Christmas System of the Year? 😂

[@GiancarloBenzina]

Best is: - get Herb on - audiophiliatelistic merch - records - sleeves Worst is: - ojas denon dl103R, it‘s a transparent case dl103R, nothing else done to it (confirmed by Denon in video!), but $200 more for the OJAS stamp, get the dl103R and buy records instead.

[@peterlarkin762]

lol well spotted. It's like a car dealership putting their logo on your car and asking for more money.

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

The Denon 103 are sells for $500 now, check it out

[@mondoenterprises6710]

It's not the notes, it's the pauses between the notes that make the music. --Debussey.

[@petejames9366]

Audiophiles 👌

[@juancastrillo4]

Audiofiles

[@epos79]

the only gifts, I gift to myself 😂😂😂😂

[@fletchermunson6225]

Steve, You are also a 70s guy. Remember Malo, a Latin rock group fronted by Carlos Sanrana's cousin? I loved them. Two great hits. Nena and Suavecito. Suavecito was written for his high school girl friend but eventually became a world wide hit in Spanish speaking countries. Often played at Quinceneras, the coming out parties for 15 year old girls. A Sweet love song.

[@nailsbarr7045]

Carlos Santana’s younger brother was in Malo.

[@fletchermunson6225]

@@nailsbarr7045 Thanks for the memory jog.

[@AllboroLCD]

What would the stakeout be to make tubes again in the US, seriously! Lets say working on a small scale even, how much? Millions? 10's of millions?

[@keplermission]

Well ... we can still buy loads of Tung-Sol on the internet. Sylvania too, so the question is premature but vacuum tubes aren't my favorite topic. They're just a novelty thing you know?

[@36karpatoruski]

@@keplermissionthought tung-sol was some kind of wood finish or disinfectant/cleaner. (Just kidding)

[@chrislj2890]

Western Electric for 300B tubes, in the USA.

[@AllboroLCD]

​I do, I very much do. The curent market is small, but incredibly robust. I daydream, what if some crazy rich american decided to produce Western Elec Tubes to spec on home soil? I think it would be a feeding frenzy if you ask me.

[@keplermission]

@@AllboroLCD Well, Borat had some ideas like that but I checked Google to see why so many Audio systems sound so awful and it came back, "they're mostly just an expensive gimmick". I think in the 1960s they were trying to perfect recording know-how but after Home PCs the demand fell off.

[@guitarlessons6090]

dirty wrinkled sheet should be on this list

[@jlutell]

enjoying Plaid Pants, thanks for the early Christmas gift to myself!

[@nickthequick]

I am sorry, but a 45 record is NOT an LP, which stands for "long play", even at 12 inches. An LP runs at 33 1/3 revs/minute, that is what makes them long ...

[@meshplates]

$200 premium for a clear plastic DL103. Why?

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

The current price of the 103R is $500. So it's a difference of $50.

[@meshplates]

In the video, you say DL103, not Dl103R. ​@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac

[@fakeklg]

To give you something to winge about.

[@meshplates]

In the video you described it as a DL103, not the R variant. A DL103 is $350.

[@peterlarkin762]

@@meshplates It is an R variant, not EM. R variant is 450 USD in Europe.

[@Mr70hemi]

Hi Steve: You should do what many audiophiles are doing with regards to uploading music. Apparently there no more copywrite restrictions. I've seacrhed tons of artists, everything is here..This audiophile has the right idea..kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWq2oYiNbbaBrtE

[@DannerPlace]

Great ideas in there. Not sure I'd spend a grand on the Mo-Fi (Nakaoka guy).

[@chrislj2890]

Some really ignorant comments on tubes here apparently by someone who just spouts what they heard others say.

[@billbones1000]

Really tired of this Ojas guy sticking his brand on everything. We have enough Hustlers in HiFi already. A marketing guy showing up with cool pop up events, a start up/founder/overly cool and detached persona and a box of stickers is the last thing the hifi community needs.

[@fakeklg]

Seems like you enjoy being bothered by every little thing. Remember, sunshine: It’s a hobby. No one’s forcing you to like or buy it. Jog on. 🥱

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

OK, tell me who you like.

[@billbones1000]

​@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliacI like you Steve 🙌. He strikes me as a marketing and branding guy and I hate marketing and branding guys. He has a collab for a cart, but it sounds the same just has his sticker on it. Klipsch wanted to target the younger crowd so collabed with him and he just stuck a horn on top of a Klipsch speaker. He sold overpriced tshirts prior to hifi. I am an instrument builder myself so have some skin in the game when it comes to imposters in the makers spaces. A lot of what ojas is doing has my alarm bells ringing. Seems like a lot of marketing and branding or repurposing pre-existing gear and marketing it in a cool hip package. I could be wrong.

[@fakeklg]

@@billbones1000 sounds like he’s not for you, then. Good news: no one is forcing you to buy his work. If you’re not feeling the aesthetics, sound, or backstory, you are free to move one with your life and explore things that do tickle your fancy. Best to explore that route than trash someone and their work in the comments section of a free video.

[@billbones1000]

​@@fakeklgthe ability to push back on brands and marketing is the single greatest part of KZbin.

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

The best gift for an audiophile is a holiday. To take a break from their obsession

[@Harrisongrey19]

You should take a break from commenting

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

@Harrisongrey19 Yeah..nup

[@gdwlaw5549]

Made in china….😢