wparks from Lewiston Idaho Checking In

Howdy-

Apparently I'm not allowed to post anything until I introduce myself, so here goes.

I'm wparks from Lewiston, northern Idaho. Lewiston is a small town at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers, an actual ocean-going sea port way over here in the Idaho panhandle. We're at 700 feet elevation and deep down in a large valley so the weather is extremely mild. I'm a retired electrical engineer who specialized in microprocessor design and validation for HP and Intel until I burned out, sold everything, and ran to the off-grid lifestyle in the rural countryside. Best move =ever=.

Now that I know what I want to be when I grow up I'm moving into more discrete electronics. I cut my teeth on monochrome monitors before the internet was even a thing, so getting to learn about all of the newest technologies available now to the amateur hobbyist has been very empowering. I have a growing passion for high quality audio, and have begun learning, assembling and experimenting with my hi-fi gear. I am limiting myself to a low budget, building for myself as much as possible, and maximizing fun and experience rather than making some blind jump right at "end game" equipment- crawling before running and all that.

Music that is flowing in my veins: mainlining Portishead, freebasing Tool and more Tool, snorting Black Sabbath, smoking Pink Floyd, and popping Gorillaz

Some gear I own and am learning/having fun with:
Sony SSCS5 speakers - my favorite starter speakers and best sounding I have ever owned (so far . . .)
Philips SHP-9500 Headphones - Inherited from my father and discovered on my own just how sweet they are- Thanks Pop!
1961 Magnavox 9302 15Watt 6BQ5 tube amp - A $40 console pull I reworked into an audiophile contender with Dave Gillespie's mods from Audiokarma
1978 Magnavox R344 12W white trash transistor chassis from a $20 console I turned into a pretty stand-alone wooden cabinet integrated reciever
Denon DCD-1500ii CD player - my only piece of audiophile pedigree bought for $10 from an estate sale that just needed new tray belts (knowledge =IS= power)

Recent projects I have built or are building:
"Combat Audio" +/- 15V 1.5A regulated power supply in an army surplus ammo can for powering all of my diy audio gear
Phono Preamp based upon Rod Elliott's ESP project 06 Hi-Fi Phono Preamp that is the best sounding I have heard (comparing across 4 others)
Most excellent headphone amplifier based upon Rod Elliott's ESP Project 113 that drives my 32 Ohm cans to tantric ecstasy. Oh so good!
Modifying a several crappy Fisher "Studio Standard" 🤣 (B.P.C. era) amplifiers into something somewhat respectable
Repairing and cleaning junked stereos and boom-boxes for dontation to local charities
Crappy Acoustic Monitor PSM-1250 12" 3-way retro design tower speakers I am gutting and redesigning into something respectable.


I have learned an incredible amount about electronics design as supported by my education, and a lot about what makes good audio. I have a voratious appetite for new knowledge, and I love to teach what I have learned. I'm here to listen, learn, and teach when I can. Looks like a fun group.

-Warren
 
I would LOVE to have that! I actually have had for years the "Student Manual" for the first edition, with all of the worked laboratory exercises- I have learned a great deal from that, and really appreciated the intuitive, non-intimidating presentation that enabled a visceral "visualization" of how circuits were functioning.

GOOD STUFF!!